Page 59 of Doxed

LEO

My heart beats wildly in my chest as I watch Reyna saunter through the strip club. My palms grow slick against the armrests that I’m squeezing, my eyes glued to her swaying hips.

She looks a lot better than she did the day we found her on that island with Allie.

Her hair is shiny and hanging down her back in loose waves, her makeup is perfect with a deep red lipstick that makes her plump lips even sexier.

I feel kind of bad checking her out right now, since the last time I saw her she had makeup running down her face from crying and was practically naked and tied to a bed, but the moment I laid my eyes on her then, I was mesmerized.

I've never seen a more beautiful woman, and I felt this intense urge to protect her.

To shield her from whatever she had been through and to never let another man lay their hands on her.

It scared the ever loving fuck out of me.

I'm not possessive. I'm not protective.

I didn't care when Mase and I would pass Jessica back and forth before he met Allie and never touched another girl.

I don't care when girls tell me we have to be discreet because they have a boyfriend and he can’t find out about us.

I didn't feel this way when I sat with Peyton at the hospital after the Kings had beaten her.

Don't get me wrong, I was upset about what happened to her, and I wanted the Kings to get what they were owed, but it was nothing compared to when I saw Reyna tied to that bed, mascara and eyeliner trailing down her cheeks and smudged lipstick, her eyes wide in fright.

The only woman I've ever felt anything similar to this… is Huntley. Or my mom, but that's a given.

Huntley, though… Huntley is a kindred soul.

I see a lot of myself in her and a lot of her in me.

We have a lot in common. Her mom left when she was young, my dad left.

We both grew up in one-parent households where our parents loved us more than we could ever imagine.

They sacrificed and made sure that we never felt the absence of our other parent.

Or at least they tried, but I know Huntley still missed her mom.

Not me though. Fuck the man that left my mom.

My feelings for Huntley have never been romantic, though. Fuck, never that! She’s my platonic soulmate, and I'll protect her if Finn ever can’t.

Now Reyna… There's nothing platonic about the way I feel about her.

“Leo,” Jack clears his throat, and I snap my head to the side to look at him.

His eyes are narrowed as he looks at me out of the side of his eyes.

My eyes slide in front of me. Reyna leans against the stage, her arms rest behind her as her legs extend out toward me.

She cocks her head as she stares at me. Her ice blue eyes are eerie but captivating.

She doesn't smile, just watches me. And I don't know…

something creeps into the back of my head.

Something feels wrong, but I don't know what.

“What?” I ask, looking back at Jack. Lost in my thoughts, I think I stared at Reyna the entire time.

“Reyna wants to audition,” he states plainly. Everything he does lacks any emotion, but that’s just who he is. To the point.

Oh god. It’s hard to breathe when she’s walking in tight jeans and a cropped tank top. Her dancing in pasties and panties will literally be the death of me.

“Why?” I blurt out, because I literally can’t think of anything else to say.

Reyna’s dark brows gather in the center, and her eyes narrow.

“Obviously for a job,” she snaps, and Jack unsuccessfully covers a laugh by turning his head away from us. That's unlike him. Laughing in front of anyone other than me or Mase. Asshole.

“Do you have any experience dancing?” I ask, ignoring Jack as he watches Reyna and me with glee.

“You remember I worked in a brothel, right?” she pauses and sighs, like she’s remembering the horrors of where we found her, which ended up being her former workplace.

She wasn't completely upfront with us when we found her, but she came around and told Saint everything when she asked him to take her in.

Maybe that's why I'm hesitant. She worked for our enemy.

“I did a lot of pole dancing at the club. It was something to set me apart from the other girls,” she says, pulling me from my thoughts once again.

I nod once, not really sure what else to say. I’ve never… thought so much regarding a woman. Either I like her or I don't. Either I go after her or I don't. Either we fuck or we don’t.

Reyna’s just not that simple, and I don’t know what the fuck is going on with my head.

Jack gives me another odd glance out of the corner of his eyes.

“Locker room is through those doors.” He points to the back of the club.

“And the DJ will play whatever song you want.” Reyna pushes away from the stage and strides to the doors, and I let out a heavy breath, my eyes glued to her swaying hips again. “What is going on with you?” Jack asks.

“I have no idea.” I shake my head.

“I don’t know if I trust her,” Jack says quietly.