Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend (20 page)

Scarlet

Tonight couldn’t have been any worse. The beginning wasn’t bad but as soon as Sebastian told me I was going to give a private dance, I felt my skin begin that ‘oh shit something just isn’t right’ tingling.

As soon as the door was shut, the asshole locked it and I couldn’t get to the red button by the light switch to call for help. Then said asshole started pushing me into a corner. He was stronger than I was and he gripped my wrists in one of his meaty hands and he started ripping the material to the top. It was supposed to be just a simple dance. That’s what Sebastian told me. Just dance for the guy. No stripping was necessary.

Then Dax shoved his way inside. My rescuer. Saved me just as the guy started talking to me with lewd and nasty words.

This wasn’t how I wanted Dax to find out about me working here. I knew how he’d react. And he didn’t disappoint. Although I didn’t think he would storm away in a cloud of anger and betrayal.

Danny split the money the guy paid. Since he was now banned from the lounge and the fact that he tried assaulting me, she went ahead and gave me three grand and told me if I wanted to stay to go finish the night waiting tables.

After what just happened, I was happy for the reprieve. It seemed though by the end of the night, my pariah status was back because the girls didn’t invite to go out this time and made like little Speedy Gonzales’ and hurried out of there.

I got up from my vanity and was throwing my bag over my shoulder when I saw an old dusty jukebox. I haven’t seen one of these since Nana took me to Pizza Hut as a kid.

I went up to it and looked over the selection. A lot of 80’s music. A lot of Madonna, Cyndi Lauper and Whitney Houston.

I loved this music. It was awesome dancing music. I opened my phone and bought one of Whitney’s songs, ‘
I Wanna Dance With Somebody
’. I plugged in my earbuds and turned the volume all the way up.

My body gave way and I started dancing. I made up my own routine and started singing along with Whitney. I danced around the dressing room. Shimmying, twirling around the room like it was my own private dance floor. It was half way through the second repeat when I felt eyes on me. I looked towards the door and Dax’s tall figure was reclining against the door jamb.

His stare was intense and full of lusty desire. So I danced and sang my way to him. The ever so straight lips of his curved. I loved this smile. His ‘smolder’ he called it. I hope he wasn’t too angry with me not telling him. I went up to him and hauled him inside. I sat him in my chair and started singing again. I danced around him. Touching him softly in places. His hands were clutched tight in fists, ready to either tear me apart or tear off my clothes. I didn’t know which at this point.

When the song came to an end I was in front of him and I turned off my phone and set it on top of my bag.

“I’m really sorry I didn’t tell you. I just didn’t want you to look at me like I was-

“Like what?”

His voice to deep and rough with emotion. Penetrating into my soul. He didn’t sound mad anymore.

“Like I was…not worthy.”

“Why would I ever think that of you? I love you.”

I could feel the tears well up in my eyes. I know he did. My head was down cast and I could feel my heart racing.

“Scarlet?”

“I love you, Declan. I have for a while. I just didn’t say it because-

“Pixie. You don’t have to give me a reason. Do you mean it?”

I didn’t hesitate.

“Yes. I love you. So much.”

His hands went around my waist and he hauled me into his lap.

“Then that’s all I need to know.”

Then I kissed him. So deep I felt it vibrate through my whole body. He was
the one
.

I cupped his neck and pushed closer. After breaking apart, he looked angry.

“What’s wrong?”

“You lied to me.”

“No, I didn’t. I just omitted some things.”

He grunted and set me on my feet. I didn’t know what to expect with his sudden mood change. Then it became clear as he began standing he hauled me over his shoulder.

“Dax! I’m really sorry.”

He smacked my behind hard and told me to be quiet. I knew he didn’t mean it though because he rubbed the spot he smacked. Which sent thrills over my body and slammed home into my core. I loved how he manhandled me sometimes. It was so damn sexy. Then he walked out of the dressing room where his mother and Sebastian were walking passed us.

“Mother, this is Scarlet. She’s my girl. Since you already met her, I won’t bother letting you shake her hand. She has more important things to do anyway.”

“DAX!”

He turned and stalked off towards the back entrance. I waved awkwardly at Danny and Sebastian. He had a smirk on his face and Danny just shook her head.

He took me back to his place and we didn’t make it passed the kitchen door when he pressed me against it and kissed me passionately. He was stripping me of my clothes and I was trying to get his undone and off of him.

