Текст книги "Gutter Princess"

Автор книги: Kimmie Easley

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Текущая страница: 6 (всего у книги 12 страниц)

Chapter Eleven

Baby Jade

Baby all but panted while Lucky’s fingers dipped past the leather waist of her shorts. With every rise and fall of her chest, she became increasingly aware of the disappearing space between the two. She pressed her palms to his chest, closing the gap. Her lips remained parted as her heavy breaths landed on his neck. His fingers continued to delve deeper beyond her waistline.

And almost as quickly as it started, it stopped.

Lucky’s hands fell and his body went rigid. She looked up to find his face hard and lips pursed into a hard line. His narrowed eyes focused above her head. She followed his gaze across the room and landed on Slade, his broad shoulders filling the doorframe to the basement staircase. His lips curled into a sneer as he finished buckling his belt.

Lolli squeezed past him and planted a kiss on his neck, always playing right into his hands. The poor girl was his number one pawn and she had no idea. On the other hand, maybe she did and simply didn’t care. Too bad Lolli didn’t know what the price would be when he no longer needed her to play his game.

The way Slade fixated his stare on Baby, it was clear he wanted her to see the entire pathetic display. He traipsed across the room, and with his long legs, it didn’t take long. He smoothed his hair back and wrapped it with a hair tie. His Under Armour shirt looked three sizes too small. It was pulled snug across his chest and tucked into his tight jeans, the brand that Baby Jade unkindly referred to as “bedazzled.” She wanted to tell him how ridiculous he looked, but it was pointless. The more the girls fawned over him, the more it fed his ego.

“My girl. I was worried I wouldn’t see you tonight before I got a chance to ask if you received my gift,” Slade said, ignoring Lucky. His firm palms caressed her arms. Baby froze, unable to move as he looked down toward her face. It was happening exactly the way it had a dozen times before. “Baby. Look at me.” His words were short and gentle, yet full of command.

Powerless, she lifted her head until her green eyes met his cold blue ones, forgetting about Lucky standing directly behind her.

“I’ve missed you.” His hands still making their way up and down her arms, digging into her flesh as they reach the top, each time a little harder. “I know you’ve missed me too.”

His touch paralyzed Baby. All the tiny hairs on her arms stood on end. Her throat tightened and she couldn’t speak. Everything seemed to be playing out in slow motion.

“I hope you liked your present. You know I’ll always take care of my girl, right?”

“What a crock of shit. You can’t be taking this asshole seriously?” Lucky moved to her side. Slade didn’t budge. It was his greatest weapon, treating others as if they were nobodies. Insignificant.

He leaned in with his hand on the back of her neck and whispered into Baby’s ear, causing her stomach to visibly lurch as she tried not to vomit. “I won’t wait long before I take matters into my own hands, love.” His hand slid from her neck around to the front and grazed the top of her leather corset, discreetly tucking another baggie of coke in between her breasts. His lips brushed her cheek, but before he had a chance to stand upright, Lucky shoved him in the shoulder.

For the first time, Slade eyeballed Lucky, laughing. He was almost twice his size. Looking at the two side by side, Slade oozed slime ball, all the way down to the oil he used to slick back his hair. There was no way he would be ok with someone as fuckable as Lucky working in the club.

“Son, you have lost your fucking mind. Who the hell are you to touch me?” Slade spewed in Lucky’s direction.

“I don’t give a shit who you are. Don’t touch the girls!” Lucky never cowered. He stood with legs planted shoulder width apart, balling his fists. His stance implied he wouldn’t be the first to back down. A couple of Slade’s goons from the crowd stepped forward, but he shot up his hand signaling for them to stop.

His lips turned up into an evil grin. “You must be the new lackey I’ve heard about. Bucky, is it?”

Lucky didn’t answer.

“You think you’re a badass, huh?” Slade chuckled. “Unfortunately for you, that kinda attitude can get you killed around here.”

“Bring it on, asswipe.” Lucky’s gaze was hard and his jaw clenched.

The words must have been too much for Slade because his eyes glazed over and he lunged for Lucky. The uproar brought Baby Jade out of the trance like state she had been in and she jumped between the two men.

“Stop!” she yelled. She surveyed the room hoping for some kind of backup. Mickey came barreling out of his office. Jewella and Barbie were both doubled over from laughter. Coral was giving a half-ass performance because the crowd had lost interest, something that happened often when Slade walked into the room. Lolli stood off to the side, doe-eyed. Her already pale face was extra ashen and wet from the recent tears.

