Chapter 20
Damon
The girl on the stage—whatever her name is—dances around the poll aimlessly. She’s uncoordinated and looks like she might barf. She also can’t hold my attention for longer than two seconds, so why the fuck would I hire her?
I take a calming breath through my nose and exhale out my mouth.
I look back over my shoulder at Keira sitting at the bar with my laptop in front of her. She finally re-enrolled in classes, and we agreed until I can get a man I trust to guard her, she will take only online courses.
I can’t believe how attached I am to her. Normally, I couldn’t care less for a woman, but Keira isn’t just any fucking woman.
She is the woman.
My soon-to-be wife.
My world.
I turn back around in my chair and hold a fist to my head. This is the first time I’ve been back at the club in almost two weeks, and it’s only because I had to hire some new girls.
No one here knows about our engagement—mostly because I don’t share my personal life with the staff—and because it’s no one’s fucking business. I’m not hiding, but I’m not going to put an X on her fucking back for being hitched to me.
The door opens next to the stage, and three of my best dancers walk in. They smile brightly at me as if I’m going to cut them a bigger paycheck for doing so.
“All right. You, you, and you.” I point to the top three girls who auditioned. “These are three of my best dancers. They’re going to show you the night routine. If you can keep up, you’re hired. I’ll let them be the judge.”
My eyes drift to the remaining girls. “The rest of you are welcome to audition again later in the year.”
Two of the girls frown, and the other flips her hair over her shoulder like I inconvenienced her. If this place didn’t make me so much fucking money, I’d burn it to the ground and start over.
I scrub a hand down my face. I want a drink. It’s not late enough in the day, though.
Seconds after the rejected chicks walk out, a long-legged blonde in a pencil skirt walks in, carrying a bunch of folders.
“Hello, I’m Maria, the wedding planner,” she announces, setting off a chain of giggles from the girls who know me. The woman looks shocked as she notes the half-naked girls near us. I’m sure this doesn’t happen every day in her line of work.
“Sorry, lady, you’re at the wrong place if you think someone is getting married here. This is a strip club, not a church.” Georgia snickers, her eyes dazzling with amusement.
I shake my head. She has no fucking clue how wrong she is.
I get up from my chair and hold out my hand. “Don’t mind them. You’re in the right place. We’ve talked a couple times on the phone. I’m Damon.”
“Nice to finally meet in person, Mrs. Rossi?” She seems confused for a moment as she addresses Georgia, clearly thinking she’s Keria. “I brought everything you asked for, and I just need you to choose from the selections.”
“Keira,” I call out, my voice gentle. I turn around and find her standing right beside me. “Why don’t you take Maria to my office where you can have some more privacy? If you need anything, let me know.”
“Sure, this way,” Keira beams and leads her to the back.
My gaze flickers to the girls on stage. I expect to find them dancing, but instead, they are all looking at me like I lost my fucking mind.
Jesus Christ. I definitely need a drink. As I sit back down in the chair, the side entrance door opens again. Diego fist bumps Hero as he walks through the door.
I smile. “Hero, you just missed the show. We had some great girls audition today. Would’ve been nice to have your help selecting a few.” I smirk, wiggling my eyebrows. Elyse walks closely behind him.
He shakes his head, disgust filling his features. “Next time. Maybe.”
Elyse apparently doesn’t think anything I’ve said is funny and elbows him in the ribs.
He holds his side, pretending it hurts, and I almost roll my eyes.
As much as I hate affection of any sort—except showing Keira love—I really do care for Hero and Elyse…
which is weird to think about since I tried to kill Elyse at one point.
“Keira just took the wedding planner lady to my office. They’re making final decisions today or something,” I tell Elyse with a shrug. I pretend like I have no clue what’s going on, but I’ve helped Keira select everything she wanted for our wedding, down to the damn napkin color.
Elyse smiles, but I still see the lingering sadness in her eyes.
Even though me helping track Hero’s father down probably saved her life, I still don’t think she likes me very much, but she tolerates me, and that is good enough in my eyes.
She’s been through hell and back, and I cannot imagine how I would feel if something like what happened to her happened to my Kiera.
“Yay. Let me go help them then.” Elyse gives Hero a kiss on his cheek before heading toward the office.
Hero sinks into a chair beside me and watches Elyse walk away.
Once she’s out of earshot, he speaks. “I’ve never really thanked you for what you did that day.
