Chapter 12
Control Risk
Wyatt
I’ve never minded Dante redirecting Sara, but something’s changed between them. He’s more possessive than protective. And Finn is more overtly flirtatious with her. Maybe it’s her though. She seems more open to both of them.
“You must be Wyatt.” The owner holds his hand out to me. “Drew Young.”
He gives me a hearty handshake before gesturing for us to come in. This is the guy dating Sara? He owns a strip club? If Tom knew about this, he’d explode.
Everyone walks in. His office is huge with a couple large couches. The desk at the back is also large. He’s probably compensating for something. I glance down at his slacks and wing tip shoes. Or hiding something. With the way he’s flaunting his wealth, he can’t be suitable for Sara.
“We haven’t officially met.” Kayla steps away from Finn and holds out her hand. “Kayla Wagner. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
Drew takes her hand and kisses her knuckles. “Hopefully all good things.”
He winks and she chuckles.
“All good things, of course.” She winks right back.
“Dante, Finn.” Drew looks at each man before his warm eyes settle on Sara. His voice changes when he says, “Sara.”
Fuck, this isn’t someone who’s playing with her. He wants her. He holds his hand out and she takes it without a moment of hesitation. Fuck, she wants him too.
“Please sit. It seems like we have a lot to talk about.” He draws Sara over to the couch and they sit next to each other. I join Finn and Dante on the other couch, while Kayla sits next to Sara.
“You own this club?” It may seem obvious, but I want clarity.
“Unofficially.” Drew relaxes and puts his arm across the back of the sofa behind Sara.
He strokes his fingers over her shoulder and my hands clench into fists.
He’s allowed to touch her. “I’m pretty skilled at finance.
Everything I earned, I turned into more.
I wanted something outside my family’s business.
This suits me. I like the elevated feeling here. ”
I watch Sara’s face. It’s obvious she didn’t know this, but she’s not repulsed by it either. It’s not a deal breaker. It’s a fucking strip bar dressed up as a gentlemen’s club. Tom would hate that she’s with this guy.
“My brother came here. Some woman who couldn’t do math talked with him.” Sara glances at the three of us before turning to Drew. “We were hoping to find out more about who Tom might be hiding from.”
Drew smiles and rests his knuckle under her chin. My insides twist, but I keep my expression blank like I have for the past six years.
“Crystal.” Drew laughs. “Do you know she charged someone fifty-eight thousand dollars instead of four hundred?”
Sara shakes her head.
“Her boyfriend didn’t like her stripping. She quit last week. I don’t know what Tom was doing with her, but I could go back through security footage.”
Sara perks up and grins. “That would be great.”
He rubs his thumb across her jaw and she leans into his touch. Fuck. I’m not going to be able to handle this. Him touching her when I can’t.
When Drew stands, he looks each of us in the eye with a curious expression. When he meets mine, his lips tighten and he nods slightly. “This might take a minute. I’ll call in a server to refresh your drinks, unless you want to return to the bar to watch the entertainment.”
“I’m good here.” Sara lifts her drink to her lips and looks over the rim at Finn and Dante. She always used to seek me out. But not lately unless I catch her staring and then she can’t seem to look away. Neither can I unfortunately. It’s better if she doesn’t focus on me.
But it doesn’t ache any less when she acts like I’m not here.
Kayla leans into Sara. “Do you mind if I duck out? I’ve got that meeting to attend.”
Sara smirks. “Have fun. I want to hear all about it.”
Standing, Kayla straightens her shirt. “How about it, Finn? Want to watch a gorgeous woman give me a lap dance?”
Finn laughs. “I’m good right here.”
His gaze flicks to Sara, whose cheeks grow pink.
What in the hell is happening around here?
When I stepped into Tom’s office earlier, tension filled the air.
Something had been happening and Sara couldn’t wait to leave.
The guys haven’t said anything, but I can tell they’re keeping something from me.
“Suit yourself.” Kayla waves to Drew. “Be good to my friend.”
Her green eyes roam over me and Dante before she turns to Sara. “If you need me, text. I might be a while.”
Kayla leaves and the room falls quiet except for Drew’s typing on the computer.
“Do you know when he might have been here?” Drew glances up.
“There wasn’t a date on the napkin and I don’t have it with me.” Sara turns to us.
“I have a picture of it.” Dante goes over to stand next to Drew, showing him his phone.
“First strip club?” Finn asks with a smolder at Sara. Nothing new for Finn. He’s always flirted with her, and she’s always ignored his flirting.
But this time her cheeks tinge pink again. “Yes.”
“We should spend some time here. Maybe pay for a private dance of your own.” Finn chuckles and takes a drink.
Sara’s eyes flash with heat and she arches her eyebrow. “Did you see anyone you’d like to watch me with?”
