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“Nope, I have him all signed in,” Dani said, glancing at the computer screen.
Gabriel didn’t move. Couldn’t move. Dani didn’t belong here. Kink scared the crap out of her, and he was having a hard time wrapping his head around the fact that she was here. Except—that outfit and her band. More confused than ever, Gabriel stared at Dani. He should haul her out of her chair, march her to her car, and send her home.
A masculine hand gripped his arm. “Come with me, Gabriel.” Max guided Gabriel away from the registration desk.
Gabriel didn’t protest. He was still trying to process finding Dani in a BDSM club. Something wasn’t right. Max led Gabriel into his office and pushed the door almost all the way closed.
Max stared at him. “Why are you so surprised to see Dani here?”
Gabriel stared right back at Max as it hit him. Dani had to be a member to sit at that registration desk. He couldn’t see Max hiring someone who wasn’t familiar with kink or had issues with kink. “How long has she been a member?”
“She joined right after she came home.” Max continued to watch him with those knowing eyes of his. “She took the classes and asked where she could help out. Is this going to be an issue?”
“Damn right it’s going to be an issue.” Gabriel paced around the confines of Max’s office. “Dani does not belong here. Kink is not her thing.”
“And you know this how?” Max continued to stare at him.
“It doesn’t matter.” He wasn’t going to explain what happened. That was between him and Dani. “She doesn’t belong here.”
“Dani mentioned to me the two of you had a past together in college, but I can assure you, she doesn’t have any issues with kink. Her club trainer would have told me.”
Gabriel went from cold to blazing hot in a second. “Who trained her?” While everyone who went through the classes had a trainer, he wanted to beat the crap out of Dani’s.
“Bennett. He never indicated any issue. Dani had recommendations from San Francisco.”
Gabriel drew his hand through his hair. “None of this makes sense.” Had he entered an alternate reality? That was the only explanation, because there was no way his Dani would be here. Maybe he should have come to the club sooner instead of taking a break.
“It makes perfect sense to me. So, you have a choice to make.” Max crossed his arms over his chest. “You can go into the club and enjoy the party, or you can go home.”
Shock flowed through Gabriel at Max’s ultimatum. But he shouldn’t have been surprised. Max was very protective of the women in the club. Hell, Max was protective no matter what. “I’m staying.” If Dani walked into the club, he’d corner her and find out what the hell she was doing there. Then he’d escort her to her vehicle. If she left before he could catch her, he’d find her, and they’d have the same talk.
“Very well.” Max pulled open his office door.
Gabriel glanced down the hall and saw Dani talking and smiling as Bennett checked in. His hackles went up. Why would Dani play here when she wouldn’t play with him in college? It didn’t make sense. Gabriel forced his irritation away and went to change. There would be plenty of time to talk with her when she finished her job. Provided she didn’t run. Because he wasn’t done with her, not by a long shot.
* * * *
Dani smiled as the couple walked away, but her stomach churned. It hadn’t stopped since Gabriel walked in. The look on his face when he saw her. She’d fought to keep her features neutral, and it hadn’t been easy.
She knew they’d eventually meet up, but she hadn’t expected his astonished expression or the shocked look in his eyes. She didn’t think she could still startle Gabriel. He’d moved on, found someone else. At least, that’s what her brain had told her all these years. The ghost of a smile touched her lips at the revelation she could still affect him. It was nice to know she had that in her arsenal.
“Go ahead on into the club,” Ralph said. “Mostly everyone is here, and the few stragglers that come in I can handle by myself.”
“Thanks, Ralph.” Dani shut down her computer and stood up. She smoothed her hair back with a shaky hand. Maybe she should freshen up. No. She straightened. Gabriel being here meant nothing.
Their relationship ended a long time ago, and she wasn’t rehashing that. She reached for the door handle, telling herself over and over again they were done, willing her body to stop shaking, to stop reacting to Gabriel. The past was the past. At least she was trying to convince herself of that.
She walked into the main area and made a beeline for the sub area. She was glad to see not only other subs sitting there, but her best friend, Allyson. Zeke was on duty tonight. She sat down on the sofa next to Allyson.
“Finally. I thought you might be stuck at the desk for most of the night,” Allyson said.
“Only until things calmed down and Ralph could handle it by himself.” Dani leaned closer to her friend. “Did you know Gabriel would be here tonight?”
Allyson shifted in her seat. “I knew it was a possibility. He’s come in a few times, but usually after you leave.”
“That answers why I haven’t seen him here before.” While Dani played only one night a week, the other night she worked the desk with Ralph for a few hours. She was surprised she and Gabriel hadn’t run into each other at the club before now. While the club wasn’t huge, it was big enough that you didn’t always see everyone, and she’d only been working the desk with Ralph for a few weeks.
“What did he say when he saw you? Allyson asked.
