Chapter 2

"Yeah, yeah, sure. I'll be there in fifteen. You guys order a bottle for me." I hear the sounds of the club on the other end of the phone and Franky shouting, "You know what, make it two!"

"See you soon, bro."

Franky hangs up and I laugh as I turn off the water to the bath and take off my shirt. I'm not going anywhere tonight, but if I told the guys that, they'd come back to this suite and drag me out with them. I already spent hours in the poker room buying drinks and gambling. I don't like either of those things, but it's Franky's bachelor party, and we agreed to whatever he wanted.

Franky is a childhood friend of my brother Rogue and me. We kept in touch as we got older, but it's not always easy with how demanding our jobs are. Rogue lives here in Vegas as one of the biggest divorce attorneys in the country while I'm up in Northern California in the middle of nowhere. It's always good to see my brother, but after a night or two living it up in Vegas, I'm ready for my cabin in the mountains with peace and quiet.

I text Rogue to make sure he's okay, and all I get back is a "K." He saw a cocktail waitress at the casino tonight and went headfirst after her. That's my brother. He's strong and steady and unmoving, but if something changes his mind, you better look out. This waitress turned his head, and he was done for. I've never seen him look at a woman that way, and I think about our mom and dad. The same thing happened to them, and our dad warned us our whole lives to be prepared. I always thought that was crazy talk, but after seeing Rogue tonight, I'm second-guessing my stubborn attitude.

Shaking the thought away, I strip down, get into the tub big enough for a whole group of people, and lean back. I close my eyes and let the hot water ease the aches in my muscles. I run an adventure company that takes people into the wilderness and leaves them there for survival training. It's my job to make sure they don't die…just push them to the edge and see if they can make it back. I had a group of four CEOs earlier this week, and all of them tapped out after four days. I was left to hike out all their gear from some rough terrain because they got in over their heads. The two moms I had the month before outlasted their asses and passed with flying color. Women really should be running this world.

A knock on the hotel door has me sitting up in the tub. Who the hell would be here at this hour? I check my watch and see it's after midnight. I know the guys didn't leave the club to come back here. As far as they know, I'm on my way to them.

There's another knock, and this time it's louder and followed by the doorbell. I didn't realize this suite had one, but Rogue booked the room, so I'm not surprised.

I get out of the tub and grab the white hotel robe on the back of the door. It's too short in the arms and barely closes, but it's quicker than getting dressed. I rush to the door and fling it open, only to stand there in shock.

"Room seventeen twelve?" a big guy in a suit says, and I look at the number on the door to confirm.

"Yeah, that's me."

"Right this way." The guy that looks like a former football player holds out his arm and a small woman in a baggy coat with the hood pulled up comes in and walks by me.

"Um, I think there's been a mista—" My words cut off as the woman pushes back the hood and looks at me with dark green eyes and all the weight of the world on her shoulders.

For a moment I just stare at her and drink her in. I want to pull her to me and tell her it's all going to be okay. I'm here now, and she's safe. I want to drop to my knees and tell her that I've been searching for her my whole life and finally, finally I've found her.

"Are you the bachelor?" she asks softly, and I realize my mouth is too dry to speak.

She looks at the bouncer, who steps into the room, and the sound of the hotel door slamming shut has me nodding quickly.

"Cash upfront before we get started," the bouncer says, and I have to blink to break eye contact.

"H-how much was it again?" I swallow hard. Jesus, do I get to fuck her? I won big tonight, but how much does it cost? Do I have that much cash on hand?

My mind is already calculating how much I have on me and how much I can swipe from Rogue's room. He knows I'm good for it. I've got nearly as much money as he does; I just wasn't prepared with cash.

"Two grand," he says, and I look at her in disbelief.

"That's it?" I stare between the two of them and consider how much more I would have paid. Now I'm wondering if this guy is going to watch me, because I wonder if I could pay more to have her alone.

"Cash," he says again, holding out his hand.

"Be right back." I look at her, and her green eyes meet mine before she quickly looks away.

