“I’m still not sure what he does. He likes to keep shit to himself and I don’t ask.”

“You have much to do with him now, after all the shit with Black Deeds?”

“Not really, and that’s the way I like it.”

We were greeted at the door by a beefy looking guy who escorted us up to Blade’s office on the second floor. He was on the phone and motioned for us to take a seat. Blade ended his call and gave us his attention. “What can I do for you?” The intensity this guy exuded was off the charts. I wondered if he ever chilled; I highly doubted it. Even at Madison’s wedding, he hadn’t let his hair down and relaxed.

Scott spoke first. “Nash asked me for some help with a personal matter, and I suggested you might be able to help him.”

“With what?”

I answered him, “A friend of mine has an ex-husband who is trying to bully her into an agreement. I’ve only met him once but he seems like a real piece of work. He has a high public profile so I’m thinking we need to come up with something different to our usual way of dealing with this shit and I figure you could be the man to help us with that.”

“Who is it?” He wasn’t big on saying more than he had to which I respected.

“James Carr.”

His brows shot up. “Fuck.”

“You obviously know of him, then,” Scott said.

“Know him? I have a long, hard history with that family. They bully people into shit all the time so I can only imagine what he’s doing to his ex. I’ve got dirt on him that would send him to prison for a very long time.”

“I just need something to stop him harassing Velvet.”

“What’s he want from her?” Blade enquired, leaning back in his chair.

“He’s going into politics and wants her to sign an agreement that ensures she won’t talk publicly about him or their relationship.”

“Yeah, I bet she could tell a story or two that would shock that family’s adoring public,” he mused. “I’ve heard he’s got a violent streak where women are concerned.”

Anger pumped through me at the thought of what he’d done to Velvet during their marriage. “I’d believe that after the way I saw him treat Velvet.”

Blade nodded thoughtfully. “Leave it with me, Nash. I’ll be in touch with some information soon.”

I stood up and shook his hand. “Thanks, man, I appreciate it.”

Scott and Blade shared an uncomfortable look before nodding at each other. They didn’t exchange a word though. I thought after they dealt with Bullet they’d form some kind of truce or brotherly bond or shit, but I guess I was wrong because there was no obvious bond here today.

***

Later that night, I watched Velvet perform. Not something new to me. What was new to me though, were the feelings agitating in my gut while I watched her. While I watched other men watch her.

Shit.

I wasn’t sure I could sit through it but I knew she’d be upset if I left. So I stayed. Problem was, so did the jealousy and the threat of me acting on it. In the end, I compromised; I spent most of the night in the office out the back. When she finished her shift, she found me on the computer out there.

“Why are you out here?” she asked, clearly surprised.

I leant back in the chair and rubbed the back of my head. “Long story, babe.”

“You’re not going to tell me, are you?”

“Nope.” I shut the computer down and joined her. “You ready to go home? Thought you could stay at mine tonight.”

“Just let me get my things.”

I watched her walk away. I’d been thinking about her all day. Not only craving her body, but wanting to talk to her, to be with her. I let that sink in and felt the anxiety settle in again. But the anxiety didn’t cause nearly as much pressure on my chest as usual. For the first time in a very long time, I felt like I could work through it.

She returned from the staff room, and placed her hand on my chest. Smiling up at me, she said, “I’m ready to discover more of your hidden talents, Nash Walker.”

I bent my head and kissed her, gently biting her lip when I’d finished. “I’m not a man who likes to keep a woman waiting,” I murmured, grabbing her hand and leading her out of the club.

***

Velvet

Nash had been on my mind all day. No other man had ever consumed my thoughts the way he did. To say I was ready for him tonight was putting it mildly.

I couldn't take my eyes off his back as I followed him into his house. He was wearing his standard fitted black tee with jeans, and the way that t-shirt gripped his muscles was mesmerising. They flexed as he walked, and I envisioned running my hands over them.

He kept walking until he hit his bedroom. When he turned to face me, his intense gaze sent my desire for him into overdrive. His voice radiated sex when he commanded, “Take your dress off. Slowly.”

I tingled with anticipation, and did as he said. We didn’t break eye contact until I had my dress completely off, at which point his eyes dropped to my body. He sucked in a breath at the sight of me in my lingerie. I’d chosen it purposefully for him. It was a bodysuit but there wasn’t much to it. The panty was a strip of black sheer material that was connected to the lacy chest material by three pieces of black string on each side. It gave a flash of boob as it didn’t cover them completely, and my stomach was bare apart from the strings. My back was bare and my ass was hardly covered by the g-string.