Once we were both naked, he lifted me off the floor and wrapped my legs around his waist and pushed his way inside me.

His mouth latched onto my nipple, biting, sucking and lapping at it like a man starved. He teased it into a sharp point. My hands found his hair and I couldn’t help but tug every time his teeth pulled on my nipples.

“Declan. Ooh, I love it when you suck on my nipples. That feels so amazing.”

I held onto him tightly and his thrusts began to quicken, and my core felt tight, ready for release.

His mouth kissed a trail up my collarbone and he leaned into me, resting his head next to mine. He pounded his girth deep inside until I felt myself squeezing him as I came. I called out his name and he grunted and groaned out his own release.

It was a few minutes before both of our panting got back under control. He took me up the stairs, not saying a word. It was like we didn’t need words. I knew we would have to talk about me working at the lounge.

I guess that would wait because we took a shower instead. He took his time washing my body. I watched him as he cleaned every inch of me. It was like his entire focus was centered on my skin. It was sexy, but I knew he wasn’t trying to seduce me. It was simply taking care of me.

He let me wash him and I spent my time looking and roaming over all his curves and muscles. His penis was erect again, but he told me not to worry about it. It was just reacting to my touch. Which I loved. He always told me when I made him hard and it was funny and sexy and I loved his unfiltered, sexy as sin mouth.

“Scarlet?”

I stood up and let him pass me to rinse off.

“Yeah?”

“Why didn’t you tell me you were working at Saints?”

“Why didn’t you tell me you worked there?”

“I book many businesses.”

He could be maddening though.

“Like I said before-

“Scarlet, I don’t want you working there.”

“Why not? I don’t see anything wrong with working there.”

He scoffed and laughed sarcastically. I hated when people did that.

“Babe, did tonight not show you how wrong working at Saints was? I mean, that fucker was about to rape you. I was going to kill that guy for even laying a finger on you.”

“Dax. I love dancing. I want to work there. I don’t really want to do those random solo dances-

“You’ll never do those. I’ll tell Danny-

“Why don’t you call her mother?”

“Ha. Babe, she’s never been ‘mother’ to me. Yes, she’s a good mom, but she always insisted on being called Danny. She worked with my father at the lounge, when it was nothing but a strip club. She made sure she wasn’t called anything but that so she’d get respect. She didn’t want to be known as ‘just’ Mike’s wife.”

“So…can I keep working there?”

He turned the water off and got out of the bath tub. He grabbed a towel and dried himself off, wrapped the towel around his waist and took out another towel. Dax wiped down my body before wrapping it around me and helped me out.

We went to his room and I went to his dresser to get a shirt.

“Let’s just get in bed like this, babe.”

I shrugged and did as he said. Ever since we’ve been intimate and stayed in the same bed, I often went to bed nude with him.

When we were tucked in, he leaned up on his elbow to look down at me.

“If you insist. But know this. I will be there every night you work. Without fail. Is that understood?”

I reached a hand to his cheek and I kissed his lips softly.

“Understood completely. I would love to have you watch me.”

“Vixen.”

“For you.”

“Damn right.”

He came over me and kissed me with everything he had. We made love unhurriedly and came together with each other’s names on our lips. I fell asleep quickly and blissfully.

⟡

A few weeks later, I learned Dax was not kidding about being at Saints every time I worked. I could tell he didn’t really like being within the crowd and would wait in the back between sets. Not in the changing room because I could tell the other girls always wanted to try and get a piece of him. He swiftly made it one hundred percent certain that he was with me. Each time he let me go when I got there, he would kiss me like he was staking a claim on me. Which wasn’t necessary because he knew I was his and only his.

Both Sebastian and Danny loved seeing Dax so ‘in love’. Danny told me she loved seeing him so happy and even though it was someone like me (no idea, but I didn’t care) she was happy. Dax must’ve told her how serious we were and where he stood on me working there because she never mentioned the random dances. I sang. I danced. I waited on guests and then Dax took me home.

Tonight though, Dax texted me telling me he was going to be late to the lounge because The Club was having a financial problem. He told me someone was embezzling. Sounded serious and I was glad for the break for once. I didn’t mind or cared if he waited at the lounge for me, and the thought of him being at The Club where women would probably try and get in his pants made my back teeth clench.

I trusted him. After what happened when we first met, he’s proven himself loyal to me and his love for me was steadfast and true.

Sounded like something from another time? Maybe. It was true though. I didn’t have doubts about him and he took his career very seriously. With the money he made, he would have to be very good at it.

