Page 12 of Sin

“I’d cut my left nut off if she wasn’t a virgin.”

“We’ll need to test her.”

“She’s coming to work tonight.”

“Good. Better to be safe than for us to be disappointed later. I’ll be there.”

He disconnected the call and grinned. Oh, yeah. Hunter won’t know what hit him.

Chapter Six

Adira took a deep breath and straightened her black dress. It wasn’t high fashion, but it should work. Hopefully. A few minutes before five, she slipped inside the club and moved into the shadows. The lights were dimmed, allowing the flickering LED candles to barely break through the shadows. Music pumped through speakers. The stage had two arms extended, with a pole on each side. A stripper was on each one, both wearing G-string panties and nipple tassels, doing all sorts of acrobats on the poles.

She wasn’t a prude. In fact, she practiced self-gratification whenever she had the urge and even watched a porno once. She always wondered why women were maligned because they chose to have sex while the men who watched or paid for it had no such stigma. The tables on the floor were packed, as were the chairs lining the stages. Dollar bills were held up, hoping to tempt the dancers to move closer. Everything she imagined a seedy strip joint to be was exactly what she saw.

The bar ran along the right of the club, and two bartenders were kept hopping with customers as well as the orders from servers. Off to the left-hand side she noticed the VIP section. A small divider placed between each alcove offered a semblance of privacy with a comfy lounger. A server walked between them, placing drink orders on a tablet. A few of the men had a private dancer, and watched the women, with their dicks in hand. Her attention was snagged by the penises she saw. She’d never seen one in real life.

Maybe the old version of her would’ve been uncomfortable with the blatant show of sexuality surrounding her, but that was before she decided to leave her pious life behind. Before her eyes had been opened by hypocrisy.

She spotted Ares near the bar. His dark hair was short on the sides and taller up top. Tattoos lined both sides of his neck. Small plugs were in both earlobes. He was unlike any man she’d ever met. Captivating. Sexy. Hot. So different from her ex-fiancé. Abel had the All-American, boy-next-door looks she thought she liked. Yet, one look at Ares had changed her beliefs.

He talked with one of the bartenders, so she made her way toward him. He had wanted her to see if she could tolerate and accept this place, and as she drew closer, she made her decision. The bartender glanced over, giving a nod toward her with his chin as he murmured something to Ares. He spun, grinning when he saw her.

“You made it,” he said.

“Yes.”

Stepping closer to her, he folded his arms across his chest. “You haven’t run yet.”

“I’m not going to run,” she said, a bit breathless from his nearness. That’s what this man did to her. Robbed her of breath.

“Good,” he murmured. “So, what do you think?”

“I think this place is pretty amazing.”

One of his eyebrows shot up. “Not the response I expected, but am glad to hear. I take it you want the job?”

“I do,” she said.

“Perfect.” He held out his hand, and she glanced at it before placing hers in his. He threaded their fingers together. “Come, there’s someone I want you to meet.”

He pulled her along, toward the VIP section, up the stairs to the last partitioned alcove. The music wasn’t quite as loud up here, much to her surprise. A man sat there, sprawled across the love seat with his legs splayed. He had his arms resting on the back, loosely holding a bottle of beer in one while he watched the dancers below. His sandy-blonde hair hung to his shoulders. A trimmed mustache and beard lined his strong jaw. Tattoos seemed to be on every available surface. Arms, hands, neck. He even had something tribal around his temple, disappearing into his hairline. She bet the rest of his body was covered. The movement of their arrival had his head snapping around. In the dim light, their gazes met. Everything came to a screeching halt as she found herself falling into the dark depths of his eyes.

“Hunter, I’d like you to meet Adira.”

Hunter looked her up and down, and heat burned in every place his gaze touched upon. She flushed, a little confused. A little turned on. She thought only Ares had the ability to make her tremble, but the hungry look burning in Hunter’s eyes proved otherwise.

“This gruff man, sweetheart, is my partner in crime, Hunter Rion.”

Hunter stood and held out his hand for hers. She looked at Ares, not sure what to do, and he placed the hand he held in Hunter’s. Gently, he tugged her to his side, tilting his head as he studied her. The moment stretched endless as he stared into her eyes.

“No need to be scared,” he murmured, brushing some hair behind her ear.

“I-I’m not.”

He chuckled. “Little liar.”

She shook her head. “I’m not lying. I’m not scared. I’m … confused.”

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