Chapter 3

Ledger

Life is unfair sometimes. And most would say you should navigate the inequities of fairness and find the strength to kick life's stupid ass. Say, fuck you universe, I deserve to be happy.

It's all bullshit really.

Honestly, the universe is laughing at me, because the most beautiful woman I've ever laid eyes on is engaged.

Long, brown hair that looks like it feels like silk. My hands itch to run my fingers through it, take in the pleasure of what her soft locks most likely feel like.

She's got these crystal-blue bedroom eyes that make you have to study them because you can't fully see them with just one look. Those are eyes you could get lost in.

But she's more than that.

She's timid—yet fierce.

She's fragile—yet strong.

Her delicate features are ones any supermodel would envy. Her mannerisms show me she was raised with class.

Her dress is innocent and soft. A pale-pink fabric dress that hangs just below her knees.

She's breathtaking.

And she's unavailable.

Life is twisted as fuck.

I swear it's sweltering hot in this room. Who's in charge of controlling the temperatures? Oh, right, me.

I breathe in deep and let it out slowly.

Since the moment I saw her in the club, I've been semi-hard and pissed off. Upset because she's engaged, and I'm stuck babysitting her so the quack of a crime family can hold their secret meetings.

Pissed because she smells amazing and I have to sit here, smelling her sweet scent. It reminds me of something fresh. Like donuts. Or vanilla cake. It's making my mouth water, and that pisses me off more.

I roll my shoulders to work out the kink in my neck.

"How did you two meet?" I ask, not really caring about the love story between her and Delgado, but needing something to talk about.

Posey rises from the couch and gracefully crosses the room. Slowly. Seductively as fuck.

She stops at the silver pole in the center of the room and stares at it. I hold my breath, wondering what she'll do.

She steps onto the small stage, and turns to face me and raises one arm to touch the pole behind her. Fuck, it's sensual, but at the same time innocent. A true paradox.

"We met how any two people meet," she says with a nonchalant attitude, like their meeting was no big deal.

"And how's that?" I pry.

She smiles at me before dropping her pose at the pole. "We met through my father."

I nod. "Ah, I see."

"Do you?" she asks, her tone implying I couldn't possibly understand. But I think I do. Her father most likely comes from wealth. A ton of it. I'm sure Bane and her father run in the same circles. She's a débutante. I bet she's a politician's daughter, or something.

Now, the picture becomes crystal clear.

"I do," I tell her.

She laughs lightly, and the enchanting sound sends a jolt right down to my cock. I don't even know this woman, and all I can think about is bending her over this couch and pounding into her from behind.

There's seriously something wrong with me.

I've been around beautiful women before and never wanted to maul them at first sight, so what's the deal tonight?

"My turn to ask you a question."

"Ask away." I've got nothing to hide.

She returns to her spot next to me on the couch. "You own this club?"

I shake my head. "No. It's owned by Devereaux Huxley, a friend of mine. His girl just had a baby, and he's taking time off to spend with them. So, I'm helping out."

"You're really close to him?"

I nod. "Dev's like family to me."

"Must be nice to have a friend like that."

"Yeah, he's close to my twin brother, too."

"Wow. A twin? So, there're two of you?"

I smile. "We aren't identical, so there are some differences, and we definitely are complete opposites, but yes, there are two of me."

Her eyes take on a wistful look. "Must be nice to have somebody like that. Somebody you'd go to the ends of the earth for."

"I'm sure Bane feels that way about you."

She nods. "Sure." But I don't believe her. Why don't I believe her? If I were ever to ask a woman to marry me, she"d know I'd go to the ends of the earth for her. Hell, she'd be someone I'd jump off the end for.

"I'm sorry you have to babysit me tonight. Bane was busy."

I can sense the sarcasm in her tone, so I can't help but pry. "Busy doing what?"

She picks an imaginary piece of lint off her pink dress. "Who knows with him?" Her eyes snap up to mine. "I shouldn't have said that."

"Why?"

"Because I don't know you. This might be the funny business Lazarus was talking about."

I study Posey for a moment and wonder what Bane could be so busy doing that he can't have her around. Knowing Bane it's something illegal, but would he risk that while on house arrest, awaiting one of the biggest trials of the century?

Hell, the judge even issued a gag order so nobody would discuss the details of the case when the media couldn't stop painting him in a bad light. It makes me wonder how a woman like Posey could marry him.

She keeps picking at the material of her dress, probably wishing she could go home to her fiancé instead of hanging around here with me.

I decide to change the subject. "What do you do for fun?" I ask her.

She lifts her head up to gaze into my eyes, and I swear there's this passion burning between us that I don't know what to do with. "Believe it or not, I like to fish."