“Please, stop. Both of you.” Baby tried to break up the clusterfuck before it got out of hand.

Mickey wasn’t quick to jump in since Slade wasn’t a customer. He was more like Mickey’s lifeline. “What’s going on here? The new guy causing a problem?”

Lucky probably would have knocked Mickey on his ass, but Baby knew he wasn’t going to be the one to break the staring contest. A few seconds passed before Slade let out a small snicker and slapped Lucky on the shoulder. “Naw, man. We’re all good here. Isn’t that right, podna?”

Lucky’s gritted his teeth.

Mickey stepped between both men. Facing Lucky, he forced him to take a step backward. Baby stepped toward him and snaked her arm through his. The brazen move shut Jewella up. As soon as she quit laughing, Barbie did too, like a good little mockingbird. Mickey’s eyes narrowed and he turned away, clearly pissed at her gesture.

Lucky’s body was stiff, and his knuckles were stark white from his clenched fists. The veins in his arms strained against his skin. She squeezed his arm tighter, tugging it toward her chest. He eased a little, but still didn’t move.

“Yeah, that’s what I thought. All right, Baby get your ass back to work. You’re on next.” Mickey stepped to the side. “We good here? You need anything, man?” he asked Slade, turning his back to Lucky.

Slade ran his hand over his own chest, his top lipped curled up as if he smelled something foul. “Hmm, I was getting ready to head out, but I think I’ll stay for the show. Get me my bottle.” He walked away and sent one of his goons to fetch a spare chair, which he used to belly up to the center of the catwalk—directly in front of the pole.

The bartender slid a bottle of Maker’s Mark across the countertop to Barbie. She took that as her cue to flaunt herself over to Slade, click-clacking her fluorescent heels the whole way. She perched herself on the arm of his velvet chair. Her teased hair made her easy to spot. Baby watched her wrap her suntanned hands around the bottle, her ridiculously long, fire-red nails trailing down Slade’s back.

Mickey had slithered his way over to Jewella, and they were groping each other, tongue, and all. It was scary to think of the things that turned those two on. Lolli mingled with a group of tables by the jukebox, leaving Baby and Lucky alone. He quickly snatched his arm from hers and stepped aside.

“What the fuck was that?” he asked, through a strained whisper.

Baby knew what he was asking. Why did she freeze like that? How did Slade still hold any kind of power of her? She had no words to piece together an explanation. She looked up into Lucky’s eyes, dark and angry, and then she glanced over to Slade. The thought of dancing for him while feeling this vulnerable made the measly contents of her stomach slosh around.

She felt weak and confined as if the walls were closing in. There was no way she could tell Lucky about her addiction to both Slade and his idea of a good time. Baby lowered her head and stared at the hunter-green nail polish on her toes, none of that neon shit like some of the other girls.

Baby’s heart jumped into her throat. She knew Mickey would have her head, but she couldn’t take it anymore and bolted right out the front door, leather clad and alone.

Chapter Twelve

Lucky

What the fuck happened?

Lucky couldn’t wrap his brain around this chick. What did that son of a bitch have over her? It had to be something big to make her buckle like that.

No matter how pissed off he was, he couldn’t let her wander the streets in nothing but a few straps of leather. She didn’t have a bag or clothes with her.

As Lucky was getting ready to head out the door, Mickey was in his face.

“Where the hell did she go?” he bellowed. Lucky was close to punching him square in the face. He was tired of the blowhard, and his stale breath was enough to make a dead man squirm.

“Your guess is as good as mine,” Lucky replied, no longer trying to hide his irritation.

“Don’t give me that shit. I saw you together. All arm in arm and shit. You two are up to something.”

“Up to something? You’re fucking kidding me, right?” Lucky stepped toward the weasel of a man, close to unleashing the pent-up rage that was threatening to bubble over. His voice lowered to a dangerous level. “You know as well as I do that that no-nuts, steroid-using cocksucker was the cause of this shit.” He pointed in Slade’s direction.

Mickey quickly blocked Lucky’s view of Slade. “Son, you do NOT want to be pissing off Slade Chatelain.”

“I’m not scared of him or any of his little flying monkeys.”

Mickey leaned in further. The lines around his eyes softened, but only a little. “I’m telling you that you would be wise to change that attitude. Everyone is scared of Slade, and for good reason.”

Lucky snorted and rolled his taut shoulders back, trying to loosen them up. “And I’m not everyone if you haven’t noticed.”

Mickey sighed and took a step back. Lucky could only assume the move was a peace offering. “Let me guess. You’re gonna run after her?”

