Page 11 of A Billionaire Dom

“My car’s in the parking lot of that club.” I gestured toward Euphoria. “If you want, I can take you inside and have someone vouch for me. Or I can call you a cab, or whatever ride service you want.”

“I’m fine walking.”

“I’m sure you are.” I didn’t want her to think that I was just being argumentative, but the more I thought of her walking in the dark alone, the more I disliked it. “Do it for my sake, then. I’ll worry about you unless I know you’re safe.”

“It sounds like you won’t be satisfied with just putting me in a taxi and sending me on my way.” She put the taser back in her bag, but her hand stayed on it. “Maybe you need to tuck me into bed, just to be sure.”

A jolt of desire hit me like a punch in the gut. I’d felt nothing for the women I’d seen at the club. They’d been dressed to attract attention, to show their appeal. Linsey, however, wore a worn-looking Clash t-shirt and a pair of denim shorts that didn’t even make it to mid-thigh. Her ears were lined with rings and studs, but her face was piercing free. Mostly makeup free too, from what I could tell. She looked absolutely nothing like the women I usually associated with, either professionally or sexually.

She studied me for a moment before speaking. “I’ll tell you what, Davin. Let me take a picture of you, your car, and your license plate. I’ll send them to a friend of mine…andthenI’ll let you take me home.”

Smart. Even if she wasn’t telling the truth, it was a good threat. No one who wanted to hurt her would allow their identity to be sent to someone else. It’d be easier to find another target rather than risk that she was telling the truth.

“All right,” I agreed. “Do you want the picture of me now or at my car? We might have better light closer to the club.”

“Now works.” She held up her camera and snapped a picture.

I waited while she sent it to her friend, not stepping forward until she smiled at me. I gestured toward the club. “Shall we?” I fell in step beside her, and we made our way down the sidewalk.

“You don’t really look like the clubbing type,” she said as we crossed in front of Euphoria. “Or is it more of a ‘gentlemen’s club?’” She made air quotes with her fingers.

“It’s not a strip club,” I said honestly. I couldn’t help grinning, though. Euphoria wasn’t a strip club, but it definitely wasn’t the sort of club Linsey was thinking of, either.

She gave me a sideways look that said she didn’t quite believe me, but she didn’t call me on it. Instead, she went back to her original observation. “I can’t really see you dancing to club music.”

“What do you see me doing then?” I asked, curious.

She thought for a moment before speaking. “I’m not sure yet. You’re more than you seem.”

With that enigmatic statement, she fell silent. We walked a few more feet and found my car. I waited while she took a few pictures and sent those off as well. When that was done, she walked around to the passenger’s side and gave me an expectant look.

I hit the button to unlock the doors, and we both got in. She gave me her address, and I expected a quiet ride, but as soon as we got on our way, she started asking questions.

“Did you grow up here?”

“I did.” Something about the way she asked it told me that her answer wouldn’t be the same. “Where did you grow up?”

A shadow passed over her eyes. “All over. My family moved around a lot.”

“Military brat?”

She shook her head. “Just liked to move.”

I had a feeling there was more to the story than that, but this wasn’t an interrogation or even a date. I was giving someone a ride, and that didn’t give me the right to press her for personal information.

“What brought you to Houston?” I asked. “Work?”

“Sort of. My roommate and I were living in Denver. She decided to come here, and I came with her.”

I wasn’t sure ifroommatemeant something other than exactly what it was on the surface, but again, it wasn’t any of my business. Just because I thought the look she was giving me had a little heat in it didn’t mean anything. I refused to be the creep who hit on the woman he’d saved from a bad situation. Well, helped to save. She’d done half the work herself.

“My family’s been in Houston since it was the Republic of Texas.” I didn’t say it to sound arrogant. It was just the truth. “It’s in my blood.”

“Does that mean you’re a football fan?” she asked. “I mean, I’ve only been here for six months, but I already feel like I’ll be asked to leave if I don’t go to a single game before the year’s up.”

I laughed, and the sound surprised me. Usually, my younger brother Damon was the only one who could do that.

“I like it well enough, but I don’t get to games as often as I’d like,” I admitted.

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