Barely Breathing(36)

“Fuuuuck.” He tried to pull back as he started coming, but I took him all the way to the back of my throat, tasting his release.

It stretched on until his muscles slackened and he released my hair. I eased my mouth away slowly and climbed onto the couch beside him.

“You just get more and more amazing,” he said, pulling me against him.

I kissed his chest, contented by the warm strength of his body.

“Don’t get too comfortable,” he said in my ear. “We’ve got stuff to do.”

“We do?” I looked up at him, surprised.

“Yep. And all of it’s happening in my bed. We’re gonna make the guys in the gym next to us so f*cking jealous of me.”

Nothing sounded better than spending the next few hours in bed with him. Kane picked me up, carried me to the bed and tossed me onto it. Delicious anticipation coursed through me. Whatever he had in mind, it would be good.



Kane

I had time sheets spread out across my desk when Jeff knocked on my door and walked in.

“What’s up?” I asked, glancing at him.

He sat down in a club chair in front of my desk. “Just haven’t talked to you in a while.”

“The suites have been booked solid for a couple weeks now and I’m down two servers.” I looked down at the time sheets, where I was working on covering the server who’d quit without notice a couple days ago. “And I haven’t been working as many hours.”

Jeff smiled and pulled two cigars from an inner pocket of his suit jacket, passing one to me. “Yeah, about that . . . must be going good with you and Viv.”

I held the cigar a few inches from a nose and inhaled its woodsy hazelnut scent. Nodding my approval at Jeff, I took my cigar cutter from a desk drawer and cut a wedge from the end of my cigar. Then I passed the cutter to him.

“It is going good with Viv,” I said. “And I’m keeping tabs on what’s happening here when I’m gone. Rosie’s my second set of eyes on the floor.”

“I’ve been telling you since we bought into this place that you were working yourself into the ground. I’m glad you’re working less. And it’s nice to see you with a girlfriend for once.”

I grunted and ran my cigar near the edge of my cigar lighter. “I guess that’s what you’d call her. Does that make me her boyfriend?”

Jeff smiled. “Yep. You guys are like two high school kids in love.”

I glared at him. “You just keep your goddamn eyes off her, you got it? She’s not like Jen Winslow.”

“Ah, Jen Winslow.” Jeff grinned. “She was hot as f*ck. And having both of us at once was her fantasy. How could I deny her that?”

“You ever walk in on me and Viv with your dick out and I’ll break your pretty f*cking nose. I’m serious. She’s mine.”

Jeff raised his hands in mock surrender. “Got it. Nothing like having an attorney on standby, right?”

“I don’t need an attorney these days. Neither should you. You’re good, right?”

“Hell yes. You know I’m straight now.”

I nodded and watched my cigar end take on an orange glow. I’d met Jeff in prison, and we’d vowed to go straight and start a business together after we got out. I was released before him, and I’d used that time to work and save some money for us. He was like a brother to me, and even though he’d never shared my bad habit, he supported me in my recovery. I’d been forced to be clean in prison, but after my release I’d had to make a conscious decision every day not to use.

“I’ve got good news,” Jeff said, taking the lighter I handed to him. “Grissom and Katz are ready to sell their shares in the club to us.”

“No shit?”

“No shit. When we buy them out, you’ll be one third owner and I’ll be one third. Together we’ll control a majority.”

“And hopefully we can buy out the last two shares soon.”

“I think we’ll be able to, but it’ll cost us. The club’s making a shitload of money. Grissom and Katz were happy to take their buy ins and a nice profit and get out, but the other two are gonna be tougher.”

I shrugged. “Even if we never buy out the rest, a one-third stake means I’m doubling my take.”

“Right.” Jeff took a puff on his cigar. “Damn, that’s nice.” He gave me a questioning look. “You’ve got the money, right?”

“Hell yeah, I’ve got it.”

“Good.”

We smoked in silence for a couple minutes before Jeff spoke again.

“Grayson Marceau got the shit kicked out of him last night. Apparently we’re not the only ones he owes money.”

His words hit like a punch to my gut. “Who does he owe? Is he okay?”

“Jackson.”

I cringed inwardly. Jackson Prince was not a guy to f*ck with.

“Heard he got some teeth knocked out and bled like hell, but got up and walked after somehow,” Jeff said.

“Stupid *.”

“Yeah. I don’t know what his drug of choice is, but maybe it’s meth. That shit makes people invincible.”

I cringed again. “Ah, f*ck. He’ll end up with sores all over his face and the rest of his teeth will fall out.”