It was undeniable, as much as I wished I didn’t look at him that way. I wished he didn’t look the way he did.
Big, strong, muscular, with smoldering eyes that seemed to burn a hole through me. Just because he was a hunk didn’t mean I should trust him, right? He said it himself; he’d pulled me down to the floor last night because he had to. Because anyone else in his situation would have done the same. Because I was in the way. Not because he was trying to save my life or did it out of the goodness of his heart.
And now he was staring at me, just a few feet away from me, and I felt like I was choking up again.
He threatened me. Told me he would keep me here for as long as he wanted. I shook my head and tried to hold back the tears.
“I don’t know what more you want from me. I was just trying to help Mary-Beth.”
“I want you to tell me everything you know about the Silver Knights and the way the strip club works. I want you to sit down and think about every encounter you’ve had with Eagle and Crash and the rest of the MC and then tell me about them in detail.”
I opened my mouth to protest but he continued. He wasn’t going to let me get a word in edgeways.
“And you should realize you’re not going anywhere till I let you go. It doesn’t matter how much you scream and cry in here. Nobody is coming to your rescue.”
My nostrils flared. I could feel the hot sting of tears behind my eyelids. I didn’t want to cry, didn’t want him to see how my knees were shaking and how weak I was feeling. I didn’t want him to know how easy it was to break me.
“Sit down!” he growled and pointed to the chair at the table. His voice startled me. I had my hands clasped together. I walked over to the chair and sat down.
Even though he was bossing me around, was it weird that I wanted him to pull me to him and hold me against his wide, strong chest?
“You need to stop protesting and cooperate, and this whole thing will be a lot easier for both of us. Do you get me?” he growled. His voice was deep and ferocious, but also calm and firm. He seemed like the kind of man who was always in control.
“Yes, I get you,” I mumbled.
He straightened up, squared his shoulders, and took in a deep breath.
“You need to tell me how you got here.”
“You brought me here. You and your MC.”
He clenched his jaws. I was being sarcastic and he wasn’t pleased about that. I thought maybe he would snap at me, but he didn’t. He just waited a beat before continuing.
“How did you start working at Teasers?”
“I was recruited. By one of my friends…well, she used to be my friend. She is kinda like a scout for them. She thought I would be perfect for the job.” I made it a point to stare at him as I spoke this time. Held his gaze. I knew he thought I was weak and like a wounded bird, but I needed him to see I could be strong too. That he couldn’t keep scaring me into submission.
Besides, I wanted to hide the other thing I was feeling.
Hot and bothered, because he was the sexiest man I had encountered.
A sexy, dangerous man I should have been keeping my distance from.
“And are you?” he asked, and I realized I wasn’t paying attention.
“Am I what?”
“Perfect at the job?” When he spoke, his eyes narrowed and his gaze dropped down to my breasts. I was still wearing a tight red cocktail dress that I had put on last night at the club. It was uncomfortable and too small, and now it felt like it was beginning to itch too. But the neck of the dress was low and my cleavage spilled out. One thing was for sure—I was dressed like a stripper.
“I make good tips,” I replied. This time, I had to look away. I couldn’t bear the heavy scrutiny.
“So you’re comfortable with the work? It’s the life you always dreamed of?” he continued. His words bit into my skin like pinpricks. He knew nothing about me! How dare he suggest such a thing?
“It’s the life I have been given!”
“So you’ve not always wanted to be a stripper?”
“Of course not! Which girl grows up dreaming to become one?” I snapped.
Now I noticed a kind of pleased expression in his eyes. Did he think this was funny? Clearly, he was enjoying seeing me all worked up like this.
I wanted to get up and leave. It didn’t matter how sexy this man was. He was starting to get on my nerves. Besides, what did any of this have to do with Crash and Eagle?
“Why do you care about my personal life, anyway?” I hissed.
That seemed to catch him by surprise. Ghost ran a hand through his hair and shrugged.
“I don’t. I’m just trying to find any clues I can on the information I need. Your job is to simply answer all my questions. Do you think you can do that?”
* * *
I refused to look at him now. I thought this was an interrogation about Crash and Eagle and the workings of the Silver Knights MC. Now it was beginning to seem like he was on a mission to embarrass and humiliate me.
“So if this isn’t the life you dreamed of, why did you become a stripper?” he asked. I didn’t want to answer so I remained silent. But he was really good at this waiting game. He made it clear that he would wait for as long as he needed to. I had no choice but to give him an answer.
“I needed the money, okay? So when Nancy offered me this job and
