Page 57 of The Ownership Clause

A flush spread over his cheeks and he ducked his head. “I can handle it.”

“You’re not, Pretty Boy.” I hooked my finger under his chin and raised it. We stared into each other’s eyes. “No more. Your brother needs to stick with a career. We’ll help him find one, but I’m putting my foot down. I’m your Dom, and it’s my job to take care of you. So, this is what we’re going to do. I’m paying for those hospital bills—” He opened his mouth, but I shushed him and glared. “Listen, Shoelicker. I’m paying off your debt and his. I might help him figure out if insurance would cover anything outstanding. He doesn’t seem like the type of person who would fight them. You’ll both have a clean slate. But him? He’s on his own now. No more help from you. He’s an adult, and he needs to stand on his own two feet. Understood?”

“But Sir....” He flinched. “Neil is all I have.”

“I’m not telling you to stop talking to him. I’m instructing you to let him be an adult. Stop babying him. I take care of you because you’re my sub, and I look after my sub. But he isn’t your sub, is he?”

He shook his head hesitantly.

“From now on, his financial issues are his. Like I said, we’ll help him find a good job, but hewillkeep it and work hard, and if he doesn’t, then he can deal with the consequences.”

Wade shut his eyes and leaned in closer to me, and I cupped his cheek, slanting my mouth over his in a gentle, mind-melting kiss that had him moaning.

“At least let me help with the bills around here, Sir?” He gave me big puppy dog eyes and this was new. Different. And it worked.

My heart couldn’t handle the look and I sighed. “Fine. You can help.”

He grinned in triumph, and I grabbed his face between my fingers, making him stiffen.

“Don’t think this changes anything, Shoelicker,” I whispered, scratching a nail experimentally over his cheek. He hissed. “You’re still my dirty little slut, a fucking bitch who equally disappoints and impresses me.”

He trembled, a small gasp escaping his mouth as he reached up to wrap his slim fingers around my wrist. “Sorry, Sir. Anything for you, Sir.”

I hummed in pleasure. “Will you be a good boy for me tonight?”

He nodded eagerly. “Yes, Sir.”

“Good.” I grinned smugly and released my hold on him.

A huff of disappointment left his mouth.

I winked and stood, pointing at the leather pants and the mesh shirt. “Get dressed, Shoelicker. I’m taking you to Club K and showing you off.”

His eyes gleamed with excitement. “Yes, Sir.”

19

WADE LEE

It was dark out,and the evening air had my nipples standing on end in the practically nonexistent mesh shirt that pulled across my chest. I tried not to glance down because my flat stomach looked fucking amazing right now, but it was already jumping with nerves—both good and bad. I ran my hands along the thighs of my black leather pants, stopping to worry at the seam with my fingertips.

Albion strode ahead, tall and imposing in black jeans that disappeared into leather boots that hit him midcalf. The boots made me want to crawl after him and follow him anywhere. They would’ve been at home on a biker. His black button-down shirt was tucked in and showed off his trim waist and wide shoulders.

In short, he was a dirty dream come true. How could this man want me?

Part of me wished we were holding hands, but the rest of me was glad we weren’t because it would’ve been weird. It wasn’t something we’d done in public. My palms tingled. Would he ever want to do something like that with me? I wasn’t sure how I would act if he started being too nice, even though he’d been warming up to me behind closed doors. I blew out a long breath as we made it to the front entrance of Club K.

There was a discreet, backlit glass sign above the door, almost as if whoever owned the place didn’t want anyone to know what was inside, despite the packed parking lot. The building itself was shockingly impressive, even though it was tucked away near the river. The clean gray brick soared up three stories. At intervals where the windows should’ve been there were gray marble blocks cut to fill the arched space, all at once both classy and indicative that something secret and sexy might be happening inside.

“You’ve never been here, right?” Albion smirked at me, and I shook my head.

He grinned and turned to grab my wrist as a man wearing black leather and a bloodred silk shirt checked his ID and grunted at him. I had to fumble my ID out for the bad vampire look-alike, but he only glanced down once, I assumed to check my age, then handed me back my card. I tucked everything away as Albion grabbed my elbow and led me inside.

I gasped and my gaze was swept upward by the stark architecture. The ceiling was three stories above us, and thick concrete pillars lined the outside walls, reminding me of old-world cathedrals.

He chuckled. “Club K started life as part of a shipyard. It was converted at great cost back in the 80s, when people were building new nightclubs left, right, and sideways. Avery bought it about ten years ago at a steal.”

I had no idea who Avery was, but Albion seemed impressed with him. My stomach twisted with jealousy.

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