Cavalier (Crimson Elite Book 1)

by T. L Smith

  He offers me his hand, and my heart stutters at what I see in it—a white business card. Taking it, I look at it, flicking it over. Before I get a chance to read the card, he speaks, “Come to this address tomorrow. Six p.m. We can talk employment.”

  I watch him walk away, but he doesn’t walk back in the bar. Instead, he crosses the street and disappears into the night.

  My heart starts regularly beating again, the erratic beat that happened when he was too close slows. Catching my breath, I shake out of my daze. Just then Tracey walks out, her hand clutching mine. “Come back, I’m sure he won’t fire you. That guy deserved it.”

  I laugh and shake my head. “I assaulted one very high-paying customer, Tracey. Quitting is the better option. Trust me.”

  She leans over, hugs me while I tap her back. Hugs make me uncomfortable, and she knows it, that’s why she squeezes a little extra longer before she pulls back smiling.

  “You can’t afford to lose this job.” She’s right, but my eyes look to the card in my hand.

  “I just got offered a job, actually.”

  “What? Who?”

  I look at the door, then to Tracey’s brown eyes. “One of them. He was intense, Trace. Too intense.”

  She smiles and the smile hits her eyes. “I like that look in your eyes right now, El. I like it a lot.” Then she disappears, leaving me at the side of the building and daydreaming about a man who has whiskey-colored eyes with a hint of green.

  3

  Creed

  I’ve never met a woman with so much fucking flair as her, and that’s saying a lot considering my choice of work.

  Echo walks in the door, his blond hair almost covering his face. His blue eyes look up to me, narrowing as he stares. “Something’s different.” He waves me off, not letting me say a word, not that I was going to anyway.

  Soft, sexy, sultry music infiltrates through the club below. My hands scrunch at my sides. Biting my inner lip until it bleeds, I manage to move to go down there. This is the part I hate the most.

  We all have a position here. All four of us.

  Myself—in charge of the girls and recruiting them.

  Echo—in charge of security.

  Falcon—handles the money. Plus, finds our Elite customers.

  Darby, mainly known as D—who runs everything else.

  We came from money, each and every one of us. We attended an elite school and it was only fair our business went that way as well. It’s how we came together, it’s how we will continue.

  The business, though, that wasn’t my idea, it was Darby’s. Which is why he runs most of the business and owns a higher-percentage share than the rest of us.

  This club, though, it isn’t like your normal bar, or even strip club for that matter.

  This is not a place you can walk into from the street—our doors are locked tight, our security even higher.

  Everything needs to be perfectly managed with the number of people thinking they can break in. What happens to them after they do so, well, let’s just say, they don’t walk away with their limbs intact.

  “I’m fucking off, I can’t deal with this anymore. You fucks deal with the club,” Echo says as Darby walks through the front door. I left them at the bar where they see our high-profile customers, Echo followed me back with Darby soon to follow.

  “What the fuck are you talking about?”

  Echo shakes his head at Darby, then looks to me. “I’m going. I need to go. I can’t deal a second fucking longer. I’m going mad. I’m going to kill someone if they ask me one more time how the fuck I’m doing. Do you understand?”

  I don’t, but I nod anyway.

  Echo turns and walks out the front door leaving Darby and myself standing on the red carpeted floor.

  “I assumed he would have blown up way before now,” Darby says walking away.

  Echo was in love, something we thought we’d never see. Then he lost her, to his brother of all people. She left him broken, and some even think unrepairable.

  “He’ll be heading to the beach,” I say to Darby. He nods his head. We don’t live near the beach, we only go because Echo fucking makes us. Why he lives in the city we don’t fucking know, it’s not like we can’t afford to cover his job. This business, well let’s just say, we don’t do badly. We do great.

  “You followed her?” he asks me. I pin him with my eyes. One thing you have to learn about Darby is he watches everything, even when you think he doesn’t notice. He always does. I nod my head, he shakes his. “Girls like her will only break your heart. Just like Echo.”

  I slap him on the shoulder as I walk past him to start the set-up. “That means you have to have a heart to break, Darby. That’s something I don’t have,” I say.

  “That’s true,” he states then he’s gone to his office. He basically lives in it. His social life is practically non-existent.

  The girls start coming in, followed by security. Red lights shine over the dark furniture as a girl takes a secluded room waiting for our guests to arrive.

  You see, you’ve just entered the most expensive, elite club in the southern hemisphere.

  Once you’re in, you are in.

  Once you’re out, you are dead.

  Let me introduce you to our very private, very exclusive club.

  Crimson Elite.

  4

  Elicea

  Finding an outfit is next to impossible, I hate it. Nothing fits right, sits right. Maybe I shouldn’t go. No, I shouldn’t. You don’t go somewhere because a stranger on the street gives you a card offering you your only means of survival and to keep my small apartment over my head.

  Tracey comes in with a wine glass in hand and sits on my bed.

  “You shouldn’t be drinking, you have to work today,” I tell her, taking the glass and drinking what’s left of it.

  She laughs then falls back onto my bed. “Anything you wear will do. Stop stressing. It’s not like it’s a sex club and you have to walk around in your lingerie.”

