Page 18 of Passion and Deception

Because her head was bowed, her thoughts focused on how to avoid one man in particular, and because only staff members were supposed to be in this hallway, Maggie didn’t see the man lurking around the corner until it was too late. Before she knew what was happening, the man had already grabbed her and pushed her against the wall.

“Hello, beautiful!” Barney Mathis slurred in what he probably thought was a sexy voice. His breathing was heavy, as if he’d just run a marathon, and there was a line of sweat beaded on his upper lip. Ick!

“Mr. Mathis, please back away,” Maggie replied flatly, looking straight into the man’s eyes. He was short enough that their eyes were even with each other’s and she refused to let him bully her.

Mathis was oblivious to the security cameras.

He grinned, shifting his bulk so that she couldn’t get away. He even pressed his groin against her thigh as if needing to demonstrate the strength of his erection.

“Ah, but sweetie, I think we should go find a private place for a bit of fun!” he suggested, then lifted a hand to touch her hair, playing with a strand that had fallen down during the evening.

“Absolutely not,” she replied succinctly and started to duck under the creep’s arm.

Unfortunately, he was faster than she’d expected. And stronger! He blocked her attempt to move away, shifting so that he had her pinned against the wall, trapped by his arms.

“Darling, I’m very wealthy,” he coaxed. Then added a chuckle. “And in a few weeks, I’m going to be even wealthier. So why don’t you be…nice…to me so that I can spoil you a little?”

Maggie lifted her hand, giving the signal to the security team that she needed help. She should probably try to soothe the guy to get more information about his upcoming wealth. Whatever he was planning, she might need to alert the authorities.

A sound at the far end of the hallway alerted her that the club’s security team was nearby. So she felt more confident and tried again to put some space between herself and Mathis.

“Sir, I have a job and I don’t want to be pressured to offer sexual favors.”

“But…Maggie!It’s me!” Mathis slurred.

She rolled her eyes when the jerk shifted closer. She turned her head, eager to see one of Hendrix’s guys coming around the corner.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t Hendrix, or anyone on his security team standing in stunned silence at the other end of the hallway. It was Ramit! And the dark, forbidding look in his eyes warned her that he’d already assumed the worst.

His look of fury and disgust hurt Maggie. She looked away, focusing her attention on Mathis, trying to get away from him. What did she care if Ramit thought the worst of her? She felt the same towards him!

Nor did she care that Ramit thought she was actually entertaining this guy’s disgusting offer. When Ramit turned and walked away, not even bothering to ask her if she needed help, it solidified her hurt and anger.

“Good man,” Mathis said with a chuckle. “Apparently, even sheiks know when to leave things alone.” He shifted again and had no idea that he’d just put his family jewels in danger. “So, how about it? We could get a drink and I could drive you to my place. Or yours,” he offered. “I want you to feel comfortable.”

“Really?” she asked, tilting her head to the side. “You want me to feel comfortable when you refuse to let me walk away?” She lifted her hands, letting them rest on his shoulders. “I feel very threatened by the way you won’t let me leave. Furthermore,” she paused just long enough to slam her knee into his groin, feeling a sense of intense satisfaction when the man’s face turned an interesting shade of purple, “I don’t appreciate you propositioning me,” she finished as the man slowly sank to the floor, cupping the throbbing part of his anatomy with both hands.

A split second later, Hendrix and Jim rushed around the corner, both coming to a halt as they took in the scene before them.

Hendrix squatted down, his large hands dangling between his knees as he eyed the downed man. “Damn, Mr. Mathis, that probably hurt!”

“Fire her!” Barney Mathis squeaked out.

Levi came around the corner. He’d obviously heard, and saw, the whole scene on the security cameras. “Not going to happen, Mathis,” Levi announced. “In fact, your club membership has just been revoked.”

Barney was struggling to breathe through the pain. He stumbled to a semi-sitting position, shifting his back so that he was propped against the wall. Levi turned to Maggie. “I’m so sorry we didn’t get here sooner. Do you need to head on home? Are you okay? Did he hurt you in any way?”

“No,” Maggie replied, smiling tightly up at the club owner. “He just wouldn’t let me pass.”

Levi nodded. “Yeah, we saw it all. I’m glad that you kneed him.”

Maggie’s appreciation for her boss, and for Hendrix’s team, went up several notches. “Thanks for backing me up.”

“Always,” Levi replied.

She pointed towards the other end of the hallway. “I was heading to the kitchen to pick up a food order.”

“Go,” Levi assured her. “We’ve got this covered.”

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