Chapter 18
Romeo unlocks the door onto a vast empty concrete space.
It runs the length of my entire club, but it’s narrower.
Onyx follows us in and stands in the doorway, guarding it as we both walk in further.
He looks unimpressed, but that seems to be his face today.
Anything to avoid what we did last night and the real feelings it might have brought up, for me anyway.
I return my full attention to Romeo, wishing I could forget everything we did.
“It’s a blank canvas, we can do whatever we want with it,” Romeo says when I haven’t uttered a word.
I wander, picturing the cool smoothness of marble and the deep, luxurious texture of velvet and leather, transforming this space.
Elaborate chandeliers dripping with crystals down the center of the room and a more intimate bar off to one side.
It could work.
“I was thinking two spaces, maybe the VIP party room at the front, then at the back more intimate spaces. We can keep the color scheme the same, so it blends seamlessly with next door. And have the entry through the middle of the club so they have already gone through the existing space for security reasons, and also, so the cops don’t get wind this place even exists. From the street it will still look like a vacant building.” His hands come to my waist from behind, and I know he’s desperate to hear what I think of all his grand ideas.
His mouth dips to my ear, his warm breath ghosting across my skin.
“It will be Ravens Hollow’s best-kept secret,” he says, in a way that makes goosebumps erupt over my skin, because he makes it all sound so enticing.
I turn back to face him, his eyes dancing with delight.
He’s like a kid in a candy store, so damn excited about his idea.
“How long have you been working on this?”
“Six months.”
I stare back at him, my mouth nearly dropping open.
I knew this wasn’t all some overnight idea.
But fuck, six months is kind of insane.
“You have been watching me and researching this place for six months?”
He drops eye contact; even he knows how messed up that sounds.
What the hell is his obsession with me and this place?
My heart kicks up a beat.
“What was your plan? Come in here on my birthday and seduce me so I would fall for your charm and give you everything you wanted? Don’t bullshit me, Romeo, I think it’s about time you offer me the courtesy of the truth. Exactly what did you expect to happen, because I don’t get it. With the share you own, you could have just done what you wanted, but you felt the need to screw me first. What did you get out of our hook-up.”
A shiver runs down my spine as his hand moves up my arm, then his fingers brush lightly against my cheek, a feather-light touch tracing my lips.
“I got you,” he responds with more determination.
“I don’t just want to run this place alongside you. When it comes to you, Sloane, I want it all.”
Oh, dear God, the way he looks at me, I feel like my heart might just combust. I take a step back from him as if he just burned me.
Because in a way, it feels like he did.
What the hell does he mean he wants it all when it comes to me?
He barely even knows me.
“You can make a start on this. Keep me in the loop.” My voice trembles slightly.
He’s rattled me, and I know I need to get away from him immediately.
I stride back toward the door, where Onyx is waiting for me, and my cheeks break into an all-out blush of heat, the sight of him making my pussy clench in memory.
Oh my God, I need to get away from him as well.
“I’ll be out for a few hours,” I tell Romeo over my shoulder.
“Don’t forget we have dinner tonight at the Moretti boys’ mansion,” Romeo calls back to me, stopping me dead in my tracks.
My eyes meet with Onyx’s, and he looks as unimpressed as I feel.
Damn it. I had forgotten about that little arrangement he forced me into.
“You know I’m a woman of my word. I will be there,” I throw over my shoulder, not wanting to turn around to see him again.
I can’t. He has this hold over me, and even I don’t know what I will do when he’s around.
“Where are we going, trouble?” Onyx grumbles as he falls into line with me.
“ I’m going for lunch with Harley, you can have the morning off,” I tell him as I walk from the entrance of the vacant space.
I spot Ricky’s Jeep pull up to the curb out front of the day spa.
I should have known they wouldn’t let her come alone.
There is always at least one of them hanging around her.
It would drive me crazy.
I glance at Onyx and see he’s watching me, his eyes filled with something that looks an awful lot like longing.
One fuck wasn’t enough for either of us, and now we’re stuck together, the erratic tension swirling through the air.
What the hell am I saying?
It would drive Harley crazy, and I’m no better off.
My situation is driving me to the point of insanity, I’m sure of it.
Maddox hops out of the car and opens the door for Harley.
She has a hand on her growing belly and looks awkward as she steps out of the car.
Ricky isn’t far behind her, the three of them approaching us.
She mouths I’m sorry , and I know it’s because of her entourage.
I offer her a half smile back, understanding .
“Look at you, sis, positively glowing.” I beam at her, able to fake it for my friend.
“I don’t feel like I’m glowing. I feel like these two are practicing their kickboxing skills on my stomach.” She laughs lightheartedly.
“They take after their dad.” Maddox smirks, and Ricky chuckles.
“Can you stomach lunch?” I ask her more seriously.
