Parker opens his mouth to say something, but a loud knock comes again. He looks conflicted and his hands are in tight fists at his sides. He’s barely holding on to his control. He doesn’t want to let me go. I reach over, grabbing one of his hands with both of mine, making him unclench it. I look into his grey eyes.
“Only you and me, right?” I repeat, feeling like he’s the one that needs the reminder now.
“Yeah,” he says his voice hoarse. I lift his hand to my mouth, slowly, my eyes not moving away from his as my lips kiss his knuckles one by one.
“Tell me again.” I whisper against his hand, our eyes connected.
“Only you and me,” sounding slightly more confident squeezing my hand.
Another knock comes and I let go, finding strength somehow to head towards the door. Opening it just as Matt is about to knock again. Matt’s eyes look over my shoulder and nods as he leads me out, walking beside me, smoothly placing a roll of bills into my hand, I look at him confused and he winks at me.
Walking into the dressing room, I notice that the girls are all tense. One of the newer girls, a brunette with pretty blue eyes looks at Matt, fear clear as day in her eyes.
“Girls, why don’t you give us a minute,” a deep baritone voice says and I look to the back of the room. The judge is there, Belle is at his side. Belle’s slightly pale. She looks smaller than normal in a way, standing next to Duke. I notice that the judge’s two goons are in the room as well.
Once the girls clear the room Duke walks over to me. Matt’s body is solid at my side and something comes over me.
“Belle… Here.” I toss her the roll of bills. Belle looks at me, standing straighter.
“Big tipper?” She asks sounding slightly amused.
“Businessmen like Thompson always are. Duke, what can I do for you? I’m sure there are girl’s that need to get back in here to get ready.” I ask my face is serious and cold.
He stares at me, lines at his forehead, an almost scowl on his face.
“You think you can play me?” He asks not looking amused and I look him in his eyes.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” I tell him.
“My grandson’s here. He needs to leave.”
“I told him it was over….” I start to tell him but he puts his hand out.
“Obviously it wasn't convincing.”
“Obviously,” I sass back and I catch his eye twitching.
“Matthew, Belle will you give Lizzy and me a moment please?” He asks. Belle’s eyes wide on mine, Matt’s body hardens next to mine. I was over Duke’s dramatics.
I nod at Belle and she steps forward, her face cold.
“Come on Matt, I’ll buy you a drink.”
“Belle,” Matt growls and I let the tips of my fingers skim his.
“Bring me back a shot of tequila.” I tell them as I walk over to my station, letting myself sit down, crossing my legs and I look over at his two goons. The creepy one obviously drooling with a pathetic excuse of a hard on, but the other one, the cuter one is serious. Unreadable!
“Look Duke, I need to get ready and I don't know what to….” I didn’t finish because that was the moment his hand flew out, slapping me hard. The loud smack in the room deafening, but that was because most of the force of his hit was by my ear and across my cheek.
My hand immediately covers my face, I look down. Trying to keep my cool, trying not to let myself remember the last time someone hurt me.
“Lizzy, Lizzy, Lizzy…,” he says breathing in deep as he kneels in front of me. “You’re a smart girl. You know I’m not a stupid man. Make sure to remember that. Call off your ex. Thompson is a nuisance I don’t want to deal with. As for my grandson, he needs to get the message you’re completely not interested. I have big plans for him, even if he doesn’t know it yet. I would hate for him to have to learn a lesson that might not make his mother happy. She thinks he’s a handsome boy, it’d be a shame to have to do something to change that, don’t you think?” He threatens in an eerie calm voice.
I bring my eyes to him, my heart beating hard and fast. His hands go to my knees, his thumbs stroking my skin. My skin crawls at his touch, the way his eyes are on me. The way it feels to have him look at me. I feel his hands moving up a little higher and I keep my eyes on him. Cold, unflinching and determined not to let him see any fear. His fingers graze the lace of my boy shorts. His breathing picks up like a pervert and I notice how he licks his lips.
“I think to make up for Thompson’s stupidity, you should change to the main stage. I’ll be right there.”