Fuck, my dick twitches. I don’t have enough strength to watch another woman grind on Sara. I’m hanging on by a thread. Only my promise to Tom keeps me from claiming her, but maybe it’s already too late.
What if she’s moved on and doesn’t want me anymore? Our eyes catch and that fire that’s always on simmer burns inside me. But I can see it clearly in her eyes. That want, the desire, but she looks away first.
I’m not supposed to encourage her, but she’s always been mine. She chose me. I couldn’t claim her, but she’s always been mine. Even though I can’t have her, I burn for her.
I down the last bit of my whiskey.
“This is it.” Drew walks over and Dante sits on the other side of Sara.
Her heated gaze meets his before she returns her attention to Drew. What the fuck is happening?
A TV turns on and the music from the club plays in the room. Dante leans in close to Sara’s ear and says something. A secretive smile plays on her lips.
“Sorry.” Drew hits a button and the sound shuts off. He glances at Sara and she gives him an encouraging smile. Not a fake smile like she gave all those guys she used to try to make me notice her. But a genuine smile that eats away at my soul.
“There’s Tom.” Sara points to the screen.
I focus on the mission. Fucking Tom, leaving me with this mess. If he were here, he’d put an end to all of this and Sara would be safe again.
Tom sits at a table with a blond woman who has barely any clothes on. They hunch over a napkin as he explains the numbers to her. Pointing at things with his pen.
She grins and hugs him. Stiffening, he shakes his head and looks behind him.
“Can you back this up?” I lean forward, trying to determine if he knew someone at that table or just glanced that way to avoid looking at the woman’s breasts. The latter isn’t likely.
“Sure.” Drew rewinds it. There’s a lot more of Tom explaining the basics of addition to who I assume is Crystal. Until he backs across the screen and talks with a guy in black at that table before backing away to the door.
Drew hits play when Tom comes into the room and we watch him walk to the table. He pauses and talks with one of the guys before he talks with the big guy who gestures toward Crystal. Tom glances at her once before he nods and heads over to her.
They shake hands and sit down with napkins and a pen.
What the hell is Tom doing? They could potentially be the mystery client he brought in. But none of them look familiar.
“Do you know those guys?” Dante points to the table of men.
Drew blows out a breath. “Not off the top of my head. I have a manager who deals with the day-to-day operations. I can look up members, but we don’t have facial recognition software.”
“I don’t recognize them.” Finn glances at me.
“What exactly is happening with Tom?” Drew sits down and leaves the video playing in the background.
“He just up and left after sending a bunch of texts telling me to let the guys protect me.” Sara watches the video like she’s going to pick up on a clue.
“He left us a note saying to watch out for Sara and their family.” Dante watches the video with the same discerning eye.
“Do you know why?”
Finn shakes his head. “He’s had a new client he was secretive about, but that’s nothing new with Tom.”
“Neither is running off.” Sara stretches forward to reach her glass.
“What makes you think this napkin has anything to do with his disappearance?” Drew asks.
“It fell out of his desk at work. It wasn’t in his drawer, but hidden.” Sara takes a drink. How many is that for her? She seems fine, but the color never leaves her cheeks and her eyes are a little glassy.
“Or it fell between the drawers and he didn’t open that drawer.” I blow out a breath. “What date was this?”
“About two weeks ago.” Drew presses a button and a server comes in with refills on all our drinks. “I don’t know what to tell you. He wasn’t here to see me. I don’t think I was even on the property when this took place.”
Drew smooths his hand over his jaw and I notice Sara watching him, how she used to watch me. A muscle in my jaw ticks. We need to look into this Drew. Tom isn’t around to do the usual background check.
I don’t trust this guy and definitely not with Sara.
“I wish I could help you more.” Drew wraps his arm around Sara’s shoulders and draws her into his side.
I wish I had a reason to lay this guy out, but I don’t. She isn’t mine. She can’t be mine.
Sara smiles up at him as she sighs.
Fuck. I’m not ready to deal with this. Tom should be here. He’d do what he always does and run this fucker off.
“We should go.” When I stand, everyone looks at me like I’ve grown a second head. I have and it’s fucking green as hell.
“We’re already here.” Finn gestures to the room. “It’s a comfortable space with free liquor. We can get to know Drew a little better to make sure he’s a decent guy for Sara. Do the due diligence Tom would have done if he’d known she was dating someone.”
“We have time.” Dante shrugs. Dante is usually the voice of reason. The one who makes sure I’m not about to go unhinged.
Drew meets my eyes and smiles. “If this space doesn’t suit you, we could move out to a private booth in the club. Or even one of the private rooms, if you’d like a more personal show.”
It’s like he’s trying to take my measure. But I’m not the one to worry about when it comes to Sara. My hands are bound and she’s completely off-limits. Maybe another woman giving me a lap dance will clear my head. Or maybe it will be enough to push Sara to go home.
“Fine. Let’s get a room.”