Reece
What the hell is Jake doing here? My skin crawls as I duck out from under his arm.
“Jake. I—I didn’t know you’d be here.” I have to hold back from shooting daggers at Mattie. Instead, I take a deep breath to calm myself and give her a glance.
We’re out of sync these past few weeks but she can still read my expression. She just shrugs, mouthing at me the words Sorry, I didn’t know!
Ignoring Mattie, Jake showers me with all his attention. He flashes that handsome as the devil smile and gives me a piercing gaze with his gorgeous eyes. His perfect white teeth gleam under the club lights. Like a shark, ready to take a bite out of his prey.
“Um…hey.” Do I sound as nervous as I feel?
“Hello, gorgeous. I knew you’d be here.” He goes to kiss me.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I turn my face, offering him my cheek. He brushes his lips across my cheekbone. Slow and sultry. Some nerve. But ego is one thing Jake never lacked.
He laughs, shrugging a broad leather-bound shoulder. “Just that I heard around town it was Mattie’s b-day. I figured you’d have forgiven her by now. And you have. Here you are."
"Okay..."
He leans in so close I get a whiff of his familiar cologne. The one I love. The one I bought for him.
His eyes graze seductively over my lips. "What about me? Can you forgive me?"
His voice. God, his voice. It's deep, soulful, and just hearing him speak takes me back to wild nights and broken hearts.
Suddenly dizzy, I step back.
I never would have come if I’d known he would be here.
Deep betrayal stings as it burns through my chest all over again. I look to my friend. Did she really not know he was going to be here? Mattie pleads me with her eyes to believe her. I do.
This is the kind of thing self-absorbed Jake would do — show up uninvited to a birthday party being thrown for the girl he cheated with.
I steel my nerves and grab his gaze. “You should leave.”
He croons. “Come on now, butterfly.”
God, not that...his nickname for me from the silly butterfly I had tattooed to my ankle on my eighteenth birthday. The tattoo was a bad decision.
So was he.
Looks like they’re both here to stay.
He props a shoulder against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest. “I can’t leave.” The corner of his mouth turns up in a grin.
“Why not.”
The smile on his face grows. “Didn’t you know? Stingray’s back in rehab and our band is standing in for Coldskins. I’m headlining tonight. I thought that’s why you girls came.”
He’s the band?
Fuuuuuck.
A tall man with a jean jacket and ear piercings comes to our table. He gestures to Jake. "Hey man, we gotta go. Sound check."
"I'll be right there." Jake looks like he wants to try to kiss me again. "See you girls after the show."
"Mmm hmm." I move away. I wait a moment before I glance over my shoulder. Jake's gone. I scan the room. He's on stage with his band, setting up his gear.
Mattie wraps me in her arms and squeezes me tight. Her mouth tickles my ear. “I swear I didn’t know he’d be here. I thought it was another band.”
“I believe you. Let’s just try to have fun,” I say, but my voice is high, strained.
She pulls me in tighter. “God, that guy is a creep. Thanks for not telling anyone in the group what an asshole I was. They’d never forgive me.”
It's been weird, hiding their affair from our friend group. I feel hot and stifled. I give her back a pat and pull away.
I should go. But how can I leave?
Mattie’s just being handed her first legal drink and now Jake is blurring into the background of the night and we’re cheering her on as she chugs a sticky-looking pink concoction. She slams the empty glass down and lets out a loud howl.
The room seems close and suffocating. My head is spinning, all the Jake and Mattie stuff coming back to haunt me.
I need air. “Hey, Mattie. I’ll be right back.”
She grabs my hand, squeezing it. “Okay. Be quick. We’re doing shots.”
I wouldn’t let her walk away alone, but she doesn’t even ask me where I’m going. I’m kind of relieved, though. I need a moment.
I pass through the club and out a side door. The night air cools my face. I close my eyes, breathing deeply.
“Hey.” A heavy arm slides across my shoulders. “There she is.”
Jake...
He followed me outside.
I stare up into his eyes. His pupils are enlarged, round black circles giving him a wild look. Is he on something? I’d heard stories when I was with him about uppers he’d take that would make him feel like a god on the stage. I stayed far away from that stuff. If he was doing it when we were together, he wasn’t doing it around me.
“Here I am.” I slink out from under his arm. “What are you doing out here? Shouldn’t you be getting ready for your show?”
“Yeah. I am,” he croons. “But I wanted to do something first.”
“What?”
He leans in, and that cloudy cologne waft of memories circles me, choking me. His lips are a breath away from mine. “This.”