I was headed to the back for a break, and I didn’t smoke, but I was in dire need of fresh air. The lounge was packed tonight and I grabbed a bottle of water, and walked to the back door. Some dancers came out here to smoke. When I got outside, one of the girls, Chrissy was going back inside.

She nodded to me and I leaned on the brick wall of the building. I took out my phone to see I had a text from Dax.

Dax: I’m in the office, babe.

It was like he read my mind. Scallywag.

Cool. I’m on break.

Dax: Alright, I’ll be there before closing to get you. ILY

ILY more.

Dax: Doubtful

: P

Dax: Stop rolling your eyes

I really hate that you know when I’m doing it.

Dax: Because I know you. ;) C U soon.

CU!

He did know me. He got me in a way that no one ever did. I was about to head back inside when I heard glass breaking. I looked around to see if anyone was around.

Dax had made me promise to keep mace in my apron at all times and I was glad I actually listened because I was going to turn in a b-rated movie actress and go check out what made that noise.

I slipped my phone in my apron and wrapped my fingers around the can of mace. I heard a female voice whimper and I stilled myself at the edge of the buidling, gathering my courage before I looked around.

Lord, please let it be someone just having sex. Or something…not bad.

I peaked around the corner and saw a hooded figure dragging a body towards a van. The whimpering girl I heard! She looked unconscious now. There was no time to lose, I had to do something!

“HEY! LET HER GO!”

Scarlet

I ran and when I got to the guy, he was surprised to see someone. I whipped out my mace and sprayed his face. There was a voice nearby and I turned and saw there was a man behind the wheel. The man I maced was growling and before he stood back up to attack me I kicked him in the junk. He went down and I raced to the front passenger side window to spray that douche but as I tried reaching inside, but the van revved and I had to move before he ran over my feet.

“AH!” I jumped back and slammed against the building.

“Oh, fuck. Shit. You fucking bitch. You’re gonna get it.”

“Oh, no I’m not.”

With ninja moves I didn’t think I had, I kicked the guy again but in his head this time and he fell completely. Hopefully unconscious so I could get the girl inside and the cops called. I ran to the girl and she was really out of it.

She was barely moving, but I got her on her feet and practically had to carry her weight as I quickly walked us to the back door and inside the lounge. I shut the door and locked it.

“SEBASTIAN! DANNY! HELP! SOMEBODY HELP!”

The girl was heavy and I ended up falling down with her unconscious body weighing over me.

“Diamonds!” The bartender called out and he ran to the end of the hallway and must have got someone’s attention because the hallway began flooding with people.

Someone must’ve called the cops and an ambulance because within ten minutes of me calling for help, LEO’s were moving people aside.

I moved away so they could take care of the girl and I looked to where Danny and Sebastian stood. They didn’t really look surprised. More wary than shocked that something so heinous happened within the lounge.

“What the fuck is going on here?”

Oh, no. Dax was here.

He was shoving people aside and when he finally locked on me, he saw the girl on the floor being put on a stretcher. Once the EMT’s had passed me, Dax was next to me with a freaked out expression on his face.

“What happened?”

“Excuse me, sir. We need to talk to her for a moment. She was the only eye witness to the crime.”

“WHAT?”

Dax was practically foaming at the mouth. He turned back to me and asked, “Is that true? Are you okay? What happened?”

“I’m okay. Maybe we should take this into Danny’s office? Less eyes?”

I moved around the officer and Dax and walked over to Danny.

“You don’t seem really surprised something like this happened, Danny.”

She looked from me, to Dax, then the officer, then shook her head and walked towards her office.

We followed behind her and the officer shut the door when we all got inside.

“Mother. What was Scarlet talking about you didn’t seem surprised?”

“That would be because this is the third incident within the past two months.” The officer volunteered.

Dax fisted his hands, closed his eyes and his breathing heightened. He was trying to gain control over his emotions.

“The MC?”

“Yes.”

Dax looked to me and said, “You’re done. As of right now, you do not work here.”

“Dax.”

He made a cutting motion with his hand and shook his head in fury.

“No. Now is not the time to try and persuade me otherwise. You are not going to work here with this bullshit happening.” Dax turned to his mom. “Were you ever going to fucking tell me Big D is trying to start his shit in this lounge or were you going to wait until someone died? It could have been any of the girl’s working here! For fuck’s sake. It could have been Scarlet!”

