by Alicia White
He dropped his arms, not wanting to hold on to her for too long. He didn’t want the situation to become awkward for her, especially since they had shared a wonderful dinner together. Nicholas stood by the table, the three of them not really sure what to say.
“So…thanks again. I’ll head out now. I hope that I can see you again soon.” He didn’t specify who he was talking to. Instead, he turned to leave.
“Hey, Nicholas.” Damon called out and he turned.
“Yeah?”
“I was going to invite Selene to go out tonight. Would you like to join us?” The sentence was music to his ears. Instead of following his first reaction, which was to run around the room dancing, he acted neutral.
“Sure. Where are you going?” He truly didn’t care. They could invite him over for board games and he would be happy.
“The Club.” Damon’s words rang out, and Nicholas felt his cock jerk in reaction. That’s all he needed to hear. Damon was officially on board with moving forward and trying to convince Selene. The only thing he could do was nod.
Selene’s reaction wasn’t subtle. Her eyes were huge, and her mouth hung open in an O. She grabbed Damon’s forearm, but Damon didn’t react, just sent him a secret wink.
“Sounds good. Let’s meet back here at the hotel and we can drive together. Eight o’clock?”
“Okay.” Damon nodded, took Selene’s hand, and walked out of the restaurant. Nicholas took a minute to watch them go before he went to his private elevator. His plans for the evening had changed. He needed to shower, shave, and get ready for the night. He whistled as he walked, feeling lighter and more relaxed.
Chapter 7
“Have you lost your mind?” Selene whispered the words through clenched teeth. She didn’t know that much about The Club, but she had no idea that Damon had heard of it. There had been an awkward moment when Damon had walked up to the table. She thought that he might actually take a swing at Nicholas. There had been some sort of silent communication, and then Damon had calmed down. He even invited Nicholas to join them. That confused her most of all.
They walked through the casino, and Damon held her hand in his. He didn’t slow down, just headed straight to the employee parking lot. When they reached her car, he stopped and leaned her against the side of the car.
“What?” She couldn’t read his facial expressions, and it was driving her crazy. He wasn’t acting like his usual self. Whenever men were around her, he tended to be overly possessive.
“Seriously? I wanted to talk to you about last night. I thought we could spend some time together. Why did you invite Nicholas? And…why are we going to The Club?” She was starting to feel a little frustrated with him, so instead of raising her voice, she took a few deep breaths and waited for his answer patiently.
“I wanted to talk to you about last night, too. Instead of waiting, let’s talk now before we go out.” When she opened her mouth to talk, he put a finger over her lips, stopping her and continued. “I’ve been waiting to move our relationship forward for years. I’m sick of only flirting with you and the occasional kiss. I want more, and last night you wanted more, too. I can’t keep playing this game, Selene. Either you want me or you don’t. We are either going to try to make this relationship work or that’s it, I’m done. I invited Nicholas because I get the feeling that something happened between the two of you and you have some feelings for him.”
Selene immediately started shaking her head. If the choice came down to Damon or Nicholas. She knew she would choose Damon. Yes, she liked Nicholas a lot, but she had a history with Damon, and those feelings would never fully go away.
“Selene.” Damon stared at her, crossing his arms over his chest. She nodded for him to continue and held up her hands in surrender. She knew that he had more to say and that he hated being interrupted when he was on a roll. “You do have some feelings for Nicholas. I’m okay. It’s okay. I want to take you to The Club, and he should come with us. He has feelings for you, too.” He didn’t look upset, and that surprised her. He was usually territorial. She actually liked that about him. It made her feel like she mattered in some weird way.
“Have you ever been to that place before?” She knew from the little experience that she had with Damon that he was very commanding, but he had never talked about going to that particular club before.
“Once. I think you’ll be surprised not all the gossip is true. I want you to go with an open mind. If you hate it, we’ll leave, but I want you to give it a chance. I want to know your thoughts about last night.” She watched as his eyes became guarded and his stance changed. She wondered if he expected her response to be negative, the way he braced himself.
“I wish I could’ve woken up in your arms. I missed you this morning. Everything that happened was wonderful. I do love you so much, Damon. I’m just scared. If this doesn’t work...” She started shaking her head. She could feel her eyes burning and knew that if she stayed on this train of thought, she would cry.
“It will work.” He pulled her into his arms, and she hugged him hard, feeling his heart beat against her cheek. “We love each other. That’s all that matters. And I know that Nicholas feels the same. We’ll make it work.”
Selene jerked back, wondering what Nicholas had to do with any of this.
“Open mind.” Using his index finger, he tapped it against her head smiling broadly. “Let’s go home and get ready.” Damon turned and headed to his Harley parked across the lot. She watched him go, admiring his perfect ass and long legs. He threw his leg over his bike and started the engine. She couldn’t help but watch him and study his body while he put his helmet on and revved the engine, pulling out of the lot.
