“Impressed?”
His voice wrapped around me, and I froze. Leaning against one of the door frames, he stared at me. He was dressed in a crisp white shirt that was rolled up to his elbows and dark slacks. It was clear that his outfit probably cost more than I spent in a month. I tugged nervously at my jeans and t-shirt. “It’s nice,” I said hoarsely. “Mr. Montgomery, I presume?”
“Nice?” he chuckled. “I suppose that will have to do. Please call me Lucas. Can I offer you something to drink?”
Mutely, I shook my head. Drinking around him could be a dangerous thing. “Why am I here?” I blurted out.
He poured himself a drink and gestured to the empty chair. I sat down, and he leaned back in the leather chair behind his desk. I couldn’t stop the image that popped inside my head.
Me, kneeling on the desk as he plunged inside me from behind.
Gasping, I wrapped my arms around myself. What the hell was wrong with me?
“Are you okay?” he asked as he stared at me.
“I will be once you tell me what I’m doing here. I appreciate you thinking that you have to protect me, but I don’t know you.”
“I don’t think that will help you,” he said as he sat his drink down. “I showed interest in you at the club Friday night, and it was enough for someone to think that we were somehow connected. I would be upset if they tried again.”
I couldn’t help but shiver. “I don’t think someone would get that impression just from you looking at me,” I muttered. “It’s clearly just a misunderstanding. I’m probably not even in danger anymore.”
“You’re clearly uncomfortable around me. You’re protecting your body and avoiding looking directly at me. Over the phone you were sassy and dominant, but when you’re close to me, you’re quiet and submissive. Either my office makes you uncomfortable, or I do. I’m inclined to believe the latter. My office is very inviting. Anyone watching you now would see the interest in your eyes. Anyone watching me would know that I was attracted to you. That I wanted to get to know you much more intimately.” His voice was low and silky as he tried to make his point.
I trembled under his words. If he could make me wet just from talking to me, I could only imagine what would happen if he touched me. Whatever was between us was both intense and stifling, and it terrified me. When I got scared, I got mean. “You’re a complete stranger, and you’re telling me that you find me attractive. Any woman would feel uncomfortable,” I snapped. “The club is a highly sexualized place. It’s designed to be a breeding ground for desire and lust, but when you portray those same qualities in a professional atmosphere, it’s uncomfortable.”
“Those are all valid points. If it will make you more comfortable, I’ll try to avoid portraying my desire and lust,” he said dryly. I immediately flushed. He probably thought I was a complete idiot.
“Let’s just get back to the reason why I’m here. You think having me followed is an appropriate response, but I thought I was being stalked. You can’t just try and protect someone without telling them,” I muttered. Lowering my arms, I tried to seem more assertive and comfortable.
“They weren’t supposed to be so obvious, but now that you’re aware of it, you don’t have anything to fear.”
My eyes widened. “You’re going to keep having me followed? The police are going to find who tried to kidnap me, and it’s highly unlikely that they know where I live. You should be more concerned about the people close to you. They’re the real targets.”
“I am having them watched as well. Sloan, I’m not going to remove your security. You can argue until your last breath, but I don’t change my mind easily. Like it or not, we’re going to become quite close until the deal is settled.”
Outraged, I stood. “You’re really not great at listening to people, are you? Before Friday night, I didn’t even know your name. Stalking is a crime. If you don’t leave me alone, I will call the police.”
“Well,” he said with a small smile. “You’re not uncomfortable now, are you? I’ll make you a deal. Allow my men to keep an eye on you for the rest of the week. This Friday, allow me to convince you to accept my protection when I take you out. If you still no longer want it, I’ll leave you alone.”
My eyes narrowed, and I regarded him suspiciously. “Where would we be going?”
“If I told you, it wouldn’t be as much fun, would it? I’ll be in touch with you.” His words were final, as if the conversation were over.
“Damn it, I haven’t agreed to anything!”
“The only time a woman should use profane language is when they’re in pain or in the throes of pleasure.”
His voice was hard, and my jaw dropped. In one sentence he’d enraged me and turned me on, and I had a feeling the bastard knew it. “Fuck you,” I snapped. Turning on my heels, I stormed out of his office.
It wasn’t until I was in the elevator that I could breathe easily again. Despite having the last word, I knew that I hadn’t won the conversation. He would continue to have me followed.
And I’d be forced to see him again on Friday.
It was hard enough to be near him in the office. How was I going to react in a more private setting?
“You are in way over your head, Sloan,” I muttered.
Chapter 6
Lucas
When I called her earlier, I’d requested that she wear the green dress from the club last weekend. She opened the door in jeans and a sparkly tank-top. I couldn’t help but smile. She was a mess.
“Is this going to take long? I have an early morning tomorrow,” she asked as she grabbed her purse. If I hadn’t caught the look in her eye, I would have thought that she was irritated. But her pupils dilated as soon as she caught sight of me.
She liked what she saw.
“You’re a college student. You’re supposed to enjoy your Friday nights and sleep in all day on Saturday.” While her back was to me, I took a moment to drink her in. Despite the casual dress, she looked phenomenal. The long sleeveless shirt didn’t quite cover how well her ass filled out those jeans, and for a brief moment, I enjoyed the fantasy of running the palm of my hand over it.