“Did you see how she took off? She’s on the street right now dressed in nothing but a few pieces of floss!”

“And if I say you can’t go?” Mickey asked.

Lucky didn’t blink. He stared at the heavyset man. He had already made up his mind and there was nothing porky was going to do to change it.

“Yeah, that’s what I thought. I’m sure her bag’s downstairs. Grab it before you go.”

Lucky took off toward the basement stairs.

“Make sure she knows she’s on tomorrow night and that bitch owes me hours!” Mickey called after him.

When he got downstairs, Lucky noticed one of the girls at her dressing table. It was Coral. She was nice enough, but he decided not nice enough to trust.

She stared at him, wide-eyed, and mouth gaping.

“Baby Jade’s stuff?” he asked. She didn’t say anything. She pointed toward a small, plain table. It wasn’t decorated like the other tables. No pictures or keepsakes, there were a couple of newspaper clippings and a Saints schedule from last season.

He didn’t feel right rummaging through her belongings, but he wanted to make sure Baby had everything she needed. He grabbed her tote bag and threw her neatly folded street clothes on top.

“Thanks,” he said before bounding back up the stairs two at a time, not caring if she responded.

Lucky stepped through the door and immediately felt the scrutiny of Slade burning a hole through his head. He slid through the crowd, holding his stare. He would never give that asshole the satisfaction of thinking he got the best of him. In fact, Lucky couldn’t care less what Slade thought about him. He was concerned about Baby Jade. That prick would have to go through him to get to her, and that wasn’t happening anytime soon.

Lucky snatched his jacket from the stool by the entrance and rushed out onto the street. He hopped onto his 1969 Shovelhead and cranked it with one jump. He took off on Bourbon Street toward Baby’s apartment. The only thing on his mind was making sure she was safe. That and the glare in Slade’s eyes. That was going to come back to bite him in the ass. He was sure of it.

Chapter Thirteen

Baby Jade

It took Baby three blocks before she calmed down enough to realize she was half naked and wearing five-inch stripper heels. Had she been anywhere else, she might have been a little more concerned, but half-naked women weren’t exactly rare in the city.

Of course, none of that made her feel any better about her ass cheeks hanging out and her cleavage spilling over the top of the tiny leather triangles barely big enough to cover her nipples. She was definitely getting some attention on the street. Catcalls and whistling. A stalker quickly started shadowing not far behind.

“Hey, honey. Where you off to in such a hurry?” the man sneered through a giggle. Baby Jade tried to ignore the man and walked faster. “Come on, honey. Don’t take off. I got everything you need right here!” he hollered.

Baby, now in a full on jog, looked over her shoulder to see the man grabbing his crotch and making a lewd noise, sticking his tongue out in her direction.

By the sound of his voice, the man was gaining on her. She kicked off her shoes, not stopping to pick them up. As she rounded the corner, a single headlight streamed from the adjoining alley, racing past her straight toward the man. The driver revved the engine and snaked around the man, causing him to stumble and fall backwards, flat on his ass.

Baby watched the driver backtrack, slowing enough to reach down and snatch up her high heels. He circled around, stopping in front of her. Lucky handed Baby her shoes. He shrugged out of his jacket and draped it around her shoulders. She slipped her arms through the sleeves, enfolding herself in his musky scent.

He unhooked the half-shell helmet from the bitch bar and placed it on Baby’s head. She attempted to buckle it, but her trembling fingers couldn’t latch the strap. Lucky grasped her hands in his and lowered them to her side before fastening the helmet. Neither of them spoke. Baby slid onto the back of the bike, wrapping herself around his waist. He sped away into the night, leaving the man staring at the tail light.

Lucky pulled up in front of Baby’s apartment, parking his bike on the curb. She handed him the helmet and drew the oversized jacket around her. Damn, she longed to touch him, his skin on her skin. She wanted to feel the heat of his breath on every part of her body.

He handed Baby her canvas bag he had picked up from her dressing table. The two walked silently up the sidewalk. Ma’Linn’s light was out, but her doorway was covered in feathers and some kind of red substance. Baby didn’t want to know what that was about, not after the night she had experienced.

Lucky looked at the entrance and then back to Baby. Before he could open his mouth, she said, “Don’t ask.”

He smiled, stepping closer. He wound a tuft of her hair around his finger. Within seconds, his entire hand was entangled in her mass of black waves. Cradling the back of her head in his hand, he turned Baby’s face up to meet his. The heat in his deep chocolate-colored eyes made her body ache.