“Is that an order?” I ask, still cold and unaffected and he smiles. His hands leave my thighs and now go to my face. They’re gentle and caring.
“You remind me of someone. Did I ever tell you that?” He tells me and I bite away the urge to roll my eyes. “You have the same fire in your eyes. You should watch that. It didn’t work out too well for her. It’s always good to learn from the past.” Something about his eyes is not right as he tells me this and I look at the two goons behind him.
“Fix your face. I’ll see you in a minute. Don’t take too long, Preciosa.” Precious in Spanish, I’d heard that term of endearment before.
Before I can think too much, he stands and walks out. Creepy goon is looking at me and the hot goon’s face looks serious, almost furious. As if he didn’t agree with his employer’s tactics or maybe he thought I deserved worse. Not that I care. Still without a word, silently they follow the mighty Judge out of the dressing room.
I turn to the mirror and look at my face. Thankfully it isn’t swelling, just red across my cheek but I can fix that. I look at my make-up, grabbing a blush brush. With my hand shaking, I look back up to the mirror and I see Belle behind me. Her eyes are teary. Belle doesn't do tears.
“Don’t.” I tell her, not sure where the cold bitch inside of me had come from, but I’m glad I had her right now. Belle holds my gaze in the mirror, my hands slightly shaky, she steps closer but I shake my head. I can’t have anyone close to me right now. I need to let myself be cold. To settle in, build walls around me. Mentally make myself a complete bitch. I was known for being a hard ass. I can do this. That’s the only way I can get through my nightmare weekend. I’ve been alone a long time and I must do this alone. I can do this for a couple of days and if I am smart I’d stay alone for the rest of my life. Maybe shrug off the girls little by little. Caring only got you hurt. I could leave once this was all over. Hand over the bakery to Tess.
“He wants me on the main stage.” I tell Belle as I try to fix my face.
“I’ll let….”
“NO! Project Protect Liz is over, Belle. Kick Thompson out and make sure Duke takes notice, then double check that the girls have someone watching them. Switch me with Ginger,” I order her my voice cold and steady. Who would have thought I’d be one day making the Madame of the West Coast do anything? To anyone I look heartless, but she knows. She knows exactly how I’m feeling. I see it in her eyes. There’s no way she didn’t know.
“Matt stays on me from now on. He doesn’t leave my side. I don’t care if Duke insists. Something about Jake sets him off,” I whisper the last part as I fix my face, sweeping blush on the apples of my cheeks.
“I’ll go get everything moved around.” I nod and watch Matt walk in with a shot glass and water bottle.
Standing behind me, I see him looking at my reflection in the mirror as I fix my make-up. He places the shot glass on the vanity in front of me gently and without missing a beat I take the shot, the quick burn goes down my throat.
“Let me see, Liz,” his voice is slightly gruff, I turn my entire body.
Matt kneels in front of me, bringing the cold water bottle to my face, then gently presses it on the redness Duke’s hand had left.
“I shouldn’t have left.” He says gruffly. His eyes blazing with controlled anger. I like that about Matt. I like that he can keep his control. I’d seen him angry before, but he had a way that he
kept a lid on it when he needed to. He didn’t scare me.
“I’ve been through worse and I’m still standing. I’m okay, Matt.” I tell him trying to avoid his kind eyes.
“Still….”
“Matt. Let it go.” I say and he shakes his head and looks down.
“What the fuck?” He growls and I look down.
Red fingerprint marks are on my thighs. With the adrenaline rushing through me I didn’t realize how deep Duke’s fingers had dug into my flesh. So deep he’d left marks.
“I’m okay,” I whisper because I'm suddenly feeling really drained.
Matt’s eyes go to me, a fire burning in them brightly. I can’t keep my hands from going to his on my thighs.
“I need you to do me a favor.” My voice is soft, it trembles almost as much as my hands shake in his and he squeezes my hands, “Anything.”
Chatper Twenty-Nine
Parker
A big bouncer alongside with Belle, asks Thompson to leave and that doesn’t sit well with me.