I turn around and hurry to find my pants and take out the stack I got from gambling earlier. I count out two thousand and tuck the rest in my bathrobe. When I get back into the living room, the bouncer hasn't moved away from the hotel door, but the girl has walked all the way into the living room and is looking out over the city.

I hand the big guy the cash, and he flips through it and then nods as he tucks it away. "You have an hour." I open my mouth to ask for what and then he begins to list off the rules. "No touching her, but she can touch you. Topless only and that goes for the both of you." He glances down to the front of my robe where it's clearly tented from my excited erection. "No kissing, no drinking, no drugs. She dances, you watch. Got it?"

"Got it." I nod. "Do you have to stay in the room?"

"Yes," he answers with finality and plants his feet as he crosses his arms over his chest.

He's big, but we're eye to eye and I think about how I could probably take him in a fight. He's meaty, but I'm athletic. I climb mountains and hike up waterfalls. I'm in better shape than him and have trained in hand-to-hand combat. I'm not looking for a fight, but I always like knowing where my exits are and who I need to get through to find them.

Soft music begins to play, and I turn around to see the girl has turned on the stereo. She hits a few buttons and then the music changes to something with a beat and a woman's voice begins to sing.

I forget about the bouncer watching as I make my way over to where she's standing in her baggy coat and flats.

"I'm Angus," I say, my throat still like the desert.

"I'm Bambi." Her voice is gentle like a Sunday school teacher. "Do you want to sit down?" She nods to the couch next to me and I walk over to it.

"Is talking allowed?" I see her look at the bouncer and then back to me.

"Yes."

The song thumps, and I hear the singer"s voice tell me that she's trouble, and I wonder if this is foreshadowing.

I take a seat on the couch that's facing away from the door and toward the city lights. Bambi moves to stand in front of me, and like this, I could almost pretend we're alone.

"Is there anything in particular you want?" She unbuttons the front of her coat slowly, and I try to swallow.

"What are you offering?" I want to tell her I've never done this before, but for some reason I want her to feel comfortable with me. I want her to feel safe, and if I act like this is easy for me, then maybe it will be for her too. When she doesn't answer right away, I see fear begin to form in those deep green eyes. "Why don't you go slow? I like slow."

She relaxes by a fraction and nods, taking a step toward me. When she finishes unbuttoning the coat, she opens it and lets it slide down to the floor. She's wearing a pale yellow slip dress that's silky and see-through. I can make out the outline of her simple bra and panties and I've never seen anything sexier in my whole goddamn life.

"Fuck," I hiss as I take in the view of her.

She turns in front of me and I get a view of her big round ass stretching the thin material tight. My mouth waters, and I have to swallow repeatedly so I don't drool on myself. Her dark hair is in long waves, and she sweeps it over one shoulder, looking at me through her lashes.

I rub my hands on my thighs over the bathrobe to dry them off. My fingers twitch to touch her, but I'm so taken with her I'm rooted to the spot.

This is what Dad was telling you about.I hear the words in the back of my head, and I push them away. Not now. Just let me enjoy the good luck that's mistakenly sent Bambi to me.

She moves closer, and her knee brushes against mine. "Congratulations."

"What?" I blink up at her and wonder if she's congratulating me on finding the one.

"On getting married." Her hips roll to one side then the other. I'm so lost in the motion I don't answer her.

My hands rise, and I hear a throat clear behind me. I'd forgotten for a second what was happening. I place my hands back on my thighs as she circles her hips again and then dips her ass down low.

"Shit," I hiss as my cock tents the front of the robe. There's no way to hide it, and I have no doubt she's used to it by now.

The thought of her doing this for another man has me clenching my hands into fists.

"How long have you been doing this?" I ask, knowing I don't want to know the answer.

She looks over her shoulder at me and smiles. "Not long." Her ass brushes my thighs and I groan at the contact.

"Do you like it?"

She rocks her ass farther back, and I move down a little in the seat. A little closer and she'll be moving on my dick.

"So far so good." She turns around to change positions, and I want to curse again.

This time she lifts the front of her slip and shows me her pale yellow cotton panties. They're so fucking innocent I want to rip them off with my teeth and smell her pussy.

