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ChapterTwo
GINGER
Five hours later and I was in the club, going over an outline for my next book, a story loosely based on my own life. I didn’t have a publisher, I was never a fan of giving people my work to change as they pleased, so there was no deadline other than my own schedule. The problem was my story wasn’t a love story.
The interview today prompted this little brainstorming session on a book I may or may not write. It just depended on what my characters determined as I actually started to write. Sometimes, they took me in entirely different directions than I had planned. But then, so had real life.
I didn’t plan to become the owner of strip club that was also a secret sex club. It was an idea that blossomed after one too many nights trying to stay awake on coffee and adrenaline. I’d thought, rather stupid I have to admit now, that owning a club would be much easier. I could work days, do the business side of it, and write at night. I hadn’t factored in having to make appearances, sometimes subbing for a dancer that was out sick, and the many other things that would need my attention throughout the day. Which is I always took Wednesdays off.
I’d write on those days, and in the minutes when I had time to myself on other days, but Wednesdays were my favorite days. I could spend the whole day writing, well into the night, with no interruptions. Usually.
Today wasn’t a Wednesday, so I was at the club, waiting on my beer order while a new girl danced on the stage. I wasn’t sure she was cut out for this business, she was way too stiff and her eyes stayed shut the entire time she was on the stage, unless she was walking or moving away from the pole. I’d have a talk with her at some point, I decided and went back to staring at the outline.
I’d learned it was a good way to start a story, and keep it on track, a long time ago. The hard part was deciding on names for my characters and then deciding what to do with them. The story was based on my life but since Damien had walked into, and out of, my life five years ago, there hadn’t been much romance.
I’d counted on him, believed him, and he’d just fucked off and left me without a word. I didn’t like that one bit and it made me a little hard to get to know because I was determined to never be played for a fool again. I’d thought I cared about him, and maybe I had, because I’ve never let another man so close to my heart.
Many people thought Mason and I would eventually get together, but he really was like an older brother to me and there’d never really been anything sexual between us. Nothing to write a novel about anyway. I’d had a few lovers over the years, one-night stands, sessions that lasted a few weeks, maybe, but no real relationships. I didn’t have time for romantic relationships and, yeah, I have to admit it, Damien broke my heart.
Which is why it’s pissing me off so much that I keep seeing him. I didn’t want him in my life again, not after the last time. And okay, it had only been one night, but it was a night that had amazed me, where Damien had doled out promises like he’d never made them before and couldn’t stop once he’d started. And he’d lied with every promise he made.
Fucking bastard. If he shows up here, I swear, he’s going to find my knee right between his two plump balls. That made me smile and I closed my notebook, happy to leave it for now. I was about to stand up when a voice behind me made me jolt to a stop while my heart began to thunder in my chest. Fight or flight left me completely, and I stood rooted to the ground, unable to do anything.
“Do you have a rose available, Ginger? I’d like to take it off your hands,” he whispered at the back of my head, since I still hadn’t stood up or turned around to face him. “I sure would like to have your, ahem, rose tonight.”
“I can give you a bucket of acid and a glass to pour it over yourself with, Damien,” I spit out, turning at last to glare at him. “How dare you walk in here and ask me that.”
It was obvious he knew what the arrangement was in my club. All of the staff had roses, and if one of my staff members gave you their rose, or accepted an offer you made, then the night would be spent however the client wanted to spend it, in the company of said rose-holder. And for a price.
“I’m a member, how else would I have got in?” His easy grin and smiling eyes made me wish I had cat’s claws so I could scratch his face to pieces. “Is your boss around? I’ll get him to verify it for me.”
“I’m the owner, you could have found that out in less than five minutes if you’d bothered to ask anyone. I see why I’ve spotted you in here a few times now. I should have made sure my staff knew you weren’t to have a membership. In fact, I’m revoking your membership right now. Get out.” I crossed my arms over my chest and stood my ground. I saw a bouncer named Jack walking towards me, but I held a surreptitious finger up to him on my right hand and made a motion for him to go away. I can handle Damien on my own.
“Now, come on, Ginger, don’t be like that. From the way your pulse is jumping in your neck, you remember exactly what happens when I get you alone.” His left hand brushed red hair away from the front of my neck, which I’m certain caused actual sparks to fly out of my green eyes.
Although, I wasn’t sure if it was because that touch felt so good, I wanted him to do it again, or because I was still so mad, I could choke him. He’d left me, high and dry. Yet here he was acting like he’d gone out for cigarettes and come back after a night of drinking at the bar with his pool buddies that he forgot to tell me he’d gone out with. Only, that night had lasted for five years, way longer than a night out.
“Get out, Damien, or I’ll have Jack throw you out.” I demanded, not budging. “You blew your one and only chance. I’m serious. Leave. Now.”
“Hmm,” he murmured, a sound that rumbled out of his chest and straight into mine, despite the space that separated us. My body instantly responded to the sound, coming to life at the memory of his actual touch. “I don’t think that’s what you really want, Ginger.”
He was right, but I couldn’t back down, not now, not ever. He’d ghosted me, left me wondering for all these years. How the hell was I supposed to forgive and forget that.
Damien leaned in, his blue eyes piercing their way into my own eyes, stealing my breath. I’d forgotten how good he smelled, and how much the sight of his silky skin made me want to lick every inch of him.
“Fuck, stop it!” I demanded, taking a step back. “What are you really doing here? You can’t just be here to torment me. I’ve spotted you a few times over the last few months. What are you up to?”
“I’m working on a deal with an organization up here. I have to come into the city a few times a month to talk to the man in charge,” he answered with a shrug. “I didn’t know you owned the place, I swear. He brought me here, trying to soften me up on the trade negotiations.”
“You haven’t approached one of the other girls?” I asked, scoffing at the absurdity of it. He really expected me to believe he’d only come here for business?
“No, no other woman has compared to you since I left you, Ginger.” He said, leaving me stunned and speechless. “I’ve tried to get you out of my system, but I saw you the last time I was here, really saw that it was you and not just someone I imagined looked like you. I couldn’t stay away.”
His fingers had reached up to stroke the tips across my cheek and I felt the world fading away around me. “You decided to ghost me, Damien, not the other way around.”
It came out as a low growl, a warning to back off that was being drowned under my body’s desire to drag him back to one of my rooms and tear his clothes off.
“And that was the stupidest thing I’ve ever done.” He answered, not touching me now, his eyes dead serious.