Selene leaned into the side of her car and put her head back, letting the warm breeze wash over her. Everything seemed to have changed overnight. She went from a rocky relationship with Damon to an “official” relationship. Although she wasn’t sure if technically they were official. Her relationship with Nicholas was a very different story. She had no idea how to classify it. How could Damon even consider being that open-minded about him? He was their boss, the owner of Olympus and Skin Deep Ink. Was he just being nice or was he considering something more?
She shook her head and moved slowly, unsure how she felt about going to The Club with both men. She moved then, finally opening the door to her car and getting inside. She sat there for a while thinking about the conversation and trying to analyze what everything meant. When she didn’t come up with any logical conclusions, she started the engine and pulled out of the lot. She needed to get home and take a shower, and then she could decide if she was going to The Club or not.
* * * *
Damon listened to the engine on his Harley purr as he cruised down the strip toward his place. He still couldn’t believe that he’d brought up going to The Club with Selene and Nicholas. He shook his head as he changed lanes and cut through traffic. He had been thinking about Nicholas’s offer all day, imagining what it would be like to share Selene. Did he really want to share her? The thought of another man touching her made him feel like he could barely breathe.
When he saw them eating and laughing together, he had felt left out. Selene got up and walked to him, though. She moved past Nicholas and right into his arms to comfort him. Instantly he realized that she was his. She would always belong to him, and Nicholas just wanted to be a part of their relationship. It changed the dynamics of things, and that’s why he made the suggestion. It was to give Nicholas a chance with Selene. At least, that’s what he told himself.
Would this turn into something long-term? Could the three of them really have a relationship? He wasn’t sure if that would happen, but he needed to know what Selene wanted. He knew that she had a crush on Nicholas. She acted a little too girly when he was around, all smiles and giggling. Nicholas wasn’t the in-charge guy that Damon knew when she was around. He didn’t want to overthink things.
Damon parked his bike in his assigned spot. He walked to his apa
rtment, trying to focus on anything but Nicholas and Selene. It was an impossible task, though, especially since Selene lived in the apartment across the hall. He wondered if he should’ve waited for her, to follow her home. No, she’ll be fine. The words floated through his mind, and he smiled. She was probably driving home now.
Damon didn’t waste any time. He took his clothes off as he walked down the hall toward the bathroom. He needed a shower. He also wished that he had time to talk to Nicholas to find out what their plan for Selene would be. He knew what he wanted to do, had been thinking about the show he watched earlier, picturing the three of them. He didn’t want Nicholas in a sexual way, and as the hot water ran down his body, he wondered if Nicholas wanted him.
He froze in the shower, and his heart started to pound. Did Nicholas want them both? Was his plan to be with them both sexually? Damon grabbed the bar of soap and ran it over his body. He hadn’t even considered that. He stopped and laughed at how far he let his imagination run. No, Nicholas had dreamed of living the same lifestyle as his family and friends. He took him to The Club and showed him exactly what he wanted. If he had wanted them both sexually, he trusted that he would’ve told him.
Damon got out of the shower and dried off. He walked into his bedroom and grabbed a pair of black jeans, a black T-shirt, and his motorcycle boots. He hoped that enough time had passed that Selene was already home and getting ready. He was ready quick and was glad he had a shaved head.
He locked his door and walked across the hall, excited about seeing Selene. He knocked on the door, and she answered wearing her cute pajamas.
“No. Go to your room and get ready. I want you to wear that sexy, black dress you have with the highest heels you own.” He waited for her to argue. He knew she wasn’t used to him bossing her around. Her pupils dilated, and she licked her lips. She nodded and went into her bedroom, leaving the front door open, and he stepped inside her place and made himself comfortable.
Her apartment was cute, just like her. The furniture was a deep red, and she had colorful artwork displayed on every wall. She didn’t have any family photos, which didn’t surprise him. She liked being surrounded by art. She did have a framed photo of the two of them and he really loved that she liked him in her place. They were smiling, and he remembered when it was taken. A few years ago, they went on a camping trip with a group of friends. They had shared a tent, and although nothing happened, everyone thought something had.
He looked around her place probably more than he had in the past, focusing on the way she decorated and the art pieces she had chosen. She was completely passionate, and it really showed in how much art influenced who and what she was.
The clicking of heels drew his attention, and Damon turned around to see her coming into the living room. The dress hugged her body perfectly. All her curves were outlined, and he could tell that she wasn’t wearing a bra or panties. Her legs were on display, and he wanted to run his hands up and down them. He really wanted to take her back into her bedroom and strip her, but he knew that he wanted this club experience. He wanted to see if this could work between them. He wasn’t sure if she wanted the three of them together or if she would choose him alone.
“You’re staring.” She was fidgeting, shifting her weight from one leg to the other. When she crossed her arms over her chest, he smiled, wanting to reassure her.
“You are perfection. I can’t take my eyes off you.” He walked toward her and rubbed his hands up and down her arms.
“Thanks. Do you really want to do this, Damon?” He stared at her innocent face and wondered, not for the first time, if this was really what he wanted to do.
“I think we should check this place out. If you hate it, I’ll bring you back home. If you decided you want to try something, I want to fulfill your fantasies.” He didn’t want to tell her about Nicholas or his ideas. He just wanted to see her reaction when they were at The Club. Would she be intrigued? Did she want them both?