Belle looks spooked even if she is trying to hide it, and I don’t have a good feeling about it. My grandfather’s sitting off to the side in front of another stage and when our eyes meet, he tips his head at me. The DJ announces the next dancers and I watch as my girl walks out with another girl.
But instead of heading to the stage closest to where I’m sitting, Liz walks over to the stage closest to the Judge. The girl that had come out with Liz, comes to our stage, her hips swaying sexily but I’m not paying attention. I watch Liz dance, swaying her luscious hips in front of the Judge, her body gliding down the pole behind her. Her head goes back, her eyes closed, a look of passion and pleasure, one I’ve seen so many times I’ve lost track falls over her face as her body slides up and down. Once her body comes down she crawls seductively, her perfect ass out and round and I’m so damn hard. Her eyes never look to me. She doesn’t even try to search for me in the crowd. I feel my blood start to heat, and I begin to see red. Beyond pissed I go to stand, but Tony holds onto my shoulder.
“Relax, Park…,” he warns and he’s right. I wouldn’t be doing anyone any favors if I go over there and do exactly what I want to, which is punch Duke and drag Liz off the fucking stage. Instead I sit there, clenching my hands around the glass of whiskey I’m drinking. Feeling helpless to help the woman I’m in love with as I look towards the stage. To anyone looking at me, they’d have thought I’m watching the blonde on the stage in front of me, but I’m not.
All I can see is Liz and I on the beach that first night we’d met. All I can see is us dancing on the beach in Miami, only seven fucking days ago! The promise of that night is disappearing in front of me. Why is she dancing for him? Why did she switch stages?
I look over to the stage and take in her face. Really look at her. Her makeup is heavier than it’d been in the private room. I stare at her face and something about how heavy her makeup is makes my stomach turn. Something had happened to make her switch stages.
I watch as she walks off the stage and practically starts to give the judge a lap dance in front of everyone. The Judge slips a bill at her waistband, his hands freely grabbing her ass. I look towards the sides by where the stage and the table are and I see the bodyguard Matt, his lips are thin, his hands are in fists. Something happened. His eyes met mine, hard and cold. I stare as his jaw clenches and he looks back to where Liz is dancing. The song starts to fade off, finally fucking ending as she walks back onto the stage and to the back. Matt follows behind her as the DJ announces someone else. I gulp down the rest of my drink and nod at Tony as we both stand and head to the private rooms.
“Calm down,” Tony whispers as we walk, heading towards the rooms.
“Shut up, Tony.” I hiss, opening the door ready to wait for her.
Liz
Adrenaline pumping through my veins, my hands slightly shaky, one of the waitresses brings me a double shot of tequila, I down it without a second thought, letting the burn take over for a second. Matt’s staring at me, his blue eyes are worried and angry, I nod at him. He shakes his head, but I stand and he follows me to the private rooms.
The walk is a blur. It could be the tequila mixed with an empty stomach or my nerves of what I’m about to do. Either way I feel a little looser. Not so uptight. I can feel myself smiling as I walk the floor heading to the bar.
Tipping my head to Jen, one of the bartenders that I’d known over the years, she went to reach for a shot glass. She knows me. She knows what I drink.
Matt’s hand goes over my wrist.
“Do you think that’s a good idea?” He whispers into my ear. I back away, staying close to him, my face in his. Wearing my sky high red stiletto’s he’s only a little taller than me my hand goes to the stubble at his jaw. It’s rough against my hand. It feels good, but it isn’t what my hands want to touch. Parker’s jaw is sexier. With a sigh, my mind a little muddled, thanks to the tequila, I let myself rub my front up against his front, his hand tightening on my wrist. I can feel his body start to react to mine. I’m dressed in a jet black silk nightie that has scrapes of bright red pieces of lace on the edges of my cleavage and hugs my body so tight, that it left very little to the imagination.
“One more shot, handsome. Then we’ll go do our thing. Okay?” He shakes his head but stays silent as he hands me a slice of lime, and I laugh. Picking up the shot glass, I down the tequila fast and hard, putting the lime on his lips, a hint of a smile on his beautiful mouth.
“I’m a big girl, I don’t need training wheels.” I tell him and he laughs shaking his head, he grimaces as he squeezes the lime in his mouth.
