to the side to let me pass. It’s smart on their part. I wouldn’t hesitate to move them out of my way myself.
“Alone!” I hiss when the guards seem to think they’re coming with us.
“Ma’am, this is against protocol.” One of the other suits finally speaks up, his anxiety making itself known. I’m guessing the first guy is her lead, and these two jokers are bodies taking orders. “Your father wouldn’t approve.”
Her temper flares at his proclamation, a blush peppering her cheeks and neck. She exhales, no doubt counting to ten to keep up this unruffled fa?ade of hers. “Thank you for your concern, but I’m an adult. You guys will be right here if I need anything. I’m assuming you’re trained enough to get to me, or was my father mistaken when he hired you?” She throws down the passive-aggressive gauntlet, and I commend her on it. It’s sexy as fuck to see her call off her leashed dogs for me.
I hold out my elbow to her, pushing the boundaries a touch further. Surprisingly, she steps closer and takes my offering. Her tender touch has my biceps flexing, and I mutter, a bit breathless at the tingle her skin elicits on mine, “This way.” I lead her out of my office and through the back door. We make our way over the backyard to eventually stop at the fire pit. I tip my head at one of the lawn chairs, and she sits. I take the stump next to her, my legs spreading immediately to make room for my heavy dick. She has me on the very edge of being hard. My jeans are squeezing the fuck out of me, my cock reminding me that I need to get laid and badly.
“You enjoy stirring up trouble, don’t you?” she asks a moment later. It’s not chastising, only curious. I like her out here, like this—alone and mine for the taking. It’s semi late, the sky dark with a spring chill in the air. The club has several lights on out here so I can see her without any issues.
“It has a certain appeal.” I shrug.
“So... uh, what’s your name?” She tries to break the ice, though the patch on my breast says it boldly. Maybe she can’t see well at night, so I let it go.
“Ripper.”
“Ripper, now that I’ve done as you’ve requested, would you please take a look at the photo of my sister?”
I crack my neck, running my palms over my jean-clad thighs. “She must mean a lot if you’d chance coming into a place like this. It’s damn near the middle of the night, and you’re around dangerous men, yet you keep hounding me over her.”
“Sorry to burst your bubble, but you don’t intimidate me, Mr. Ripper. I understand that this is your life, your business. I respect that. I’m simply asking for your help. I figure it never hurts to ask. If you say no, then I have to accept that and leave. I’ve done what I can, and I have to keep up my search elsewhere.”
“You’re telling me that I don’t scare you, even just a little? I could break your frail neck with only my hands.” I widen them, holding my hands out that could easily palm a basketball to get my point across. She’s so delicate and I’m tatted up, rough and rowdy, used to working for everything I want. When I say work, I don’t necessarily mean the legal way either. I pour a bit of fire starter on the pit, lighting it with a long match. We keep them out here in a plastic bag, so they don’t get ruined. I need the warmth. I wasn’t made for winter or cold weather. It’ll also offer up some more light, so I can read her expressions better.
“Many men could, I suppose, but I don’t know…something tells me you won’t hurt me out here.” She gestures around us.
I nod, conceding. “You’re right. I won’t hurt you like that, not ever. I don’t make it a habit to hurt women.” It makes me sick, to be honest, to know that some take advantage of the fact we’re physically stronger in most cases when it comes to females. “Those who betray me and mine…that’s another story, however.”
“Thank you,” she breathes out. Her shoulders drop with it, releasing some of the tension they’d held when we started walking.
“Tell me about yourself.” I take in her unrelenting beauty once more. She may not seem like much