CUZ: Billionaire Stepbrother Romance (6 page)

I opened the door and stepped out into the hallway. “I'm going now. Bye.”

As I walked back outside to my Mercedes, all I could think about was her saying she wanted to suck my cock. Just the words coming from her mouth turned me on. With the mysterious stranger telling me to back off, I’d taken a risk just coming to visit her briefly. I couldn’t take a chance someone saw me staying at her place overnight.

Back in my car, I headed toward the nearest bar. I needed a drink. Badly. My thoughts turned to Ashley almost immediately. Her hair. Those breasts I’d never seen before but yearned for. Drinking wasn’t the smartest idea, but I could call a cab If I got too wasted. I had to do something to get her out of my mind. Liquor would help numb my brain.

Nine

Ashley

When I left my apartment for work, I looked for Josh. His fancy car was nowhere in sight, so I walked the few blocks to the Galleon Gentleman's Club. Once I arrived, I went in the back entrance in my street clothes. As soon as I was in the building, I could feel the bass. The place also had a smell, a combination of odors and aromas of the type that appeared in nightmares.

In the dressing room, I realized something was up. None of the other dancers gave me shit or talked to me directly, but I heard them laughing and saw them pointing. I tried to push them and Josh out of my mind so that I could concentrate on making some money. My life wasn't the greatest, but after another few months, I'd have enough to open my first clothing store.

Despite what Josh thought of me, I wasn't an idiot. I had found one that was already selling well. The owner, who had paid me for a few too many dances, was getting a divorce and declaring bankruptcy. If I timed everything just right, I'd be able to buy it at a steal and stop dancing. The goal felt very achievable, even without the help of my adoptive parents or Josh.

After I had on my cheerleader outfit, I went to the bar to get a drink. Most of the time I tried to stay sober so that I could make more money, but I really wanted to relax and forget myself. Two shots of tequila and half a Valium would give me the state of mind I needed to get through the night. I didn't want to fight anymore. My destiny was my own.

The night went by rather quickly, but I brought in more than five hundred dollars, even after Benji took his cut. While not the most money I'd ever made, for the mood I was in it wasn't a bad haul. When the last customer left the club, I went back to the dressing room with all the other dancers. They were still acting odd, but I brushed it off.

Most of the others stayed topless even when we were away from our customers, but I always got dressed as soon as possible. I didn't like to think I was better than the other women, but I was in more ways than one. This particular night, I lost track of time as I took off my makeup and tried to relax. Before I knew it, all the other dancers were gone.

Benji poked his head in. “I want to see you in my office.”

“Okay. Why?”

“You'll find out.”

He smiled and winked in a way that made my stomach queasy, but I forced a smile. As my boss, I had to make sure I was on good terms with him. Had a customer complained? Was another dancer talking shit about me again? As I grabbed my purse and headed down the narrow puke green hall toward his office, I was sure it was that bitch Becky.

“What's up?” I said, poking my head into his office as I leaned in the doorway.

“Come in. Close the door. Have a seat.”

I felt uneasy in that moment, but I took a deep breath and told myself I was being paranoid. Benji would never try anything with me because he knew I would quit and he'd stop making a shit ton of money. He had a lot of other girls, but we both knew I was special.

I closed the door and sat down on the plain folding chair in front of his cold, metal desk. A laptop faced him. He looked up from the screen and smiled at me.

“How you doing, Ashley? You're looking fine.”

“I'm doing fine,” I said, slowly, trying to figure out what he was really saying.

“You looking good too. We need to talk. You've been here a while, and you haven't paid your dues yet.”

“Do you know how many pervy old fucks have shot their load on me in the last week alone?” I asked.

“Settle down. Don't get so excited. I think you know what I'm talking about. You want to become a diamond level entertainer, don't you?”

“No, Benji, I don't. I know what it takes, and that’s not for me.”

He leaned forward, his elbows on the desk, and smiled, the gold front tooth seeming so out of place in his mouth.

“You need to pass your special examination with me and you'll get an extra one percent every night.”

“You're kidding right?” I snorted.

He shook his head back and forth.

“No, I'm not.”

“You said you weren't going to pressure me. That the diamond club is voluntary.”

“It is, it is, but I'm saying it's about time you decided to take it to the next level. You can make more money.”

“I can make more money if I head out on my own...”

“Doing porn or turning tricks?” He laughed.

“No, I meant dancing at better clubs.”

His face changed almost instantly. “Listen, bitch. This is how it's going to go down...”

He stood and pointed a finger at me, wagging it up and down. “You’re a no good whore, and you need to be taught a lesson.”

I got to my feet and backed toward the door. Before I could get there, he reached out and grabbed my arm. I struggled to pull away, but he tightened his grip.

“What the fuck?” I yelled. “Stop!”

A wicked smile spread across his greasy, pockmarked face. “Stop? We’re just getting started.”

Ten

Josh

As I watched the men coming and going from the strip club in my car across the street, I kept thinking that the cops were going to show up and give me trouble.
She’s going to end up ruining my life
, I thought as I waited for Ashley in the parking lot. I had to make her understand I was close to making enough money to support myself for the rest of my life.

Three in the morning, when the club closed, eventually rolled around. Most of the cars in the parking lot had left as I got out of mine. I took a deep breath while walking to the front entrance. Ever since we were children, Ash and I could sense when the other was in trouble, and my gut ached – not a good sign.

