Run To Me (Lazarus Rising #4)(17)

Jay saw Willow’s cheeks flame. “I was helping—”

“Right. Yeah, I get that I was in your way and you were trying to save the day back then and all that jazz.” Now he waved his hand vaguely. “But I don’t care about saving the day. And I tend to hold very, very long grudges.”

“Enough.” Jay moved in front of Willow. “She’s with me. I own half this club, so she’s staying. And I don’t give a shit if you have a problem with that or not.” He kept a congenial smile on his face for the folks who were watching. “You wanted to be seen as legit? I’m your ticket to that. So try being nice to my companion.”

Benjamin just smirked. “Don’t you mean your bodyguard?”

Willow’s fingers pressed to Jay’s back.

Benjamin’s smirk vanished. “Careful there. Or she’ll have you seeing hell, too.”

Did he look worried? “Been there, done that. Without her touch. I see hell plenty well enough on my own.”

But Benjamin just laughed. “What would a pampered SOB like you know about hell?”

A sister dying in my arms. Me, sleeping on the streets. No shoes, no food. Rain pouring down. A hunger that never ends. “Go mingle with the patrons. We’ll be upstairs.” The better to watch everyone else. To peer into the crowd and see if any faces stuck out at him.

Benjamin offered his hand to Jay. Jay just stared at it.

“For the people watching.” Benjamin’s hand didn’t move. “Got to let them know what good buddies we are.”

Jay took the guy’s hand. Squeezed it a bit harder than necessary. “For future reference, Willow is always welcome wherever I am.”

Benjamin studied him a moment, then said, “Poor bastard,” before pulling his hand away and laughing as he left.

Jay watched him a moment. “I think that man may have a few issues.” A lot of issues. “Maybe he should see a shrink. I know a good one.” He glanced over his shoulder at Willow. “Let’s go upstairs.”

Her cheeks were still red. Benjamin had hurt her feelings. Or he’d embarrassed her. Maybe he’d done both. “I should have slugged the bastard.” Next time, he would. Screw the eyes watching them. He caught Willow’s hand in his and escorted her toward the stairs. “Let’s get out of the crowd.” Because all of the men there were staring at Willow with lust in their eyes. And Willow—how much of that did she pick up on?

The Lazarus subjects had psychic powers. She could pick up on fears. She could make fears a reality. Could she read minds, too? Pick up on the lust of others? On the darkness people kept bottled inside? Willow wasn’t exactly the forthcoming sort when it came to sharing her paranormal gifts.

Two bouncers were blocking the stairs, but when they saw Jay approaching, they immediately took down the velvet rope and waved him upstairs. The carpet on the stairs was thick, lush, and it swallowed his steps. In moments, he and Willow were in the VIP room. The boss’s room. They were staring through the one-way glass at the men and women downstairs. Watching as they drank, flirted, danced, and left every inhibition they had at the door.

Push. Benjamin thought he was clever with the name. You can’t push your way inside.

Push yourself to the limits.

Push past the fear.

Push all your desires to the surface.

The guy had told him all that shit. Then said the club had to be called Push.

Jay slid his fingers along Willow’s inner wrist as he gazed down at the crowd.

“Why are you still touching me?”

A few faces looked familiar. A little too familiar. Especially the pretty redhead down there. He winced as he kept his gaze on the woman he knew too well. “Because I like to touch you. You feel like silk.” He let her go. “But if you don’t want me to hold you, then I won’t.”

“Benjamin Larson hates me.”

“Yeah, well, most people think he’s a dick, so don’t exactly lose sleep over that.” The redhead was glaring up at the VIP area. She’d obviously seen him climb the stairs. He leaned closer to the glass as he spied another familiar figure. A rival who just hadn’t been able to beat Jay to the punch on the last big launch. They’d been working on similar tech products for Uncle Sam, but Jay had gotten the job done faster, better, and for half the cost.

“Your heart rate has increased.” Her voice was tense. “Is something wrong?”

“Just saw a few familiar faces in the crowd.” He pulled out his phone and fired off a quick text to West. “Some folks who might not be particularly pleased with me.”

“People who want you dead?”

He shrugged. “People who don’t exactly like me.”

“Do you…lose sleep over that?”

Jay blinked. He put the phone back in his pocket and glanced at Willow. “Business can be hard. I make decisions that impact a lot of people. They’re not easy decisions. When my products work, it usually means someone else’s don’t. And my success can mean another company becomes obsolete. That’s jobs lost. People’s lives changed. So, yeah, I lose some sleep.” He motioned toward the well-stocked bar that waited to the left, taking up the entire wall. “Why don’t you grab a drink? I want to see what West and the others learn downstairs.”

She didn’t head for the bar. “You see…business associates. Those are the familiar people in the crowd below?”