Chapter 17
Tessa
I spent the better half of the night reeling over what had happened, keeping my eyes far the fuck away from where Levi’s office was located to avoid drawing any more attention to myself.
The look in his eyes, the anger, the annoyance. And then he went so far as to offer me a hand, only to take it back and leave as if I were nothing after the fact. His reaction said it all—that I’d fucked up.
How fucking embarrassing, to be walked in on by your boss who is—I might add—hot as fuck and—oh, let’s not forget—the one you were fucking fantasizing over!
Come the fuck on, Tessa…
“Hey, beautiful. How about a lap dance?”
I winced as I dragged my gaze to the edge of the platform, finding a man falling over himself with intoxication as he gripped onto the bars for dear life and pressed his drunken, flushed face between them. Gross…
“Uh… How about no, and can you get your hands off the bars? You shouldn’t even be this close to the cage.” I blew him off, continuing to dance to the music in an attempt to ignore his advances, hoping that he’d take the hint and simply fuck off.
“C’mon, just one, sweetheart. I’ve got a stack of fifties with your name on it.” He intoned, as he shoved an arm inside the cage, reaching for one of my heels.
With cat-like reflexes, I lifted and slammed my left foot onto his hand, pinning it to the platform with firm, unrelenting pressure.
Grinding my teeth, I bared them like a wildcat as I knelt to his level and gripped his greasy chin between my fingers.
I dug my red stiletto nails into his skin and pulled his face closer to the bars until I could see him cringe at the sharp pain that radiated between his hand and face.
“Keep your filthy hands away from me before I ram this heel so far up your ass that you won’t see straight for a fucking week—and that’s not a threat, sweetheart,” I seethed through my teeth, at a level only he could hear, for his benefit.
My words were venomous and promised every ounce of violence I had to give.
Theodore not only taught me how to protect my image, but he also made the effort to ensure that I could defend myself.
There was empowerment in knowing that while I may look cute and innocent on the outside, inside I was a fucking wraith set to kill anyone who fucked with me—not that I’ve had the opportunity…
yet. There’s a first time for everything, though.
As I pushed even more weight into my heel, the sharp point digging deeper into his skin, threatening to break it, I glared daggers into his brown eyes, hoping mine looked as fired up and menacing as I felt.
“Get. The fuck. Away from me.” I sneered once more. “Or do you want to see just how well I can keep my promises?” Our eyes were locked in a battle that I refused to lose.
Finally grasping that I wasn’t about to let up, and he was either going to leave here with a broken hand or a bruised ego, the drunk asshole buckled under the pressure, backing down with a grunted growl—like the fucking Neanderthal he was.
Satisfied, I gracefully returned to stand, retracting my shoe from the back of his palm. As I watched him stumble back into the shadows, I felt as though someone was watching me, my stomach twisting and turning at the unnerving awareness.
Brushing off the eerie feeling, I resumed the last few minutes of my shift, desperately looking forward to my final break of the night and getting the hell out of here.
The second my shift ended, I hauled ass out the back door for fresh air and a momentary escape from all the sweat-soaked, sexually aroused bodies. Every night was the same, only this time I spent most of it avoiding Levi— or the other way around...
Even being well past midnight, the heat outside was still intense, and pressing my body against the bricks offered no relief, making it almost pointless to be out here. But I had to choose between suffering in peace or spending my last fifteen minutes hiding out in the locker room.
I felt so fucking gross as sweat beaded down my forehead and chest, melting into my bikini and hair. I needed a shower—a long one, to wash away this entire night.
It was moments like these when I got in my head and started to regret abandoning a life I was born and raised to thrive in.
I was now lonely, tired, and fucking lost.
I didn’t know what I wanted anymore.
Freedom, attention, love.
A family, a future.
To take this fucking wig off—
A loud bang came from my left, the rear metal door slamming against the brick wall with an aggressive force. Startled by the sound, I whipped my head to the emergency exit, spotting a dark figure as it stepped out and into the light.
