Chapter Sixteen
Jill
He’s watching me.
Spending the night at Inferno was Lana’s idea. Working here isn’t my choice, but it’s the best club in the city when you’re looking to party. Since we know all the bartenders and bouncers, it was easy to get in and be served. Maybe a little over-served, but who’s counting?
Not me, I’m drinking for free.
Even in the middle of the crowded club dance floor, and more than a little drunk, I can feel Gage’s eyes on me—I’ve felt them all night. My body hums with awareness as I dance against Lana, the feeling of his attention feeding my growing addiction.
For weeks, Gage has found his way into my life. He’s slowly wedged himself closer and deeper into my every day until he’s part of the inevitable. He’s at my work, on my nights out, and in my apartment. Now he’s even been in my bed. I should be bored of him by now, especially since we’ve had sex multiple times. Usually, I grow tired of a man after spending so much time with him. And yet, I can’t seem to get enough of Gage.
He wants my body, that much is clear. And I have no problem with a mutually beneficial physical relationship, especially with someone as sexy as Gage. But there’s something else too, something that doesn’t feel purely sexual. It’s foreign, I can’t quite put my finger on it. It’s in the way he looks at me, and how he speaks to me. It’s the way every one of his words is backed by action.
Despite the chaos of the pulsing club on its busiest night, Gage’s presence dominates the room. It doesn’t take me more than a few seconds to spot him sitting just off the dancefloor, his muscular tattooed arms crossed, his powerful legs outstretched. He looks irresistible, like a guilty pleasure I want to indulge in. And I’m not one to deny myself a little pleasure.
Lana announces she’s going to the bar when I decide to break away. Strutting over to him, my head swims as I bend down. Grabbing a fistful of his shirt, I pull him into a steamy kiss. Our lips move together, hungry and a little sloppy. He’s a damn good kisser, I could do this all night.
When the song changes, I pull away to continue dancing. Bracing one hand on his knee, I swivel my hips to bring it down low. When I stand back up, I remain bent at the waist and straighten my legs to stick out my ass before tossing my hair back. The movement throws me off balance as my head swims, and I stumble. Big, strong hands are on me in an instant, holding my waist to stabilize me.
“I love this song.” Instead of losing my rhythm, I continue to dance with Gage’s hands on my waist.
“Mmmm, so do I.” Gage’s grip loosens to let me move freely, but he doesn’t remove his hands. I lift my mostly-empty drink over my head as I move to the music, tossing my hair from side to side.
“Your feet must be tired, Menace.” He leans back and pats his lap. “Come here.” I’ll admit it’s a tempting offer—my feet are killing me, and I’m just tipsy enough to be unsteady in these heels. But if I allow him to reel me in, I won’t be able to untangle myself from him until I’ve had my fill, or he has. I’m not ready to call it a night, and I’m not about to ditch Lana.
“In that weak-ass chair? Don’t count on it,” I scoff, giving the chair major side-eye. “The chairs in this place can barely handle all of this.” I shake my hips to make a point.
There’s no way they’ll hold up the both of us. And don’t get me started on the ones with arms—whoever designed those clearly has something against women who have any junk in the trunk.
“Jill, come take shots with me!” Lana calls. I look over to find her at the shots bar waving me over.
“Hell yeah! I’m coming.” I shout with a grin. Turning back, I decide to steal one last kiss. Gage’s hands tangle in my hair as our lips move together, our tongues dancing as we devour each other. I pull back when I start to lose my breath, leaning in close to speak in his ear.
“When I’m in bed tonight touching myself, I’ll be thinking of you.” I lean back and bite my lip with a smile at how his gaze sharpens with hunger. “Have fun watching. I know you will be.”
With that, I’m pushing out of his grasp and strutting away from him. I don’t have to look back to see if he’s still watching—I know he is. The familiar weight of his gaze on me as I cross the dancefloor to the bar is exhilarating.
“Damn, babe. That was hot. Do you need a minute?” Lana teases, giving me a knowing look. I’m so turned on that if Gage walked over to fuck me on the bar right now, I’d let him. My vibrator is definitely getting some action tonight.
“I need a shot,” I declare, reaching for one of the hellfire shots lined up on the counter.
“Cheers to us and the obsessed men who can’t get enough.” Lana holds out her glass for me to clink before we both toss back the liquor. The fireball scorches all the way down, the cinnamon mixing with jalapeno for an added kick. I squeeze my eyes shut and enjoy the burn—it hurts so good.
“Speaking of men obsessed,” I say, making Lana groan. “Were you going to tell me Christos was still in town? I thought he was supposed to leave like a week ago.”
“He was. His plans changed, that’s all.” Lana tries to shrug it off, but I can see right through her. Now, it’s my turn to give her a knowing look.
“You mean he changed his plans for you,” I counter. “Tell me he’s not sticking around to try and convince you to sail away with him.”