“Invite me in,” he commanded in a low whisper.

Baby dug her keys out from the side pocket of her bag and struggled to unlock the newly painted front door. Lucky grasped her hand and slid the key into the lock, giving it a turn. He never took his gaze off hers, setting off a burning desire between her legs.

She walked in and held the door open. Once he was inside, she shut and locked the deadbolt out of habit. Linking her index finger through his belt loop, Baby led Lucky to down the tiny hall and into her bedroom.

He took a quick survey of the bedroom and eyed her stationary bike. “You have exercise equipment in every room?”

“It takes a lot of work to stay in shape. I never miss a day.”

His lips curled at the sides, revealing those delectable dimples. “Oh, you’re gonna miss today, but that’s ok. You’re still gonna get a workout.”

“You’re pretty sure of yourself.” Baby dropped her head, running her bare foot over the rug.

“Are you blushing?”

She smacked her hand on his hard chest. “Stop it.” The heat rushed to her face, causing her cheeks to turn bright red. Damn, he looked yummy in his worn-out jeans and ratty old t-shirt.

“You look good in my jacket.” He grabbed the side and pulled her closer. “I bet you look pretty good out of it too.” Lucky slid his hands under the jacket, sliding it off her shoulders, allowing it to fall to the floor. She expected his gaze to travel, but instead they stayed locked on hers. His fingers skimmed her back as he traced the outline of her top.

She tugged on her bottom lip, shying away from his gaze.

Lucky lifted her face. “Don’t turn away.” He tucked a strip of hair behind her ear. “Damn, you’re beautiful. I bet you hear that all the time.”

“If by beautiful, you mean hot, sexy, or fuckable, then yes.”

“No, that’s not what I mean. I mean beautiful. Sure, you’re gorgeous. Ain’t no denying that shit. But you’re much more than that. You’re strong. You don’t take shit off people. You’re caring. I can tell that from your neighbor. Not to mention you’re smart. Everything about you turns me on, not simply your looks.”

As she tried to turn away again, Lucky held her face in the palm of his hands. “Why is that hard for you to believe?”

“You wouldn’t be here right now if I didn’t look like this,” Baby said, waving her hands dramatically in front her scantily clad body.

“I guess we’ll have to agree to disagree.”

Her lips twisted into a slight grin.

“That look right there is the one that tells me I’m getting myself into a shitload of trouble.”

Baby ran her hand across Lucky’s chest, excited by the thought of seeing his hard pecs without a shirt on. She slid her hands under the hem and ran her nails along his chest. A small groan escaped his lips, causing her to grin again.

“Shit. That look right there,” Lucky said, picking Baby up and tossing her onto the bed.

He stood at the foot of the bed, yanked his black tee over his head, and tossed it to the floor; exposing his chest and chiseled abs. Ink covered his flawless body. His bare chest revealed the way his jeans hung perfectly on his impeccably carved hips.

Baby lay back, spreading her legs to invite him to come closer. With hunger in his eyes, he climbed onto the bed and settled himself in between her long, bronze legs. The heat from his skin on hers set her body humming. Pulling himself closer to her face with his elbows, her sex throbbed as she felt his hard bulge rub against her sensitive pussy.

Lucky grazed his lips across the length of her neck, nipping at her flesh. She moaned as he slipped one arm around her, placing his palm on the small of her back pulling her close to his rock-hard body.

Why do I feel like a fucking virgin?

Lucky used his other hand to unravel the laced straps to Baby’s corset. Her breathing quickened as he pulled the last knot loose. The fabric fell to the side allowing her breasts to spill free, her nipples erect from the rush of air. Lucky looked her up and down, wide-eyed with his lopsided smile.

“Shit,” he said in a breathless whisper.

“You like?” She usually didn’t like male attention, but she thrived on the effect she had on Lucky.

“I’m gonna devour every last part of you.” The sincerity of his words made her wet. The sensation intensified, her thighs vibrating as his mouth found hers. He kissed her long and hard, opening her lips with his tongue. He had a natural smell. It was how she would describe heat, intense and smoldering. She craved every part of him. She tugged on his tongue, sucking as if it were his cock. His hips grinded against her sex with her moans in perfect rhythm.

“Shit,” she muttered. “Please.”

“Please what?” he asked moving his mouth down her neck and to her chest, teasing her with the light touch of his hot tongue.

“I wanna feel you in me.” Baby tried to speak through the tortured moans.

Lucky snickered, cupping her full breast, and taking her firm nipple between his teeth, painstaking and slow.

