Page 19 of Passion and Deception

Maggie gave him a resigned nod, executing a strategic about-face, then casually walked down the hallway towards the kitchen. Her inner victory dance was because she’d successfully resisted the tempting urge to give the guy another kick. A woman needed to celebrate her triumphs!

Chapter 14

Hendrix looked up at Levi who nodded. Focusing on the guy, Hendrix frowned into the man’s bland features. “Here’s the deal, Mr. Mathis,” he began, not allowing any inflection in his tone. “As I said a moment ago, you are now banned from the club and your membership has officially been revoked.”

“Why?” the man whined, cupping his still-throbbing testicles. “Because I made a pass at some bitch?”

Hendrix hesitated for a moment, then shook his head. “You didn’t just make a pass at her. You restrained her from doing her job, cornered her in a private hallway, sexually harassed Maggie and made offensive suggestions to her.”

Mathis’ chubby lips opened and closed, as if trying to find an adequate explanation for his actions. In the end, he went with a lie. “I did not! She’d been coming on to me all night! And besides, she made the offer, not me! I’m the innocent one here. I was minding my own business and just…got lost in this hallway!”

Hendrix sighed, annoyed that the imbecile would continue to lie through his teeth. “Sir, please look up at the ceiling.”

Barney lifted his gaze up towards the ceiling in the direction in which Hendrix was indicating. “Is that…?”

“Exactly,” Hendrix replied. “There is a camera there and,” he pointed behind him, “there, as well as cameras at the entryway to this hallway. We watched as you purposely followed Maggie into the hallway. You didn’t make a wrong turn and you certainly aren’t lost. Plus, we also have video evidence of Maggie trying to get away from you. Several times.”

There was a long silence, then Barney huffed. “Whatever. I was just looking for a bit of company tonight. No harm, no foul. She didn’t need to attack me like that!”

Hendrix clung to his patience. “Sir, you have violated the terms of your membership. If Maggie wants to press charges against you, then we will provide the video evidence for that trial.”

“Charges?” Barney exclaimed, his chubby lips opening and closing, almost trembling with shock. “What charges?”

“Unlawful detainment, for starters,” Hendrix continued. “Solicitation as well.”

“That’s…!”

Levi motioned for Hendrix’s guards to come forward. They surrounded Barney and grabbed his arms, hauling him to his feet.

Hendrix stood as well, looming over the wretched man. “And if you don’t leave the club immediately, we will have you arrested for trespassing.”

“This is bullshit!” Barney bellowed, fighting in a futile attempt to jerk free. “You can’t kick me out of the club! I’ve paid my dues!”

Hendrix led the way down the hallway towards the back exit. “You signed the club membership agreement, Mr. Mathis,” Hendrix explained. “And one of the terms that you agreed to is that you will not harass the staff in any way. Another is that you won’t enter any of the employee only areas of the clubhouse. A third is that you won’t insult, offend, or touch any of the staff members for any reason.”

“That’s….!” he sputtered, looking around as if needing to find someone to help him.

“You’ve violated three of the terms of your membership agreement.”

They literally lifted him off his feet when he started to pull back. “You’re not seriously going to kick me out of the club just because I made a pass at a pretty girl!” he snarled. “She’s just a waitress! She’s nothing!”

Levi snarled as he came around to the front of him. “First of all, she’s not a girl. She is a woman! Do not try and infantilize someone just so that you can feel bigger, you pathetic loser!” He calmed down, then reached out to adjust Barney’s tie. “Secondly, she is a valuable member of our club’s staff. And you abused the privilege of being a member by insulting an employee.” He leaned closer. “Don’t even turn into the driveway of this club ever again. Because, if you do,” he lowered his voice, “I will have you arrested in the most public, and humiliating, manner possible. Do we understand each other?” he asked, his voice a silky whisper now.

Barney swallowed noisily. “Yes.”

Levi nodded sharply. “Good.” Then he turned and walked back into the club.

Hendrix led the way to the man’s car and waited as he got into the vehicle. As Barney reached to close the door, Hendrix leaned in and gave the man a final warning. “Just so you know, we don’t just have security cameras here at the clubhouse and all around the property, we also have security at each of our employees’ residences. Those security cameras are monitored twenty-four hours a day.” He let that information sink in. “If anything happens to Maggie, even if you aren’t at fault, then I will come after you with everything I’ve got. Do you understand me, Mr. Mathis?”

Barney nodded weakly, terrified of that last threat. He wasn’t sure what “everything I’ve got” might mean, but Hendrix was a very large and muscular man. Rumors around the club were that the man was ex-special forces, which meant that he knew how to kill a person with a paperclip and hide the body so no one would ever find it.

“Good.” Hendrix straightened and tapped the roof of the car twice. “Have a nice rest of your evening, sir.” Then Hendrix calmly closed the car door and walked away.

Chapter 15

Ramit stepped onto the plane that would take him home but paused at the entrance. He’d thought yesterday morning that Maggie would accompany him home this time. Instead, he was leaving the cheating woman behind. He’d seen the little tête-à-tête in the back hallway of the club last night. His fury was still boiling at Maggie’s betrayal.

“Your Highness?” the flight attendant prompted.

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