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I froze at the rough, graveled male voice behind me. I didn't recognize it, but as a shiver worked down my spine I realized I didn't need to. It wasn't the semi uninterested manager I'd spoken to when I got here. This voice had real power and I was too scared to turn around to see. Everyone in Sultan knew that the Sins of Wrath ran this place, and my gut told me it was their president now standing behind me.
JD Monroe. The man. The legend. Maybe even the boogeyman.
Forcing myself to a rigid stance, I raised my chin and turned around. My stomach swooped and I sucked in a sudden breath at my first up close look at the most feared man in our town. I'd heard so much about him. Most of it not good. But not a single detail over the years had prepared me for this moment.
The man looked like a God. Or maybe a fallen angel considering his reputation and the dark scowl stamped on his face. Either way, he quite literally took my breath away.
I'm sure protocol required me to say something--anything. But I couldn't. All I could do was stare and continue to take in the details. From the thick, dark hair on his head sprinkled with gray to the tanned skin of his face with the crinkle lines at his eyes, I didn't want to miss anything. In fact, I half wanted to take out my cellphone and capture this moment on camera so I could fully study him later.
"You did a good job out there."
It took a few seconds, but that statement finally sank in. "I did?"
He smirked. "It's not every day my guys get that wrapped up in a performance."
I snorted. That was an understatement. Things had been going what I thought was extremely well. "Is that why they cut my set short?"
His eyes widened. "We don't usually ask a dancer to perform a whole set for an audition. One song is plenty. You've either got it or you don't."
Did that mean I was being played? What the hell? The frustration from before rose swift and I frowned. "Well, no worries. I'm leaving now."
He took several steps closer and glared. I wasn't sure how else to describe how he seemed to be studying me so intently, while looking completely unhappy about it.
"How old are you?"
I compressed my mouth into a grim line as I stared up at him a moment too long before I answered. "That's not an appropriate question for a job interview."
"It damn well is when you apply to work at a club that has an age requirement to even walk in the door."
I blanched at his angry tone. What the hell? Was he implying I was under twenty-one? That made me want to giggle and I had to cover my mouth to smother it.
"That's what I thought. You should leave before your presence here causes anymore trouble. Come back and try again when you turn twenty-one."
He turned away and started for the door, summarily dismissing me. Well, screw him and whatever dark, grumpy horse he rode in on. I didn't need this job if I would have to work for someone like him.
But actually…I really did need this job.
"I'm twenty-four," I blurted, and then held my breath to see if he would stop.
He did and I stood there staring as he turned around in slow motion. "You got ID to prove that?"
I clenched my teeth against the smart ass retort I wanted to give and instead said, "Yes."
He sauntered back over, towered over me and thrust out his hand. He didn't even bother to ask, say please, or anything. So I reached into my bag, fished out my wallet and pulled out my driver’s license. When I handed it over to him our fingers brushed and I sucked in a sharp breath at the warm sensation of his skin against mine. When I looked up to meet his gaze, I found him staring down at me with zero emotion on his face.
It was as if he had a mask on and I couldn't begin to guess what was going through his mind. Not even when I met his intense blue eyes could I make out a single shred of anything. It unnerved me in a way I'd never felt before and sent another shudder racing down my spine.
We stood like that for a few minutes as he stared at my ID, and then me, and then back at my license. At least I hadn't updated it since I'd moved away from my last nightmare roommate, so he couldn't memorize my address or anything creepy like that.
He even flipped it over and around, studying it. "It's not a fake, if that's what you're thinking."
He grunted noncommittally. "Good ones make it hard to tell."
With that, I'd officially had enough. I'd already spent more time here than expected and if they weren't going to give me a job, I might as well move on. I lifted the strap over my bag and held out my hand for my license.
For a half second I thought he might smile. The corners of his mouth twitched and I had a feeling if he actually did crack a smile I might swoon. I'd met good looking men before, even liked a couple of them, but no one like him. He had a presence about him and it was turning me to jelly the longer I stood there.
He placed my ID back into my hand. "You got a boyfriend?"
