Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 75585 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75585 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Was I kidding myself? Was there any other way this was going to end other than with him under me, no matter the consequences? Since the Marchesis had taken me in off the streets, self-denial had become a thing of my past.
Liam kicked his pants away and turned to face me. My eyes widened at the sight of his package cupped by the tight jock strap. The way the fabric cradled him showed me the outline of his thick cock and the heaviness of his balls. I needed a taste.
Fuck. He was going to be my undoing if I let him. I needed to find my control. I would not compromise my position in the family. This time, denying myself was necessary in order to get what I wanted in the future. I should put someone else in charge of Liam and walk away. I’d worked too hard to get where I was. There weren’t many rules governing my life, but those that existed had deadly consequences. I held up my hand and yelled, “Enough,” hoping he could hear me over the music.
Liam frowned, looking hurt. I ignored that and punched in the code that allowed me to open the door used only by employees for moving between the private rooms. When I stepped into the narrow hallway, I paused to take a few deep breaths before opening Liam’s door. He was already mostly dressed, thank God.
The way he kept his head down let me know he was upset. When he had his pants fastened, he finally spoke. “I did a good job.”
“You did.”
He looked up then. “So why did you stop me?”
“Did you want to get fully naked for me?”
He frowned. “No, but I thought you stopped me because you weren’t satisfied.”
If I fucked my way through every other dancer at the club I wouldn’t be as satisfied as I was after just watching him. “You move like you were born to do this.”
Color rose in his cheeks, and he looked away as he mumbled, “Thank you.”
Without even thinking, I stepped closer and grabbed his chin, forcing him to look at me. “Don’t turn away when I’m speaking to you.”
He pulled away and I reluctantly let him go. “I’ll dance here for you. I’ll make the money I owe you, but I don’t have to take orders from you.” His voice shook, but he stood with his feet firmly planted and his spine straight. He was scared, but he was willing to stand up for himself. Why the hell was that so fucking hot?
“You’re wrong. Everyone here takes orders from me. You’ll do as you’re told. You’re mine until the debt is paid.”
He shook his head. “I don’t belong to you. Even if you’d agreed to…even if you’d….”
“Decided to fuck the money out of you?”
“Yes, even then you wouldn’t own me. You’d have my body, but that would be all.”
I laid my hands on his shoulders and felt him shiver as I leaned close, like I was about to kiss him. “Would it? Are you so sure about that? Are you certain that if you were in my bed night after night I wouldn’t have your soul?”
“I agreed to this. It’s…enough.” He met my gaze even though I could see the fear in his eyes.
I brushed my thumb over his lower lip. “With a debt like yours, hardly anything is enough. It’s going to take you years to make enough money.”
“Maybe I’ll bring in more tips than you think.”
He was going to do very well, but I knew right then that I’d made a big mistake. This was the only offer I could make him that might be acceptable to the family, but the thought of other men watching him, throwing him money, groping his ass, and wanting so much more made me want to close the place down and insist Liam only ever dance for me.
Annoyed with myself, I stepped back and shoved my hands in my pockets. “Finish getting dressed.”
For just a moment, Liam looked disappointed. Did he want me as much as I did him? If he did, how was I ever going to resist him?
“When’s my first shift?”
“Trevor will have to tell you that. Right now, we’re going to do something to tame your hair. Some waxing would be good too.”
Liam started to say something, then closed his mouth again.
“Whatever it is, ask me, but be polite.”
His expression turned to a glare for just a second before he schooled his face. “I want to make sure you really want to pay for this. The money I earn has to go to my debt, not a spa day.”
“It’s part of the job package.”
He studied me for a moment. “So you really are paying?”
“The club is paying.” I needed to make that clear. I was already being way too soft on him. He needed to believe I would do what was necessary to get payment from him, even if I was choosing to take care of him. I thought about his sparse apartment and how desperate he sounded. It reminded me too much of the people I’d met living on the streets, the ones who’d been fucked over by life and really deserved a break.