Page 29 of Beguiled

The murderer.

He was closer than he’d been before and when he finally rose to his feet, his gaze remained locked on the floor below him.

On me.

And in that split second, that moment where all time stopped, I recognized the man who’d broken the young man’s neck.

My boss.

The man I’d fantasized about countless times.

The man who’d awakened my dark desires.

Stash.

CHAPTER 7

Stash

Eyes capable of cutting through glass.

“Iskusitel’nitsa bez dushi.”

A temptress with no soul. Wasn’t I a walking, talking paraphrase of my past tonight?

As I rose to my full height, I found myself unable to take my eyes off her, the stunning beauty staring back at me with pursed lips.

The card girl.

In the months I’d been coming to the Strike Zone, I’d purposely avoided dealing with any customers or other employees. Rarely did I find the time to talk to the club’s manager. Neither he nor the club meant anything to me except allowing me to exercise my demons.

Not exorcise, as the demonic spirits fueled the anger and need for violence, which I enjoyed. The fights allowed the creaturesa feeling of satisfaction, fulfilling a hunger that would otherwise manifest itself inside my professional duties.

That couldn’t happen.

Up to this point, I’d barely noticed the girl with the long, dark hair parading around in skimpy clothes.

Why now? Why out of the blue?

I was not easily distracted by anyone, including the ridiculous patrons allowed by the Irish mob, so my sudden lack of focus after catching the card girl’s shocked gaze almost had the same effect as her witnessing the death of a contestant on stage.

I sensed her shock by her expression that even the garish glittery makeup couldn’t hide. However, she was experiencing another reaction. That’s what kept my attention for longer than it should

Excitement.

Enough that the corner of her luscious mouth twitched as a heated wave of longing swept through her. That was easy to see by the refraction of light in her eyes. I took a step closer, daring her to skitter away like most women would do.

She stood her ground, lifting her chin even higher.

Wearing what could only be described as a red playboy bunny costume, the tight squeeze was a clear indication she’d borrowed the outfit. While the uptick in business had all but discontinued my activity inside the club over the last few weeks, she was different than the usual dark-haired girl who stood in her place.

Not just in looks, but in the way she was paying attention to every detail. If she was here, she wasn’t a threat, but she also hadn’t been adequately prepared for what she’d just seen.

She was a beauty, her long, dark curly hair framing stunning features and soft lips. Her hourglass figure and very long legs were far too enticing. With the amount of money stuffed into her garters, she’d pleased the audience.

How fascinating that I didn’t like the thought of anyone touching her.

Her eyes fell to the dead man once again and finally, the spell between us was broken.