I couldn’t give a shit about food, I just need her to snap some sense into me.
“Maybe.” She smiles softly, and I know the answer is no.
“What do you feel like? We can go wherever you like,” I offer.
Her eyes light up. “Something greasy.”
“Yeah, good idea, baby doll, I could go a burger and fries,” Ricky agrees, wrapping an arm around her.
“Who said you were invited?” I smirk at Ricky playfully.
“Me.” He winks in my direction, and I know he couldn’t care less.
“There is a burger joint just up the street,” he offers, trying to be useful.
Romeo has locked up the vacant space and moves toward us with way too much confidence.
“I could go for a burger, I think I will join you.”
I give him a sharp, sideways look, a wave of irritation washing over me, settling like concrete in my stomach.
“You weren’t invited,” I snap, bitchy as all hell.
His eyes light up at the challenge.
“Didn’t think I needed an invitation to hang out with my cousins.” He pats Ricky on the back, and Ricky chuckles.
Swallowing down my irritation with a grumble, I turn away from him and wrap my arm around Harley, the two of us starting to walk down the street away from them.
They will do whatever the fuck they want anyway.
“You okay?” she asks softly, glancing back over her shoulder .
My head drops, the weight of the past week settling heavily on my shoulders.
“Nope.”
“I’m sorry the boys are here, they’re all overprotective because of the babies. I can’t go anywhere without at least one of them tagging along.”
“Don’t worry about it.” I sigh heavily.
Her eyes meet mine. “Shit, Sloane, how bad is it?”
“When we get to the burger joint we’re sitting alone. I’m going crazy over here. If I don’t get it out, I’m going to explode, and I won’t be held accountable for my actions if I do.”
She laughs and hugs me a little closer to her.
“I can’t wait to hear all the juicy gossip. Don’t worry, the boys have strict instructions to leave us alone while we eat.”
We push open the glass door, the cool air hitting me in the face instantly and making me realize just how hot my cheeks are.
I’m so worked up it’s like there is fire burning inside of me.
The two of us walk straight through to a vacant table in the back with only two chairs and take a seat.
I watch as the boys all follow us.
Maddox looks our way before moving into a booth seat at the front of the little burger joint.
The others follow him.
Even Onyx takes a seat beside Ricky.
Fucking Romeo smirks at me like he’s won something.
I have no idea what, I’m not eating lunch with him.
A server arrives at our table, interrupting my death glare in Romeo’s direction.
I force a smile at the blonde teen.
“What can I get you?” She chews on a stick of gum as she asks.
“Beef burger, double cheese, with fries and a strawberry milkshake, please,” Harley says.
I glance at my friend.
I thought she didn’t feel like food.
“I’ll have the quinoa and kale burger with fries and a Coke, thanks. ”
Harley stops the waitress with a hand to her arm.
“Can you charge all our food to the table of men at the front there?” She winks in my direction, and I can’t help but smirk back at her.
“It’s their fault for gatecrashing our lunch date.”
“Um, sure,” the server says with a snicker, leaving us to it.
“Tell me, what the hell is going on with you and Romeo? He can’t keep his eyes off you. But you don’t like him?” she asks, confused.
“He’s trying to take over my business, sis. I’m not his biggest fan, no.”
“But you have a thing for him? Come on, spill, I know you two disappeared together at your party. What the hell happened?” Her eyes twinkle with mischief.
I shake my head, not even able to think about what we got up to.
“It was a lot, and I feel like my brain has been scrambled ever since.”
She tilts her head, her nose scrunching up.
“So, he fixed your problem, now you hate him?”
I lean over the table a little closer.
“Sis, he screwed me then tried to screw me over.”
Her eyes go wide.
“We had the most incredible night together, then I find him chatting to my brothers, and he announces that he owns a sixty percent share of my club. The one I built from the pile of shit it was when Syd died. Syd is still fucking me over even from the grave, and now I have this asshole permanently in my life.”
She looks disgusted on my behalf.
“That sly bastard. What the fuck are you going to do about it then. You’re Sloane Stryker, you don’t take shit from anyone. There must be a way to get rid of him.”
“I’ve seen the contract, this shit is legit. Syd traded a massive share of his club to pay off some debt to Romeo’s papa, and now I have to work with him. He’s everywhere, Harley, I can’t escape him. It’s driving me crazy.”
“Because you’re still hot for him.”
We have a silent stare-off.
She knows I’m not going to admit to anything of the sort.
But it’s also impossible to deny.
Just when I think this lunch couldn’t get any more uncomfortable, Detective Reef Wilder walks through the front door.
I blink a couple of times, not able to actually believe it’s him.
“Oh my God, hide me.” I grab her shoulders, but it’s too late, he’s spotted me and makes his way over to our table.
“You really are stalking me. Lunch yesterday, my house, now you’re here as well?” he asks, smiling cheekily with way too much charm.
