Page 52 of Dance for Me

“Let’s get cleaned up.” They both headed to the bathroom, cleaned off, and she watched as he climbed into bed, buck ass naked and boy was that a sight she never wanted to forget.

She stood in the doorway to his bathroom, apprehensive. Did he want her to stay with him, or did he want her to go back to her own room? She started to head for the stairs, thinking it was probably the right thing to do, but stopped when she heard his voice.

“What the fuck are you doing babe?”

“I just, I thought maybe you would want me to go back to my own bedroom. I mean, I understand if this was just a one time, casual thing.”

“Get over here,” he held the covers open and she grinned like a little girl. It took everything for her not to skip her way to his bed.

She climbed in next to him while he sat with his back to the headboard. She let out a yelp when he grabbed her and moved her in between his thighs, pressing her back to his chest. His arm came around her body like castle walls and he whispered to her, his breath tickled her ear.

“I don’t want you anywhere else tonight except in my bed.”

She took a deep breath in and then it out, sinking her head into him. “And I don’t want to be anywhere else.” She tightened her grip on his forearms that were around her middle. “Jack?”

“Yeah, babe?” He kissed her neck.

“Why did you reject me that night? The night after the bar when we were in my apartment.” She could feel his body stiffen.

“Look, Vanessa, I want you to get it out of your head that I didn’t want you that night because fuck, babe, I wanted you. I just, I didn’t want you to get involved with me. You deserve the fucking moon and I can’t give you that. You deserve so much better than me. You’re talented and brave,” he kissed her neck again and she closed her eyes. “And I have a past. A past that will always be my present and future, involving you in it is not what I want.”

She turned in his arms just enough to see him. “Jack, I’m a big girl. So, I can make my own decisions, like who I want to be with. You don’t make those for me. And you keep talking about your past like it’s so dark and dangerous, but what is it Jack? I want to know everything because I can promise you, it’s not going to change the way I feel about you.”

“You shouldn’t promise things like that.”

“But it’s true and I will never take it back. No matter what you tell me, it won’t make a difference.”

He let out a deep breath. “My uncle, the one who died, he was a drug lord. The biggest one in New York and he decided to go into business with some pretty big names.” Vanessa stiffened in his arms, but didn’t say anything. “The club was his and he left it to me, that part you already know. But when he died, he still owed a lot of people money… a lot of money. So those men you saw, Hector and his crew, he was only one of them that he owed debt to. So, in order to pay it off, they take a big percentage of the club’s earnings and if something were to happen to my club and I wasn’t able to pay him back… I don’t know what could happen to me, Vanessa, along with everyone that I cared about.” Her stomach was now in knots.

“But it’s doing good, right? I mean the club is successful isn’t it?”

“Thankfully yes, it’s one of the most popular gentleman’s clubs around and even more recently. Thanks to you and your designs.” Her chest felt warm at him saying that.

“Is your uncle’s debt almost paid? What happens when it is paid off?”

“Yes, it’s almost paid off and then and only then will I be somewhat free of my past.”

His past? Vanessa was confused, it wasn’t his, but his uncles. “Jack, it was your uncle’s life, not yours.”

“That’s where you’re wrong. I was my uncle’s second in command.” Her heart sank. “So, you see, it is my past and still my present and my future.” Of course, she had to go and fall in love with someone involved in the drug world, but it didn’t matter to her.

“But why did you choose such a life?”

“I didn’t babe… I didn’t choose this life because it was chosen for me. My father got me involved when I was barely outta high school. It’s fucked up, I know, because I’m thirty-two.” He tightened his hold around her. “But you see why I can’t involve you in my life right now?”

“I’m already involved Jack.”

“Vanessa…”

“Jack, I don’t care about any of that.” She completely turned in his arms to look up at him. “I only care about the person you are now. The kind, gentle, protective man that I know and…” She was going to say love, the man who she knew and loved, but she stopped. “And I want to be with you.”

He wore a blank expression, no smile, nothing but he still held her.

“Let’s just enjoy this right now, be together in this moment,” he begged as he kissed the top of her head. She didn’t know what else to say. So, she didn’t say anything, she just laid her head back and felt his warm embrace while she fell asleep in his arms.

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