10. Griffin

M y body is aching as I step out of the shower, dry off, and quickly change into a T-shirt, a hoodie, and sweats. Nothing sounds better than crawling into bed right now and taking the fattest nap ever.

"We have to go. Come on!" Malik begs the handful of Legends players remaining in the locker room. "For Ollie!"

Ollie Andrews is a forward for the Legends hockey team. But he got really hurt at the end of last season and is still recovering.

"Oh God, what are you planning?" I laugh as I walk across the room to my locker and sit down on the bench.

Malik fills me in on what I missed. "Ollie just got out of his toxic-ass relationship with that girl who's been sleeping around like her life depended on it."

"Oh, he finally escaped her, huh?" I ask Malik, and slide my tennis shoes on.

Ollie walks over, his face bright red from all the attention. "Yeah, I'm finally free. Malik is trying to convince me to go to the strip club to celebrate."

"Hear me out," Malik interrupts with his hands up, ready to plead his case. "Ollie said he's never been to one, and I feel like it's a rite of passage. And I offered to pay for a lap dance because he deserves it after putting up with Becky for so fucking long. Besides, I've never been to one here, so I wouldn't mind checking it out anyway." He looks at Ollie. "Come on, man. Let loose for once. One dance, and then we can go if you want."

Ollie gets lost in thought. Malik's eyes shoot to mine, and a smirk tips his lips. I know that look, and smart decisions never follow it.

"Okay, fine. One dance, and then we go," Ollie gives in, and honestly, I'm surprised he fought it as long as he did because we all know Malik wasn't going to give up until he got his way.

"Fuck yeah!" Malik's face lights up with victory. "Griff, you in?"

Eh, I have no interest in strip clubs. Besides, after one lap dance, it would drive me insane to watch her do it to someone else. I can't help it; I just don't like to share anything, even if it's a stripper I'll never see again.

Blair's innocent gaze and plump lips flash in my mind, and I try to push the incoming thought away, but it's too late. I wonder what she would look like, giving a lap dance. She's got a killer body. I can tell from how her clothes hug her, outlining her soft curves.

Fuck. I can't think about her this way. I need our relationship to be strictly business—at least until the end of the semester. Maybe I need a little distraction. Even as I nod my head, agreeing to go with them to the club, I can't get the image of Blair out of my mind.

The place is packed when we arrive. I hadn't even heard of this place before Malik brought it up, but everyone else in town seems to know what The Fallen Petal is. After paying the cover fee and getting inside, we find seats near the stage and wait for a server.

Malik looks like a kid in a candy store, eyeing up every server and dancer as they pass by, and Ollie looks absolutely terrified; they're the funniest pair to look at.

"Hello, boys. Can I get a drink for you?" A bubbly blonde, wearing a bikini top and a pleather skirt, approaches us.

Malik sits forward. "You know, I have a thing for blondes …" He trails off and reads her name tag. "I'll have a rum and Coke, please, Tia."

Tia bats her eyelashes. "Well, I have a thing for good manners."

Ollie laughs and says, "Then, Malik isn't the guy for you."

I'm glad he could lighten up some and enjoy himself.

"No?" She giggles, and Malik slaps Ollie's arm hard. "Rum and Coke for you. What about you, sweetheart?"

Ollie's face reddens, and he stutters as he answers her, "S-surprise me. "

"You got it." She winks at him, and I'm worried he might burst into flames from how red-hot his face is right now. "And for you?"

"I'll just take a tall Bud Light, please," I answer politely.

Her stare lingers on me longer than the others, not in a flirty way, but quizzically, like she knows me, but just can't place it. But a moment later, she looks back at the others and says, "I'll have those right out."

We all thank her as she walks away, and now, I wonder if maybe I know her from somewhere. But I don't think so.

Within two minutes, she is already back with our drinks. Malik and Ollie start talking about something, but it's too loud for me to hear clearly.

The speakers vibrate through the large room like someone is tapping the microphone. Looking around, I don't see whoever it is.

Someone clears their throat into the mic. "All right, everyone, we have a special treat for you tonight. We have a dancer making her debut onstage …" She trails off before singing into the mic, "Right. Now!"

The crowd erupts into applause and screams of praise as a light show begins on the stage. Any empty seat around us is full within seconds as guys practically foam at the mouth for what's about to come. It's fucking gross, like I know the girls need these guys to get their money, but … I don't know … something about the look in their eyes is rubbing me the wrong way.

"Put your hands together for her first dance, the lovely Belle!" the announcer cheers as a girl stumbles backward onto the stage, wearing a gold outfit.

God, there's something so familiar about her …

I can't focus on anything other than how nervous she seems, but as soon as the music starts pulsing through the room, her hips start to sway, and she finds her groove. Money starts flooding the stage until bills almost cover the floor.

My eyes freely roam her body, traveling over the soft curves of her hips and ass. From this angle, I can see her full breasts spilling out of the side of her bra.

The music builds, speeding up as it races to the beat drop. The dancer is tuned completely into the song and her body, and it's mesmerizing to watch, almost hypnotic.

She kicks her leg out to the side, bends over, and sensually runs her fingers up her bare leg, flipping her hair as she stands up fully. As the pulsing music thumps louder, she turns around right on the beat drop, and my soul is sucked from my body.

My lungs deflate, and I do my best to keep my jaw off of the floor as the shock settles.

My blood heats instantly, and I suddenly become very aware of how many other men are in here, eyeing her up like a piece of meat.