He tosses a hand through his long blond hair, his eyes lighting up as he takes me in.
I can’t help but smile back at him, feeling like a schoolgirl with a stupid crush.
“You came in here after me,” I mutter, trying to get my brain to kick into gear so I can function like a normal person.
“Hi, I’m Reef.” He introduces himself to Harley with a broad smile that makes it all the way to his dimples as he holds out a hand for her to take.
She grins back at him, mischief dancing in her eyes as she shakes his hand.
“Nice to meet you, Reef, I’m Harley. How do you know my girl Sloane?”
His eyes come to mine, so much warmth in them it melts my insides and sends butterflies taking off throughout my body.
“Uh… Reef…” I start, but I can’t explain this one.
“We went on a date last night,” he tells her, sounding way too happy about it.
“Oh, really.” She looks to me like I have been holding out on her .
I force a tight smile.
“Reef is the newest detective under Commissioner Sedgwick, just arrived from New York,” I explain like it tells her why I went on a date with him.
If anything, it makes the whole situation more ridiculous, and I know that is exactly what she’s thinking by the way she looks at me.
I shift the focus off me.
“Harley is someone important for you to know. She and her boyfriends have set up this amazing clinic, with doctors and psychologists and all sorts of classes to help women who find themselves in trouble.”
He nods, taking my friend in with fresh eyes.
“I have heard about you. I’m impressed by your initiative.”
“You’ll have to come and check it out. We have our opening day this weekend. Sloane will be there, won’t you, Sloane.”
I nod reluctantly, not needing another place the charming detective can find me.
“I might just do that.” He looks between us, his forehead creasing.
“You two seem like an unlikely pair.”
“I don’t see how. Sloane has dedicated her life to helping the women of this town, it’s how we connected,” Harley snips, I think insulted for me.
Reef looks me over, and I see his curiosity.
I can also see over his shoulder that Romeo is about to come over here, and that is the last thing I need.
I stand in a rush. “Give me a sec, Harley,” I say quickly, taking Reef’s arm and moving around the corner near the bathroom with him.
He doesn’t wait, moving in closer to me, taking my hand in his.
“Was I going to hear back from you?” His eyes lock with mine, and I see how desperate he was to see me again.
The silly thing is I feel the same.
“You came looking for me because I didn’t text you back?” I sass back, not ready to tell him he has the same effect over me.
I don’t know how to deal with him, that’s why I didn’t write back to his message.
At least not until Malachi gets the dirt on him.
He glances over his shoulder then back to me.
“Not quite. I dropped into the club to give you the heads up, I’ve been told to raid the place tonight. We have a warrant, and this time my boss isn’t messing round.”
“Shit, Reef. You shouldn’t be telling me that.” I don’t know why but knowing he’s betraying the rules of his job to help me makes me worry for him.
My pulse also goes into overdrive knowing I have some damage control to do at the club to make sure we’re squeaky clean for tonight.
With a light touch, his hand skates up my arm, leaving a trail of goosebumps in its wake.
The way he touches me is too light but not enough, and it makes me crave more of him.
“I don’t know you all that well just yet, wildcat, but I’m a go-with-my-gut kind of guy, and something tells me you’re one of the good ones, even if you act like a badass. Don’t prove me wrong.” His eyes land on mine, searching my soul for answers I can’t give him.
I have done things so terrible I know he would never be able to forgive me if he found out.
I did them to protect the people I care about, never without an extremely good reason.
But I like the way he looks at me like I’m not pure evil, it makes me want to be the girl he thinks I am.
I tug him in a little closer, inhaling his scent.
He smells so damn good that I just can’t help myself.
I rise onto my toes and press my lips to his quickly.
My heart races out of my chest knowing I shouldn’t be crossing this line with him again, but I needed a quick taste.
When I pull away, he deepens the kiss, drawing me closer.
The taste of him lingers as our lips meet again.
It’s one intoxicating combination.
Pressed against the wall under the weight of his body, I feel his urgency just as much as his tongue exploring my mouth.
My fingers curl into his shirt, and I cling to him as his hands roam up and down my body, touching me right where I want him to and igniting a fire within me.
When we eventually pull back from each other, I’m a panting mess.
My hand rests on his chest, and I can feel his heart hammering out of control.
This is insane. “Don't risk your neck or reputation for me again. I’m not worth losing your career.”
“I think you are.” He cups my chin, pressing his lips to mine again and making me melt into him. He’s an escape from my reality, a little ray of sunshine in my darkness, and I want more.
“Detective Wilder. I thought that was you,” comes Romeo’s voice from behind us.
Quickly the two of us pull back from each other. Sucking in a deep breath, I glance at Romeo, trying to work out how on earth I deal with this situation. Of course he followed us back here.