  My laugh is fake. Then I realize I don’t even know what this place is. On the card it only reads Crimson Elite and there’s an address.

  “What if it is?” I ask sitting down next to her. Looking down at all my clothes which are currently piled on the floor. There are never enough options. She laughs, sitting up and pouring herself one more glass.

  “Yeah, right, don’t you think if something like that existed, we’d know about it? I mean, this city is small.”

  “You’re right. I mean it could be an accounting firm for all I know.” Getting back up, I put on a small black skirt, one I can pull down if necessary. Then slide on a baby-blue blouse that shows just the right amount of cleavage, which can also be done up to hide the girls if need be.

  “Perfect, you must wear that. Just show some more boob.” I don’t listen to her, though. Tracey loves boobs, that’s why she went and paid for hers to be done.

  “I have to go or I’m going to be late. Can I swing by after?”

  She nods her head, already dressed in her work clothes, as she gets up and walks out with me. “Boss isn’t in tonight. Plus, I’m sure Billy would love to see you.”

  I roll my eyes as I grab my purse, following her out. “Nothing happening there, Tracey. Now or ever.” She gets into her car and waves as she drives off.

  The address on the card is close by, so I end up walking the short distance. But it takes me a moment to find exactly where the entrance is located. It’s a large building, not what I thought it would be. Maybe it’s a factory? I go to pull my skirt down as the front door opens. Music filters out and hits me, making me stand tall.

  He’s standing there, watching me with intent in those eyes. The green spots stand out under the light of the door, and I can see him even clearer now. If I thought he looked good in the dark lighting, now under the bright light I have to look away. His vest clings to his white shirt and his black slacks fit him like a glove. A red handkerchief is tucked into the pocket of his vest. He doe
sn’t smile or offer me a warm greeting. His eyes graze me over from top to bottom. “That should do,” is all he offers while holding the door open, indicating for me to enter.

  My feet start walking before I can process what I’m doing. The music is loud, but not so loud that you can’t hear yourself. The red lights hit me first. Then the door behind me shuts with a loud bang and I jump forward. His hand touches my waist. I feel like I’ve been caught doing something I shouldn’t be doing. His fingers burn straight through my clothes and set my skin on fire. The heat is intense. Afraid to move, I wait for him, his breath near my ear and neither of us speaking. Stepping back, I can’t stand it anymore, he consumes me with those hands on my body. Turning around then back to him, his hands are now at his sides, his eyes to the floor, forehead scrunched and lost in thought.

  He’s intense. Too intense. I know if his hands were to touch me again, I’d give in to whatever he wanted. Even if I didn’t fully understand what that was. And that thought scares the hell out of me. I wait for him to look back up, to tell me what it is he wants me to do. Just as I think it, it happens, and he steps forward into my space.

  “Name?”

  “Elicea.”

  “El-ic-ea.” He lets it roll off his tongue. The way he says my name makes it sound as if it’s pure sex.

  He should never say my name again.

  Ever.

  “Yours?” I ask, nicely as I can. His head drops to the side, the music melody changing to a slow, more sensual beat.

  “Creed,” he tells me.

  “Thanks for the job opportunity, Creed. What is it that you’ll have me doing?”

  He nods behind me. I look around the room. It’s busy. Far more so than the place I was previously employed. The decor is red with only a few splashes of gold. There’s a bar at the far end with mirrors and so much crystal glassware. In front of that and to the side are beds, rooms, and more beds. One of those beds makes me step back, but this time he isn’t there to catch me as he watches for my reaction.

  “You see what we do.”

  I nod, fast. I’ve never seen so many people having sex in public. You can even see people in the rooms, there’s only a red-tinted glass wall separating them.

  He takes a step in the direction of one of the beds, where handcuffs are clipped to the head of the bed. A curvy woman with blonde hair watches us as an older man with thinning hair lays between her legs, tenderly biting her inner thigh. She smiles at me, and I can’t seem to look away. Not even when I count to myself. The man lifts his head to look at her and gently slaps her breast. She closes her eyes, finally breaking the contact as he crawls up her body, positioning himself between her legs. He pulls on her restraints and she opens her eyes, then he looks at her in earnest and hungrily kisses her. I’ve never witnessed a couple having sex, never even watched a porno, yet here I am—transfixed by the real thing.

  I can feel the heat from Creed near me. I don’t know exactly where he is since I’ve been mesmerized by the heat in the room. Yet I can feel him. And dare I say it, I’m turned on. What kind of person does that make me?

  Laughter starts to bubble up. Tracey was right. Gosh, she’s going to laugh when she finds out she was right. I’m so nervous I can only laugh.

  “Do you find what we do here amusing?”

  Shaking my head, I stop laughing, turning to find him watching me with curiosity written all over him. Then it bubbles up again and I can’t help it as I blurt out, “I won’t have sex with strangers. You have the wrong girl.” I turn to walk out, but like magic the door’s not there. How is that possible?

  “I wouldn’t let you have sex with strangers.”

  My body freezes. Slowly, I turn back to find he’s watching me. “You aren’t here for that service. That service requires vigilant testing. You won’t need that.”