When I walked in the club, the hefty guy who had thrown me out before smiled as he lumbered toward me. I reached back and hit him with a strong right without a second thought. He fell to the floor as I turned and headed for the stage. He shouted at me, but I kept going. I made it to the back of the club and headed down a dark hallway.

I passed three open doors, all of the rooms empty. At the end of the hall, I came to a closed one. I turned the handle.
Fucking locked
, I thought as I stepped back.
Here goes nothing
. I charged toward the door, slamming into it with my shoulder. The flimsy frame burst and the door swung open. Inside, a fat, balding man with his hand around Ashley turned to me.

“What the fuck?” he asked.

“I could ask the same thing,” I said, walking in. “Ashley, let’s go.” I held out my hand.

She tried to move to me, but he held her tighter, stopping her.

“Dude, I don't know who you think you are, but security is going to be here any minute now, and they're going to fuck your shit up. You know that, right?”

I pulled out a stack of hundred dollar bills and tossed it on the desk without looking down or wincing at all. Twenty grand meant absolutely nothing to me, and it showed. The expression on the guy's face changed instantly. A moment later, the gorilla-sized bouncer barged in and put his hand on my shoulder. I spun around, ready to hit him if necessary.

“Hold on,” the club owner said. “Leave him be. They were just leaving. He bought her freedom.”

Ash was still in shock herself when I grabbed her hand and led her out of the office and back down the hallway toward the front of the club. The image of her going down the same hallway on a nightly basis and stripping on the stage crossed my mind, but I found myself rationalizing her behavior.

“Where are we going?” she asked weakly.

“Out of here,” I said. “You’re safe now.”

“Josh, I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t be. It’s okay.”

When we made it outside to my car, I got her into the passenger seat in the front. Closing the door, I looked back toward the club to make sure no one had followed us outside. The coast was clear, so I walked around and got in the driver’s seat. As I started up the car, I noticed the man in the black trench coat standing next to a Suburban SUV.

“Fuck,” I muttered.

“What?” she asked.

“It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it.”

I drove to the nearest five-star hotel and checked us in. When we got into the room, I locked the door as she walked over to the mini-bar.

“I need a drink,” she said, opening it up.

“Help yourself.” I turned to her. “What the fuck happened back there? Why the hell are you dancing?”

“I told you, I’m trying to buy a retail store. I’m damn close, but Benji had to be a fucking pervert tonight.”

Her brow furrowed in anger. I walked over as she pulled out a tiny bottle of wine and opened it up. She had finished half the bottle by the time I made it to her.

“Damn, slow down, sis,” I said, joking.

“I’m not your fucking sister,” she snapped.

I put my arm around her waist, touching the small of her back.

“Hey, it’s okay now. Have another drink.”

She finished the bottle. After grabbing another, she walked over to the bed and sat down on the edge of the mattress.

“You should slow down,” I said as she took another drink.

“I thought he was going to…” Her voice trailed off.

“Don’t think about it,” I said. “You shouldn’t go back there.”

“You think?” she asked, sarcastically.

“There’s the Ash I know and love.” I smiled. “Are you hurting for money?”

She sighed, something strange in her eyes. I couldn’t put my finger on it.

Eleven

Ashley

When Josh grabbed my hand and led us out of the club, I fell even more in love with him if such a thing were possible. Instead of going back to my apartment, he rented a very fancy room at the best hotel in New Orleans.

“Are you hurting for money?” he asked me.

“No, Josh. I have a little saved up. I really do have a plan.”

“I bet you do.”

“Stop treating me like I'm your little sister, okay?” I stood up and walked over to him. “Please?”

When I reached him, I put my hand on his forearm. He looked down but didn’t move it away.

“We shouldn’t do this,” he said.

“Do what?” I ran my hand over his forearm.

“Stop,” he said, pulling his hand away.

“Why, Josh? You feel the same way. I know you do.”

“You do, huh? Can you read my thoughts now?”

“No, but you can’t tell me you’re not attracted to me.”

“I’m not attracted to you,” he said, not looking me in the eyes.

“Say it again while looking at me.”

“Stop being silly, okay? You’re safe now. If you don’t want my help, I’m going to go.”

“Will you just lay next to me for a while?” I asked. “Until I fall asleep?”

“Fine,” he relented.

I climbed into the huge bed and laid down on the left side. He joined me a moment later, his hands behind his head. I draped my arm over his hard chest, nestling against him.
Does he know how he makes me feel when we’re close?
I wondered.

“What are you thinking about?” he asked.

“Nothing.”

“You're lying.”

“Why do you say that?”

“You have that look.”

“What look?” I asked, moving back so I could see his face.

“You know the one.”

He stared into my eyes, causing me to melt.

“Oh, Josh. What are we going to do?”

“About what?”

“About us.”

“I don't know,” he said.

“Money doesn't matter to me,” I said. “We could say fuck them and be together.”

“We need money to live.”

“I know, but…”

“Let’s just lie here, okay?”

I shut my mouth and hugged him tighter. My head rested against his chest. He breathed deeply while I moved my hand over his hard stomach, moving lower. Just before I reached the Promised Land below his belt, someone knocked on the door. Both of us sat up as if we were caught doing something illegal. I turned to him.