Baby pressed herself into the bed, her hypersensitive body craving his consuming touch. She balled up the sheet in her fists, rolling her hips.

“You’re impatient, my green-eyed vixen. All good things come to those who wait.”

“Dammit,” she cried out.

Swirling his tongue around her taut nipple, Lucky moved one hand to Baby Jade’s shorts. He pulled the thin leather strap on the corset-style front and unlaced each loop with his index finger. Sucking one last time, he pulled the nub with his teeth, causing Baby to whimper.

He slipped both hands under the tight black leather, gripping her ass cheeks, allowing his fingers to knead her flesh. She lifted her hips to give him better access, and he guided them down over her toned legs and past her feet. Lucky held Baby’s right leg in the air, dragging his lips along the inside of her thigh. He placed both legs over his shoulders and gripped her ass with both hands, pulling her toward his face.

Baby’s body begged him to take her with his mouth as her sex throbbed. She felt the heat from his breath on her clit as he planted soft kisses along her cleft. The waiting was too much. With both legs now over his shoulders, Lucky took his finger and ran it along her slick folds.

“You’re wet,” he said. She groaned under his breath. “You have no idea how fucking hot that is.”

His fingers continued to explore, skimming past her clit. As Lucky’s index finger found her moist opening, he plunged it in, delving back and forth. Baby’s body met him with every thrust. He sank in a middle finger, thrusting harder until she was on the brink of orgasm before he retreated.

“Why are you stopping?” she gasped.

Lucky lifted himself to meet her gaze. “Oh, Baby. I’m only getting started.” His head disappeared again and her body quivered under the first swipe of his tongue. He dipped in and out of her slit before circling her hard clit. One rough and calloused hand settled on her flat tummy and the other fingering her pussy. He worked his tongue as her body writhed under his touch.

Her breathing fell into a rhythmic pattern. The panting flooded her ears and she was close.

“Shit. Shit, Lucky.” The more she shouted, the more relentless he was. Flicking his tongue on her clit and finding the perfect pace with his finger work.

“I’m gonna come. Shit! Please, please, please!” she screamed, running both hands through his hair as her body convulsed and fell apart under his mouth. He gently licked her until her trembling ceased, softly kissing her from her clit up her belly, paying special attention to both breasts before finding her mouth. She tasted herself on him and it made her juices flow between her thighs.

“Fuck you taste good. I can’t get enough of you.”

Baby threw her arms around his neck, consuming his mouth with hers. She didn’t want to come up for air. Through the small breaths that their bodies insisted on taking, Baby panted, “I want you to fuck me.”

Lucky scrambled off the bed, and Baby propped herself up on her elbows. He pulled the chain wallet from his back pocket and removed a gold foil package. She watched as he popped the button and unzipped his jeans, letting them fall to the floor, freeing his hard erection. Baby sucked in a deep breath at the sight of big cock.

With what seemed like one swift move, Lucky had ripped open the packet and rolled the condom onto his cock. The man was perfection. The room smelled like hot carnal sex. She watched as he prowled toward her onto the bed. He pushed Baby’s legs open wide. He held his cock in one hand and guided it to her moist entrance.

“You feel ready.”

Her only response came in the form of her tilting her hips, begging him to take her.

He ran his tip over her pulsating opening, circling, making her body writhe in anticipation. Baby Jade pleaded with her eyes, pouting. Finally, showing mercy, Lucky glided into her. Filling her with his length. Baby gasped for air and drove her nails into his ass, begging for more.

“Shit. You feel good.” Lucky buried himself in her neck. He started slow, rolling his hips in perfect unison with hers.

“Harder,” she moaned.

Throwing her leg over his shoulder, Lucky edged himself up on his knees allowing him to go deeper. Baby cried out, “Ahhhh.” She placed her palms against the wall to push her pelvis up toward him. Lucky snaked his arms around both her legs and pounded his body against hers, every thrust taking her to the edge. Her breasts bouncing with force. She was close to her second orgasm.

The humming sensation from her pussy shot through her body. Her lips went numb and her abs clenched as the orgasm shook through her body. Her sex tightened around his swollen cock as Lucky shoved into her one last time before his own body bowed. His back arched and he tossed his head backwards. He finally let out the breath he had been holding before collapsing on top of her.

Lucky rolled off Baby and onto his side. The room was silent other than their winded breathing. Her hypersensitive body tingled from one end to the other.

“Is there anything about you that’s not absolutely perfect?” Lucky asked in a low voice, still taking quick breaths.

“I’m hardly perfect.”

