Chapter Thirteen Quinn
W ith the taste of Isla’s soup still radiating on my tongue, I wanted a taste of her. Since I couldn’t have one physically in the flesh, I had to resort to fantasy. The one way to achieve that was through watching her dance.
When I took my usual spot at the edge of the bar, Conleth noted my presence with a jerk of his chin. I’m sure he’d been running his mouth with Sarah about how all the sudden I was interested in watching the dancers perform.
Well a certain dancer.
As Isla came out onto the stage, the leering whistles and cheers rang through the room. My fists clenched at my sides as I had to fight the urge to inflict pain on any man who lusted after her.
As her hips swiveled and swayed, Isla’s gaze bounced around the room. It felt like she was searching for me. When her gaze finally locked with mine, she stared intently at me.
There was something different about tonight’s performance. A longing had entered her expression. She bit down on her lip more and arched her center harder into the pole. Her hands seemed to linger longer on her breasts–the nipples pebbling under her touch.
Fuck me, was she turned on?
And was thinking of me turning her on?
My cock throbbed in my slacks at the very thought. There would be no getting out of jerking off in my office. Just the thought of Isla’s hands or mouth on my dick made me moan.
When Isla finished her performance, she didn’t come off the stage like she usually did. Instead, she slipped behind the curtain. I fought the urge to barge backstage and hunt her down.
But I couldn’t do that with my fucking pants tented. Instead, I drew my jacket as best I could over me and ducked out to the elevator. As soon as the doors closed, I threw my head back against the wall and cupped my aching cock.
Isla was going to be the death of me.
A little after one, I rubbed my blurring eyes and decided to finally call it a day. Normally I didn’t come to the club every night. Dare and I usually alternated, but he was busy trying to get his casino going.
Of course, the club held a new allure for me.
When I came out of the elevator, that allure stood at the end of the hallway. To one ear, Isla cradled her phone, and the other she had her finger in to curb the noise from the club.
“Isla?”
She whirled around at the sound of her name. “Oh, hi.”
“Is something wrong?”
“I’m just on hold with roadside assistance.”
“What’s wrong with your car?”
“Dead battery. They were supposed to be here an hour ago, but no one has shown up and no one is answering.”
“Hang up.”
Her blue eyes popped wide. “Excuse me?”
“I’ll take you home.”
She shook her head. “It isn’t necessary.”
“Yes, it is.” I jerked my chin at her. “Hang up.”
“It’s too much of an imposition. I can just get an Uber,” she protested.
With a grunt of frustration, I closed the gap between us. Then I eased her phone out of her grip. “ I will drive you home, Isla. While we’re en route, I will have our personal mechanic fix your battery. Then I will have it delivered to your house.”
“But Southborough is thirty minutes away.”
“It doesn’t matter if it was five hours away. I’m taking you home.”
“You’re awfully stubborn,” she remarked.
I laughed. “I could say the same for you.”
She grinned. “Whatever.”
After I took her bag from her, I said, “Come on.”
Without another word of protest, Isla fell in step with me. As we walked by the bar to the back exit, Conleth’s eyes bore into me. “Goodnight, boss,” he called.
“Night,” I grumbled.
As we started down the employee hallway, Isla tilted her head up at me. “Do you have to be so grumpy to everyone?”
“I’m not.”
“Uh, yeah, you are.” She jerked her thumb behind her. “Like back there. You sounded like it pained you to have to even acknowledge Conleth.”
I shrugged as we exited the back door. “I’m just acting like myself.” Pinning her with a stare, I added, “You know, a beast.”
Her eyes widened. “Did Caterina tell you I said that?”
A laugh rolled through me as I nodded for Shane to open the SUV door. “I was talking about the other dancers. When did you call me a beast?”
Isla hesitated before she hopped inside the back. When I joined her on the bench seat, she finally replied, “I only said you were like the beast in the Disney movie.”
“I’m not that hairy.”
Her brows shot up in surprise. “Was that an attempt at humor?”
“I have my moments.”
She grinned. “You’re really hard to figure out.”
“Not really. I’m pretty much what you see is what you get.”
“That’s not entirely true.”
“How so?”
“You’ve only been kind to me.”
“Are you sure about that?”
She grimaced. “You’re right. You were a real asshole at the start of my audition, not to mention the night you were shot when I tried to help you. And then after we…”
Crimson dotted her cheeks.
“After what, Isla?” I teased.
She ducked her head. “You know.”
“When we came?”
“Yes,” she whispered as she stared at Shane behind the wheel.
“Don’t worry about him. He’s paid not to listen.”
“I still don’t want him to hear!”
Wagging my finger at her, I countered, “Don’t change the subject. What would you have me say?”
She bit down on her pillowy bottom lip. “I don’t know.”
“I think you do.”
