Page 17 of The Devil's Secret

I park my car in the strip club lot, step out, and walk over to the bouncer who lets me in. Continuing inside, I don’t see Joelle at first, scanning the whole damn place.

Maybe she’s on break or some shit. I march over to an empty sofa, and as I’m about to take a seat, I spot her in the far corner by the back. But she’s not alone. She’s with a man.

His palm grips her upper arm, his face hard, brows tight, mouth moving a mile a minute while she remains quiet.

My feet are already moving, needing to rip his beard off his damn face and feed it to his corpse. He dares to put his hands on her? It won’t go unanswered.

“Drop your fucking hand off her,” I bark out, practically growling like a damn animal. She pivots right, finding me marching up, her stare growing wide.

She shakes her head a little, mouthingno, but I ignore it. I don’t know who this man is, but he won’t be touching her. Ever again.

The asshole doesn’t drop his hold. He tightens it instead, and she flinches.

He’s gonna die. Slowly.

“Hey, pal. This is a business conversation,” he mocks with a tilt of his upper lip, too much hostility in his tone. “Why don’t you take a hike, huh? She’s not in service right now.”

“Fuck, man.” I scoff with a shake of my head. “It’s like you’re asking to die.”

He finally releases her, a glare radiating from him as he moves in on me, his face nearing mine. Luckily he let her go when he did, because I was about to slice his throat open like a fountain with the knife in my pocket. “Are you threatening me, you piece of shit?”

I grin so wide it fucking aches, and as soon as his fist comes at me, I grab it, twisting it hard as he lets out a groan. Violence fills my heart, not seeing a man, but prey.Myprey.

“No!” Joelle pleads, her hand on my shoulder, her softness tearing through the harshness soaking my veins. “Please don’t do this.” Her warm exhales fall over my neck, her words a whisper in my ear. “I work for him. They’ll hurt me if you hurt him. You have to let him go. Do it for me. I’m begging you!”

Her safety, that’s the only reason I drop this asshole’s hand.

He grumbles in pain, rubbing his wrist, eyeing me with a snarl, about to come at me until Joelle palms his chest.

“Stop it!” she tells him. “He’s a high-paying customer. You think the boss is gonna want you to mess him up? Why don’t you think with your brain for a change?”

“Bitch, you think you can talk to me like that?” He readies a palm, intending to slap her, but I pin him with a growl, putting myself right in front of him.

I should end him. I can make it quick. Somewhere quiet where no one sees me. She wouldn’t even know.

“You ever call her a bitch again, I will cut that tongue from your mouth.”

“This fucking guy.” He laughs. “He’s still talking.”

“Patrick. You’re here for a private dance, right?”

“Yeah,” I say, my eyes still on this man. “Let’s go.”Before you see what I’m truly capable of.

She grabs my hand, pulling me backward and I move with her.

“I’ll see you around, pal,” he spits out, staring, and the hint of that threat has me wanting to finish what I started. I begin pulling out of her grasp, glaring back at the fucker.

“Don’t, Enzo. Come on, forget him. For me.”

My breathing quickens, and I focus on her to stop myself from killing him. The only reason he isn’t dead is because of her. When I eliminate them all, and I will, I’ll do it when my need to spill their blood doesn’t affect her.

Finally, turning around, we head to the back. “How the hell could I forget him putting his fucking hands on you, talking to you like that?” We step into an unoccupied private room, and she closes the curtain.

“If I’m used to it, then you’ll have to learn to tolerate it too.”

“Fuck that!” My palm tightens over her cheek. “I’ll never allow anyone to speak to you that way.” She places her hand over mine, a haunted look in her eyes.

“What are they doing to you, Joelle? Don’t lie to me.”

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