“He can try all he wants. I’m not going,” she insists. “I have a life here. I’m not just going to drop everything to spend the summer with a man facing RICO charges.”
“Do you want to go? Maybe you should go dark for a little while. You know your job will be there when you get back.”
“Christos is fun fling material, but that’s where it ends. I’d never marry the guy, he’s completely unstable. Besides, there will always be more men to invite me on their yachts. Jewelry and shoes are nice, but they don’t replace the little things. I want a man who buys me Ferragamo then helps me take my makeup off before bed after I drank too much at dinner. Until then, I’ll let men whose dicks match the size of their bank account wine and dine me.”
Lana’s definitely more of a romantic than I am. We always joke just how fitting her last name is. While I want turbulent passion and mutual obsession, she craves a love like an iron fist in a velvet glove—someone who will tenderly braid her hair before pulling it.
I want that for her. If anyone deserves to find the love of their life, it’s Lana.
“We’re not going to settle,” I state. “I know there are men who are perfect for the both of us out there, and we’ll find them.”
“Or, in your case, he’ll find you and follow you like a shadow,” Lana laughs, making my heart skip a beat. My eyes stray across the club to where Gage sits, exactly where I left him. Our eyes meet just as one of the servers, Rene, leans down to hand him a drink that looks like cognac. His eyes never move from me when he takes the glass and brings it to his lips.
“I don’t think perfect is the word I’d use to describe Gage.” There are a million other descriptions on the tip of my tongue, but perfect isn’t one of them. Lana follows my gaze.
“Jill, that man over there is so perfectly matched to you it’s actually a little scary. But you can deny it for a little longer if you want.”
“Well, I’m denying it,” I say, pulling my eyes away. Gage is a good fuck, but he’s a complicated man. And that isn’t a web I’m mentally able to handle right now.
Maybe when I’m sober.
“Whatever you say. Do what you want.”
Exhaustion washes over me, the aching of my muscles settling in with the fatigue. I’m drunk, horny, and ready to go to bed. “I want to go home.”
“Are you going home with him tonight? It sure looks like he wants you to.”
“No, I’m going home to my place, in my own bed.” With my vibrator.
Walking arm in arm, we make our way through the crowds towards the door. Bouncer Jax holds the door open for us, flashing his dimpled smile and offering to give us a ride—and not in his car. Lana flirts back, but we both walk away with no intention of taking up his offer—tonight, at least.
“Tonight was boring. There were no hot guys to dance with.”
“Well, duh,” Lana laughs. “That’s what happens when the Grim Reaper himself is standing a few feet away looking like he’s about to break the neck of any guy who gets too close to you.”
“What?”
“You seriously didn’t notice Gage following you all night, marking his territory?”
Honestly, no, I didn’t. I spent most of the night forcing myself not to think about him or let my eyes look for him. I didn’t even notice he spent the night only a few feet away.
“I must’ve missed that.” I bite the tip of my fingernail in an attempt to hide my smile, but it’s no use. “What a freak.”
“You like it.”
“It’s pretty hot,” I admit with a nod.
“You’re the freak,” Lana laughs as our car pulls up. We both climb in the back, and the driver pulls away from the curb. Lana’s apartment is only a block away from mine, so sharing a ride is usually our go-to when she’s not staying at a hotel with one of her boy toys.
The car pulls up to my apartment building to drop me off first, and I lean in to kiss my best friend on the cheek. “Text me when you get home so I know I don’t have to go on a murder spree,” I say, shooting a pointed look at the middle-aged man behind the wheel.
Well, another one. But Lana doesn’t know that.
“I will.” Despite her obliviousness to my lethal urges, Lana smiles like she knows exactly what I’m capable of.
“Bye, Lovie,” I sing as I climb out of the car. I blow her a kiss and give her another little wave before walking up the steps to my building. The car idles at the curb while I pull out my keys and use the fob to unlock the front door. It’s not until I’ve walked into the entryway and closed the door behind me that the car pulls away to take Lana home.
I should hear from her in the next ten minutes that she’s home safe. If not, I’m going on the hunt.
The first thing that comes off when I enter my apartment is my bra—right through the neckline of my dress. Shuffling into my bedroom, I kick off my shoes on my way to the bathroom and start taking my makeup off. A text from Lana lights up my phone before I’ve finished moisturizing.
Laying in my bed, the lust pulsing through me has me shuffling into the kitchen. Opening the fridge, I reach into the crisper drawer and pull out my vibrator. Once back in my room, I let my panties fall down my legs before getting into my bed.
The silicone is cold, fresh from the fridge, and it burns deliciously against my heated flesh. Laying back against my pillows with a loud sigh, I swear I can feel a pair of dark eyes on me. The owner of those eyes is the one touching me, filling me with lust until I’m delirious. His name escapes my lips on a moan as I’m wrecked with pleasure.
“Gage.”