Page 5 of Room Ten: Put on a Show

Slowly, I turned my head to look at Merrick. He raised his eyebrows in a silent question, waiting. His blood always ran too hot when Troy—or any man for that matter—was around Kenna.

I stepped closer to Merrick, holding his gaze as I did so.

“Our job is to protect her. Nothing more. Troy is not a threat. He might be a goddamn prick, but Kenna wanted him to stay. There isn’t anything we can do after that.”

Merrick huffed and glanced away.

“I don’t like it either, believe me,” I added.

Troy hadbad boywritten all over him. With his dark tattoo sleeves, model-perfect good looks, and his easy charm he wielded like a deadly weapon, I was certain the man would spell out trouble for Kenna one day.

That’s what I told myself anyway.

Deep down, under layers of repression, the small, still voice of the truth nagged at me.

You love her. And you can’t stand that Troy is the one who gets to touch her, kiss her, fuck her.

I closed my eyes and inhaled a steadying breath. Ever since Kenna turned eighteen, I’d been by her side. Guarding her. Watching her sleep with other men. At first, I convinced myself that she was too young and I shouldn’t think about her that way.

Then Kenna started flinging herself at me.

The memory of her in the dressing room earlier, wearing only that slip of a thong rose up sharp and torturously clear in my mind.

When you say strip, I get naked. When you say bend over, I better not be wearing any panties when I do it.

I stifled a groan. No matter how much Kenna teased and flirted, I couldn’t break. She needed me to protect her, not climb into her bed. There were too many men who were already willing to do that for her.

Finally, Kenna emerged from the stairwell, hair mussed, lipstick and mascara smudged. As she tugged her skirt down, Troy gave her ass a little squeeze. She squeaked in surprise and whipped around, playfully swatting his chest.

“Troy!” she said, laughing. “Behave yourself.”

He smirked. “You don’t keep me around for that, darling.”

I bit my tongue hard enough to taste blood. Merrick’s eyes shifted upward toward the ceiling, his fists clenched at his sides.

Kenna smoothed her hands over Troy’s chest.

“I’d love to continue our…conversation,” she said.

Without looking at me, she held out her hand. Kenna often forgot, or couldn’t be bothered with, a clutch purse. So, Merrick and I became her catch-all, carting around makeup kits, her phone, a charger, and anything else she might need. I reminded her almost daily that it wasn’t part of our job, but she simply smiled, kissed my cheek, and continued doing it anyway.

I bit my tongue even harder as I reached into my pocket and withdrew a card. It seemed to be an extra cruel twist of fate’s knife that I would provide the sexual invitation Kenna handed out to another man. The card was glossy black with shimmering, loopy silver cursive that read,Club Sin, where the wildest fantasies come true.

I placed it in her waiting palm. She flicked it between two fingers and offered it to Troy, tucking it into his breast pocket.

“Join me at Club Sin on Sunday night,” she said. “Eleven o’clock. Room Ten. Don’t forget that number, it’s very important.”

Troy curved his hands over Kenna’s hips.

“That’s a pretty swanky place. I’ve never been inside though.”

Kenna grinned with a quick peck to the corner of his mouth.

“Then you’re in for a treat.”

“Is there a…uh…dress code or something?”

I pressed my lips together to suppress a snort. With his hand-me-down blazer thrown over a graphic t-shirt, I doubted he had the cash for a formal event that required evening wear.

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