She looks down at where my cock is straining, and I swear for a second her eyes widen in appreciation. She blinks, and the look is gone, but she lifts the slip higher until it's off completely, and she's in her bra and panties.

She moves again, and this time she places a knee on the couch beside me and her legs open wide. She reaches behind her, and I wait with bated breath as she unclasps her bra and her tits spill free.

Big and heavy, the dusky peaks are hard, and I ache to suck on them. I swallow once more as she moves her other knee over top of me and straddles my legs. Her hands go to my shoulders, and the feeling of her soft skin on mine is like lightning hitting me at two points.

The way she's in front of me, my body blocks her from the view of the door, and possibly the bouncer. She rolls her hips forward and the movement bunches up the bathrobe between us.

"What are you doing to me?" I ask quietly, looking into her dark green eyes. I feel drunk, or like I've been drugged.

"Giving you your money's worth." The music is so loud that I barely catch it. But when I look down between us, I see she's rolled forward again and now my robe is open and my cock has sprung free.

She stares down at it and then up at me quickly as her cheeks flush. Without saying a word, I reach into my pocket and pull out the stack of cash. I place it on her bare thigh, knowing the bouncer can't see so this can be just between us.

With wide eyes, she looks up at me, and I nod, not needing to tell her what I want. She's in this line of work, surely she knows what I'm after. There isn't anything I wouldn't give to have her, and I don't care what it costs.

She places her hand on the money and scoots a little closer to me. Her panty-covered pussy is right in front of my cock, and her bare tits are in front of my mouth. I'm no saint, and the longer she's in front of me, teasing like this, the more I'm going to lose control.

Bambi leans forward and places her mouth against my ear, and I feel the heat of her pussy rub against my cock.

"We might get caught." I feel her rub it again and I hold back a groan.

"I can give you more," I offer, remaining as still as stone. "Whatever you need, it's yours."

Her nipples brush against my chest, and it's like diamonds cutting me. The pain of my need is growing too big. I have to be inside her—now.

"What if all I need is this?" She brushes against my cock with her pussy again, and I close my eyes in agony.

"Take it."

When I open my eyes, I look down to see one of her hands full of cash and the other on the edge of her panties as she's about to move them to the side. My cock leaks at the thought of sinking deep in her warm pussy just as the music comes to a screeching halt.

"Time's up," the bouncer announces, and just like that she's off my lap and grabbing her clothes.

"No!" I shout, pulling my robe closed and standing up.

Bambi looks up at me with those dark green eyes wide with panic…and desire. There's no way she's faking that need I saw or the energy between us. That was fucking real.

"You can't go. Please, I'll pay for another hour. The whole night, just name a price." All the words rush out at once as I look at her and then the bouncer.

He looks at me and shakes his head. "No can do. We've got another appointment."

"She's not leaving," I say, and move so that Bambi is behind me.

"Excuse me?" the bouncer says, and I feel Bambi move in close behind me.

"Angus, you have to let me go." Her warm hand presses against my lower back.

"She's not leaving," I say again, and the bouncer smiles then speaks into a microphone on his wrist I hadn't noticed before.

Suddenly the door to the hotel room opens and I see two more guys in the hallway. Three guys for one dancer? What the fuck?

The two guys step inside, and I realize that while I could have taken the one, there's no way I can handle all of them. Still, I don't back down. I might be crazy, but I'm not losing her.

"She. Stays." I enunciate the words and plant my feet. They'll take her over my dead body.

"Grab the girl," Bouncer says, and just like that, the fight breaks out.

I'm on him quickly but feel a knee to the stomach come from the side. I hear Bambi scream and look back as one of the guys has her by the arm and is dragging her out of the room. I call for her as a punch lands on my jaw and another in my chest.

The air rushes from my body as I try to go after her, but the edges of my vision are going black. I see hotel security in the hall just before another punch lands on the side of my face and the whole world goes black.

Hours later when I wake up, I'm fully dressed in a jail cell with one thought on my mind.

I have to find her.