“Fine. Here’s what you could’ve said.” Lowering her voice to mimic me, she said, “‘Thanks for sharing that with me, Isla’ or ‘I’m having a hard time putting what I’m feeling into words right now, but that was truly intense’.” She licked her lips. “At the very least, you could’ve said something instead of grabbing a box of kleenex and leaving me feeling used.”
Fuck. I’d been a complete and total beast to her. Making her feel used was the last thing in the world I would ever want to do. At the same time, I didn’t know why I was surprised. I’d been so cut off from feeling anything in the last two years but anger, resentment, and agony. What softness did I have to give a fragile little dove like her?
Reaching between us, I took her hand in mine. “I never meant to make you feel used or confused.”
“It’s okay.”
I shook my head. “No, it’s not. You are everything beautiful and bright in the world. You deserve only the same in return.”
Her lips turned down in a pout. “You know now that I think about it, you haven’t been very friendly to me since I started working. You haven’t even asked me how I’m settling in or if people are treating me well.”
Smirking at her, I replied, “Isla, how are you settling in, and are people treating you well?”
“There you go attempting humor again,” she huffed.
“Like I said, I have my moments. Now answer my questions.”
“Do you really want to know?”
I nodded. “Yeah, I do.”
She shrugged. “I think I’m settling in pretty well. Everyone has been really nice to help me.”
“That’s good to hear. I’d hate to have to take care of anyone who wasn’t treating you kindly.”
Her eyes popped wide. “You wouldn’t.”
I flashed her a shark-like smile. “Maybe.”
“Please, don’t.”
“As long as no one is being mean, I won’t.”
“It’s more about jealousy than anything.”
“Who?”
“A few girls who have been kinda bitchy about all the private dances I’m doing.”
At that moment, any anger I felt about her being mistreated evaporated. In its place came the green monster of jealousy. “You’re pretty popular with the clients, aren’t you?”
“So far. I think it’s just because I’m the new shiny thing.”
I knew it was far more than that. While some men like to sample the fresh faces, they would return to the ones they enjoyed. For Isla to continue to be popular, she possessed something to keep them coming back for more.
Staring at her in the dim light, I asked, “Tell me, Isla. Do you enjoy doing private dances?” When she slowly shook her head back and forth, I cocked my brows at her. “Why not?”
“I could say I don’t enjoy the leering looks or the feel of strange men beneath me.”
“But that’s not the reason?”
She shook her head. “They’re not you.”
My heartbeat broke into a wild gallop at her words. “Do you wish it was me in the private dances?”
“Yes.”
“I wish I was there with you, too.”
Her intense gaze dropped to my stare at my lips. “What do you want, Isla?” I questioned.
She jerked her eyes back to mine. “Nothing.”
“You’re a terrible liar.”
She grimaced. “I want you to kiss me.”
“I shouldn’t.”
“Why not?”
“Because I’m a bad man who will only corrupt you.”
Leaning over me, Isla brought her face close to mine. “Just shut up and kiss me, Quinn,” she commanded.
How could I not oblige her? Cupping her cheeks, I brought my lips to hers. God, they were heaven.
Warm.
Tender.
Silky.
Within seconds, Isla was sliding her tongue against my lips. When I opened my mouth and tangled my tongue with hers, she moaned. She tasted like the perfection she was. Although other men got to fantasize about her mouth, she was mine and only mine.
Time slowed to a crawl as I devoured her mouth. I couldn’t keep my hands from roaming over her body. I cupped and squeezed her breasts through her top. When I started to slide my hand under her skirt, Isla’s lips popped off of mine as she pulled away, panting to catch her breath.
“I want you,” I rasped.
“I want you, too.” She shook her head. “But not like this.”
“You want a four poster bed and silk sheets?” I suggested.
She giggled. “It doesn’t have to be that posh.”
“I’ll give you the world if it means I can bury myself inside you.”
Her expression grew serious. As her hands came to cup my cheeks, she replied, “I don’t need all of that. Just you.”
“Do you need me, Little Dove?”
“I do. Do you want to know how much?”
“Aye.”
With a cheeky little grin, she said, “I have a confession to make.”
“I think you mistake me for a priest.”
“I’m serious,” she pouted.
“Fine. What is your confession?”
“Do you know what I did after my set tonight?”
“Make me insanely jealous by riding other men’s dicks?”
She smacked me playfully on the chest. “No, that’s not it.”
“Then what?”
She dropped her head to whisper in my ear. “I made myself come in the bathroom.”
A jolt shuddered through me at her words. I was right about her being aroused during her performance. “Did you get so turned on you had to touch yourself?” I questioned in a pained whisper. It was almost too much thinking of her fingering herself.
She bobbed her head. “I was thinking of you.”
“Oh fuck,” I grunted. “You’re going to be the death of me, woman.”
Isla giggled. “I could say the same about you. I’ve never, ever touched myself in a public place before.”
