Page 20 of Neverland

“I’m sorry, Gerald. She’s new and doesn’t know our patrons yet.”

“Why do you work here, Diamond?” he asked, rolling his shoulders to relax. “You seem like such an intelligent girl. How did you end up in a place like this?”

It wasn’t the first time he’d asked, and it wouldn’t be the first time I’d redirect the questioning.

“Maybe I’m waiting for my white knight to come along and save me. So, tell me more about your victims of cyber-hacking.”

His mischievous eyes lit up but quickly turned to concern when they flicked to something behind me. “You’re being watched.”

I turned, spotting Anton with the DJ, both blatantly staring. The DJ was a snitch. It was the first thing I’d learned being here. He watched the floor wishing and hoping he’d find someone he could run and tattle-tale on.

I turned back to Gerald. “I guess I better work the floor. Catch you later.”

Leaving Gerald, I caught sight of Blaze who was flirting up a storm holding her audience captive. Envious of her talent, I wondered how she was such a natural. She loved being center of attention and men never hesitated to give it.

“Hey!” A hand circled my wrist, throwing me off-balance and against the body of an arrogant frat boy. “No touching allowed,” I reprimanded. I’d purposefully avoided this table because dealing with frat boys was not something I had patience for. Especially this lot who had no qualms in manhandling a woman.

“If you touch me, I’ll allow it,” he quipped, believing his line was original.

“That’s not going to happen, so let me go.”

“Oh, come on,” he persisted. “Come sit on my lap for a little bit and then you go get back to what you’re doing.”

“Not unless you wanna pay for it,” I said, attempting to free myself from his grasp, his fingers digging deeper.

He gestured to one of his friends across the table. “It’s my buddy’s birthday, can’t you show him some love?”

“There’s a show on stage—”

“Fuck that, we want you.”

“Well, we don’t do lap dances on the floor, so you’ll need to book in for one, and I’m all booked out tonight. Sorry.”

The frat boy’s mood shifted drastically with the rejection, pulling me so close I could have become drunk off the fumes. While I winced in pain, his buddies simply watched on. “Listen, whore. I asked you nicely and you’ve been nothing but a fucking bitch.”

Was this guy for real?

“Get the fuck off me,” I snapped, fighting to free my arm. “Who the hell do you think you—”

“I could buy this club…” he interjected, reveling in self-importance, “… and your ass with it. So, when I ask you to give my boy a birthday dance, you fucking agree.”

“You’re drunk, so I’m going to ask you once again to let me go before I get you removed from the—”

An icy blast of liquid splashed over my face, chests, and breasts. Gasping from the sudden cold, it took a moment to register what he’d done.

“Look where you are, bitch,” he continued to antagonize. “You don’t get to say what—”

The next act happened too quickly. I blinked and the frat boy’s voice disappeared and so did his face. I blinked again and the room was suddenly sideways, but before I hit the floor, arms hooked under mine and placed me firmly on my feet again. Dominic was at my side, all fury and rage. His fingers flexing and balling into fists.

“Lay a hand on her again, and I’ll cut it clean off,” he warned, his tone ice-cold. Sprawled on the ground, the frat boy worked his jaw to ease the pain, his so-called friends standing back, hands raised in peace as security circled around the scene.

“Do you know who my father is?” he arrogantly asked, further igniting Dominic’s rage.

With a leg either side of the frat boy, Dominic gripped his shirt collar. “I don’t care who your fucking daddy is. The question is, do you know who the fuck I am?”

When the boy couldn’t answer, Dominic kneed him in jaw with a sickening blow. It knocked the frat boy unconscious, his friends now starting to protest.

“Get the fuck outta my club,” Dominic shouted causing security to snap into action.

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