“I’m a graduate student. Friday nights don’t exist and Saturdays are for research,” she muttered as she straightened. Turning to face me, she pulled her unruly hair back and pulled it through a band. “We’re both in agreement. If I go with you, you’ll leave me alone?”
“Is that what you want?”
“A simple yes or no would be fine,” she snapped.
“Yes. If, after tonight, you want me to withdraw my protection, I’ll honor your wishes. But if you get kidnapped, I won’t be paying the ransom.”
“Fine. I’d hate to be in your debt anyway.” She glared at me and waved her hands to shoo me out of the doorway.
“Why don’t you like me?” I asked as I watched her lock the door.
“You nearly got me kidnapped. You’re stalking me. You’re incredibly inappropriate, and you actually tried to pick out my outfit for tonight. I’ve had all of one conversation with you. Just because you are rich doesn’t mean you get to control my life. Are you going to tell me now where we’re going?”
There weren’t many people who spoke freely to me. Strangers certainly didn’t speak to me that way. Women didn’t speak to me that way. “Just dinner.”
“Dinner? That’s not vague at all.” She tucked the keys in her purse and turned to face me. The moon bathed her in light. She looked ethereal. Far too pure for someone like me.
But I wasn’t about to let that get in my way. I was certain that by the end of the evening, I’ll finally have tasted her. And if things really went well, I might taste more than just her mouth.
Her apartment was quaint and small but well maintained. I put my hand on the small of her back to lead her to the car where Danny waited. Her muscles tightened under my touch, but she didn’t turn away. I was tempted to slip her shirt up and touch her bare skin, but I knew that she would push me away.
> As instructed, Danny didn’t say anything when he opened the door. She thanked him politely and slid into the furthest corner of the luxury car. Amused, I kept the distance that she seemed to need.
She nervously chatted during the short ride into the city. Our destination, Wu tong Shen, was named for the five Chinese deities that represented lust and carnal desire. They were known for their power to possess and ravish beautiful women.
Despite its name and reputation, Wu tong Shen had a reservation list that lasted months. Their food was excellent, and the entertainment enticing. The restaurant catered to all different tastes. The more restrained could enjoy a normal restaurant on the first floor. The more daring could enjoy the erotic entertainment on the second floor, and those that had a standing invitation like myself could book a private third floor.
“Wu tong Shen?” she asked in alarm. “I know the food is good, but I’ve heard what they do on the second floor.”
“We won’t be dining on the second floor, my little wallflower.”
Her eyes flickered at the nickname, but she didn’t comment on it. We walked in, and she glanced suspiciously around the restaurant. It looked very much like an expensive five-star restaurant. White table cloths, flickering candles, silver trays, and a serving staff dressed in formal wear. Sloan was far too underdressed, and she knew it the moment we walked in.
“Mr. Montgomery,” the hostess said warmly. “It’s always a pleasure to see you.”
She was fresh and young, but she wasn’t allowed above the first floor. The owners were very strict about the rules, and it’s what kept the place running smoothly. When it first opened, the press eagerly came in search of scandal, but they left disappointed. It went above and beyond the legal requirements of a strip club. Tips were encouraged, but the cover fee to get upstairs was more than enough to keep the local ruffians at bay.
We could have taken the stairs to the third floor, but the hostess walked us to the elevator instead. Sloan dragged her feet, and I pushed her gently. “You said we weren’t going to the second floor,” she said nervously when the doors closed.
“We’re not.” I smiled when she bit her lip uncertainly. She was so innocent. I wanted so badly to dirty her just a little.
The door opened up to a hallway. The third floor was sectioned off into four closed rooms. Only four reservations could enjoy the third floor at a time, but they were allowed to stay as long as they wanted. I ushered her down the hall to the last door on the left. When I knocked, the door opened to reveal a small dining area.
Dark leather booths lined the walls, and a small table stood in the middle of it. Like the tables downstairs, it was covered in a white cloth but I had specifically requested the candle be removed.
“You have your own private dining room here?” she asked in confusion as she glanced around.
“Not me specifically. The four rooms can be rented for prescreened individuals for a fee.”
“Why do they have to be prescreened?”
“These rooms are private for a reason,” I said vaguely. She glanced at the gentleman who had opened the door, and he smiled indulgently and held out his arm. I allowed him to escort her to the table and pull out her chair. She seemed delighted in the experience.
“I have to say, this is not what I expected.”
I took my own seat, and the gentleman turned to me. “Who will you be requesting, this evening?”
“Sandra will be fine. Thank you.”
He looked surprised but merely nodded and quietly left the room.
“You have your own waitress?” she asked as she opened the menu. “That’s awfully fancy.”
It was time to chip away at her innocence just a little. “Each of the women and men who work up here are designed to satisfy individual satisfaction. If you want your waitress to serve you naked, it’s allowed. If you want to eat your meal off her body, it’s allowed. And if you want to watch her engage in certain activities during your meal, it’s allowed.”
