CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
AURORA
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“T his is insane. I can’t believe we’re going to the Alliance Club.” Chloe grabs my hand excitedly as the limo drives us out of Manhattan.
“I knew you’d be keen.” I laugh.
“Keen. Freaked out. Horny as hell.” Chloe wriggles in the dark leather seat and winks at Parker.
“Jesus.” He shakes his head.
I stare across at him, remembering the last time we were in this vehicle together. Alone. How he slipped the toy inside me and claimed my pussy was his.
That didn’t last long.
After our talk today, he’s changed and there’s a cannon-sized divide between us. The insecure part of me thinks it’s because I brought up my childhood this morning.
It probably is.
I was that emotional girl. But to be fair, I’m grieving my mother who just died, so I’m hardly in a stable state of mind. Surely Parker could cut me some slack if that is what scared him.
Before that, things have been intense. Our attraction and sex life is off the charts, and he’s been insanely possessive. The past few days it’s felt less like fucking and more like a genuine connection was forming.
Wrong.
Parker clarified what this was for him loud and clear this morning. You’re beautiful, smart, and sexy as fuck, but I’m not looking for anything long term here.
It hurt.
I also don’t believe him. Last night he was almost ripping Travis’s head off for rubbing his cock against my ass which did make me come.
Then Parker’s complete alpha male act afterward. I need my cock inside you right fucking now.
Your pussy is mine.
Never orgasm near another man.
Those are not the words of a man only interested in sleeping with a woman because he finds her beautiful. I might be wrong, but I’m almost certain Parker Stone is a man who doesn’t fall in love and isn’t used to feeling possessive about a woman.
Not that I think he’s in love with me, but he’s scared to let himself even contemplate that as an option.
He scares me too.
You should be. Clench your cunt and come on my dick. Between the testosterone rolling off him, the way he dominates my body, and how safe I feel in his arms, it’s terrifying.
I should run.
Instead, I’m sticking around like an addict.
I’m curious to see how he acts tonight. And about the club. Being aroused by two men was new...and fucking incredible. It awoke something in me.
I’m not sure how comfortable I’ll be, but it serves two purposes. One: Chloe had found photos of Parker and his friends online and was hounding me about meeting them, so it gets her off my back.
Two: Parker can put his money where his mouth is. If he really sees me as just a fuck buddy and last night’s possessive behavior was a one off, then I’ll know the truth.
Do I want to be a casual woman in his life?
No.
I know I’m out of his league, but I can’t ignore the feelings I have growing stronger every day. I will get hurt if I stay around just for some amazing sex.
“Any of your friends married?” Chloe asks, sliding on lip gloss.
“Maddox. Engaged,” Parker replies, sliding his gaze to her, then back to mine. I feel them pierce me with their intensity.
“I met Kyra. She’s nice.” I tell Chloe. “Will she be there tonight?”
“No.”
Why is he talking in the shortest sentences possible? I can’t read his mood. Is he angry, tense, or is this how he’ll be now that we are casual?
“The brood is strong with this one tonight.” Chloe leans against my arm, and I can’t help my giggle.
“It’s a sex club.” Parker frowns. “Not a place you take your fiancé.”
Ouch.
“Right.”
Asshole. Nice reminder that I’m just a fuck and not anyone serious in his life. I hope Chloe doesn’t pick up on his comment and say something.
“Kyra has been before,” Parker adds, and I know my surprise is written all over my face. “Once.”
“Is the tall one your brother?” Chloe continues with the questions. I could take a page out of her book. She’s asked him more questions in this one drive than I have in weeks.
“No.” Parker rubs his forehead with his thumb. “My brother is much younger than me.”
“You have a brother?” I say before I can stop myself. We share a look, and I glance away.
“Father?” Chloe probes. “I do like a silver fox.”
Parker’s face darkens and the air in the vehicle thickens.
“My father is dead.” His voice is heavy and full of malice, halting any further questions.
Why don’t I know these things?
Parker finally looks out the window, his eyes brushing past mine, stopping for only a millisecond. “He was not a good man.”
