Page 14 of Conquering Oz

“You have a beautiful club. I’m a business owner too. Of course nothing this elaborate.”

His brow arched. “What do you own?”

“A boutique downtown. Women’s fashion, accessories.”

He nodded, clasping his glass. “And at your boutique, do you have restricted areas only for staff?”

Well, that took an abrupt turn.

Heat flamed her cheeks, and she gave in to a smile. This man was quite the hard ass. But to be fair, it was his club.

“I do, which is why I’m offering my sincerest apologies.”

“Sincerest?” He cocked his brow, and she chuckled.

“Not trying to get arrested on my birthday for trespassing.”

His eyes scanned her face, and he sat back in his chair. “Birthday?”

“Yes. The girls from my store decided to take me out for dinner, and” —she waved her hand toward the lower level— “dancing. The only problem is dancing is not my thing. I actually loathe it. But they were sweet enough to do something nice, so I should probably quit complaining, right?”

He didn’t say a word. This man was giving new meaning to the phraseplaying hard to get. Or maybe he just wasn’t interested. He probably had many women hit on him. Even Elodie could admit she didn’t have much game. She rarelyneeded it. Usually, it was a man coming on to her.If Madalyn could see me now.That thought made her smile. His gaze drifted down to her mouth, and for a brief moment she saw his features soften.

“Any chance you’d allow me to hide out up here for a bit? Give me a small break from my nightmare?” Elodie wasn’t sure where the brazen questions came from. She wasn’t usually this flirty.

He stared at her, giving no indication he was interested in spending more time with her. When he lifted his chin, gesturing to the other man, she knew her time was up. He probably wanted her escorted back downstairs. She shifted in her chair, preparing to stand.

“Tell Nash what you’d like to drink.”

Really?This birthday party had just taken a fantastic turn.

She eyed his glass. “What are you having?”

“Whiskey. Neat.”

“I’ll have the same.”

Maybe this was going to be a great birthday after all.

****

There were few people who fascinated him. By all outward appearances, Elodie shouldn’t have been one of them. He knew nothing about her outside of the basic background check. While she was more than forthcoming with minor details in her life, none of them had been incredibly interesting. But she had been open. More so than people usually were with him. Those he associated with came in guarded and knew better than to divulge too much to Oz. He wouldn’t hesitate to use it against them. It seemed that thought hadn’t crossed her mind. Her unidentified possible link to Sal was a bit suspicious in timing. She just happened to be at his club? Or it could very well have been a coincidence. Again, nothing fascinating. Except for his unexplainable desire to spend a little more time with her.

Elodie was beautiful. The kind of woman men took a second glance at, but she was acutely unaware of her allure. Her confidence was intact, though it may have wavered in his presence. He wouldn’t hold that against her. Few people sat in a room with him and didn’t feel his coldness and respond accordingly. With her, it was slightly different. It was clear by her demeanor she had no idea who she was sitting across from. It was refreshing.

All of the women he’d been with in the past knew exactly who Oz was and the power he held. It was easier if everyone knew the score before getting involved. He used that term loosely. Oz had never beeninvolvedwith a woman for more than a night or two. It was more like a few hours, never the whole night. Women didn’t play a role in his big picture. He’d never considered the prospect of settling down or having a family. That wasn’t part of his plan. He intended to follow in Sal’s footsteps and continue building an empire.

Still, he couldn’t deny his need. Or his dominant kink. Control was a huge part of Oz’s life. It always had been. He didn’t feel content without ruling over everyone around him. That was extended to the bedroom. Always consensual, but there was only one alpha in his bed.

He grasped his glass, taking a slow sip and watching her like prey. She was the last person who had any place in his bed, let alone his thoughts. Yet he was envisioning her sprawled out, her strawberry blonde hair fanned over his sheets, her wrists cuffed to the headboard, and her legs spread apart. Light blue gaze staring up at him while he slid inside her cherry lips. There was a softness about her. It may have been the soft angles of her face as she glanced over her shoulder down to the main floor. She had a long neck. It wasn’t usually the first thing a man noticed about a woman, but Oz did. He could imagine his hand wrapped around it, her head slung back and curved into the crook of hisneck as she begged to come. He tightened his hold over his glass, centering himself and regaining control of his thoughts.

Elodie settled in her seat, the corners of her mouth hiking into a soft smile. “I love the detail and design of your club. You have meticulous taste.”

Yes, I do.Oz steeled his features. She wasn’t telling him anything he didn’t already know. With a waitlist for VIP tables and an even longer wait for their back room, it was the premiere club in the city. And a front.

In his line of work, legitimate businesses that looked good on paper were imperative. There had to be some substance for income, especially considering his lifestyle. The success of the X-Lounge fit the bill. But the money he made from the club was only a fraction of the cash he brought in on a daily basis.

“This is my first time.”

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