“See, I am corrupting you,” I replied.
With a seductive lick of her lips, Isla said, “But it’s so good.”
Groaning, I threw my head back against the headrest. “You’ve got to stop.”
“Why?”
“If you don’t, I’m going to jerk up your skirt and fuck you right here in front of Shane.”
Isla squeaked in horror before pushing herself away from me. “I’m not ready for that.” With a shake of her head, she added, “What I mean is I’ll never be ready to have someone watch us…you know.”
I laughed. “Considering you can’t bring yourself to say it, I’m not shocked.”
“Have you?”
“Once or twice.”
“Did you like it?”
“While it can be hot, I’m glad to hear you say you’re not down for it.”
“Why?”
“I already have to share you enough with the men at the club, and I’m a selfish bastard.”
“Good. I don’t want to share you with any other women either.”
As I stared into Isla’s beautiful face, I still couldn’t believe she possibly wanted me. Out of all the men she came into contact with at the club, she picked me. It was overwhelming.
And so far, I’d predominantly treated her like a plaything. I had to make amends. She deserved to be treated like the queen she was.
“I’m sorry I’ve been a beast to you,” I said in a hushed whisper. I didn’t need Shane hearing me be vulnerable in front of a woman. It wasn’t what was expected of men like me.
Isla blinked at me. “What did you say?”
“I said I’m sorry I’ve been a beast.” I once again spoke in a low voice.
She cupped her ear. “I still didn’t hear you.”
“Isla,” I growled at her cheekiness.
With a grin, she replied, “Yes, Quinn?”
“Why are you giving me shit?”
“Maybe because you don’t mind letting Shane hear you try to fuck me, but you can’t let him hear you apologize?” She shook her head at me. “That doesn’t fly with me.”
“It’s complicated,” I gritted out.
“Then uncomplicate it.”
In a low voice, I replied, “He works underneath me. He has to be able to respect me and see me as a leader.”
“And apologizing to me is somehow going to undermine that?”
“Aye, it will.”
Her expression clouded over. “Then this needs to stop before it goes any further. I plan on dating you, not your men or your lifestyle.”
“It’s unavoidable.”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “It’s archaic and misogynistic.”
Iritiation rippled through me. Why couldn’t she understand? Although she fought tooth and nail against the life, Caterina understood. “It’s the bleedin’ way it’s done, and I’m not going against tradition,” I bit out.
Ignoring me, she stared straight ahead. Of course, it would be at that moment we pulled into her driveway. She grabbed her purse and slung the strap over her neck. “Thank you for the ride home.”
When I didn’t make a move to get out, she huffed and tried the other door. After finding it locked, she threw a look at me over her shoulder. “Open the door.”
The last thing on earth I wanted to do was let her go. Especially not when she was spitting mad at me. I knew if we allowed things to continue between us, it wouldn’t be the last time. I didn’t know how to be soft and tender with a woman. Sure, I could with Maeve and my mam, but this was different.
Isla was different.
“Let me out!” she shrieked as her hand frantically worked the door handle.
Shane wouldn’t do it. Not until he got the nod from me that it was okay. Instead, I shook my head.
“Isla, look at me.”
“I just want to go.”
“Look at me,” I commanded.
With a huff, she whirled around to pin with a heated stare. “What?”
In a booming voice, I said, “I’m sorry I’ve been a beast to you. I’m sorry I made you feel used the first night we were together.”
There was no denying she heard me and that Shane did as well. “You are?” she questioned softly.
“Aye. And I’ll work my arse off from now on out to treat you like the queen you are.”
Isla stared intently at me. The corners of her lips quirked. “Good. I’m glad to hear it.” She then jerked her chin at the door. “Let me out.”
This time I nodded at Shane.
“Goodnight, Quinn,” Isla said before she slipped out the door.
“Sweet dreams, Little Dove.”
With a mischievous grin, she replied, “I think I’ll go for a beauty and the beast fantasy.”
“You’re a cruel woman, you know that?”
She giggled before slamming the door. As she ran up the front walk and onto the porch, I caught Shane’s gaze in the rear view mirror. He had the nerve to grin at me.
“If you fucking tell anyone, especially my brothers about what you heard tonight, I’ll fucking castrate you.”
He chuckled. “Aye, boss. My lips are sealed.” Once Isla was inside the house, he put the SUV in reverse. “Can I just say one thing?”
“If it’s to give me any shite about what was seen or heard tonight, I’d keep your bleedin’ lips shut if you know what’s good for you.”
“I just wanted to say that she’s good for you. I like who you are with her.”
“And what am I like with her? A pussy?”
“Happy.”
Although I should’ve told him to mind his own fucking business, I didn’t. Instead, I merely grumbled, “Whatever.”
Inwardly, I couldn’t help smiling.