Page 26 of Don't Lie To Me

“You had a lot on your plate yesterday.”

“Onyx, what happened between me and Romeo...” I start, not sure how to approach it but knowing we can’t keep skirting around what I did with him. Especially if Romeo is going to be hanging around the club more.

“We don’t have to talk about it,” he cuts me off, his face hardening, and I see how furious he still is about it.

I give him a sideways glance, telling him we both know we do. “I know you watched us,” I tell him, wondering what he has to say for himself.

His jaw tightens, but he doesn’t give me a response. He just stares out the front windshield as he tears into the parking lot of The Raven’s Nest. I guess I didn’t really expect him to admit he watched me screw some other dude. But I needed him to know I knew. He can’t get away with shit like that without me finding out about it.

“Did you get off on it?” I ask, my heart pounding with a newfound bravery.

His fists grip the steering wheel with white-knuckle force, and I know I’m pushing him. I wait for him to snap at me, but nothing.

“Did you like it?” I push, still watching him, waiting for him to crack and finally come clean with me.

“I have a job to protect you,” he growls.

“We both know that was going way too far. You watched us because you wanted to.”

He gets out of the car and comes around to my side, yanking open the door with more force than necessary. Yeah, he’s pissed I know his dirty little secret.

I step out of the car, keeping my eyes locked with his. “Answer me, Onyx. You watched me fucking some other guy because you wanted to.”

He moves in closer, his large frame caging me in, his head dropping closer to mine. His breathing is ragged, and I know he’s about to lose control. “You know I want you. You taunted me all fucking night. And then you let him fuck you because you knew I couldn’t. Yeah, I watched you. I watched you and I imagined it was me making you come apart. Tasting your sweet little cunt, stretching you for the first time. It should have been me.”

Oh fuck. A thrill runs right through me. I stare back at him, my heart racing out of control. That was the answer I wanted. I pushed him for it. But now what do I do with the truth? He wants me as much as I want him but nothing else has changed.

Another car pulls into the lot, a matte-black Maserati GranTurismo, and I remember why I’m here. Fuck, the cops. Onyx steps back from me, and I storm toward the back door, swiping us in with my all-access pass. But as I do, Romeo arrives at my side. “What the hell are you doing here?” I snap at him. It’s too damn early to deal with a Moretti.

“Heard the cops are sniffing around, thought I better come and help.” He smiles confidently like some kind of hero. Not my hero.

“You can help by staying out of my damn way,” I throw back at him as I move inside.

He follows right behind me, and both Onyx and I know there is nothing we can do to stop him. But he is the least of my problems right now. I need to get rid of the cops before the media gets wind of this and my clients think my club isn’t safe anymore.

I shove open the back door, the smell of bleach hitting my nostrils. Thank the Lord the cleaning crew have already been through this morning. I find two plainclothes police officers—a man and a woman—and a flustered Sally in the main bar area. With a determined stride, I march right over to them, flinching a little when I recognize one of them and realize why I know his voice.

“What seems to be the problem?” I ask with an air of confidence I don’t have right now. What the fuck did I say to this dude the other night? I try to recall our conversation. I know he made me all hot and bothered, but the actual conversation is fuzzier. Jagger makes a point of us knowing every cop in every role from the local precinct. It’s the only way we can make sure some unknown doesn’t come in here andstart sniffing around without us knowing about it. But this guy isn’t on any list of their current employees, Malachi would have found him if he was.

“Are you the owner of The Raven’s Nest?” he asks, trying not to show we have already met. He is breathtakingly handsome, every bit as good as I remember him, with perfectly tousled sandy-blond hair, his voice a low sexy rumble. And I realize exactly why Police Commissioner Sedgwick sent him—eye candy. She’s smart. I met her a few months ago and instantly liked her. Even if she is on the wrong side of the law.

“Yes,” I respond at the same time Romeo does. I direct a pointed glare in his direction, telling him to politely fuck off. This ismyclub.

“Sloane Stryker,” I offer, holding out my hand for him to shake. His fingers meet mine right as I look up into his piercing green eyes. This guy, with his sun-kissed skin and laid-back attire, looks more like he belongs on a beach with a surfboard than on the beat with a badge. Something in the way he assesses me makes me smirk. I would love to push this guy’s buttons. We had a fun chat while he was sitting at my bar. I’m disappointed to find he’s a cop. We could have had so much fun together.

Romeo’s shirt brushes my arm as he moves in beside me, breaking my contact with the charismatic officer. “Romeo Moretti. Sloane and I co-own this club,” Romeo introduces himself, way too cocky for my liking.

Sally’s eyes come back to me with concern, and I know what she’s thinking. Who the fuck does this guy think he is? But one problem at a time.

“I’m Detective Wilder.” He didn’t even give me a fake name. I’m even more intrigued by him. “This is my colleague Detective Scout.”He motions to the young female officer who looks me over with interest piqued.

She looks strangely fascinated with me, like you would expect a young fan to look at her favorite pop star, but we all know I’m a far cry from that. “We have a warrant to search the premises for signs of illegal prostitution, Miss Stryker,” she says, the tremble in her voice giving away her fear.

I suppress the urge to roll my eyes. Not this shit again. “A warrant? It’s starting to feel like a monthly ritual. Last time it was Detective Hachette, wasn’t it? A real charmer.” I arch an eyebrow toward Wilder as he’s clearly the one in charge of this witch hunt. “As I told him—the club operates on a private-party-only basis. Our luxurious rooms are spaces for private entertainment, nothing more. Every patron signs agreements acknowledging that our staff are entertainers and consenting adults. It’s pretty simple stuff, no need for a monthly visit.”

Detective Wilder doesn’t flinch like his partner. He meets me eye to eye and the strangest sensation comes over me, much like it did when I met him the other night. A familiarity I don’t understand. “We’ll need access to all security cameras, financial records, and client lists, Miss Stryker.”

I straighten my shoulders, trying to get out of my fantasy of who this guy was; I know who he is now. My glare intensifies to ice queen, fists clenched, ready to boot him and his partner off my property. I don’t care how hot he is.

---