Page 18 of Incoming Layne Shift

Immediately, his upper body stiffened in the driver’s seat. His hand jerked the steering wheel and cut off several other drivers before pulling off to a side street where he double parked the Challenger. “You’ve lost your damn mind. Not happening.” His chocolate eyes looked over at her full of unyielding assertiveness.

The sudden maneuvering of the vehicle and near collisions nearly caused her a heart attack and shook all her efforts to keep her voice calm. “Christ!” She glanced around at where they were parked on the street before staring back at him. “You really think that you can hold your shit together if Gage is there tonight? Honestly?”

He reached over, his hand curled around the back of her neck to make sure he had her full attention. Joey wanted her to hear his words loud and clear. “Gage isn’t my concern. You are, and you aren’t going there without me. Do you understand?”

The warmth and the strength of his hand on the back of her neck had tingling sensations coursing down her spine and spreading down each of her limbs. His words carried the weight of a man who was hellbent on getting his way.

“Don’t make me ask twice,” he added.

She nodded at him. He accepted her acknowledgment by leaning over and briefly locking his lips onto hers to ease away the sternness he had thrust upon her moments ago.

“Good,” was all he said afterward before he sat back in his seat.

Great, it looked like they were both going to Cassidy’s Cave tonight. She just hoped that Gage wouldn’t hinder their efforts and Joey could keep his personal shit with his brother on lockdown.

CHAPTER TEN

As it turned out, Thursday evenings weren’t very popular at the strip club tucked away into the outer edge of the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood. It was just shy of one o’clock in the morning and a bouncer wasn’t even posted outside the blacked-out glass door.

The neon letters above the entrance were a symbolic mixture of what you’d find inside with ‘Cassidy’s’ in a swirly pink feminine font and ‘Cave’ in more masculine blocky blue letters. The color combination was reminiscent of a tuft of cotton candy you would purchase at a fair. Though, the treats inside this establishment were much more carnal.

Layne held the door open long enough for Joey to follow in closely behind her. The second they stepped foot inside, the heavy scent of various floral perfumes and freely flowing booze was overwhelming. Music played in the background, something sensually upbeat with a husky-sounding female singer that Layne didn’t recognize.

Dancing half-assed to the tune was one platinum blonde on a circular stage before a sole male patron seated at a table in front of her. Given several empty cocktail glasses at his table, a gold wedding band laid next to them, and the sullen look on his face, the poor guy looked like he had been having a day.

At the bar was a scantily clad bartender, wearing nothing more than a black bra filled with a pair of obviously fake tits, and a pair of hot shorts that may as well have been painted on. She was leaning back against the liquor display behind the bar and right next to her standing at the cash drawer was a now familiar figure.

Gage had on a pair of faded blue jeans that were fitted just enough to do justice to his tight and drool-worthy ass. A black dress shirt covered the hard muscles of his upper body, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows showing off several tattoos which included several roses. He counted a wad of cash in his hands and tucked it back into the drawer before pushing it shut.

The woman bartender nudged Gage’s arm and said something to him prompting him to turn around. Setting his deep brown eyes on Layne first, one side of his mouth lifted as he gave a cocky smile. His sights shifted to Joey standing next to her, his smile then faltering ever so slightly.

He left his spot behind the bar and approached the two of them. “You finally convinced him to bring his stubborn ass down here?” His brow lifted curiously at Layne. Gage’s arms crossed in front of his chest; it became clear he was wearing a white tank underneath the dress shirt where the silver chain of his necklace hung just underneath.

Joey didn’t waste time in responding. “We’re not here to see you.” His voice strained to keep things as amicable as possible.

“Really?” Gage looked around at the sparsely populated club and then back at Joey. “Not too many other people here to see.” He grinned at Layne. “Just couldn’t stay away, could ya?”

Over his cocky attitude, she brushed off his question with a roll of her eyes. Layne hoped there was at least one other customer there. “Are any of your private rooms occupied?”

Something entertaining must have crossed Gage’s mind as he gave a sinful little smirk while his eyes briefly surveyed what Layne was wearing. The way she wore her ensemble had his cock coming to life inside his jeans. It wasn’t just what she had on, but it was the way her black pants fit her toned legs and wrapped around her hips. The curve of her body up to the swell of her breasts in the snug black long-sleeved shirt with a low scooped neckline had his thoughts sinking south quickly.

Layne’s dark hair was woven into an intricate French braid leaving Gage with thoughts of wrapping his hand around the tail of it and pulling until she submitted to him. He would happily occupy a private room with her given the chance. It made him wonder just how much of a brat she would be in the bedroom or if she knew how to behave when given a thick and hard reason to.

“Just one, but we can make it two.” He finally responded to the question with playfulness dancing across his words.

Joey gave a growl earning him a look from Layne to simmer down. He shifted his stance, his arms flexing under the moment of tension. He had opted to wear his go-to outfit for his jobs, the all-black tactical attire that made him more easily blend into the shadows. The only thing that was missing was his mask—for now.

She approached Gage, painting a sexy little smile on her face as she stared up at him with her best big ol’ innocent doe eyes. “Gage,” she spoke with a gentle voice as her finger trailed up the center of his chest. The tip of her finger ran along the exposed skin below his collarbone until it hooked under the chain of his necklace. Twining the cord of metal around her finger, she pulled it into her grasp so she could pull him forward to come closer to her face.

Her face was inches away from his as he voluntarily leaned down at her beckoning. “Does it look like he’s the type that wants to share?” Layne referred to Joey standing just a few steps behind her. “Just tell me who is in the private room.”

Layne’s question earned her an unexpected chuckle and an amused grin from Gage. He weighed the risks and benefits of taking advantage of the proximity to those deliciously pouty lips of hers, ultimately deciding to bide his time. “Oh, you’d have to ask him about that one.” His eyes flicked at Joey with a wicked grin.

The response had Layne’s hand loosening up on the chain enough to allow it to fall from her fingers as she hadn’t foreseen that answer to her question. Her lips separated partially in confusion and the inability to find the words to respond.

Gage straightened up, putting some fresh air between them before he pushed any more of Joey’s buttons tonight. “It’s one of my regulars, Italo Giorgi. Comes here every week. Brings a few of his buddies and my girl, Danielle, provides the entertainment. He’s usually in there ’til nearly three in the morning most weeks.”

Joey’s hand came onto Layne’s shoulder, grasping onto it possessively sending an unspoken message to his brother. “Clear the club, Gage.” A fierce look in his eyes made it clear that this wasn’t a request. The fewer witnesses they had the better.

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