Reef withdraws from me and turns toward Romeo. “Mr. Moretti.” He holds his hand out in his direction. As they shake hands, I feel the tension reach a new level of fucked up. “I’ll be on my way, Sloane, leaving you to finish your lunch. Think about what I said.”
I give him a nod, my lips turning up at the sides, just because I enjoy the way he looks at me. “See you soon, Detective Hot Stuff.”
He chuckles as he shakes his head, passing by Romeo on his way out. Romeo’s eyes narrow in on me.
I fix the corners of my lipstick, making sure I don’t have any smudges. Fuck him for following us back here and watching us like a creeper. I go to pass him, but he captures my arm, stopping me.
“What the hell was that, Sloane? Last night was a bit of fun to get back at me, I get it. But you can’t be seen to be dating a cop for real.”
My hands fly to my waist. “Who the hell do you think you are telling me who I can and can’t date. ”
“If you’re not careful, he has the ability to fuck us over and close down our club given half a chance.” His voice vibrates with frustration, and I know this is over more than just our club.
I glare up at him. He doesn’t know anything about Reef. “That’s where you’re wrong. He was here to warn us. They will be raiding the club tonight; they have a warrant to search everything this time.”
His eyes go wide. “Are you fucking serious?”
“Deadly,” I snip back.
He drops his grip on my arm, running a hand through his hair. I can see the worry lines on his forehead. He actually gives a fuck about The Raven’s Nest. Good to know.
“Don’t sweat it, Romeo, this isn’t the first time I’ve dealt with shit like this. We have time, it’s easy. We cancel all VIP bookings for tonight, get a cleaning crew in to do a deep clean, and make sure the rest of the place is in order. I’ll put some extra security on the door. They won’t get anything on us.”
“Do you think you can trust him?”
I shrug. “I’m not sure yet. But right now, I would trust him over you. He hasn’t lied to me yet.”
His face grows more serious. “Sloane, I didn’t lie to you.”
“No, you just withheld very important information from me so you could get into my pants. To me, it’s the same thing.” I pat him on the chest, signaling we’re done. “I have a lunch with my friend to get back to. You going to handle the club or should I call Sally?”
His eyes narrow, and I know I’m pissing him off. “I’ll handle it,” he snaps, taking off in a huff.
I follow him, moving back toward our table where Harley is still sitting. She now has Ricky feeding her fries, sitting in my chair, but that’s on me for taking so long.
“Beat it, Ricky, you two are going to make me sick.”
The sound of Harley’s laughter fills the air, a warm and comforting noise that I have missed.
Ricky stands, his grin revealing a hint of mischief as he looks at me. “Just keeping your chair warm. How are you feeling?” he asks more genuinely.
“Better than ever,” I lie. I’m better than I was when I saw him last, but I know I’m still not right.
He looks me over skeptically. “Romeo still giving you trouble?”
“Sure is.” I roll my eyes. “But it’s nothing I can’t handle,” I’m quick to add so he knows I don’t need him and his brothers getting involved.
“Looks like the detective wanted to give you something as well, Sloane. He was so hot for you I could feel the sexual tension from over here.” Harley fans her face dramatically. “What the fuck, girl?”
“Detective?” Ricky asks, his brow raised in question.
“Fuck off back to your table, Ricky,” I tell him, not wanting to get into it with him. I know how much the Morettis hate the cops, but this is none of his business.
He chuckles but does as I said and leaves us alone, rejoining the other boys.
Onyx glances my way, and I sigh heavily. He’s just another problem I need to sort out. And I can tell he knows I was up to no good with the detective.
“What the hell, Sloane?” Harley smirks, a playful sparkle in her pretty eyes. She’s loving this drama way too much.
With a groan, I bury my head in my hands, my temples throbbing. “I don’t even know where to start. This week has gotten so out of hand so damn quickly.”
“You have a cop and a mafia boss lusting after you, that is one interesting predicament. ”
I glance back up at her. She doesn’t know the half of it. I’m dying to tell her about Onyx as well, but I can’t, not when I know the shit it could get him in with my brothers. “You of all people should know the hell I’m going through. Help me, don’t laugh at my pain.” I slump back into my chair, tossing a fry in my mouth and chewing even though I can’t taste it.
She pats my leg softly, but I can feel the rumble of laughter going through her at the same time. “Sounds like your life is about to heat up.”
“Not funny.” I glare at her.
Her features have more sympathy now. “I know, girl, I get it. What does Onyx think of it all? I always thought the big guy had a thing for you.”
“Why would you say that?” I gasp, my heart kicking up a beat. She is the first person to point it out today, and now I’m worried it’s obvious to everyone around us.
She looks his way, and he’s still watching me unashamedly. “No reason.” A slow smirk stretches across her lips as she glances back at me.
All I can do is shake my head and shove my burger in my mouth to avoid talking anymore. I have no words to say. None. My life is one big fucking mess. And she’s no help.