Page 4 of Forbidden Hearts
I know she’s not the type to cheat, not even in the privacy of her imagination. If she thinks this mysterious man is attractive, there must be something to it.
Suddenly, I’m curious to see the man who made Alice forget about Ben for all of three seconds. But that’s not why I’m here tonight. I have to see Jacob. I need the extra work hours.
I tell Alice that I’m going to see Jacob and that I’ll catch up to her later.
“Good luck getting through Sammy,” she says before returning her attention to another group of men approaching the bar.
Sammy, the man guarding Jacob’s door, traces my steps across the club until I stand before him. He is the only sober man in the club, a three-hundred-pound statue standing tall and proud in front of Jacob’s office.
“I need to speak with Jacob,” I say, looking up at him. He is tall, well over six feet, with broad shoulders that block the door frame behind him. Even though he has a large belly, he is probably the strongest man in the club. Large, tattooed arms bulge from his leather vest, which brands the same patch as Alice’s vest and everybody else’s in the club.
The patch of theLone Star Reapers, a biker gang. Allegedly.
“He’s busy,” Sammy says in a deep, raspy voice.
“I don’t care,” I say, biting the inside of my lower lip. “Please, I need to speak with Jacob. It’s important.”
When Sammy doesn’t respond, I reach for the doorknob, but he swats my hand away. “He’s busy, Alex. Come back later.”
“I need to speak with him, Sammy. Please, it’s important!” I say, raising my voice.
“Lower your voice. No need to make a scene. Just come back tomorrow.”
“If you don’t let me through, that’s exactly what I’ll do. I’ll make a scene. I need to see himnow.”
I am bluffing, of course, but I don’t know what else to say or do. Jacob reduced my hours again, even though he knows I desperately need the money. Even after I allowed him to put his filthy hands on me in exchange for more work.
“I’d like to see you try,” Sammy says. His face remains expressionless. Men in this club sometimes say and do things to rattle women like me for amusement, but not Sammy. He is Jacob’s personal bodyguard and takes his job seriously. After all, he’s protecting the leader of the reapers and the owner of this fine establishment.
“Jacob!” I yell. Sammy called my bluff. My only options are to give up and go home or turn the threat into action. And Mom didn’t raise a quitter.
My fists go to the door again, but no matter how many times I sidestep Sammy, he always ends up in front of me. For a man his size, he sure is quick.
“Don’t make me put my hands on you,” he warns.
“You wouldn’t dare,” I lash out, not entirely sure I know Sammy as well as I think. Still, I dug myself into a hole, and the only way out is to dig deeper. “Jacob! Jacob!”
The reapers sitting at the nearby tables take notice, but I don’t pay any attention to them. I keep yelling for Jacob while Sammy puts his arms out, trying to hush me.
The door behind him opens, and a hand taps him on the shoulder. Sammy steps aside, revealing Jacob in the doorway. Behind him, two men sit with their backs to the door. I recognize one as Ben, the VP of the reapers and Jacob’s second in command. The other man is wearing a suit that contrasts sharply with Ben’s leather jacket.
“What the fuck is going on out here?” Jacob asks with an annoyed voice. He looks between Sammy and me.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see the man in the suit looking over his shoulder at us. His skin is tan, and a stubble of beard decorates his strong jawline. His dark eyes travel the length of my body, sending an icy chill down my spine. Then, with a bored expression, he turns to speak with Ben again.
From my limited glance at him, Alice had underplayed his attractiveness. The man is deadly handsome. Or maybe my standards for attractiveness are warped by this place, and simple grooming is enough to stand out as good-looking among the sea of crusty, middle-aged men.
“I told her you were busy,” Sammy explains. “Then she started acting like a maniac.”
“I need to speak with you,” I tell Jacob.
Jacob glances at me with a sour expression. “I’m in a meeting, Alex. What do you want that can’t wait till next week?”
“You cut my hours again. I thought… I thought we came to an agreement.”
A grin appears on Jacob’s face. It’s the same annoying grin he makes when he’s about to screw you over. “We came to an agreement last month. This is a new month, sweetheart. Do you understand?”
“That’s bullshit,” I say. I understand exactly what he means. I bite my inner lip to contain the anger rising in my chest.