AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Thanks. It all happened so fast, but yeah. I am.” So far. “What about you and your boyfriend?”
Her eyes lit up. “Bobby’s great.”
Bobby…
Oh.
Well, look at that. I guess I know his girlfriend, after all.
“I’m glad to hear it. Good for you, Heidi.”
“Thanks. He’s got big plans for us.” She gives me a conspiratorial smile. “Maybe we’ll both have husbands by the time summer ends.”
Heidi seems delighted by the prospect. Me? I can’t even imagine what my life will be like by then. Will I even be going back to school? Link’s made reference to the fact that I’ll never have to work a day in my life again, and as heavy-handed as he was in moving me out of my house and into his, I wouldn’t put it past him to suddenly decide that I’m quitting my job.
Of course, then he’ll tell me it’s too risky to teach first-graders, and that it’s better if I stay in the penthouse…
Right. I don’t know why he’s so worried. He promised me that he would take care of the trouble I was in, and as far as I know, he has. He held up his end of our bargain, I’m doing mine by being his wife, and that’s that—and I believe that up until the moment someone grabs my bicep from behind.
My immediate instinct is to pull away, but the grip is so bruisingly tight—and I’m so caught off guard—that my tug doesn’t do anything to escape the hold.
There’s only one man that I know who is strong enough to keep me where he wants me while also acting as though he can grab me whenever he wants. This is his club, too, and maybe I just missed his deep rumble as he calls me ‘pet’ over the loud music.
I stop struggling. No matter what kind of marriage we have, I agreed to act the part of Link’s wife. He’s the type of guy who would demand total loyalty and respect from his bride. Jumping and fighting him off when he approaches her on the dance floor… that might make the rest of the syndicate have questions about us.
Pulling a smile to my face, I turn my head so that I can show my husband just how happy I see him.
One problem, though.
That’s not my husband.
ELEVEN
DEVIL
AVA
The man squeezes my upper arm as he lets out a low whistle. This close, I can’t miss the sound, or when he chuckles to himself as he says, “I fucking love it when the face looks as good as the ass. This must be my lucky night.”
I have no idea who he is. At least a head taller than me, with short black hair, a narrow face, dark eyes lit up with lust, and a crooked smile, he’s definitely not Link. He’s not as broad in the shoulder, or as muscular as Link is, though he’s a lot bigger than I am.
No wonder I can’t break free from his grip.
“Let go of me,” I tell him, twisting my arm beneath his fingers.
“No way, sweetheart. I paid for a room upstairs, and you’re just the girl I’m taking with me.”
What?
Oh my God. Oh myGod. This creep thinks that I… he thinks that I work here, like some of the other girls in this place.
Suddenly, Heidi’s not-so-veiled comments about teachers not making enough money seems a whole lot clearer. I thought she meant that she was selling out, waitressing for a little extra cash. But that… that’s now what she meant, was it?
The women here just don’t sell liquor here. They sell themselves, and this guy thinks that I’m for sale.
I’m not going to judge them for what they do to survive. I’m not going to judge the women at Link’s club if they sleep with these assholes because they want the money. But that’s not my thing. Link’s different, because he’sLink, but I’m not going to let anyone else think that they can touch me like this.
I’m screwed, though. Glancing around, I see that Heidi is gone. She disappeared into the crowd, and I don’t see anyone else that I recognize. Considering what kind of place this is, I doubt anyone even realizes that I’m two seconds away from freaking out.
