Page 33 of Defy

Flagging down the waitress, I order another round for Luis and I but as she turns to go, I run my hand under her skirt, up over the curve of her ass. My hand would rather be punching myself in the face, but I’ve got a role to play, so I’m playing it.

The waitress pauses until I finish my groping and looks over her shoulder at me with a seductive grin on her face. She’s attractive with large brown eyes, clear skin, and full lips. Her skin is soft and pliant under my touch.

It doesn’t matter that we don’t know each other. What matters is I’m ordering expensive drinks, going to tip her well, and I’m sitting behind this rope with the man whose family currently owns this town. I’m someone she wants to know. I’m someone she’d say yes to anything for.

I stand up, my frame towering over her and I lean down to bite her bottom lip. Again, she lets me. She also doesn’t touch me because she isn’t allowed to but I know she’s turned on by the way she’s gently pressing herself into me instead of trying to back out of my embrace. I had forgotten what this power feels like. It courses through my veins with an urgency that scares me.

When I pull back, she looks a little shell-shocked but unafraid. “Can I get you anything else?” she pants breathlessly as she blinks hazel eyes up at me. A faint blush spreads across her smooth skin.

She means do I want to fuck her.

“Keep the drinks coming and we’ll see.” I give her a wink and pat her on the ass. She heads to pour my tequila with a smile still on her face.

When I sit back down, my brother is laughing into his hand. I arch an eyebrow in question even as I ask. “What’s so funny?”

“Maybe you actuallyhaven’tchanged all that much.”

Good. This line of thought is exactly what I’m hoping he’ll think.

“Rosalita usually has a strict no-touching policy. Even for those of us behind the rope. You must teach me your ways.”

I look out on the dance floor. My interaction with Rosalita has gone unnoticed by my date but feeling my eyes on them, the girls look up. Camila blows a kiss to us but it quickly morphs into the middle finger.

I laugh at her fire before turning to Luis. “My ways, huh?” I think about this for a second before giving him an answer. “The women in our world, don’t want a gentle lover, Lu.” I use my little brother’s nickname hoping like hell that we’re bonding in this moment. “These women have a survival mentality. They aren’t fragile. They can’t be or they wouldn’t have made it this far. Stop short of abuse, but try being a little more punishing. Most of them need a good outlet for their lot in life. They either want to fight back, or they want to succumb to something that provides both pleasureandpain…instead of just pain.”

He looks at me like he’s soaking all this up. Writing it down on a mental note pad. I figured he would have learned all of this by now. At almost thirty, surely he’s been through enough partners to have learned a thing or two, but then again, maybe not.

“Take charge but always let them control the kill switch. They’ll let loose more if they trust you’ll stop when they want you to.”

Luis looks dumbfounded. “But what if I don’t want to stop when they want me to?” Now he sounds like the immature child he is.

I shrug my shoulders, “Then your current reputation will continue to precede you and the only women you’ll end up fucking willingly are the ones that are desperate and have no self-respect. And speaking from experience, that’s not a good lay.”

I try to keep my voice humble while I dish out this information. Luis seems to be mulling it over as I see his head nod slightly up and down.

Camila and Irina return to the table just as our waitress brings our drinks. Camila plops down right in my lap.

I don’t think so. She and I have already been over this and I don’t like to repeat myself.

I stand up quickly, practically dumping Camila in the floor at my feet.

“What the fuck, Dominic?”

“You seem to think you know me after all this time. That just because we have a past, we also have a present or a future. You have no claim on me, Camila. Don’t ever sit in my lap again unless you’re naked and I put you there. I’m not a fucking chair,” I growl. The momentary rush of power I feel is heady.

Camila’s pouty lips are pushed out but I can tell even now that she’s turned on. Her chest is heaving with lust as she eyes me. I’d forgotten what it’s like to act like a total ass andstillbe rewarded with it.

I step over her not allowing her the time to answer, reveling in the power discrepancy. Rosalita is waiting for me to finish with Camila before handing me my drink. I place Rosie’s tray on the table in front of us and lead her by the hand away from the ropes.

Remembering the tour and the security protocols from my first time here, I look over my shoulder at my brother. After all, this is as much for his benefit as my own. “Hey Luis, can I borrow the green key?”

The green key unlocks private quarters on the top floor of the club. Always protected by two armed guards, it acts as a small apartment in case we want to…entertain. Luis was most proud of this part of the club when he gave me the grand tour.

Luis is shaking his head, not bothering to hide the awe on his face. Tossing me the key he says, “I’ll be ready for another drink in twenty minutes, so make it quick, brother.”

The waitress’s eyes go huge as Luis calls me brother.Brotherorhermanois a term of endearment used a lot in Spanish speaking countries by guys talking to their “bros”. Our physical appearances, however, are a dead giveaway that in this case, Luis and I aren’t “bros”… we’re actual brothers.

“Dominic?” the waitress asks timidly. If she wasn’t wet before, she is now. “I thought you were g-gone,” she stammers.

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