Malik leans over Ollie with a shit-eating grin and shouts, "Hey, isn't that your tutor?"

I snap.

"Close your fucking eyes," I bark at him.

I'm already on my feet and charging the stage before realizing what I'm doing. My heart is pumping ferociously, and I feel like it might break every one of my ribs .

Grabbing the shirt from the back of my neck, I yank it over my head.

Murmurs break out among the crowd, getting Blair's attention, but I think the lights are too bright in her face to see me. That changes a second later when I jump onto the stage and stride toward her.

Everyone starts shouting at me, but I ignore them.

As I pass beneath the blinding lights, she finally sees me, and her eyes widen with shock and embarrassment. Her face shifts through a thousand emotions before landing on rage.

Her eyebrows pinch together, and her lips twist. "What the fuck are you doing, Griffin?"

Fucking hell. If I was mad before because everyone got to see her like this, then I'm livid now because seeing her up close is about to bring me to my goddamn knees. I try not to focus on how perfect every inch of her body is. I have to force myself to pay attention and not get distracted by trying to memorize her every curve.

I don't care if she's my tutor. I don't care if she loves this job. No one gets to see her like this. Besides, if she needed the extra money, she should've asked, and instead of doing this, I would have helped her. I need her to be at her best to help me be at mine.

That's the only reason, right?

Closing the distance between us, I pull my shirt over her head and down past her arms.

"Griffin! What the fuck?!" she yells at me and steps forward, slapping my chest as hard as she can, but I ignore her. "Get out of here!"

"No," I answer and meet her stare .

A gleam of dread strikes her pretty brown eyes.

"Yes! You need to leave!" she orders and crosses her arms.

God, she looks good in my shirt.

Jesus, get it together.

Grinning, I say, "Fine. Let's go."

"What? You're insane—ahh!" she squeals as I bend down and pick her up, throwing her over my shoulder with ease.

"If I'm leaving, then you're coming with me," I growl and squeeze her tighter against me as I walk toward the edge of the stage, where I find Malik and Ollie looking at me with their jaws on the floor.

The crowd is quickly dispersing, and I see two security guards racing toward me.

"Let her go! NOW!" one of the roid-ragers shouts at me as he approaches the stage.

"Blair, tell them it's fine," I murmur to her and spin around so she can face them and tell them to fuck off.

"I'm so sorry! Please tell Margo this is all just one big misunderstanding!" she pleads with them.

"Blair, do you know this guy?" one of them asks, and I suddenly hate the thought of them being all first-name friendly.

"Unfortunately, yes. He's harmless, I promise. I think he thinks this is some kind of game." She continues to try to excuse my behavior.

"Harmless?" I laugh. "I know a lot of people who would disagree with that statement."

Although I've probably overstepped, I don't care. I know that I don't want these guys eye-fucking her any longer. But maybe this isn't the way to handle it. Maybe it's none of my business. Although, at this point, it's too fucking late.

Blair digs her fingers into my ribs, and I grunt with pain and oblige to her silent request, slowly lowering her to the ground. As she slides down my torso, I do my best to pretend like it doesn't feel like fucking heaven, having her pressed against me.

As her feet hit the ground, she stares up at me with such rage. My God, she looks hot when she's pissed off.

A tall lady rushes us, looking murderously at me, "What in the hell is happening out here?"

"Margo, I'm so sorry. This was all just a mistake. I'm sorry! Please give me a second chance," she apologizes to the older lady, who looks so mad she could kill.

She looks up at me and shakes her head before shifting her attention to Blair. "Blair, I'm disappointed. You had a real opportunity here. But I'm sorry. You know the rules. It's a zero-tolerance policy."

Blair clasps her hands together. "Please, please, please don't do this! I just tutor him. He's not my boyfriend. I can promise it won't happen again."

"I can't promise that," I declare, stepping beside Blair and staring down at the lady that's scolding Blair like a child.

"My hands are tied. You know the rules. I'm sorry. I'll have Tia gather your things and bring your tips outside. You're fired, effective immediately," she says before turning away. "Tia, grab all of her things and meet her outside. Security, please escort them out."

"No! Please, no! I really need this job! Please, Margo, give me another chance!" Her voice is so raw and ragged that it cuts me like a knife, and I wish I could fix this for her.

One of the big guys with a security T-shirt grabs Blair's arm and starts yanking her toward the front doors.

"No, wait! Stop! Oww!" she yelps, and I immediately intervene.

Reaching out, I squeeze the guy's wrist, pressing between his tendons until he releases her. "Don't fucking touch her!"

Blair walks away as the guy gets in my face, challenging me with his stance. He shoves me lightly, and a growl-laugh bubbles from deep within me.

"I promise that you don't want to do that. Consider it a favor that I don't beat your ass for touching her."

"You are un- fucking -believable!" she screams at me before rushing toward the exit. "Leave me alone!"

Without hesitating, I bump Roid-Rage here with my shoulder and chase after her, bursting through the doors right behind her and bursting into the cool evening air.

"Blair, wait!" I call out.

"No, go fuck yourself, Griffin!" she yells without turning around and continues stomping farther away from me, her heels clicking on the pavement.

Speeding up, I jump in front of her and gently grab her shoulders. "Hey, I'm sorry! Just stop, please!"

The light from a lamppost illuminates her face, and my heart breaks as I realize she's crying, her tears striking my heart like a wake- up call .

Shit. What have I done?