Page 67 of The Good Girl Effect

He doesn’t speak, letting his fingers trail softly over my skin. My shoulders don’t ache anymore, but my heart does.

“You’re right,” he mumbles quietly.

“I’m sorry,” I say, spinning toward him. “I shouldn’t have said anything. I’ll go back to being quiet.”

The corner of his mouth lifts. “No, I like to hear your voice.”

“You do?”

We’re lost in each other’s eyes when someone starts shouting across the room, and a fight breaks out. The room instantly erupts into chaos, and Jack quickly pulls me into his arms.

Rule #22: Even Doms have to learn to take orders.

Jack

“Stay here,” I order Camille as I shove her behind me.

A fight has broken out somewhere in the club, creating pure chaos on the floor. If people aren’t runningfromthe fight, they’re runningtoit, phones drawn and ready to record.

What a fucking mess.

I push through the crowd to eventually find two men brawling on the floor. Everyone around them is cheering or recording as if this is some sort of sick sport.

Glancing up over the two men, I make eye contact with Julian. My teeth are clenched and my nostrils flared as I glare at him, his expression mimicking mine.

“Break it up!” I shout, reaching down to drag the man on top off the other.

“Everyone back up!” Julian bellows. He starts pushing people away from the circle as I hold the men apart.

Finally, security shows up to handle the crowd. Once the two men are detained, I march over to the bar and slam my fist against it. “Shut it down.”

Weston puts up his hands in surrender. “I wasn’t planning on serving anymore.”

“What are you doing?” Julian argues. “We can’t shut it down. It’s only eleven!”

Spinning on him, I jab a finger against his chest. “I told you we were over capacity. I told you we had to limit alcohol and prohibit phones, but you wouldn’t fucking listen.”

“You know everything, Jack. Sorry, I forgot!” He replies in a huff.

Ignoring Julian’s immature argument, I turn back toward Weston and reiterate, “Shut it down.”

“Yes, boss,” he replies, which irks me, but I don’t have time to deal with that. I need to get this place cleared out before something really bad happens.

“Help me get everyone out of here,” I say to Julian. “We have a liability on our hands.”

“I’m not shutting it down just because one little fight broke out,” he replies with his arms over his chest.

“One little fight?” I can’t believe what I’m hearing. “Julian, we almost had a riot.”

“You’re being overdramatic.”

“And you’re being a child,” I snap, regretting it as soon as it leaves my mouth.

I just wish I understood why Julian is the way he is. Arrogant, inconsiderate, selfish.

I don’t fault his father for this. I think it’s just the world in which he was raised. His parents are good people. His mother is a fucking saint. But without meaning to, they raised one hell of a spoiled brat.

Turning away from the bar, I work to usher the guests out of the club. After making my way over to the DJ booth, I motion with my hand across my throat, telling him to cut the music. Amoment later, the room is bathed in silence, the only sound the collectiveboosfrom the crowd.