Page 9 of Playing for the Dark
Everything with Ellie changed once she hit eighteen. She always interested me, but right when she turned eighteen, a switch flipped in her and triggered that flip in me too. I don’t know if it was my subconscious mind knowing she was legal or that darkness that took over her when her mother got sick. Whatever it was, I wantedto embed myself into her skin, but I couldn’t. I interfered when needed, but I’m pretty sure she still just sees me as her dad’s boss and the old brotherly friend that I used to be. She cannot get close to me again. It’s bad enough her dad works for me. I don’t deserve the love of the sweetest soul on this planet. I may keep my distance, but I never let men get close enough to her for them to grow attached—I make sure of that one way or another. The last one practically ran himself off after the little meeting I had with him.
Ellie is still up at the bar laughing, throwing her head back at whatever Nash’s dumbass is saying. I should’ve interfered more earlier. This fucking club is for her. All of it. I even gave the DJ her playlist.
I can hear her and Blair scream as this song starts, and the jealousy coursing through my veins is at an all-time high.Dannazione, I crave to be the one she’s dragging out onto that dance floor. Her dance floor.
My phone ringing pulls me out of my spiral. It’s Lev, one of the Russians I have planted into Igor’s crew.
Answering, I huff out, “This better be good.”
“Boss, I have some bad news,” he pants out.
“Get to it, Lev. I don’t have all night.”
“Igor is in deeper shit than we thought.”
1. Shackles - Steven Rodriguez
Chapter 8
Nash
Play it cool. Play it cool.The words keep repeating in my head. Ellie, the dark-headed one, is grinding her ass on me like she’s a walking succubus. The friend—I can’t remember her name—is bent over in front of her, shaking her ass while also dancing in front of a murderous-looking man. The man I’m making eye contact with, and he’s looking at me like I’m the one that’s next on his list.It’s taking everything in me not to get rocked up in the middle of this dance floor because I have a feeling that might push him over the edge.
1Shit, I’ve taken one too many tequila shots.
I’m barely twenty-one. I didn’t even get to celebrate my twenty-first birthday. It was smack dab in the middle of my last football season. So getting the VIP ticketto come to an opening event at Club Onyx, who would say no to that? Being the number one draft pick has its perks. This is one of them right here.
Ellie is drop-dead gorgeous and not like other girls who are usually throwing themselves at me. I had to chase her down earlier when she left the VIP tables. She can carry on a conversation, is funny as hell, knows sports like the back of her hand, and her body is something to dream about—wet dream about.
She’s scream-talking to her friend about something while I’m admiring her fucking ass cheeks that are perfectly encasing my half-hard cock. Her hair is so fucking cool too. It’s jet black all over aside from the front left piece framing her face. This little black dress is molded to her curves. Running my hand up and down her arm, over the black and gray skull and floral tattoos covering it, I want to see all of them and how many more litter her body. I can’t take my eyes off of her.
She turns around to face me, takes my face in her hands, and starts kissing me like it’s the last thing she’s going to do.
Kissing down my neck and back up, right below my ear, she asks, “Want to go back to my place?”
“U-uhh, yeah.” I stutter over my words. She’s so forward and if it’s not a turn-on, I don’t know what is.
She starts dragging me towards the door, leaving her friend with Mr. Murderous on the dance floor. I should be worried and make sure her friend gets home okay,but the only thing I can focus on is this beautiful creature that will have me willing on my knees.
I swing the door open for her and we jump into a ride share. I’m guessing she ordered this? How long was she planning to leave before she asked me?
I go to buckle up, but she has other plans. Leaning up against my side, I turn to face her, and she latches back onto my mouth, pressing her tongue to the seal of my lips. Letting her in, I’m not even fighting for dominance. We both know who’s in charge here. She grabs my right hand, putting it on her chest, before bringing my left hand up to her other breast and begins massaging her hand over mine to show me what she likes. Goddamn, her tits are perfect. Just over a handful, and of course, no bra.
We’re making out like teenagers in this poor driver’s back seat, but I can’t find it in me to care. Before I know it, we’re pulling up outside of an apartment building. It’s one of those standalone buildings that maybe has four or five units in it.
She gets out first, the bottom of her ass cheeks are hanging out of her dress, and I give her a whistle. The look she gives me over her shoulder has my cock growing at lightning speed. I jog up to her and place my hand on her lower back, waiting for her to tap in the code for her door. I hope she doesn’t let other random men see her put the code in like this.
She looks over at me, saying, “You good, Big Boy?”
“Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?”
“You look scared for your life.” Her sarcastic tone matches my rhetorical question.
??I scowl at her. Then she steps inside her apartment, pulls her dress up over her head, and throws it off into the living room before I even get the door shut.
Oh, fuck.
These Vegas girls are a different breed.