Page 13 of Laila Manning (Shadeport Crew #3)

Drugs were a big part of Ryker’s business running Shadeport. And with the business, liars, and stealers were plentiful. Even among our own crew.

“How short?” He scanned the report, noticing the discrepancies.

“About a hundred thousand dollars short.”

“Then you think it’s someone here?” I rubbed a hand over my head, trying to get the headache that crunching numbers always gave me to go away .

“I don’t think so either.” He rocked back and forth in his chair. “But who the fuck knows.”

“I’ll look into it.” I took the burden off his shoulders; it was my job as right-hand man to figure this shit out for him.

“Thanks.” He sighed, going back to his own spreadsheets on his computer screen that I’d interrupted.

I walked away to the mirrored glass overlooking the main stage below, scanning the crowd absently as I played different scenarios out in my head of how a hundred thousand dollars of cocaine could come up missing in the four-day trip from Mexico to our warehouse.

But any logistics I’d been playing out mentally froze mid-thought as my eyes landed on the back of a head in the VIP section below.

I stepped closer, looking almost directly beneath the window to try to get a better view of the brunette in the velvet booth with her back to me.

The heavy curtains were pulled shut, encasing the large U-shaped booth in privacy as two dancers gave a private show, just feet from the main stage.

I couldn’t see her face. But I didn’t need to either.

I knew it was Laila.

But I also knew it wasn’t.

The woman with her back to me had streaks of copper in her dark brown hair, and it was a couple of inches shorter than Laila’s, but still, something inside of me recognized her.

“I’ll be back,” I mumbled to Ryker, leaving the room and his own mumbled response as he essentially ignored me for numbers.

I walked down the hallway to the staff entrance for main floor and exited, keeping tabs on the comings and goings in the room like always, while keeping the closed booth in my peripheral on my way to Theo, stationed at the bar watching the room .

He was the club host, tasked with matching clients and girls through the night. He knew the ins and outs of Lux better than even I.

“Theo.” I called, walking up to him, “Who’s in booth four?”

His eyes flicked to the curtained booth and then back to me, and his neck tightened as he swallowed. “Uh, I’ll have to check.”

“Theo.” I squinted my eyes down at the man, who was as bad a liar as a nun. “Who’s in booth four?”

“Um—,” He hesitated again, flicking his eyes that way once again like he was looking for the right answer.

“Theo. I’m not going to ask again.”

He groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose. “I can’t say.” He rushed on, “Customers deserve privacy.”

I raised my eyebrows at him, and he shrunk into his flashy silver suit as he swallowed audibly.

“You’re fired.” I barked, stepping back from him as I headed toward the booth myself.

“What?” He cried dramatically. “I—” He stammered, “You can’t—” I ignored his theatrics and crossed the room. “Mr. Evans!” He called after me, but I just kept on walking until I got to the curtain.

Taser, a bouncer who had been with the club for almost as long as Ryker owned it, watched me approach the booth with a questioning glance over my shoulder to Theo. “Boss.” He nodded.

“Who’s inside?” I questioned, ignoring formalities.

“Sunshine.” He replied instantly, “She brought a friend and is getting a dance from a couple of girls.” He looked back at Theo again, who was audibly throwing a fit. “Everything alright?”

“Who’s the friend? ”

Taser shrugged his shoulders, “Never seen her before. Pretty little thing. Scared as a kitten with a mile-long tail in a rocking chair store, though.”

Something bloomed in my chest at the description, confirming my original suspicion.

It was Laila.

“Move,” I ordered him, and he instantly stepped aside, pulling the curtain open for me to step through as he went.

The two dancers looked at me in surprise, but when they stepped aside, Carly just smirked and rolled her eyes. “I knew we wouldn’t get away with it for long.” She flicked her hair over her shoulder as she looked at Laila.

When I looked at her cohort, sitting next to her in the large plush booth, everyone else in the room ceased to exist. Laila’s big brown eyes were wide and almost fearful as she gazed up at me.

Her hair was different, she’d been to a salon today, and judging by the swell of her breasts peeking through the deep V of her fresh shirt, Carly had taken her to Mav’s too.

Her long legs were crossed at the ankle as she sat still as stone, silently watching me take in the changes to her appearance. “Ladies, give us a minute,” I said, never taking my eyes off Laila.

The two dancers left the room, wrapping their robes back around their bodies, covering their nudity as if I could care to look at them, but Carly chuckled and leaned back in her seat, “As if, Cue Ball.” she challenged, crossing her arms. “We did nothing wrong.”

“I didn’t say you did.” I turned my attention to her and glared. “But I need a word with Laila.”

“No deal.” Carly held my stare, raising an eyebrow at me. “Jed wouldn’t approve.”

“Carly.” Laila glared at her .

“What?” Carly shrugged. “Laila’s an adult and can come to a strip club if she wants. You don’t get to yell at her for it.”

“I’m not yelling!” I growled and then clenched my teeth at how she made me yell, even if it wasn’t at Laila. “Carly, just fuck off.”

“Carly, please. Just give us a minute.” Laila sighed, rubbing her forehead until Carly finally threw her hands up in the air and stood up.

“Fine.” She said, passing me with a finger raised, “But don’t you dare try to control her.”

I kept my teeth clenched to avoid retorting back at her, and when the heavy velvet curtain closed behind her, I took a deep breath, looking down at Laila.

“Am I in trouble?” she asked meekly.

“Why would you be in trouble?” I questioned, loosening the button at my throat, and taking my jacket off before sitting down on the other side of the rounded booth.

