Chapter 17
CHAPTER
SEVENTEEN
JULIETTE
Ignore everything below the waist. Every single tingle. Every single one.
No matter how many times I repeat that to myself, I fail. Because everything inside me begs to run back to that man. I don’t know who he is. I don’t know a damn thing about him, but I want him.
Closing my eyes slowly, I grip the steering wheel of the car, my knuckles turning white. I know they are, even if I can’t see them right now. Exhaling a slow breath, I open my eyes.
I don’t focus on anything. I can’t. I stare straight ahead and attempt to erase the man from my mind.
It doesn’t work. I swore to myself this would never happen again.
And here I am, just one week into my new place and ready to throw everything away, every single promise to myself for a stranger in a leather vest.
Shaking my head a couple of times, I try to forget the way he looked at me. But mostly, the way I felt when he looked at me. The silent gaze of want and desire he gave me. The want and desire that I share even though I shouldn’t.
I haven’t wanted a man to even look at me, let alone touch me, in years.
But I want this man to do anything and everything I could possibly think of to me. I don’t know why. He’s a literal stranger. He’s done absolutely nothing to make me feel safe in any way. He could be as horrible as Victor, and here I am lusting after him.
It’s stupid. I’m stupid.
Turning the car off, I open the door and unfold from the front seat. Standing, I stretch, feeling my aching body. I should feel this way, and I should remember it as well. This is what a good hard day’s work should feel like.
My lips curve into a grin as I look at the car. A company car. I know it’s not really mine. I’m not even sure how much longer I’ll have it, but right now, it feels so damn good. I feel so damn good.
Walking toward the motel room door, I hear a noise. A whisper of a noise. I’m not even sure I hear it. Turning my head, I look from one side to the other. There’s nobody there, but that doesn’t mean no one is watching me.
Someone—Victor.
My feet carry me faster toward the door. I slip the key inside, open it, and step into the room. I don’t close the door behind me, not immediately anyway.
Instead, my gaze scans the space, taking everything in and trying to see if anything has been moved or changed. To see if he’s invaded my space. It’s undisturbed, thank goodness.
Closing the door behind me, I flip the lock into place before I allow myself to fall back against the door. I close my eyes, and my head drops back and bounces against the wood with a thud.
Inhaling a deep breath through my nose, I hold it for a moment, then let it out through my mouth before I open my eyes again. I need to forget about that hot biker. Forget I ever saw him, that he even exists. I need to focus on my job, on making money and keeping myself safe from Victor.
Stripping off my dirty clothes, I shuffle toward the bathroom before flipping the water on and turning the nozzle to hot. When the water is finally hot, I step inside and let it pummel my skin.
The water massages my sore muscles, and I welcome the sensation. I’m not sure how long I stand in the shower, letting the hot spray wash over my body, but when the water begins to turn cold, I shift it off and grab a towel, drying myself off before I step out and move toward the room.
Shrugging on an oversized T-shirt and a pair of panties, I slip between the sheets and turn over onto my side, facing the door. I have to face the door. I need to know if someone tries to open said door. I’m so exhausted. I don’t even know if I would hear anyone tonight, though… I’m that tired.
Each passing moment, my eyelids grow heavier and heavier until I slip away into a sleepy slumber.
I’m not sure how long my sleepy slumber lasts, but a noise or something causes my eyes to pop open. My heart races against my chest, threatening to explode from behind my ribs and land on the bed beside me as I lie and wait for the noise to happen again.
It doesn’t.
Pushing up to sitting, I lean against the headboard, suddenly wide awake. I don’t even feel tired any longer. I could run a mile right now, if I were a runner, that is. Which I’m not, so I never actually would. But if I were, I could right now.
My heart is pumping, my breathing comes out in short pants as I try to keep myself calm. I’m not sure how well it works, but I try. I stay that way, trying to stay calm, my back against the headboard as I stare at the door and wait for whatever monster lurks on the other side to push it open.
It doesn’t.
I stay where I am until I see the sun spilling into the room through the blinds. It’s morning. I’m going to be exhausted today as I clean the strip club, but I’m alive, and Victor doesn’t have me, so it’s a good day no matter what.
And that is what I keep telling myself as I shower and dress, then continue to repeat it as I drive toward the club, find a parking spot, and shift the car into Park. Turning off the engine, I unfold from the front seat just as I see Elodie’s car pull up beside mine.
I guess I’m cleaning the strip club with her today. I don’t know her well. Both of my jobs have been with Alex, but I’m excited to get to know her better. She smiles as she makes her way toward me.
“Alex is currently bitching at me because I let him have an absolute horror of a job, at least for him, but I wanted to get to know you better,” she announces with a smirk playing on her lips.
“And the bonus is that Alex has a horror of a job,” I state.
She laughs softly. “Isn’t it always? Trust me, he would be laughing if the roles were reversed, and he has.”
That’s something I have no doubt of. I can see it clearly.
Alex loves a good laugh, and if it involves someone being slightly uncomfortable, all the better.
She reaches for the door, unlocking it before she tugs it open.
Her gaze finds mine as she stands at the open doorway.
I can tell she has something on her mind.
“Tell me about you and the biker,” she blurts out.
My feet stop moving. My spine straightens. I wasn’t expecting her to ask me about him. Alex must have said something.