“My fantasies? I’m not sure going to this place will change anything. I like what we have,” she said.
“I want so much more than what we have right now. I want it all, with you. I want to be able to walk into Skin Deep Ink and kiss you. I want to hold your hand when we go out. I want to be able to touch you whenever and wherever.” He stared into her eyes, searching for something to show him that she wanted the same things.
“What about our families or our friends? There are so many people who wouldn’t understand.” She bit her bottom lip, and her brow crinkled, too. She looked sad, and he hated seeing her this way. He didn’t want to make her life more complicated, but he knew that he wouldn’t be happy until they were together. He wanted the title. He wanted to be able to tell everyone that she belonged to him.
“I don’t care what people say. Hell, I don’t even care if it’s only us. I don’t need anyone but you. I want you to get to that point. I want you to say that to me.” Her lip quivered, and he knew she was close to crying. He didn’t want to have this serious discussion now. He didn’t want their night to be ruined before it even began. He pulled her into his arms and held her tight, kissing the top of her head.
“It’s all going to work out. I promise you that I will always be a part of your life. I will always be here for you.” He didn’t want her to think that if she wasn’t in a relationship with him that he would leave her. He knew that wouldn’t be possible. Even if she decided to “just be friends,” he would suck it up and be her friend.
“Okay. I’m ready. Let’s just go and check this place out.” She smiled up at him and moved away. She grabbed her keys and his hand, pulling him out the door.
They walked together, fingers interlaced, toward the parking lot. He walked taller, proud to have her on his arm. He opened the passenger-side door and helped her in the car, and she handed him her keys. He walked around the car and got in, started the engine, and put his right hand on her thigh. She immediately grabbed his hand and held it tight, and he knew that she was probably feeling a little scared. This was a totally new beginning, and he was glad that she was willing to give it a chance.
They drove in a comfortable silence, and he thought over a plan. If things went bad and she was uncomfortable, he would take her home and apologize to Nicholas. He could then focus on it just being the two of them. On the other hand, if she really did want Nicholas, then she would get them both. He wouldn’t deny her.
They pulled into the front of the casino, and Nicholas was walking out the front door, looking very distinguished in his long-sleeve black sweater with matching dress pants. Damon shook his head, realizing how truly different they were. Nicholas came from wealth and dressed the part. Damon didn’t, and although he was very content, it made him realize that Selene would be in a world she wasn’t familiar with either. Doubt crept into his mind and immediately stopped that train of thought.
Nicholas spotted them, nodded, and got into the driver seat of his car. They followed him out of the parking lot and down the strip.
“Why didn’t he just get in the car with us?” Selene turned in her seat, and he made eye contact for a minute before looking back at the road.
“Probably because he knew people were watching and he didn’t want you to feel uncomfortable. Someone might confront you and ask questions that you don’t want to answer.” He hoped that was the truth and not that Nicholas would be embarrassed to get into her car or be seen with them. That seed of doubt took root, and he squashed it. He really wanted these thoughts to stop.
“You’re probably right.” She turned back and stared out the window as they drove out of town. His heart beat rapidly in his chest as they got closer to their destination. He felt shaky, and his hands felt sweaty. He watched her out of the corner of his eye, wondering if she felt the same way he did. He wanted to turn the car around. One of his worst fears was losing Selene. Instead, he kept following Nicholas as they drove through the industrial area. When they reached the underground garage, he stayed behind him and went to a
parking spot next to him.
“Just remember…if you want to leave, all you have to do is tell me. I will take you home.” He squeezed her hand and Selene nodded and gave him a half smile. He got out of the car, walked around, and opened her door. He reached his hand in and she took it, stepping out of the car. He wrapped her arm around his elbow, letting her lean into him as they walked to meet Nicholas who was waiting by his car.
“This looks a little scary,” Selene whispered, and Damon looked around. In the underground garage, there were at least two dozen high-end cars in various numbered parking spots. He wondered if the numbers were meant for different members and if he would have to move their car. Groups of people, couples, and ménages walked toward the entrance in various stages of undress. Some women were barely wearing anything at all, and he assumed that Selene was probably a little overwhelmed already.
“I’m so glad that you both wanted to come here tonight. I called ahead and had your names put on the guest list. If you have any questions, let me know.” Nicholas smiled broadly, and Damon knew that he was glad they were all here together. “My cousins are here already. Let’s go inside so that I can introduce you.”
“If we’re guests, does that mean you’re a member?” Selene cocked her head to the side, staring at Nicholas, and Damon arched a brow, wondering how he would answer her question.
“Yes. I’m a member. In fact, I know the owners quite well, and I gave money so that this club could be built.” Nicholas moved then, taking the spot on Selene’s other side and mimicking his action, having her other arm drape over his. She looked at him, and he smiled, wanting to reassure her that he was fine.
“Okay. So…I’m feeling a little nervous. Maybe we should walk in since everyone seems to be staring at us,” she said.