I mean, without you, I might have gotten there too late.
” I hear the anguish in his voice. Finding her like that broke him, ripped him apart inside, almost more than killing his stepfather.
“You’re welcome.”
“While she was in the hospital, we found out she’s pregnant.”
My eyebrows lift in surprise at his confession.
Holy fuck, Hero is going to be a father?
The idea seems ridiculous, but the more I let it sink in, the more it makes sense.
Hero and Elyse are having a baby. Keira and I are getting married.
Two ideas that would have been nothing more than a joke a few month ago are now a reality.
“Congratulations, Hero.” I slap his back, recalling when he told me loved her. How stupid I thought he was. Now look at me. Funny how karma comes around.
Hero smirks. “You're next.”
I shake my head. “No. I want to enjoy Keira for a while on my own.” I don’t dive into the technicalities of the marriage. I’m sure Hero has thought up his own reasons for it, reasons that probably make me look crazy as hell being that the last time he saw me with her I was a raging dick.
“I didn’t think I’d want kids. Like ever. Not after everything with my own father.”
I clench my fist, understanding far fucking more than he thinks. “Love changes people,” I state, looking him head on.
“Sure fucking does,” he chuckles.
I guess it’s never too early for a glass of whiskey—not with all the happiness surrounding us. It’s almost like we’re fucking normal, instead of overrun with crime and drugs.
“Candy, bring me two glasses of whiskey, please,” I yell over my shoulder.
Hero’s eyes go wide. “When did you start saying please?”
I grit my teeth. Fuck, he noticed.
“Recently. I’m trying to be fucking nicer to people. Not everyone deserves my dick tendencies—or at least that’s what Keira says.”
I can tell Hero thinks it’s funny as hell, but he’s just as whipped and in love with his woman as I am.
Candy appears with two glasses of whiskey. I grab one and hand the other to Hero. He eyes me for a moment, waiting until Candy is out of earshot, then he lifts his glass for a toast.
“To being pussy whipped.” The shit eating grin is a permanent fixture on his face, and I can’t fucking believe I’m toasting to this.
I shake my head and raise my glass to his, and we clank them together. “To being pussy whipped.”
The whiskey burns my esophagus, blanketing my belly in warmth.
“Are you excited to be married?” Hero asks after downing his drink in one gulp. He wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. He’s still working for me, but not as much as before—and I understand why now.
I shrug. “It’s marriage. I doubt anything between me and Keira will change.”
“Do you love her?’
His question hits me right in the chest. I've never confessed to anyone but Keira how much she means to me. I don't plan on hiding it from anyone, but I don’t want to make it known either.
If hiding my feelings from everyone but her protects her, then that's what I'll do.
“Yes. At first, I wanted to hate her because she got under my skin and refused to listen to me.” I think back to how big of a pain in the ass she was.
God, she was a thorn in my side.
“Yeah, I can relate. Our women fight tooth and nail even when we’re trying to do the right thing by them.”
“That's what we should've toasted.”
Hero laughs. Then the ringing of my cell interrupts our conversation. My mood sours as soon as I see Xander’s name flash across the screen.
“What?” I growl, trying to sound as annoyed as possible.
Of course Xander completely ignores my attitude—which pisses me off even more.
“Damon, I need you to come to the mansion. We have some important matters to discuss, and you should bring Keira as well.”
It’s enough that he’s commanding me. Now he wants to tell Keira what to do as well.
My annoyance turns into anger. I hate that he has such a hold over me. I need to find a way out of this mess. But for now, it will be best to keep him happy.
“We’ll be there tomorrow night.”
“I would prefer you come today.”
He's not asking, he’s telling.
But I have something with Keira planned—something far more important than meeting my brother’s needs.
“Well, I’d prefer not to come at all, but we both know how that would go over…so how about we come tomorrow?”
“Suit yourself.” His tone is clipped.
My mouth pops open—a response is on the tip of my tongue—but I don't get to say shit because, like always, the bastard hangs up.
What the fuck was that?
I shake my head, slipping my phone back into my pocket. If I look confused, Hero doesn't say shit.
“All done,” Keira chirps behind me. When she comes into view, I see a huge smile on her face. Her eyes are bright and full of happiness. I hide my features and smile back at her. The unease I feel from talking to my brother consumes me.
My brother’s a dick, but he doesn't do shit or ask for shit unless it’s truly needed.