He’s coming in to kiss me. A forceful, possessive kiss using his whole body. I can’t just turn my face and offer my cheek this time.
My skin feels crawly and damp. I push my hands against his chest. “No. I don’t want you.”
“Come on, little butterfly. I never got a goodbye kiss. Don’t you owe me at least that? A goodbye?” He grips my upper arms hard, pulling me into him. I try to push him away, but he’s too strong. I squeeze my eyes shut tight, like if I can’t see it, it's not happening. His mouth is hot and wet as he presses it against mine.
And then, he’s gone. My eyes fly open. There’s a gray suit jacket blocking out Jake’s leather one, then a thud and a moan. Jake is slumped against a brick wall.
In his place stands a man with the bluest eyes I’ve ever seen. His hair is dark, cropped close with just a hint of silver at his temples. He’s tall, muscular, and fills out his tailored suit jacket perfectly.
I'm guessing his body is a work of art under that suit.
But I can’t tear my gaze away from his face.
God, those eyes...
He moves towards me. It doesn’t occur to me to be scared. I let him wrap an arm around my shoulder, heavy and warm with protection.
“Are you okay?” His voice is low and rough, a rake running over gravel. I’m surprised by the gruffness of it, a stark contrast to his smooth businessman look. The voice could belong to a gangster, a mafia boss, but his look is so clean.
His gaze holds mine, demanding an answer.
“I—I’m okay.” I take a shaky step backward, overwhelmed by his presence.
The man looks over his shoulder. “That asshole’s going to be knocked out for a while.”
I peek past him at Jake. He moves, giving a moan, but his eyes stay closed. At least he’s alive.
The man turns back to me, shrugging out of his suit jacket. “Here. Put this on.”
“No, thank you. I’m fine—”
But the stranger already has the jacket over my shoulders. The warmth from his body is trapped in the coat. He wraps it around me like a blanket. His scent is bold and clean and just the right amount of musk. I find myself inhaling deeper into it.
“You’re not fine.” He stands there evaluating me. He crosses his arms over his chest, the crisp edges of his white button-down shirt ironed in a sharp line that runs down his arms, creasing at his elbows. “But you will be.”
With wide eyes and my breath caught in my throat, I watch him unhook his cuff link. I stare, mesmerized, as he slips it into his pocket and starts rolling up his sleeve. He does it carefully, methodically.
Holy shit. Watching him roll up his sleeve is making my panties melt off my body. How is that possible? The gesture has my sex pulsing and my thighs pressing against one another under my short dress.
I pull his jacket tighter around me.
A low groan rises from the ground.
"Asshole," the stranger mutters, nudging Jake with the toe of his polished boot.
"Yeah,” I say. “You can say that again."
The man with blue eyes reaches out for me. “We’re leaving. Text your friends and tell them you’re going home.”
“What?” I take a longer look at the man.
I know him. He’s not taking his eyes off me. It’s been a minute since I’ve seen him. He’s changed his hair. It’s longer and swept to the side. With my focus being on trying to get away from Jake, then the adrenaline rush of the attack, it took a minute but now, I’m sure. It’s him.
My daddy from the texts.
What do I do? Turn and run, screaming for help?
Do I go with him? He did just help me, protecting me from Jake. His hand is big and strong in that way that makes you feel secure. I stare at his face.
There’s something there I trust.
And something that scares the shit out of me.
But I promised myself I would dance with a man tonight.
I guess this will be our dance.
He will be that man.
My fingers shake as I send the text.
Hey guys I decided to head home early
Have fun
I place my hand in his.
“Good girl.” The taboo words send a tickle of shame and pleasure down my spine.
His hand is warm as it wraps around mine. Mine feels absolutely tiny in his. He gives it a tug. “This way.”
I’ve seen enough movies where women get hacked up by serial killers to know that this is the part where I’m supposed to ask in an innocent, breathy voice, Where are we going?
But I don’t.
Because I don’t care where we’re going. I’ve been lonely and lost and now he’s here. He’s finally found me.
And I just want to be with him.
I know who he is.
“We have a lot to talk about, don’t we, Reece?” His husky voice croons the words and the sound ripples through my chest. It’s as stern as I’d hoped it would be.
My heart thuds against my ribs, blood whooshing past my eardrum like waves crashing into the shore. I’m terrified right now. So fucking scared. But I don’t let go of his hand.
He tugs my hand in a demanding way. “Daddy’s talking to you.”
“I know.” My voice comes out shaky and breathless, just how I feel. “We do have a lot to talk about, Daddy.”