Page 14 of Sweet Venom

She hugs me back with just as much enthusiasm. I love Lana. Before becoming a manager for the women, she was a bartender here at the club. She is currently pursuing her master's degree in human resources, and I actually think she intends to stay on here after she gets it. Contrary to popular belief, most of the women at this club are extremely intelligent, educated women who don't mind using their god-given gifts to get ahead. They are not, in fact, brainless idiots looking for a rich man to solve all their problems. It's technically in the rules that dating is strictly prohibited. The girls could lose their job, while patrons would lose their memberships and be blacklisted.

Covet shares their blacklisted individuals with similar clubs across the US to ensure that problematic members don't go elsewhere and cause the same issues or jeopardize the safety of any other individuals. With what is offered here, there is a fine line between decent and indecent. I know Ellis is strict compared to other clubs, and it's one of the things I admire about him. He sticks to his beliefs and morals even when others don't agree. It's vital in this business to not bend. When you start to make exceptions, lines get blurred, and before you know it, they are crossed.

"Girl, I missed you so much. I'm so sorry I went MIA. I just needed some time away to figure out my shit." Lana knows more than some of my closest girlfriends about some of the struggles I was going through as it relates to my relationship with Ellis. Sometimes talking to someone who doesn't know your backstory is easier. You don't feel like you're letting them down, you don't have anything to prove, and they take your words at face value with no preconceived connotations about how things should or shouldn't be because of your background. It's refreshing.

"I'm just glad your back. I'm sure the girls will be happy to see you too. I'll tell you what, stepping out of your shadow has been a challenging feat. I know I'm not chopped liver, but they adored you."

"Lana, your modesty is one of the things I love about you. You are completely oblivious to how incredible you are."

Taking a step back, I sit on the long, tufted ottoman that runs the center of the room with a heavy conscious. Seeing Levi and Lana has my next moves weighing heavy on my heart. I know I'm about to kick the hornet's nest and it has me questioning the cost of revenge.

"Why the long face, Vivi? I don't think I've ever seen you so glum."

I let my lungs deflate with resolve. I've been planning this moment all week. I've thought through the cost, and ultimately, it's worth it to put assholes like Sebastian in their place. "I have a huge favor to ask, Lana."

She comes over and sits next to me. "Anything, Vivi. I got your back. You know this."

* * *

I've been behind the bar serving drinks for ten minutes, and honestly, I'm surprised I've made it this long without a scene. It's been about as long since all of the girls left. I'm starting to wonder if Sebastian doesn't have one bent over his desk in the office, distracting him from what's happening on the floor. While having relations with the staff is strictly prohibited, I wouldn't put it past him. He's the complete opposite of Ellis. Where Ellis plays by the rules, Sebastian was born to break them.

Before I asked Lana to let all the girls off for the evening, I had them make their final round and top off everyone's glasses. I didn't want there to be a mass exodus. I wanted the shoe to drop slowly, inconspicuously, until it couldn't be ignored. Getting all the girls to cooperate and buy in was no cheap task. I paid everyone's salary for the night, including girls with private rooms lined up, plus a tip to make it worth the risk. My pocketbook is hurting right now. I basically put every last dollar I had into Blush, and what I spent tonight was needed to get me through until I could start turning profits, but I'm not concerned. I'll figure it out.

I'm just pouring a whiskey double and making small talk with Mr. Mercer, one of the regulars who frequented the club back when I was here, when a hand squeezes my shoulder hard. I press my lips together firmly to keep from groaning out my discomfort, and then I feel his hot breath on my neck before he says, "What the fuck do you think you're doing here?"

It takes me great effort not to snap back and match the ire in his tone, but I hold my tongue while I internally smile from ear to ear. My mere presence has affected him so much that he hasn't yet caught onto the bigger picture of what's going on here. Sliding Mr. Mercer's glass across the marble bar top, I school my expression and pour sweet honey into my tone when I say, "Well, someone has to serve the drinks."

His eyes hold mine for a beat before my words click, and he quickly scans the floor. I watch as rage slowly starts to take over his stupidly handsome face. That's right, fucker! Payback. Payback is a bitch.

"What did you do?"

He grabs my arm hard, his nails biting into my skin as he pulls me to the back of the bar. "You're going to pay for this, vipera."

Before I even have a chance to question what he's doing, he pulls the fire alarm under the bar top and ushers me back toward the hallway where the office is located at the far end. While my fun was short-lived, watching his face as I evened the score was worth every second. I won't be bullied into submission. With that last thought, I pull my arm out of his grip.

"I'm not an object, Sebastian. You can't force me to come with you against my will."

"The fuck I can't."

He grabs me by the back of the neck and pushes me forward, and that's when I fight back. I stop dead in my tracks and stab my stiletto into his foot, hard. His grip on me momentarily loosens, allowing me the opportunity to escape. I'm not scared of Sebastian, but fuck if I'm letting him lock me up again. My heartbeat inherently skyrockets as I run down the hallway, my body buzzing from the thrill of the chase. I knew he'd be mad, but this—this is next-level.

Just as I pull the door to the stairs open, he slams it shut, crushing me against the knob which is jutting into my stomach. Then, pulling my hair away from my face as my hands are pinned, he snarls, "You created the fire. You don't get to run away because you got burned."

"Fuck off, Sebastian, and let me go. You had it coming."

"Sorry, vipera, that's no longer an option. You see, I let you go this morning, and look what you did."

His weight shifts as he moves to pull my wrists from my front to my back. I don't make it easy, using all my strength to firmly pin them at my front. I refuse to give him an advantage. "Stop fighting me. I can take you by your hands or pull you by your hair, kicking and screaming. You choose."

I relent momentarily, letting him believe I'm agreeing to his terms, only to elbow him in the ribs and throw my head back into his jaw.

"You fucking bitch."

This time, I take off running the opposite way, determined to make it to Ellis's office. His office is a fortress. With the push of a button, no one is coming through that door unless I let them in. I'm only hoping my fingerprint is still saved in the door's biometrics. Since he didn't take me off the penthouse, I'm fairly confident he didn't remove me here. I don't even allow myself to glance in Sebastian's direction for fear that losing a second could cost me opening that door.

My thumb hits the scanner, and immediately the door opens. Thank god. I quickly squeeze in, not wanting to swing it open more than needed and risk him catching it and slamming it behind me. As soon as I'm in, I fly across the room to the button I know is located right under Ellis's desk to seal the room from the inside. Dropping to my knees, my fingers shakily find the switch, and just as they run over its cool smoothness, I press it, and the lights flicker off. Shit.

I can still hear the distant sound of the fire alarms blaring in the hallway, and because I've never actually pushed the button, I'm left to wonder if the lights shutting off is part of the process. Regardless, being plunged into complete darkness is creepy as hell.

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