Page 78 of Awakened by Sin

She took the chilled water bottle the bartender slipped her and took long gulps. When she lowered it, she found all three men staring at her.

Angel grabbed her wrist and yanked her off the stool. “I need to talk to you in private.”

“About what?”

He didn’t answer. He dragged her toward the gold staircase. Three men tried to waylay them. Their eyes were focused on her. They didn’t even seem to register his presence. Angel punched a guy in his path and nearly dislocated another man’s knee when he lashed out with his shiny shoes. The third man stepped aside.

“What the fuck?” she snapped.

Angel faced off with the bouncers guarding access to the second level and flashed a card with the Red Diamond logo on it.

“You paid for VIP access?” she asked.

He shot her a hooded glance. “I want the whole experience.”

“What does that mean?”

Angel pulled her into a VIP room. She hoped it was occupied and was disappointed to find it empty. He pulled her inside and slammed the door behind them. He released her, and she put her hands on her hips.

“What the hell is your problem?”

“I don’t believe in coincidence,” Angel said.

She blinked. “What?”

“If you’d been the nanny, this would have been easier. Now you’re the nanny, the informer, and the stripper?” He shook his head in mock regret. “You can’t expect me not to make a play.”

A mixture of alarm and excitement coursed through her veins. “Angel.”

He approached slowly. She resisted the urge to run since that would only spur him on. Angel wasn’t playing the indulgent, laid back host as he had at his home. His body was rigid with tension—a tension he thought he would work out right here, right now. Her inner slut screamed at her to go for it. The same euphoric feeling she got while dancing, she could get from Angel … and then some.

“Does Gavin know about this?” he asked as he stopped in front of her, so close she could feel his body heat.

She tapped her chin thoughtfully. “You know, I’ve never felt the need to tell Gavin what my plans are every night … and I doubt he would care.”

“He’d care.”

There wasn’t a shred of doubt in his voice.

“Gavin knows I can handle myself,” she said.

“You were about to cause a riot.”

“I wasn’t the only one dancing.”

“No, but you were the only one doing it right.”

“Excuse me?”

“You were born for the stage,” he said as he ran a hand through her tangled hair as if he had every right to. “You dance because you love it while the others are there for the money. Men can tell the difference.”

Their eyes locked, and her breath seized. His thumb stroked over her fluttering pulse, and her nipples tightened.

“You abandon yourself on stage. All any man can think about is how you’ll be in bed.”

His voice was low with the promise of sex. When he leaned forward and licked her sweaty collarbone, she shuddered. His hands slid down her sides and stopped on her hips.

“You were created to give yourself to a man so he can lavish you with pleasure.” He sucked on her neck, and she bit back a moan. “You know you’re the ideal woman for me, don’t you?”

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