  I nod my head, afraid to look around again—I may stare too long. “What is it you’d like me to do?”

  “Bar.”

  I smile. That I can do.

  “You’ll also be my ears for the girls, and inform me if any guy gets to be too much for them.”

  “Can do.” Taking my eyes off of him for a moment, I look to the bar. There’s one guy behind it right now by himself. “Would you like me to start now? Or—”

  He starts walking toward it, and I follow him, making sure to stay a safe distance. He nods his head to the bartender who leans over to listen to Creed as he speaks. The bartender looks to me, offers me a small but friendly smile before Creed walks off. Leaving me with nothing else.

  “He isn’t big on words. To some anyway.” He laughs, opening the door to let me behind the bar.

  “I definitely may have noticed that.”

  “I’m glad he hired someone else. We’ve been too busy for me to keep up with it all.”

  “How long have you worked here?”

  He looks around then back to me and smiles. “Two years now. Pay is the best I’ve ever made. This job put me through school with no debt. I’m Johnny, by the way.” He offers me his hand which I shake gladly.

  “El,” I say smiling. He goes to the end of the bar where a man walks up dressed in just a robe. When Johnny finishes serving him, he steps back to me.

  “I know it’s different, and most don’t know about this place because it has a very strict policy. But most of the time it’s a great place to be. The guests are too scared to do anything wrong, and the girls are amazing.”

  “Is Creed the owner?” I ask.

  Johnny starts showing me where everything is as we talk. He has no shirt on and he’s ripped. But I have a feeling he doesn’t bat for my team. The way he looked at the man he served earlier, yeah, he was flirting with him.

  “No and yes. He’s one of them.” I look up, dark tinted windows are all I can see. Johnny stands next to me. “Those are their offices. You won’t see too much of them. Maybe Echo who runs security and sometimes Darby who runs almost everything else.”

  “What does Creed do?”

  “Recruits all the beautiful women. He’s the prettiest, wouldn’t you say?” He wiggles his eyebrows. “All those dark and stormy features.” Johnny starts fanning himself and I can’t help but laugh.

  “So, I was just recruited?” I can’t help but wonder out loud. His hand falls on my shoulder.

  “Sorry to say, pretty lady, but yes.”

  I suck in a breath and let it out. Johnny doesn’t have to show me much, I know how to bartend and I know how to serve. The girls come up throughout the night, all nicer than the next. None seem to have any troubles, and the guys don’t even notice me which is great, they’re too preoccupied with who’s waiting for them. I could get used to this. Very used to it.

  The end of the night comes around fast, and soon it’s just us packing up and closing the bar. Creed walks down as we sit on the counter having a drink. Johnny jumps down and walks away, leaving me there by myself.

  Getting down as well, I offer a smile. “Thank you, I enjoyed tonight. If you need me again—”

  “You want the job?” he asks.

  My head nods faster than I anticipated. He slides a white envelope over to me. “Read it before you leave. Sign before you leave.” I nod like that’s all I know how to do as he disappears back up the stairs which lead to his office.

  Johnny walks back out as I start to read the contract.

  You shall not, under any circumstances, tell another living person what happens behind the doors of Crimson Elite.

  I keep reading and reading—it’s all about the privacy of this place. I look up at Johnny. “What do you tell people you do?”

  He laughs, looking down at the contract. “Oh, don’t worry, it says what you should say.” He flicks to the last page where it states: My employment is a privately owned bar.

  I start to sign—what other choice do I have right now?

  “I have to head out to get some rest. You fine by yourself? Creed should walk you out.”

  “Yes, of course. Thanks for tonight.�
�� He waves me off as he leaves. Taking the contract, I go up the stairs where I saw him retreat earlier. Reaching the top, there are offices one after the other, but only one has its door open. Walking to it, I notice Creed sitting behind a large dark wooden desk. He looks up as I enter, then nods his head to the seat opposite him. Not sitting, I pass the contract over to him, and he passes me another white envelope. Opening this one I expect another contract but instead, I find cash, lots of cash. The same amount I would earn after more than two weeks at my previous job.

  “It’s too much,” I say putting it down on his desk. He stands, and his presence takes up all the space. All I can see and feel is him. I chant in my head, ‘You aren’t special. He recruits the girls. You are a girl,’ as he picks up the envelope, handing it back to me.

  “Take the money. It’s standard. It’s what we pay our bartenders.”

  “Thank you.” Turning to leave, he stops me with his words, just as I get to his door. “How are you getting home?”

  Turning my head back to look at him, careful not to move too close to him again, I say, “Walk.” Then I leave. Grabbing my bag, I finally find the door, which was covered in a thick red curtain which matches the wall decor.

  Creed comes after me. “I’m walking you home.”

  Words fail me. Instead, I get stuck nodding my head again.

  Why does he do that to me?

  5

  Creed

  I watched her for most of the night. You can’t help but stare at something, or someone, as beautiful as she is. And I know a beautiful woman, it’s my job to find a beautiful broken woman who needs money and can be loyal all at the same time. Women are a specialty of mine, they always have been. I can read them like the back of my hand. The only problem is, I can’t read her. And that alone puts me a step back.