Page 14 of Relentless (Dark Confessions 3.50)

Though, both my vagina and I knew where I was headed.

I felt terrible not inviting Cami, but I didn’t think she was up for it yet. Plus, this was something I needed to do on my own.

The drive to the club was quiet, but that wasn’t uncommon at this time of night in the middle of the week. I’d actually missed chauffeuring people around this past month, but with everything going on and trying to keep a low profile, I knew it wasn’t the wisest decision. Plus, with Atticus paying off our debt and Lily’s school, I didn’t really need to anymore. The idleness was getting to me, though, something I never thought I’d hate.

Parking in the back, I made my way to the secret door. A guard I wasn’t as familiar with stood there, eyeing me. He didn’t say anything, waiting to see if I really belonged before he would let me in.

“Pomegranate.”

He nodded, stepping out of the way and granting me entrance. I never understood the obsession with the fruit-based code words, but it made it easy to remember. They changed the passwords each week, posting them on the special app for VIP guests and the employees to check their shifts. Atticus had given me access when he asked me to watch out for drunk girls. That seemed like such a long time ago now.

Making my way through the back hallway, I nodded to a few other people I saw. I silently cursed myself for not checking the schedule before I sped over here to see if he was even working.

Thankfully, when I stepped through to Verity, I found Byron’s big smile greeting me. It was probably dumb to see another man when I had conflicting feelings about Beau, but I hadn’t ever said I was smart.

“And what do I have to thank for bringing you to my bar tonight, sexy?” he asked, his voice dipped in honey as it rolled over me. His dark brown skin shimmered under the lights as he leaned forward, his naked chest on full display.

“Hmm, restless sleep? Sharing a bed with a seven-year-old? Life-changing decisions? Take your pick.” I smiled, trying to make light of what I said, not wanting him to hear how true some of it was. I leaned against the bar, my shirt falling open even more, and his eyes dipped down to catch it. I was technically overdressed, but no one cared. Byron licked his lips, bringing his head back up.

“Oh? Anything I can help with?”

“Maybe.” I trailed my finger over the counter toward him. “You seem to have a knack for getting me out of my head, and I really need to do that right now. Do you have a break any time soon?”

“For you? I’ll make it happen. Want a drink first?”

“Sure.” He winked, walking off to grab me one. I watched as he stopped and talked to a few other customers, and a feeling I hadn’t ever noticed before started to emerge—jealousy.

Women and men alike had always thrown themselves at Byron. He was a walking, talking, sex God after all. But it had never phased me. I accepted it as part of being fuck buddies. But the words Cami had said reared their ugly head, and suddenly, I didn’t like it.

The urge to jump over the bar and make him mine surged up, and I had to grip the ledge to stop myself. I didn’t like this feeling. I felt too out of control, too unsteady.

A glass sat down in front of me, catching me by surprise, and I jumped, peering up. His dark eyes seared into me, and I fell into them. Byron was solid and steady, and his presence gave me a soft landing ground. How had I never noticed that before?

“You okay, Nat?”

Nodding, I took the glass, my fingers grazing his as I lifted it to my lips, taking a sip. Gulping the whole thing, I set it down, wiping my mouth. “Yeah.”

He watched me carefully, not altogether buying my lie. “I’m free now if you still want to…”

Again, I found myself nodding, unable to look away from his eyes. “Yeah.”

“Is that all you can say?” he teased, lifting a smile from me.

“I really wanted to be a brat and say ‘yeah’ again.”

“Come on, brat. Let’s find other ways for you to be rebellious.”

Slipping off the stool, I met him around the bar. He took my hand, his large palm engulfing mine. His solidness was what I needed, and I sank into his grip. Leaning closer, I let my arm brush against his. With each step, the desire arose in me, and the need to kiss him had never felt so strong. Byron took us to a door, checking the board outside of it to make sure it was free and had been cleaned. When he saw the information he wanted, he turned, stepping in.

There were several rooms on the staff side they could use for personal use, separate from the Verity rooms. They just had to alert someone to clean them after. Climax was very focused on the cleanliness of the place, which I, for one, appreciated.

The low lights flittered on, and the bed came into view. Since I was still fully clothed, I felt more nervous than usual. Byron sat on the bed, pulling me in between his legs.

“What’s on your mind, Nat?”

His hands lifted my shirt a bit, bringing his mouth to the skin to leave kisses as he waited for me to answer.

“Um, just stuff,” I said, wrapping my arms around his neck, feeling his smooth head against my palms.

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