And in the meantime, Jase would do his fucking best not to fall in love with a man he couldn’t fucking have.

“But this…” Leyton added. “Between you and me… I don’t want just one night, either. I hope you understand that.”

He didn’t, but he didn’t tell Leyton as much. Not yet.

Chapter Twenty-Six

An opportunity he couldn’t pass up.

Five years ago

Jase wasn’t sure what he was walking into, but he knew he couldn’t turn back now. He’d applied for a job as a bouncer at Devil’s Playground—one of the swankiest clubs in the Dallas area—nearly four months ago, and he hadn’t expected to get a call back, but he had. Yesterday. Only this call was different than what he would’ve expected when it came to a job interview.

First, he was told not to say a word to anyone about the phone call or the meeting or anything else, for that matter. And if that hadn’t raised the hair on the back of his neck, the instruction to meet at an undisclosed location certainly had. He’d hadn’t been given an address, but he was informed that he would receive one within thirty minutes of the meeting.

That call had come twenty-eight minutes ago while he’d been driving in circles around downtown, waiting for information on where he was supposed to go.

Unfortunately, he’d been given an address for a house nearly twenty minutes away, so he’d hauled ass out of the busy city and onto the highway. After winding his way through a ritzy neighborhood, he’d emerged on the other side, following some winding dirt roads until finally locating the address of the house he’d been sent to. Jase had wondered whether he was stupid for following through. Who set up a job interview at their house?

Granted, it wasn’t just any house. The place was huge. Modern and sleek, it felt more like a building that should’ve been in the city, not out in the sticks. Surrounded by acres and acres of farmland, it was a little strange to pull his old Ford truck down a cobblestone drive, only to end up coming to a wrought iron gate with a keypad mounted on the side. He had to announce who he was, and a few minutes later, the gate swung open, allowing him entry. He followed the path until he ended up on a circular drive in front of the modern marvel.

After ringing the doorbell, he waited for someone to answer and was greeted by a beefy white guy with a big nose, a missing tooth, and thinning hair. No introductions were made as he was ushered inside, then guided through the exquisitely decorated house to a room in the back. He’d expected an office or the equivalent but found himself in a formally decorated living room with an ornate sofa, a high-back chair with a matching cushion, what appeared to be an antique table, and nothing else. Not even a person.

“She’ll be here momentarily,” the guy grumbled, then left Jase alone.

With nothing to do but sit and wait, Jase dropped to the sofa and stared around the room. It didn’t match the rest of the house, at least from the little he’d seen. While he’d noticed thick-planked, dark hardwood floors in the rest of the house, this room had plush beige carpeting and cream-colored walls. There was nothing inviting about the room whatsoever, with the exception that it smelled clean and he didn’t see any dust motes in the rays streaming in through the open wood blinds.

“Thank you for coming,” came a seductive voice from behind him.

Jase instantly sat up straight and twisted so he could see who the voice belonged to.

It was in that moment that his mouth dried up and his body went on high alert.

The woman moving toward him was by far the most mesmerizing thing he’d ever seen in all of his twenty-two years. Long, dark hair grazed the top of her luscious ass, while a body-hugging red dress clung to every single glorious curve, accentuating her narrow waist and high, pert breasts.

“Did you have a problem finding the place?” she asked as she made her way across the room to a small setup he hadn’t noticed. There was a glass decanter filled with brown liquid and two tumblers. She poured two fingers of what he assumed was whiskey into both, then returned to hand him one.

Forcing his gaze off her stunning rack, he met her eyes, captivated momentarily by what he sensed in the green-brown depths. “No,” he finally replied, clearing his throat.

“It’s been brought to my attention that you’re interested in a job.”

Jase glanced around the room. “I applied for a bouncer position, sure.”

“Have you ever done security before, Mr. Malone?”

Well, she clearly knew who he was, but he was still in the dark as to her identity. Still, he responded with, “Briefly.”

“Care to enlighten me?” Her smile was as brilliant as the sun.

Assuming she’d checked his resume and likely pulled a background check on him, Jase figured the truth was the only way to go. “I worked as a bouncer at a couple of clubs.”

“Strip clubs?”

Okay, so she’d definitely done her homework.

He nodded, then took a sip of the drink. The liquor burned all the way down, but it wasn’t the gut rot he was used to. This was some expensive shit.

“Want to explain your record?”

He knew she wasn’t referring to his employment history, but he didn’t shy away from the question. “I did a coupla years for assault,” he admitted.

“Self-defense?” she asked, her plump lips curling over the edge of her glass and captivating him momentarily.

“No.” He saw no reason to lie to her. “Second-degree felony.”

“While you were working?”

“No.”

“Enlighten me, Mr. Malone. What happened?”

“Let’s just say I was dishing out a little payback.”

“So you don’t have an issue with violence?”

That was an odd question, especially coming from this woman. She appeared classy, sophisticated even. His answer was the same as all the others, “No.”

“Good.”

“You have family here?”

Jase nodded. “Mother and brother. Estranged from both.”

“Father?”

“No idea.” His father had left when he was six months old, or so his mother had told him. The guy had never been in the picture, and Jase had never felt the need to look for him.

“Familiar with guns?”

“Yes.” He’d been interested in firearms since he was a teenager. Owned several, although he’d likely do time if the law ever figured that out since his probation strictly stated he couldn’t own a weapon. “If you don’t mind me asking—”

“I do,” she interrupted, still watching him cautiously. “Would you have a problem killing someone if the job required?”

Now that was a strange question if he’d ever heard one. Then again, Jase hadn’t grown up in the suburbs, didn’t have nightly dinner with his parents or watch television before bed. He’d been out on his own since he was sixteen, having dropped out of high school in order to work. He’d always taken care of himself. “Depends,” he stated. “If it comes to that, then no, I wouldn’t have a problem.”

He had no idea why he was being so candid with this woman he didn’t even know. He wasn’t sure if she was even associated with the club, or what he was being hired to do. But for some reason, he didn’t want her to let him leave without hiring him on. He had the feeling, if it came down to it, he’d do anything this woman wanted.

“Have you heard of the Adorites?” she asked.

“The mafia family? Sure. Everyone has.” He hoped like fuck she wasn’t going to ask him to kill a mob boss because that… He wasn’t up for that shit. He happened to like living, thank you very much.