Page 104 of Off Limits
‘But, know this,’ I continue. ‘Every cell in my body belongs to you. I don’t care what anyone else thinks; I’m not giving up on us without a fight. I’ll admit I had you all wrong, but it doesn’t change how beautiful you are in my eyes, or how sweet or good-natured or how kind. And seeing those guys cheering for you when you undress for them is like somebody ripped open my chest, tore out my heart and served it back to me on a platter all chopped up into tiny pieces. But you have good reasons for doing what you do, and I’ll honor those reasons. But, if you want to, go ahead and tell me you don’t care about me, and I’ll walk away. Right now.’
On the porch, she clings to me. I feel her chest rise and fall with uneven breaths. When she says nothing, I’m fearful of the rejection yet unwilling to let go. That is, unless she has the courage to tell me that she doesn’t want me, in which case, I’ll be forced to accept defeat.
Fuck, I love this girl. I don’t ever want to admit defeat.
She pulls back. ‘Close your eyes,’ she whispers.
I search her face then reluctantly do as I’m told.
The next thing I feel is her lips as they brush against mine. Soft and warm and inviting. Relief floods my veins. I kiss her back, yank her hard against my body, deepening our kiss. My heart is pounding so fucking hard now that I’m breathless, and when I pull back, she is too. Yet I’m smiling at her.
Until the moment she says, ‘Jake, there’s something else.’
Chapter Twenty-Three
Serenity
Kissing Jake Walsh is everything. The way he pulls me to him so that I can feel every rock-hard muscle underneath his clothes. The way his powerful arms go around me, making me feel like he could protect me from anything or anybody. And his lips, the way they move against mine? It makes my mind go hazy with desire and my legs tremble. There’s no way in hell I’m letting him walk away.
But, on the porch, as much as I want to lose myself in him, a little voice in my head reminds me that I haven’t told him everything. That there’s one more topic I’ve yet to raise.
I try to ignore it, but the voice grows louder with every touch of his lips.
I pull back. He’s as breathless as I am.
‘Jake, there’s something else,’ I say.
He searches my face. ‘What is it?’ he asks, and his hands go into my hair. ‘Tell me.’
I breathe out. ‘Almost two months ago, I had to perform a lap dance at the club. Kale told me I had to do it…’
‘Go on,’ he says, after a moment, urging me to continue. ‘It’s alright.’
‘The dance wasSurly’s Rules. Which means the girl, she has to take everything off. I danced for the client naked. I couldn’t see his face; he wore a hat the whole time. He wasn’t allowed to touch me, but he seemed… I don’t know. Interested in me. It wasn’t until we went to his wedding that I realized that the client was Brody Conway.’
In the shadows it’s hard to decipher his reaction. ‘Brody Conway?’
‘He knew me by my stage name, Brandy Velvet. Then he cornered me at his wedding. Wanted to know who I really was. He’d put two and two together, that I was CMC but also an employee of Kale’s. I was Kale’s bachelor party gift to Brody, only since that day—’
My voice trails off. I hate that I have to confess this to Jake, of all people. Except he takes my hands in his and gives them a squeeze in reassurance.
‘I’m not gonna judge you,’ he says. ‘You can be honest.’
I take a breath. ‘Since that day he’s become more insistent. I’ve been taken to his apartment twice, both times to dance for him. To strip naked for him, while he watches. He even had me wear a CMC uniform. The last time I was there, he told me that he wanted to sleep with me. I refused, of course. But if I don’t do what he wants, he’ll expose me, and I’ll lose my position on the squad.’
Jake looks at me. I bite down on my bottom lip. I know he said he won’t judge me, but I’m terrified of how he might react. He takes a single step back, the soles of his shoes scuffing against the porch’s wooden slats.
‘Wait,’ he says in an even tone. ‘Brody Conway. As in Lemon’s brother? As in that creepy, no-good-fucking-waste-of-space who sits up on high waiting for his granddaddy to bite the dust? You’re telling me that Brody Conway is blackmailing you?’
‘Yes,’ I manage, and my voice breaks. ‘I don’t know what to do. It’s why I need to quit the CMC. It’s the only way.’
‘Don’t you fucking dare,’ Jake growls and there’s a different tone in his voice. One I don’t recognize. I’ve never heard him mad before. I didn’t think he could get mad, but his voice quivers with genuine rage when he says, ‘Don’t you dare give up on your dreams because of that piece of shit. I’ll rip out his throat.’
‘Jake, we can’t do anything. Brody’s untouchable. Look at who his mom is. He’s heir to the whole damn Mutineers empire. Plus, he knows about my deal with Kale, because Kale must have blabbed about it. He knows everything. You talk to him, and he could derail your entire career.’
Jake goes back to pacing. His hands go to the back of his head, and he exhales shakily. ‘Does he know about us?’
‘Nobody knows about us.’
