Page 18 of Wanting Mr Black

“Yeah, we met at Savage. That’s a grown-up club, so you wouldn’t understand, Pollyanna,” she sneers. “Now, why don’t you run along, little girl?”

Bitch.

“Tara, leave it.” Art’s off the phone and back beside me.

Her demeanour instantly changes as she bats her eyelashes and flicks her long blonde hair over her shoulder. She’s like a different bloody woman. “I’m only having a laugh.”

“No, you’re not; you’re trying to stir up trouble.”

She flounders for something to say.

“From now on, I’ll deal with business through Jamie and Big Steve only.”

He’s cutting her out.

Her eyes widen in shock, as if he just dealt her a devastating blow. “You what?”

“Do you understand?”

She lowers her eyes and inspects her nails. “Yes.”

“Good.” He laces his fingers through mine. “This way.”

I can’t stop the smug smile from creeping across my face as I walk past a crestfallen Tara. He’s made his feelings abundantly clear.

Ten

We head out of the main club and down a short corridor to the left, which opens into a wider room, divided into four seating areas with walls separating each section. Deep purple curtains line the perimeter of the room, and floor-to-ceiling mirrors face the seats. The room has a more subdued, private vibe compared to the open layout of the main club.

“This the VIP area,” he explains.

I almost don’t want to ask. “What happens in here then?”

“Private dances,” Art replies, watching my reaction carefully.

“So, if a customer likes the look of one of the girls, he could pay for a private dance with her back here?”

“Yes. Of course, we have a no-touching policy with security and cameras everywhere to ensure the customers don’t break the rules. The safety of my staff is always top priority.”

I can’t stop the next question from falling from my mouth. “Have you ever had a private dance?”

He looks at me for a few seconds before replying, “Ever? Yes. Here? No.” He squeezes my hand.

“At Savage?”

“Yes.”

I drop my eyes to the floor as my mind whirs at one hundred miles an hour. “With Tara?”

“No.”

“Why did you stop going there?”

“Lots of reasons,” he replies evasively, glancing around the room.

He clearly doesn’t want to talk about it, but he’s not ducking out of answering that easily.

“What reasons?”

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