“Are you going all shy again? It’s a little too late for that, don’t ya think?” He snickered.

Baby peered at him from underneath the mass of wild tendrils of hair.

“Hmmm, ok. I’ll have to work on that in a minute. Bathroom?”

She pointed him in the direction of the restroom and tried not to gawk as he climbed out of the bed. His body was flawless, clear down to those two little indentions at the small of his back. He snatched up the foil wrapper and made his way to the bathroom.

Alone in the bedroom, Baby sat up and threw on an old Rolling Stone t-shirt. She piled her messy nest on top of her head and clipped as much of it in place as possible.

Lucky walked back into the room. The man was certainly comfortable in his own skin. She no longer avoided his gaze. She watched him slip on his jeans, leaving them unzipped, revealing his mouthwatering nature trail.

He hopped onto the bed, and Baby giggled as it bounced under his weight. Lucky propped himself up on his elbow and beamed.

“What’s that look for?”

“I am one satisfied son of a bitch right now.” His grin widened.

Baby threw her hands up over her face in embarrassment. She couldn’t remember the last time she had experienced such intimacy. Sex, sure. She remembered that all too well, no matter how many times she tried to forget it, but this was different. Part of her had expected Lucky to get up and leave when they were through. Now with him lying next to her, in her own bed, made everything all too real.

Getting a closer look at his yummy chest, Baby Jade examined his vast array of tattoos. Her fingers mindlessly traced the day of the dead skull on the right side, once splashed with color, it was now fading. The dark shading gave depth to the eye sockets, creating a haunting effect. Looking closer, most if his tattoos were haunting. The eyes of the pinup spanning long ways down his chiseled ribcage were full of sorrow and pain. A three-dimensional fleur de leis with a carnival mask wearing a joker hat and the word NOLA sprawled across the center covered the upper half of his chest. The metallic gray hid images in the intrinsic design. Two jazz musicians playing horns were nestled on one side and the Pontchartrain Bridge on the other. Spanish moss spilled over the edges. A tribal tattoo crept over his left shoulder and up his neck. Thick lines with jutted, sharp edges spiraled over his hard chest. There were a few others that had no rhyme or reason. A cartoon shark. Louis the Alligator dressed in his king costume with a small tree frog hanging out of his mouth. There were too many to count, and that didn’t include the ones on his back, arms, and legs.

However, the one that spoke the most about him was the red heart resting right over his own. It had stitch marks like the kind you would see on Frankenstein. The script arching over the top read, “Until We Meet Again.” Baby knew it was in honor of the child that he had lost.

She placed her hand on top of the heart. Lucky’s hand landed on hers. The wounded look in his eyes confirmed she was right. It was a constant reminder of the love that he lost, a love he never had the chance to know in the first place.

“What do we do now?” Baby twisted her body to meet his gaze.

Lucky’s hand still embracing hers. “Now we get down to the dirty stuff.”

Her eyebrows shot up, “Already?”

“Well, I wouldn’t say no. But that wasn’t exactly what I meant.” He ran the pad of his thumb across her swollen lips. “Don’t you think we have a few things to talk about?”

Sinking further into the pillow, Baby rolled her eyes. “Seriously? You wanna go ruin a perfectly good orgasm with talking?” Her stomach pitched at the thought of talking about Slade.

“Don’t give me that. Something serious happened tonight, and no. I’m not talking about this,” he said, fanning his hand across the bed. “That was some crazy shit tonight at the club.”

“Yeah.”

“Yeah? You’ve gotta say more than that. What the hell happened? You froze as soon as that big ape touched you. What was that shit?”

Baby nipped at her bottom lip. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Maybe not, but you need to talk about it. What’s that guy got on you?”

“He doesn’t have anything on me. We all have a past,” she said, her hands fidgeting with the bed sheet. “Mine likes to rear its ugly head from time to time.”

“Hey,” Lucky said, “I opened up a closet with a shitload of skeletons. Now it’s your turn to unload on me. No one should carry around that much fucking shit. I’m not trying to upset you or bring up old demons. I’m trying to wrap my head around it. You’re one of the strongest chicks I think I’ve ever met, but tonight it’s like you turned to putty in his hands.”

Baby Jade tossed the sheet aside and threw her legs to the floor. The Rolling Stones shirt barely covered her backside as she marched out of the room. She choked back the sob that had been welling up in her throat. The last thing she wanted was for Lucky to see her crying like a girly girl. She didn’t want him to confuse her crazy childhood bullshit for a lovesick relationship with Slade.