It was none other than the slimy drunk motherfucker who tried to play grab ass with me while I was dancing. Fucking great. I guess it could’ve been worse… Levi. I still wasn’t ready to face him.
“There you are. I thought I saw you run out here after your shift. I suppose when a bird escapes their cage, the first place they’d fly would be outside.
” He slipped his hands into his front pockets as he lazily stalked toward me, seeming far more composed than he appeared a mere twenty minutes ago.
I narrowed my eyes like a hawk, watching his every step but not taking any of my own.
He didn’t scare me. I had nothing left to protect or lose; what did I care if I overestimated my ability to defend myself?
Couldn’t say I didn’t try. Tessa Bradley was MIA, and who the fuck knows where the real Evie Sinclair had gone.
“Did you come up with that analogy all on your own? I see you were faking your intoxication.” I called him out on his shit, not giving a damn if it landed me in trouble.
“Usually, it gives me a free pass with the ladies. ‘He has no self-control, no harm, no foul.’ But apparently not with you, little bird.” He continued his approach, stopping within arm's reach, his long, dark hair slicked back with enough sweat to mimic gel. “No, no, because of course, you’re one of the smart ones.” Huffing out a mocking laugh, the man leaned forward, extending an arm to press his palm against the bricks just beside my head.
I could feel my heart rattling against my chest as my eyes met his, dark and disturbing. “You catch on fast.”
Don’t let him see your trepidation.
“What do you want?” I focused all my energy on appearing assertive and unafraid, while deep down I was questioning my sudden urge to stay and fight rather than retreat inside, where I knew I would be safe.
Although I had to admit, the rush I was feeling from the fear alone took my mind off all the doubts and self-loathing for once.
“So glad you asked, but I’m well aware that you aren’t offering, and since we’re out here, all alone, I think I’ll just help myself inste—”
I kneed him hard in the balls—twice—taking beaming gratification in the way he curled in on himself, clutching his dick in agony, “Motherfucker!”
Serves you fucking right.
“You said I was smart, and yet you think you can still fucking assault me?” My voice was tight with anger, almost spitting my words directly in his face as he dropped to his knees. “You’re fucking pathetic.”
When he pushed back on his heels, I caught the light in his eyes. The feral delight in playing with his food before he desecrated it. The laugh that bubbled up from his throat was sickening.
I dug my nails into my palms, vexed over his apathetic reaction as I stomped my foot to ground myself before throwing every ounce of my weight into a roundhouse kick, nailing the prick in the side of his head, and I thanked fucking God that I went with the weighted platform heels tonight.
The bloodcurdling laughter stopped as he collapsed face-first like a pile of bricks, and I stepped over him, lining my heel up with his temple and pressing with just enough force so that he could feel it was there.
With the rise and fall of his back, I could see that he was still breathing, but once he hit the hot pavement, he didn’t move a muscle, his eyes shut as if I’d managed to knock him out with the hard blow.
I stared down at him, admiring my ability to render a man unconscious. I’ve never committed murder; the idea never crossed my mind. But the intrusive thought of driving this heel right through the side of his thick skull was all too tempting, and I, more than willing to comply.
Just as I dug the tip a little deeper, enough to puncture his skin and watch a tiny drop of blood bubble up from the break, the back door flew open, and this time I froze like a deer in blinding headlights.
My lungs stalled, and I steadily lifted my gaze from the man I had pinned to the ground, right up until they focused on just who had caught me doing something I shouldn’t have—for a second fucking time this evening… Levi.
His eyes were as shocked as mine, his gorgeous lips parted as he stared at me, taking in the scene where I was seconds away from driving my heel into one of his customers’ heads, killing them. Did he know what happened before this? Would he even care?
“My office. Now.” A single growled command before he abruptly turned, giving me the cold shoulder as he retreated inside, leaving me no other choice but to follow, unless I wanted to disappear all over again.
I’m so fucked right now…