Page 26 of Laila Manning
The two dancers left the room, wrapping their robes back around their bodies, covering their nudity as if I could care to look at them, but Carly chuckled and leaned back in her seat, “As if, Cue Ball.” she challenged, crossing her arms. “We did nothing wrong.”
“I didn’t say you did.” I turned my attention to her and glared. “But I need a word with Laila.”
“No deal.” Carly held my stare, raising an eyebrow at me. “Jed wouldn’t approve.”
“Carly.” Laila glared at her.
“What?” Carly shrugged. “Laila’s an adult and can come to a strip club if she wants. You don’t get to yell at her for it.”
“I’m not yelling!” I growled and then clenched my teeth at how she made me yell, even if it wasn’t at Laila. “Carly, just fuck off.”
“Carly, please. Just give us a minute.” Laila sighed, rubbing her forehead until Carly finally threw her hands up in the air and stood up.
“Fine.” She said, passing me with a finger raised, “But don’t you dare try to control her.”
I kept my teeth clenched to avoid retorting back at her, and when the heavy velvet curtain closed behind her, I took a deep breath, looking down at Laila.
“Am I in trouble?” she asked meekly.
“Why would you be in trouble?” I questioned, loosening the button at my throat, and taking my jacket off before sitting down on the other side of the rounded booth.
“Because you look like I’m in trouble.” She leaned back and tucked one leg under her, facing me. “You kind of always look like I’m in trouble.”
I smirked, shrugging one shoulder at her honesty. “I’m a serious man.”
“I know.” She looked up at me. “So, you’re not here to yell at me?”
“No, Laila. I’m not here to yell at you for watching two women strip at Ryker’s club.” I raised my eyebrow at her, silently pointing out the absurdity of the whole thing.
“It was Carly’s idea.” She smiled the tiniest bit before biting her lip. “I told her I’d never been to a club before, and she dragged me inside. After she mutilated me at the salon and forced me into these clothes at the boutique down the street.” She joked.
“I don’t think you look mutilated at all.” I nodded at her hair. “The gold suits you.”
She held my stare with wide eyes for a second before dropping my gaze completely and blushing as she tucked a bit of hair behind her ear. “Why are you here?”
“I work here,” I answered plainly.
She rolled her eyes and looked back up at me. “Here in this booth. After kicking Carly out.”
“Because,” I paused, trying to decide which route I wanted to take this conversation. “I wanted to see you.”
Her chest rose, daring my eyes to fall to the perfect swell of her small breasts, and I gave in. I watched a flush of blush cover her perfect breasts before crawling up to her neck and her face, dragging my eyes with it.
“Zeke.” She whispered before swallowing. “I don’t know how to do this.”
“I know,” I replied, rubbing my hand over my face, feeling slightly ashamed of making her uncomfortable. The unspoken attraction between us was known, but she wouldn’t act on it.
Which meant that I couldn’t either. She wasn’t ready, and I didn’t know if she ever would be after everything she had survived.
“I’m sorry.” I cleared my throat and stood up, “I just wanted to check in on you.”
“Zeke, wait.” She grabbed my hand and looked up at me before slowly standing in front of me. “Why are you interested in me?” She nearly whispered. “I don’t understand what’s happening between us.”
My chest ached with the desire to take away her insecurities and poor self-esteem.
“Can I touch you?” I asked, hating how that simple question made fear bloom in her pretty brown eyes. “I won’t hurt you, Laila.” Shaking my head, “Ever.”
She swallowed, taking a deep breath as her eyelids fluttered closed, she nodded her head. Her eyes being closed was a tactic to protect herself from whatever was about to happen, and I imagined years of her closing her eyes to block out what was done to her. While that enraged me, I would never show her I could help her heal from it without physically touching her.
