Page 95 of Connor's Claim
I stilled and peered around.
Behind me, Riordan stalked the corridor, all black t-shirt over blue jeans and those chunky biker boots. My mouth fell open, and delight filled me.
To the thump of my pulse, I soaked him in. “Enjoy the game?”
He circled my wrist with his hand, the touch shocking. “You shouldn’t be wandering around this floor. The whole building, in fact. Not on a night like this one.”
I furrowed my brow. “Why?”
“Sex pests for miles around are in this club tonight. Even my ex-non-girlfriend somehow made it inside. The building is packed full of freaks.”
Ugh. The ghoul. “All paying to act out their perversions. I don’t see the problem.”
His glower deepened. “They might think you work here. What if someone grabs you?”
Aw, hell. He was looking out for me? If my poor heart had been crushing on him already, it cracked wide open now. I stepped into his space. Peered up at him and rounded my eyes. “Maybe I’m happy to sell my body to the highest bidder, Riordan Jones.”
“The fuck you are, Cassiopeia Archer.”
“Why, want to make me an offer?”
I held his eye contact, energy rising as a lightning strike inside me.
“No, I don’t,” he snarled. “And you’d do better to stay away from me.”
Well, that was a red rag to a horny little bull. I smiled winningly.
“Excuse me, sorry to intrude. Riordan?”
We broke our stare-off.
Alisha appeared beside us, her expression expectant and her uniform a metallic bikini under a floaty negligée.
“Arran asked me to find you so I could introduce myself,” she said.
“Alisha, right?” Reluctantly, Riordan released my arm. “I was trying to find you.”
“Here I am.” She spared a smile for me. “Excuse the interruption. I have somewhere to be, so this is now or never. Walk with me?”
He grumped agreement, calling back to me, “Go to bed, Cassie.”
“In your dreams,” I quipped back.
He disappeared, and I folded my arms and scowled. Tapped my foot.
He hadn’t once checked Alisha out, but I didn’t like him walking away.
The night I’d worked the bar, Riordan had sat with me for hours. He’d nursed a couple of beers, and in my quieter moments, entertained me with commentary on the dudes who emerged from the brothel’s lift. We placed bets on their perversions.
I’d never had so much fun.
He hadn’t mentioned Arran’s offer, but if Alisha had been sent to meet him, that screamed his acceptance. Which meant we’d be seeing a lot more of each other.
My spirits brightened.
I wasn’t about to stand here and pine over him. He’d come to me. When I was ready, which wasn’t yet, I’d make it happen. Just like with how my brother, Camden, had bought his wife in an auction, or how Sinclair used coercion on his.
I’d think up something better.