“Because you look like I’m in trouble.” She leaned back and tucked one leg under her, facing me. “You kind of always look like I’m in trouble.”

I smirked, shrugging one shoulder at her honesty. “I’m a serious man.”

“I know.” She looked up at me. “So, you’re not here to yell at me?”

“No, Laila. I’m not here to yell at you for watching two women strip at Ryker’s club.” I raised my eyebrow at her, silently pointing out the absurdity of the whole thing.

“It was Carly’s idea.” She smiled the tiniest bit before biting her lip. “I told her I’d never been to a club before, and she dragged me inside. After she mutilated me at the salon and forced me into these clothes at the boutique down the street.” She joked .

“I don’t think you look mutilated at all.” I nodded at her hair. “The gold suits you.”

She held my stare with wide eyes for a second before dropping my gaze completely and blushing as she tucked a bit of hair behind her ear. “Why are you here?”

“I work here,” I answered plainly.

She rolled her eyes and looked back up at me. “Here in this booth. After kicking Carly out.”

“Because,” I paused, trying to decide which route I wanted to take this conversation. “I wanted to see you.”

Her chest rose, daring my eyes to fall to the perfect swell of her small breasts, and I gave in. I watched a flush of blush cover her perfect breasts before crawling up to her neck and her face, dragging my eyes with it.

“Zeke.” She whispered before swallowing. “I don’t know how to do this.”

“I know,” I replied, rubbing my hand over my face, feeling slightly ashamed of making her uncomfortable. The unspoken attraction between us was known, but she wouldn’t act on it.

Which meant that I couldn’t either. She wasn’t ready, and I didn’t know if she ever would be after everything she had survived.

“I’m sorry.” I cleared my throat and stood up, “I just wanted to check in on you.”

“Zeke, wait.” She grabbed my hand and looked up at me before slowly standing in front of me. “Why are you interested in me?” She nearly whispered. “I don’t understand what’s happening between us.”

My chest ached with the desire to take away her insecurities and poor self-esteem .

“Can I touch you?” I asked, hating how that simple question made fear bloom in her pretty brown eyes. “I won’t hurt you, Laila.” Shaking my head, “Ever.”

She swallowed, taking a deep breath as her eyelids fluttered closed, she nodded her head.

Her eyes being closed was a tactic to protect herself from whatever was about to happen, and I imagined years of her closing her eyes to block out what was done to her.

While that enraged me, I would never show her I could help her heal from it without physically touching her.

So, if she needed to close her eyes for right now, I was going to let her.

I slid my fingers through hers, anchoring her to me with just our hands as I looked her over.

“You are hands down the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen before,” I said, and her lips quivered as she took a shaky breath, with her eyes still closed.

“I know you don’t feel like it, and you don’t believe my words, but hopefully someday I’ll change your mind.

” I ran my thumb over the pulse point on her wrist and felt the erratic beat under her skin.

“There’s a part of me that wants to protect you from every bit of darkness in this world.

That part wants to wrap you up in the most comfortable blanket and keep you safe, tucked away from everything else, and worship you like a divine goddess that I don’t even deserve to be in the presence of.

” She licked her lips and leaned into my touch but didn’t press her body against mine like I wanted her to.

“I feel like there’s a but coming.” She whispered as the noise of the club picked up on the other side of the curtain.

“There is.” I leaned forward so she could hear me and feel my breath on her face.

“Because the other part of me wants to use my body to make yours scream in ecstasy.” She gasped and fell forward, gripping the front of my shirt with her icy fingers as her chest pressed against my stomach.

“That part of me wants to spread your sexy body out in my bed and feast on you, giving you nothing but pleasure for days straight until you don’t remember any other man’s touch before mine, ever again.

That part of me wants to hear you beg me to claim you.

That part of me wants to make you so addicted to me that you never want to leave.

” I turned my face to speak directly into her ear, making her shiver as goosebumps broke out over her arms. “That part of me needs you to want me as badly as I want you.”

“Zeke.” She moaned.

Moaned.

My Laila moaned my name, and I growled in response, unable to stop it before it escaped, and she shivered again.

“Do it again,” I demanded, closing my own eyes to the darkness trying to overtake me. “Moan my name again, Laila.”

She took a deep breath and gave me what I needed. “Zeke.” She moaned, tightening her hand on my shirt. “I don’t know how to do this.”

“I know.” Savoring her scent, I sighed deeply as I breathed in at her neck, appreciating her delightful fragrance.

“I know you don’t. But I didn’t want you to doubt how badly I wanted you anymore.

Because I’m nearly cross-eyed with need for you.

” I leaned back, sliding my hand over hers, gripping my shirt, relaxing her hold as I massaged her fingers.

“I’m leaving the ball in your court. You’re in charge here. If you want me, come to me.”

“I don’t know how—,” She whined, opening her eyes finally and staring up at me. “I don’t know.”

“I know, baby.” Slowly, I raised my hand to cup her cheek.

“I’m not asking you to be in control if you don’t want to be.

” She swallowed as I continued, “But I need it to be your decision to begin with. I need to know you want it.” Her pupils dilated when I made it clear that I was talking about sex and pleasure. “I need to know you want me. ”

I backed up a foot away from her, leaving her swaying on her feet for a second before she got her bearings.

“Come to me when you’re ready, Laila,” I repeated, taking another step backward after picking up my suit jacket. “You know where to find me.”

As I backed out of the VIP booth, hard and aching, I smiled to myself for the first time in days.

She would come to me.

I knew she would.

I just hoped she wouldn’t make me wait forever, though I would.

For her, I would.