Page 5 of Undercover Desires

He follows me, standing before me, eyes meeting mine and lingering for longer than they should. He holds out a hand for me to shake. “Look forward to working with you, Bella.”

I slip mine into his and feel it again. Electricity. His eyes light up with excitement. He feels it too.

I reclaim my hand and wander away from him, letting the beat of the music carry me back through the club, down the stairs and past the main floor. I’m in a daze. What the hell just happened? I can see why that man is so dangerous. He’s gorgeous and charismatic and all kinds of swoony. I would have sucked his dick and been grateful for the opportunity. Probably right there at the table if he’d asked me to.

What the hell has come over me?

I shake my head and walk faster. I need to take a shower and perhaps book a doctor’s appointment for a head examination, because something came over me tonight that I don’t understand. And I don’t like it. I pride myself on being in control. I have to be. This job can be life and death, and tonight, I let the charming Kobe Rivera make me forget my training.

Never again.

CHAPTER 3

KOBE

It’s almost three. Iroll up the sleeves of my black Egyptian cotton shirt, feeling like the cuffs are strangling my arms. Leo has our suits custom-made in Italy so they will fit over my muscles perfectly. I’ve only had the thing on for an hour and I feel like it’s restricting my circulation. Maybe I need to take it a little easier in the gym this week. My focus should be on Jett anyway, with his next fight just around the corner.

In my head, I go over our session this morning. I’m impressed at how well our recruit Ben is doing with my vigorous training schedule and keeping up with security shifts in the club. He’s a mini-Jett, and I can see him following his footsteps in no time. I need to look into scheduling him a fight. I make a note in my daybook then lock up my office before strolling through the elite floor of Queen of Hearts. The place smells of disinfectant, the cleaning crew having only just left.

I lean over the railing, watching as the sexy Australian girl I met last night strolls through my club, glancing around at the space curiously. She seems totally unaware that I’m watchingher from the mezzanine level above. She’s dressed casually in faded skinny jeans, a white tank top, and kicks. On any other girl, this might be a rather plain outfit, but this girl has a way of making even the simplest clothes look smoking hot. Her long, silky ponytail swings as she walks, a subtle bounce in her step. I can’t help but admire her confidence. She’s a woman who knows who she is and what she wants from life, and that’s an essential quality for the job she’s agreed to take on in my club. Though she may not fully understand what she’s signed up for, she will soon enough. The first shift in this place tends to make or break most girls, and if they survive the night, they typically stick around for a while.

Bella glances up and notices me, her full, luscious lips curving into a sassy smile. It’s clear she’s pleased to see me, and rightfully so, as I’ve just given her one of the best bar jobs in town. Most girls have to earn their way up here, but she’s getting a unique opportunity right from the start.

“Come on up,” I call down to her with a charming smile, happy to see her. Part of me thought she might be a no-show. Thought over my offer and worked out it wasn’t for her.

The club is relatively quiet, with only our management staff preparing for the upcoming busy Saturday night. It’s the ideal time to train a newcomer. Since she already has bar experience, I hope there won’t be much to teach her, just our specific way of doing things.

“Bella, you made it, and right on time too,” I say, checking my watch as she reaches the top step.

“Can’t stand it when people are late.” Her eyes are sharp as she takes me in.

“Me neither,” I agree. “I’ll give you a rundown of your job expectations, then a walk-through of the club. At four pm, Xavier will start her shift, and you can shadow her for the night. She has more experience than all the other girls in the place puttogether, a sharp tongue, and one hell of a left hook if you ever need someone sorted out.”

“Good to know.” She nods, appearing impressed. And she should be. Xavier is one of the best staff members I’ve ever had, and Bella will learn a lot from her.

“Bar.” I motion to the bar as we walk past. She would have seen it last night, but she looked like a deer in the headlights the entire time I had her up here, so I feel like a full tour is best today. “The first door on the right is our staff headquarters; changing room with a kitchen and sitting area for all the staff on this level.” I push open the door to give her a look around. “Most of the girls hang out in here before and after their shifts. The door on the left is for the bar staff, and the right is where our dancers get ready for their shows. The one down at the end is a treatment room; feel free to book in, all the services are included in your contract.”

I push open the bar staff changing room, knowing no one will be in here at this hour. She follows me in, walking toward the uniforms, and she runs her hand along the soft fabric, inspecting it. “We will launder your uniform, so you’ll need to change before and after your shifts. We don’t let the girls leave this place in their uniforms for safety reasons. This is your locker, and your uniform is in there, ready to go for tonight.” The thought of seeing her in it gives me a semi. She’s going to look scorching hot. I spend a fuck-load of time around nice-looking girls but not one of them has ever had the effect on me she does. When I spotted her at the bar last night, I knew I had to go and talk to her. She’s been on my mind since.

“What safety reasons?” she finally asks curiously, her innocence adorable. It’s clear that last night was the first time she’d ever been in a place like this. Even if she’s worked behind a bar before, this isn’t just any bar.

“I don’t know what the bar was like where you worked last, but this place is more than just pouring drinks,” I explain. “You can make decent money in this line of work, baby doll, but some men will also want to take advantage of you because of it. In that uniform, you portray a certain aesthetic, and some people don’t know how to take no for an answer. We do everything we can to protect our girls, and you have to keep up your end of the bargain as well. That means changing here, limiting the people who know you work at this place, and getting a lift to and from work or having one of the security staff walk you to your car.”

She nods as if understanding. “That should be easy; I don’t know anyone here.” She laughs lightheartedly, not appearing worried by my speech. She passes the first test. Skittish girls might run for it at the thought of what takes place up here, but she seems open to it and not scared.

“Don’t let that on,” I say a little more seriously. “Make friends quickly with the other girls. They’ll be like a family to you, and they all look out for each other. If you have any drama, let someone know. If you can’t find one of them, my office is the third door on the right. I’ll take care of whatever your problems are.” It wouldn’t be the first time I or one of the boys had to sort out a patron who was overly enthusiastic on the drink and too touchy. It’s a pretty regular occurrence, but the thought of someone being too handsy with her makes my neck twitch and my hands clench into fists. I would take pleasure in fucking up that guy.

“What was that face?” she asks, assessing me.

“I don’t want to scare you, just make you aware that we need to be careful,” I tell her, not feeling the need to tell her all our secrets just yet.

She studies me, her pretty features hardening, a hand going to her hip. “Has something happened in the past to make you so wary?” Her eyes narrow in on me.

“Nothing you need to worry about,” I respond, continuing to walk back through to the staff lounge, not wanting to dwell on the past. She follows me out, glancing around the room. “As you can see, it’s a pleasant space. If you need a break, come back here and hang out. We work long shifts, and it can get a little much out there at times. The fridge is stocked daily with drinks, fresh fruit, sandwiches, and wraps. We look after our staff.”

I notice a hint of surprise in her expression as she raises an eyebrow in response to my comment. She walks around the space, taking it all in, then stops when she notices the jar of condoms on the counter and picks it up, her lips quirked up at the sides.

“Safety first.” I smirk cheekily.

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