Parker
She didn’t fucking show up to the room. Pissed off, I walk to towards the dressing rooms. Belle won’t answer her damn phone or texts. Tony stays in the room in case she suddenly shows up. I walk into the lit up dressing room, shutting the door behind me quietly.
When my eyes meet the sight in front of me, my feet freeze. I hear her giggle her face going to Matt’s neck.
What. The. Fuck.
“Liz.” I growl her dark eyes go to mine. I watch as she licks Matt’s neck her eyes never moving from mine. Matt turns around zipping up his pants.
“Fuck man, a little privacy.” He says.
“Seriously? What the fuck, Liz?”
She smiles, her eyes a little hooded, she walks to the vanity and sits down.
“Mr. Stone,” she smiles, staring at her reflection in the mirror.
“What do you think you’re fucking doing?” I hiss at her.
“Paying my union dues…,” she giggles, “What do you think I was doing...Matt baby, I need a drink. Can you go get me one?” We both turn to look at him and the asshole swaggers over to us, coming between me and my girl, leaning down kissing her neck.
“Be right back, doll,” he whispers loudly as he leaves.
“Liz…?”
“Look Parker, I don’t have time for your dramatics,” she says smiling, her head slightly swaying. She looks away from me and back to the mirror.
“What happened?” I hiss and she still won’t look at me, nor answer me. Kneeling in front of her, anger radiating off of me, but even then I still need to be close to her. I put my fingers below her chin moving her face towards me.
“Talk to me, angel.” The words slip out of my mouth and I watch her breathe in deep. My words did what I needed them to. Dropping the makeup brush she had in her hand, she moves her body towards me, and places her hands on either side of my face. Just that touch, her dressed the way she is, has my body awake. Has my body fucking hard and needy for her and not just sexually either. A need to protect her surges through me, I’d slay dragons and ghosts for her.
“Life, Parker, life happened,” she whispers, taking me by surprise. Her eyes showing the defeat that she obviously feels.
“Baby…,” I reach to touch the side of her face and she winces. I look at her. Her skin is redder than normal, and not because of any fucking makeup. I close my eyes pu
tting my head down.
“He hit you.”
“He threatened you,” she whispers. “You have to go.”
“Angel…!”
“Park…,” her voice cracks and I keep looking at her thighs. Dark fingerprint bruises and I swallow hard at who could have put them there. Why his hands would have been on my angel’s thighs. “You’re clean and beautiful. You can’t let the mess of my life hurt you. I won’t let it…I can get through anything he’s planned for me... as long as I know you’re safe, Park….” She tells me softly and slowly. I can tell she’s trying not to break. My strong angel, FUCK!
“I’m not just going to…,” I start to argue when her hands soft and warm on my face pull my gaze to meet hers.
“Please.” With one simple word she pleads with me. Her gaze tortured and in evident pain, “Please… what we had, it will always be the most beautiful time of my life… I just need you to walk away.” She breathes in deep and with her soft sweet voice, she only uses with me she continues, “Please. Just...I can’t let your life get dirtied up because of me.”
The fact that she felt like that about herself kills me. How did my angel not know that she’s the bright light that shined on me and made me realize I was living in neutral colors before her? She brightens my world. She makes it worth living. She gives it meaning.
“What is your fucking problem?” I hear Matt yelling outside the doors before I can say anything.
“Matthew, I would recommend you NOT talk to me like that,” Duke warns.
“I can’t let you in there.” Matt growls and she looks at me, panic washes over her face.
“Play along, like earlier,” I whisper and she looks slightly confused.
“You’re nothing. Just a fucking slut,” I yell and I know the moment that Matt, Duke and Duke’s goons walked in. The tenseness in the room goes up two levels.
“Fuck you,” she hisses immediately, not missing a beat.
“I already did, baby… how much do I owe you for that by the way?” I ask a sick feeling in my stomach hits as I watch her eyes go wide. I see her hand coming towards me, and I don’t move. I let her hand hit across my face, the sting from her hand burning.
Etched in Stone (Six Degrees Series Book 2) Page 28
