Page 88 of Marked

But she wasn’t a person to him back then.

No more than she is right now.

He drops his hand and turns to me.

“My private room is this way.” He leads us through the club, around play areas, past a woman being held down by three men while a fourth mounts her. Each scene makes Harley tighten her grip on my hand.

When we reach a door that will lead outside the club, Jimmy steps in front of the keypad to punch in his code.

I take the moment to reassure my girl.

“Who is the only one who gets to hurt you, little bird?” I whisper in her ear.

“You.” The corners of her mouth kick up just enough for me to see before she drops any emotion from her face and Jimmy opens the door for us.

I squeeze her fingers.

As soon as the door shuts behind us, all the noise from the club is gone. No music, no screaming, no moans. Nothing but thick silence.

“Soundproof,” Jimmy says over his shoulder when I lookback at the door. “When I’m back here I don’t want to hear all that bullshit.”

There’s no noise, but there’s also something else.

There’s no security.

None of his men are stationed back here.

The last security guard was at the door we passed through. And he didn’t bat an eye at Jimmy taking two new members through the door.

He can’t be this stupid.

He really thinks he’s untouchable.

“It’s just down here,” he says, turning down a second hallway.

And there it is.

His private suite is right across from a fucking elevator.

Unfortunately, this elevator comes with a man large enough to take on any ape in the jungle.

“Marco.” Jimmy nods to his guard as he punches another code into the box. “We don’t want to be disturbed.”

“You got it.” Marco gives a curt nod while his eyes slide all over Harley. She tenses beneath his slimy gaze, but keeps her eyes down. He won’t see her disgust, but he’ll feel mine soon enough.

This entire place is going to be a pet project for me.

Anyone who has set a fucking toe here is on the list.

“Right in here.” Jimmy pushes the door open and gestures for us to go inside. I release her hand and gently push her.

“Inside, kneel in the center of the room until he has use for you.” I keep my tone brisk.

As soon as the door shuts, Jimmy’s phone blares.

“Fuck. Sorry about this.” He grabs it and scans the screen. “I need to take this. One second.” He answers the call and stalks off to the corner of the room.

Harley finds a spot in the middle of the area and sinks down to her knees on the tiles. There’s nothing of comfort inhere other than a few leather wingback chairs. I assume those are for the players and not the girls.

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