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The pain in her voice twists my heart and reminds me why I can’t cut her out of my life. She doesn’t have anyone else she can talk to about this. She can’t confide in the other Old Ladies, they’d sell her out in a heartbeat for the cred. And she all but can’t have any friends outside the club. She barely talked to me before I got the job at the Mink, effectively joining their world.
“If there’s anything I can do—.”
She stops me with a hand in the air. “Thanks, sis but there’s nothing anyone else can do. This is our burden to bear.”
I get it. It’s the same as my debt. I have to figure my own way out of it. Misty has her journey and I have mine. God willing, we’ll both reach our destination with our lives and in one piece.
Chapter 7
LIAM
I’ve never been inside the Cinnamon Mink but it’s exactly what I expected it to be. Dark except for the neon lights around the stage, bar, and signs on the walls. And a little from the lamps on each table. A thick haze swirls in the air. It wreaks of smoke and sex.
My hackles raise. If they’ve made Candace fuck any of these guys, I’ll kill every asshole wearing a Tarnished Kings cut before the sun rises in the morning.
“Hey there, sugar,” a woman I don’t see as I’m too busy looking for Candace, says in a slippery sweet voice as I walk toward the bar. I’m early to pick Candace up and thought I’d see for myself whether or not Seth is keeping his end of the deal making sure no one lays a hand on Candace. “First time at the Cinnamon Mink?” the woman asks, standing in my line of sight. Her blue sequin bikini top glows as bright as the neon lights against her dark skin.
I simply nod and take a seat at the bar.
“I’m Sapphire,” she says, thrusting her tits at me. “First lap dance is on the house.”
“No thank you.”
Sapphire is struggling to get my attention now. Partly because, I’m sure, she’s never had to sell her services to any man who has crossed that threshold, especially not when she’s giving it away, but mostly because I spot Candace across the floor. The flame-red tips of her jet-black hair are unmistakable. The way she floats across the floor is breathtaking. Nothing will distract me from her.
It’s a sad sort of reality to know this isn’t where she wants to be but she fits in so well. Confidence explodes in bright light around her with every step she takes. Watching her, I understand a little more why she refuses to accept anyone’s help with her current situation. She has no doubt she can handle it on her own and to think otherwise would be an insult.
While I got lost watching her, I forgot why she’s here. Then, her job drags me back to reality as a man grips her wrist and drags her down onto his lap.
An instant rage blinds me from reason as I run across the club and rip Candace away from the man who had his hooks in her hips to press her harder onto his lap.
There’s no room in my rage for words. Only violence. Fists and blood.
I get several hits in before my arms are restrained and I’m being pulled away from his black, blue, and bloody face.
“What the fuck?” Seth barks while two other big motherfuckers in Tarnished Kings cuts hold me back.
“That’s what I should be asking you,” I bark right back at him. “What the fuck were you doing while this asshole had his hands and crotch all over Candy?”
“That’s none of your goddamn business,” Seth says, getting in my face.
“A man lays his hands on my girl, it’s abso-fucking-lutely my business.”
“Rule number one, Candy. For fuck sake,” Seth says turning to reprimand her.
“I’m sorry, Seth. I forgot to tell him. Don’t hurt him,” Candace adds when he starts giving the guys holding me a look that says ‘take him out back.’
“I don’t want to see him in here again. You got it?” Seth’s voice is full of authority.
“What’s rule number one?” I demand.
“No boyfriends on the floor while we’re working,” Candace explains. A small smile quirks her lips as she leans in and whispers, “Which I guess you really are now.”
My heart pounds on my sternum. This isn’t how I wanted to make things official with her but I’m not about to take it back.
I turn my head and kiss her cheek.
Candace places a hand on my arm. “Go wait in the car, Liam.”