Her jaw dropped. “That’s illegal,” she whispered.
“The one thing you are not allowed to do is fuck the waitresses or ask them to pleasure you. You’re welcome to ask them to join you when they get off work, but it’s not allowed here in the restaurant. Nothing illegal happens here.”
She shifted uncomfortably in her seat. I could tell she was embarrassed to ask, but she finally let curiosity win. “What sort of activities could you request?”
“The staff are very close. If they’re so inclined, they can pleasure themselves or each other while you watch.”
The blood drained from her face, and her eyes widened. “I guess I knew that kind of thing was popular, but I didn’t think there were places designed for it.”
“I believe it’s required for the staff on the third floor to enjoy being watched. They get off on it,” I said quietly.
“How many times have you watched?” She looked almost horrified after asking and quickly shook her head. “Never mind. I don’t want to know.”
I smiled indulgently. “I am quite fond of the food here, and I like the privacy the third floor provides. I have never requested anything special here, but if you’re curious, I’d be happy to change that.”
“No,” she said quickly. “I don’t think I’d like that. Why would you even bring me to a place like this?”
From the way she was gripping her menu, I knew she probably might like it a little too much. Did she get off on watching other people? Or did she like the idea of someone watching her? “I told you. I like the food and privacy. I’m fond of the filet’s here, but if you like seafood, the stuffed flounder is divine.”
“We’re just here to eat and talk?”
“Does that disappoint you?” I asked her quietly.
“Of course not.”
We both knew she was lying.
Chapter 7
Sloan
My body ached to be touched. Had he taken me to a normal restaurant, I would have still been turned on by him, but the thought of what might be happening on the other side of the wall nearly pushed me over the edge. Just because it wasn’t prostitution didn’t mean this wasn’t a sex club.
Expensive, but a sex club none-the-less.
Sandra, the waitress he’d requested, did not serve us naked. She wore an incredibly slinky dress, and if she bent over, I knew that we’d get an excellent view of an area that’s supposed to remain private. She was attractive, her voice was sultry, and she couldn’t keep her eyes off Lucas.
I couldn’t even believe how jealous it made me.
Downing the glass of red wine in front of me, I tried to enjoy the food. It really was delicious, but it paled in comparison to the other hunger that grew inside me. I was never the kind of girl who had fantasies about strangers or sex in public, but that wasn’t stopping the film of torrid fantasies that continued to play in my mind.
“You’re supposed to be convincing me why I need your protection,” I reminded him. It was something to distract me.
He swirled his glass of whiskey around and cocked his head. “I watched the video feed from the surveillance cameras. You put up quite a fight, but there was only one thing that worked in your favor. You were in a parking lot of a crowded club. Because you didn’t come easily, they were afraid that you’d attracted too much attention to them. You stay late at the campus library. What if they had caught you in the deserted parking lot at midnight? What if they had attacked outside your apartment when everyone was asleep? You defended yourself, but they could have overpowered you.”
The thought had occurred to me, but I didn’t want to think about it. “That doesn’t explain why I need your protection. By now they probably know that we’re not in a relationship, and they’ve moved on. It would be ridiculous to try again.”
“Would it?” he asked quietly. “Even if we weren’t acquaintances before, we certainly are now. I have no family in the area. I have no close friends that are easily accessible, and I don’t date. If they decided to try a
gain, targeting you is the only real choice. They’ve pushed you into my life, and I can no longer call you a stranger. It would be no small thing for them to request a million dollars for you. That’s pocket change to me. I’d shell it out without a second thought.”
A million dollars was pocket change to him? I almost asked how much he was worth and decided that I really didn’t want to know the answer. “All of that assumes that they’ll even try again. They’ve already failed, and they know that the police are investigating and that I’m being watched.”
“But if you decide that you don’t want my protection, you won’t be watched anymore. My head of security did his research. They weren’t there by chance. That same van has been tailing me for days. It’s quite possible that they were going to try and take me hostage and demand that my company pay for my return, but you became a much easier target. You still are an easier target. They’ve put in an awful lot of effort to give up after one failed attempt. The police don’t have their names or identities. They choose another vehicle, and they´ll try again.”
Shuddering, I pushed my plate away. I had suddenly lost my appetite. As much as I hated to admit it, he had a point. It didn’t make sense that they saw me and hatched a kidnapping scheme. Of course they’d planned something. It was too much to be a coincidence.
Sandra came in and cleared our plates. “Will there be anything else that you’d like to enjoy?’ she asked seductively. I couldn’t help but glare at her. I know I wasn’t gorgeous, but I wasn’t invisible.
“Sloan?” he asked in a low voice. “Would you care for dessert?”
He probably didn’t mean a piece of chocolate cake. Reddening, I shook my head, and he smiled at Sandra. “Some privacy then. Thank you for your services.”
Was it my imagination or was she snarling at me with her eyes? I tried to return the look, but she only rolled her eyes and stalked out of the room. “I think she was disappointed,” I said dryly. Pushing my chair back, I folded the napkin and placed it on the table.
Montgomery Billionaire Series Page 4
