Page 46 of Empire of Lust
“Huh?”
The weight of his stare settles on me, and I flinch. “What. Do you think. You’re doing?” he demands, his voice shaking.
Instead of waiting for me to answer, he pulls me along with him to the rear of the room, past clusters of strangers who shoot curious glances our way but don’t seem to care enough to ask.
“What the fuck are you playing at?” he growls as we go. I stumble along behind him, fighting to keep up with his long strides.
“I’m here with friends from work. I can’t leave them.” I’m talking to myself for all the good it does.
“Does flirting with a bartender have anything to do with those friends?” At first, it looks like he’s touching his hand to a random spot on the black-painted wall. Like magic, a door swings inward. I would never have known it was there, and I guess that’s the point. Beyond it sits a narrow, metal staircase.
“I wasn’t… I mean… how do you—”
He gives me a shove, sending me toward the stairs. I take hold of the railing and turn in time to find him swinging a hinged bar into place, which I guess serves as a way of keeping outsiders from opening the door. “You weren’t flirting? Laughing at that asshole’s jokes? Why did you hang around the bar when your friends were dancing?”
I can’t keep track of everything coming at me at once. There’s only one thought that rings out in my overwhelmed mind.
He was watching. My intuition was right.
“Go up the stairs.” His jaw works, his words grunted through clenched teeth. “Now.”
Instinct tells me to move my ass, but I wonder what would happen if I didn’t. Would he throw me over his shoulder and carry me up the stairs? I wish the idea wasn’t so appealing.
This is a very dangerous man, but right now, the only danger is slipping on what’s soaking through my panties.
At the top of the stairs is the office I imagined sitting behind the tinted window. It’s sleek and masculine, with a large desk like the one at home and a leather sofa sitting along the opposite wall. The window takes up almost the entire wall opposite the door and allows the perfect view of the bar and dance floor.
It’s sort of like playing God. I can see them, but they can’t see me. Everyone from work is down there, drinking their drinks. My martini is sitting untouched on the bar, but nobody seems too concerned with my disappearance.
Callum could hurt me, and no one would even know. I know fear is something I should be feeling, but that’s the last thing I feel.
“As I asked earlier…” Callum presses me against the window, his body pinning me to the glass. He’s breathing heavily, and his breath hits my neck in hot bursts that make me squirm. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing, flirting with another man?”
“I wasn’t,” I whisper, my thoughts racing almost as fast as my beating heart.
“I should blow his fucking brains out.”
Cold nausea washes over me as I stare down at the bartender, chatting with his customers while he pours their drinks. I’d laugh it off if I didn’t think Callum meant it. But I know what he’s capable of now.
“He didn’t do anything.” It took way too long for everything to come together, but then again, I’m a little overwhelmed right now. “Is this your office? Do you own the club?”
“And I would gladly shut it the fuck down this minute if it meant there wouldn’t be another man setting eyes on you within these walls.” His hands find my hips, fingers pressing in before they inch my dress higher. I wish my body wouldn’t go weak at his touch. It’s been so long, and I’ve craved his touch embarrassingly.
“Then I had to see that son of a bitch talking to you,” he snarls. “Your ex. I recognized him right away.”
I close my eyes and bite back a sigh when he rakes his fingernails along my thighs. “I didn’t want it to happen.”
One of his hands closes around my throat, his grip firm but not cutting off my air supply. “Are you sure about that? You didn’t call him and ask him to meet you here?”
“Fuck no!” I very much wantthisto happen. Too much. I didn’t really believe we were over. That we should be, yes. But no way were we both going to be strong enough to continue this charade.
“Shhh, little bird. I believe you, but that doesn’t mean I like it. He doesn’t deserve to breathe the same air you do.”
I let my eyes fall closed again, melting against him. Desire sizzles its way down my spine, the sensation spreading through my core and heating what was already scorching. The dress is up around my hips now, his knowing fingers stroke bare skin, and my knees threaten to give out on me.
“You belong to me.” His erection presses against my ass, and I’m certain he’s making sure I get the point. Like this is proof. “I can’t stand up here and watch you talking and smiling while other men try to flirt with you. Not when you belong to me. I should kill that bastard behind the bar for speaking to you when you’re mine.” He punctuates his statement by grinding against me until I moan, my breath fogging the glass. He’s obsessed, but so am I.
“I’m sick of this bullshit.” He presses his lips to my ear. “I’m going to fuck you, Bianca. No more of this cat-and-mouse game. I need you. It’s pathetic how much you consume my thoughts. I’m obsessed with your body, your scent, your every fucking move. I need you, and I know you need me. Now tell me, do you want me to fuck you? To give us what we both crave?”