Chloe and I share a look.
I hate that I haven’t asked him about his mother and father. No wonder he doesn’t see me as girlfriend material.
“Yeah, men are cunts,” Chloe says and gives me an oh my god, what was that look?
I quickly shake my head.
Ten minutes later, we pull up to the sidewalk and wait for Eric. When he opens the door, Chloe leaps out.
“Thank you, young man,” she says, and I snort while Parker follows next.
Then he takes my hand and reaches his other hand out to me. His hand sweeps around me to my hip when I stand and straighten my dress. I’m tugged against him.
“Don’t cross the line too much, sweetheart. I only have so much control.”
“Fuck buddies, remember?” I glance up at him pointedly, even though my words are low.
“That’s not what I said.”
“It’s the same thing.” I run my hand down the arm of his black shirt, hearing a growl deep in his throat.
Immediately, I wish we were alone and he would kiss me. Fuck me. Forget this game we seem to be playing.
The door of the club opens for us and Parker hands him his black credit card.
“Declined.” The man smirks at Parker.
“Every week.”
“Every week, Mr. Stone.”
Parker laughs and indicates that Chloe and I should head inside.
I’m confused.
“Did your card decline?” I ask, almost tripping on my stupidly high heels.
Parker shakes his head humorously, his hand sliding over my ass. “No. Travis won’t let us pay. But every week I try. He’s put a block on my card so the machine won’t take it. Occasionally, I get a new one just to fuck with him.”
“Just slip him a twenty or something.” I tell him.
Parker dips his eyes. “The door charge is three figures. Per person.”
The hell?
“One hundred dollars?” I gasp.
“No.”
It takes me a full minute to realize he means much more than that. Three figures could be nearly a thousand goddamn dollars.
“The Alliance Club is highly exclusive. The public can’t just walk in off the street. It’s filled with one-percenters.”
People like him.
Billionaires.
Those with more money than the rest of us could ever conceive of having in ten lifetimes.
Parker nods to another security guy as we walk farther inside. Chloe must have overheard our conversation as she glances at me with the same surprise I must have on my face, and we share another look.
Once again, I feel like I’m a fish out of water in his life. But we’re here, and I’m glad my best friend is with me.
The light is as dim as you’d expect in a club, music moody and sexy, and the floor-to-ceiling bar is fully stocked with some fancy-looking bottles. All the furniture looks luxurious, and the staff, while minimally dressed all in black, appears professional and discrete.
Looking around at all the beautiful, mostly naked, women in the club, I have no idea why Parker has been spending time with me.
“Holy hell.” Chloe looks like she’s a kid in a candy store.
I follow her line of sight to a woman sitting on the table as another woman’s face is tight between her legs.
I gasp silently.
I feel so overdressed in my silver strapless dress which barely covers my ass. I don’t own anything smaller. My long locks are up in a ponytail and while I thought I looked sexy when I looked in the mirror, now I feel kind of frumpy.
Chloe wears a black, off-the-shoulder dress. With her long blonde hair flowing in curls down her back and naturally tanned skin, she immediately draws attention.
My red hair has always made me uncomfortable. In college, kids would make mean and crude comments. Being homeschooled, I was sheltered from bullying and not prepared for it.
Mom told me to toughen up.
Great. Nice pep talk, Mom.
Those first few days had been terrifying, honestly. I was worried I wouldn’t last, but then I met Chloe and became friends. It was like she adopted me.
I let her.
Her blunt and outspoken personality was so different from mine. She gave me the space to find my voice while sticking up for me. I don’t know if she knew she was doing it, but she did.
I think we’ll be friends for life.
“I’m going to say this only once,” Parker says to both of us. “If you want to leave, tell me. This place isn’t for the fainthearted.”
Chloe rolls her eyes. “As long as I don’t get a flash of my best friend's fanny, we will be fine.”
I burst out laughing.
“That won’t be happening,” Parker grunts, and before I can respond, he heralds us into a private room.
“Now ya talking.” Chloe claps her hands.