Page 11 of Blood Money

Without even thinking, I stepped closer and grabbed his chin, forcing him to look at me. “Don’t turn away when I’m speaking to you.”

He pulled away and I reluctantly let him go. “I’ll dance here for you. I’ll make the money I owe you, but I don’t have to take orders from you.” His voice shook, but he stood with his feet firmly planted and his spine straight. He was scared, but he was willing to stand up for himself. Why the hell was that so fucking hot?

“You’re wrong. Everyone here takes orders from me. You’ll do as you’re told. You’re mine until the debt is paid.”

He shook his head. “I don’t belong to you. Even if you’d agreed to…even if you’d….”

“Decided to fuck the money out of you?”

“Yes, even then you wouldn’t own me. You’d have my body, but that would be all.”

I laid my hands on his shoulders and felt him shiver as I leaned close, like I was about to kiss him. “Would it? Are you so sure about that? Are you certain that if you were in my bed night after night I wouldn’t have your soul?”

“I agreed to this. It’s…enough.” He met my gaze even though I could see the fear in his eyes.

I brushed my thumb over his lower lip. “With a debt like yours, hardly anything is enough. It’s going to take you years to make enough money.”

“Maybe I’ll bring in more tips than you think.”

He was going to do very well, but I knew right then that I’d made a big mistake. This was the only offer I could make him that might be acceptable to the family, but the thought of other men watching him, throwing him money, groping his ass, and wanting so much more made me want to close the place down and insist Liam only ever dance for me.

Annoyed with myself, I stepped back and shoved my hands in my pockets. “Finish getting dressed.”

For just a moment, Liam looked disappointed. Did he want me as much as I did him? If he did, how was I ever going to resist him?

“When’s my first shift?”

“Trevor will have to tell you that. Right now, we’re going to do something to tame your hair. Some waxing would be good too.”

Liam started to say something, then closed his mouth again.

“Whatever it is, ask me, but be polite.”

His expression turned to a glare for just a second before he schooled his face. “I want to make sure you really want to pay for this. The money I earn has to go to my debt, not a spa day.”

“It’s part of the job package.”

He studied me for a moment. “So you really are paying?”

“The club is paying.” I needed to make that clear. I was already being way too soft on him. He needed to believe I would do what was necessary to get payment from him, even if I was choosing to take care of him. I thought about his sparse apartment and how desperate he sounded. It reminded me too much of the people I’d met living on the streets, the ones who’d been fucked over by life and really deserved a break.

But one way or another, his debt had to be paid, or it would be my ass on the line. If I couldn’t show money coming in from him, I’d find out once and for all how far my father would go to punish me.

I didn’t want to know the answer.

“Get your shoes on and follow me.”

“Yes, sir.”

Heat raced through me, and my dick started to swell again. All I could think about was Liam on his knees, looking up at me, and saying those words before opening his lips so I could feed him my dick.

“Val?”

Fuck, he’d just said something, and I’d been so lost in fantasy I hadn’t heard it.

I wasn’t about to acknowledge that. “What is it?”

“I just wanted to know if I’m dressed appropriately for wherever you’re taking me.”

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