“Excuse me, folks.” We all turned to the officer and he continued, “I don’t want to interrupt the family squabbling, but I need to know what happened, miss.”

“No.” We all turned to Dax’s response. “How do we know you’re not on their payroll? She ain’t saying a motherfucking thing to anyone except me and the owner of this establishment.”

I looked at the officer, because Dax was right. We didn’t know who we could trust. I backed away quickly and went over to Dax’s side. He wrapped me in his embrace and I felt a kiss pressed into my temple.

“Good girl.” He whispered and kissed me again.

The officer was young, looked to be maybe about my age. Maybe twenty-five. He didn’t look like a hardened corrupt guy, but what did I know?

“If it’s any consolation to you, I’m not. I’ve been trying to pin the cops that are. I’m an FBI agent. Special Agent Suitor. I am undercover to try and bring the MC and the cops on their payroll down.”

“Aren’t you a little young?” I asked. He looked too young for a federal agent.

“Ma’am, I’m thirty.”

“Let me see your badge.”

Dax held out his hand and the officer/FBI agent handed over a different badge and told us, “If you want to verify it, please, go ahead. I want to take down these bastards.”

“Yeah, well it’s my grandfather you’re trying to take down.”

The officer backed up and reached for his weapon at his side.

“You tell me you can’t trust me but that goes both ways. You’re the grandson of the president of a huge criminal syndicate and you have nothing to do with them?”

“Absolutely not.” Danny chimed in with force and a mother’s protective nature. “He would never be involved.”

“I’ll gladly help you.”

“Good. Now, please verify my identity so we can get on with this.”

It took a few minutes and after Dax confirmed it, he nodded his head to me and I proceeded to tell them what happened when I walked out of the back door.

“The guy is still back there?” Dax started walking towards the door.

“No, Mr. Dixon. There was no one there when we walked the perimeter.”

“That means they came back and grabbed him. It’s the MC. No doubt about it.” Dax turned his head to look at me. “You are definitely not going to work here while this shit is happening. When they figure out a way to catch them, then maybe. But not right now. Do you understand, Scarlet?”

I didn’t like when Dax got all commanding and bossy. Well, not when it was about my life.

“You know if it was any other girl-

“Well, it’s not.”

I looked at Danny for some kind of help.

“You’re fired.”

“What?! You can’t fire me!”

I pushed Dax away and walked passed the detective. I wasn’t going to stick around where I wasn’t going to even have an opinion. I heard Dax call out my name, but I wasn’t having it. Fuck this. He couldn’t tell me what to do. I was my own independent person.

I walked through the lounge to the dressing room. I gathered my stuff and ignored all the looks from the other girls and just walked away. I made it past everyone when Dax hollered my name again. The crowd in the lounge had thinned since the incident. I stopped at the cover table and was about to tell Disc bye when someone grabbed my upper arm.

“Ah!” I whipped around with a left hook when Dax’s hand shot out and stopped the punch from connecting to his jaw.

His hand slipped to my wrist and he pulled me right up against his body. He leaned down and nuzzled into my neck as he whispered, “I just want to protect you and keep you safe. This is the only way I know how without keeping you locked up at the house and not even let you go anywhere. The Sons of Dixon are seriously bad guys, Pixie. Please. Just do this for me. Afterwards, if you wanna work here, then by all means, work here if it makes you happy. Just wait until the cops and that agent get them. It’s time they came down. Please. For me.”

He never asked me to do anything for him. How could I refuse him this? Especially since it wasn’t that much of a hardship.

Sigh.

“Fine. But I’m not going to stop working at Chili’s.”

His head moved in front of mine and his smile was devious and pure sin. I loved his smile.

“That’s fine. I can hang out there while you work.”

I shook my head. There just wasn’t anything to do about that. He would do just as he pleased.

“You’re always there when I work anyways.”

“Glad you see it my way.”

Then his lips met mine.

His tongue licked over my top lip for purchase and I opened willingly. I loved his taste. He always tasted like the peppermint toothpaste he used. He always had a peppermint in his mouth. I couldn't help but hum my appreciation.

"I love the taste of your mouth."

"I know, Pixie. Why don't we go home?"

He walked me to my truck and made sure I left the parking lot before he went to his own. Before I turned out of the lot, I looked in the rear-view mirror and saw him looking over the parking lot. I guess to look for anyone suspicious. Although I think those guys were long gone for now at least.