That is not something I thought she'd say. "Like with a fishing pole?"

"No, with my hands. Of course with a fishing pole, silly."

"You have to tell me how someone like you would be into something like that."

She bats her long lashes at me. "Someone like me?"

I pale, hoping I haven't offended her. "I just mean, you don't seem like someone who'd be into fishing."

"Well, I am. My father used to take me all the time when I was growing up. Ever since I was old enough to hold a fishing pole, my father had me out on his boat, catching fish. I loved being on the water. The sun casting golden rays across the murky waters. My father would find a secluded area and we'd sit with baited hooks, waiting and watching until the line tugged." She stares off and I study her, wanting more than anything to get closer to her. "I remember one time the line tugged, and, with a flick of my wrist, I set the hook and began reeling in the fish. My father cheered me on. I felt like my father was only proud of me when I was catching a fish."

"I'm sure your father's proud of you now. You're getting married," I remind her, and myself, because I appear to need the reminder that she's engaged.

"Yes, he's happy I'm marrying Bane. He adores Bane."

I want to growl at her and tell her how could any father be happy that their daughter is marrying a man like Bane, but it's my turn to walk the room, glancing at my phone. I text Adele

How are things?

Quiet.

It ticks me off that the club is running just fine without me.

I should be out there. I should be doing the job I'm supposed to be doing.

"Is everything okay?" Posey asks me.

I spin around, facing her. In five angry strides, I could be standing right in front of her.

I could lower my zipper and show her how hard she's making me.

Maybe she'd suck on—

"You look furious." She crosses her arms over her chest, causing her breasts to push together, showcasing her cleavage.

"I'm fine." I groan and scrub a hand down my face. "I should be running the club, not in here playing babysitter."

The light in her eyes disappears, and I want to take back everything I just said to bring back the shine.

"I never asked for you to babysit me."

I step closer. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't take my frustration out on you."

She scowls at me. "Don't talk to me anymore. You stay on that side. I'll stay right here."

"Fine." I move to the opposite side of the room and lean back against the wall. I'm pissed that my body is having this physical reaction to her.

I barely know her, yet I want to ravage her. She reminds me of a tiny bunny sitting there, all unsuspecting of the predator standing here with its sights set right on her.

Fuck.

I push off the wall, and as soon as I make it halfway across the room, there's a knock at the door. My eyes flash to Posey's wide ones.

"I'll get it. Stay behind me." I'm sure whoever's behind the door isn't trying to hurt Posey, but you can never take too many chances. "I'm sure it's just Lazarus."

Just like I suspected, Lazarus is standing on the other side of the door when I open it.

He glances at Posey like she's property, and she flits her eyes to me before following Lazarus out the door.

I lean my head out and say, "You're welcome." I leave the area, following Lazarus and Posey down the corridor, and I watch as they leave the club.

"Where have you been?" Devereaux asks, coming to stand in front of me.

I give him a handshake, shocked he's here, which turns into a quick bro hug. "Wow, you're at the club." I don't know why I'm so surprised. It is his club, and before he met Chloe, he was here every day.

"I thought I'd drop by to keep you all on your toes."

"You wanted to have five minutes away from the baby. Don't lie."

He shakes his head with a smile, like he's just been busted. "I don't know how Chloe does it. She's like a superstar mother. She's never tired. Never bothered. She doesn't seem to mind when he cries all night long."

"But you do." I raise a brow. I don't even phrase it like a question. It's a fact.

He scrubs a hand down his face, his brown eyes meeting mine. "I'm losing my mind. I feel like I'm constantly checking on him to make sure he's still breathing. I swear I've never been happier, but I just needed a breather."

I slap a hand on his shoulder. "That's understandable."

"What were you doing in one of the rooms?"

I roll my eyes. "Babysitting."

Dev laughs. "Babysitting who?"

"Bane's fiancée. The girl who was attacked last month."

"Why do they keep bringing her here? I talked to Dean Maddox about everything that happened that night."

"What does he think?"

Dev shakes his head. "He's not sure. He thinks it's an inside job. By one of Bane's men."

My blood boils. "I can't understand what she sees in that guy."

Dev gives me a funny look, as if he's trying to unravel my thoughts. "You don't have a thing for her, do you?"

"What? Quit being stupid. No, I don't have a thing for her." Lies. "I just sat in a room with her, babysitting." I'm getting annoyed by the smile that crosses Dev's features.

"Be careful."

"Thanks," I say with a gruff attitude. I know to be careful. I know Posey's engaged to Bane. I'm not a fucking moron.

There's just something about her I can't stay away from.