She laughs and I take in a deep breath as I look down at my tray. I could totally use it as a bat to her face. But that would just get me fired and I’m sort of addicted to the money I make here. As long as Case doesn’t fire me¸ I will continue to work here. I don’t even see him very often when I’m working. He stays in his office unless there’s a problem on the floor.

“Aww.” She spins around placing her back against the bar and props her elbows on it as she leans on it. “Did little Miss Priss fall in love with the big bad wolf?” I can hear her amusement in her voice. You would think the music would drown it out but nope.

I turn to face her, and she arches a drawn on eyebrow in question. I want to tell her that we never made it that far. That it never really started, as Case had so nicely put it. Instead, I take a deep breath. Don’t give her any information for her to go run her mouth about. “You’re such a bitch, Rachel, and no one here likes you.” Geez, that sounded like I was in high school.

She shrugs carelessly as she looks down at her black nails, examining them. Then looks back at me. “The men don’t need to like me in order to want to fuck me.” I look her up and down with disgust. “Remember that.” She turns around and grabs her tray. “Maybe it will keep you from getting too attached to men who only think of you as a toy.” Then she walks off.

***

The night went by as well as I expected it to. Shitty! And my mood has just gotten worse by the second. I’ve had several drinks spilled on me, and I cussed out two customers who both grabbed my ass. About an hour into my shift, I got pissed off at Case all over again for not taking him up on his offer of a bubble bath. It’s exactly what I’m gonna do as soon as I get home. The bright side is I haven’t thought about what my life will be like once I go to jail. Case has kept his word about several things, and I’m hoping that is just one more he can keep.

I’m cleaning off a table my customers just left when a strong hand lands on my shoulder. It starts to tug me backward, and I turn around about to let them have it when I see it’s Blane. “What are you doing here?”

He frowns. “Bad night?” he yells as he looks over the club. It’s packed and I’m tired of sweating my ass off.

I reach down, grab his hand, and pull him down the hallway by the private rooms. The music isn’t as loud in this hallway. “What are you doing here?” I ask again.

“Savannah said you were upset about something that you saw on TV. I just thought I would come and check on you.”

I haven’t seen much of Blane lately. I have spoken to Savannah about him, and she said Blane hasn’t even mentioned Case in over a week. I’m praying that means Case no longer has him working for him. But I also still haven’t told him about Case and me, and I’m glad considering we ended whatever the hell it was just hours ago. “It was nothing,” I say blowing it off. If I told Blane that I thought we were all going to go to jail, he’d probably kill Case. And then he would be in jail. A lose-lose situation.

He goes to say something when Rachel comes walking down the hallway. She throws me a fuck-you smile and then looks at my brother. Her face instantly transforms to seductive. Her dark brown eyes soften, and she pushes her tits out more as she pulls her shoulders back. “Hi, Taylor,” she says cheerfully not even bothering to look over at me. “Who is your friend?” She looks my brother up and down.

“I’m Blane.” He reaches his hand out other. “Taylor’s brother.”

Her eyes widen for the briefest second. “Brother? Why have you been hiding him?” she purrs.

“He’s taken,” I announce almost rolling my eyes.

“They always are,” Rachel responds throwing him a flirty smile. I hate that she is pretty. I wish people could see how much of a bitch she really is. “But they don’t have to know,” she adds, placing her hand on his chest.

I slap her hand off his chest. “Rachel,” I snap getting pissed. Then I turn to face Blane. “What the hell, Blane?”

To my surprise, they both throw me a frustrated look. “What did you say your name was?” she asks because she was too busy devouring him with her eyes rather than listening to what he had to say.

“Blane. Blane Williams,” he says with a warm smile, and I roll my eyes.

Rachel actually looks taken aback for a brief second before she hides her features. “How do you know Taylor again?” Was she truly not listening to a thing he said?

“I’m her brother,” he repeats. “I’m also a friend of Case’s.”

She looks back and forth between Blane and me with a look of confusion. She also looks a bit terrified. I arch a brow in question to why she’s acting like such an idiot. I’ve never seen her act like this before, and let me just say, it’s not a good look for her. I smile at that.

“It was nice to meet you, Blane.” And with that, she walks past us and to the end of the hallway where our locker room is.

“That was weird,” Blane says looking down the hall to the door she just entered

I sigh. “Yeah. Where’s Savannah? You know, your girlfriend,” I ask looking around myself.

“She is at home in bed. I just wanted to come and check on you.”

“I’m fine. And you could have texted me,” I say defensively.

“I have several times, but I got worried when you didn’t respond,” he says with worry in his voice.

“I’m at work. My phone is in my locker. Go home, Blane. Go home to Savannah. I’m fine.”

“What is wrong with you? You are being very snappy. If you don’t like working here, then you should quit.”

I run a hand through my hair. “I love working here. And I’m snappy because I just saw you flirting with someone who is not your girlfriend.” And said someone just so happened to be someone that I don’t like.

“I did nothing wrong,” he says defensively. “I was just being nice to a woman who was being nice to me,” he huffs. “You should try it.”

“Try what?” I demand.

“Being nice.”

“Good-bye, Blane!” I growl as I turn giving him my back and make my way back to the locker room myself. As soon as I walk in, Rachel pulls her cell phone away from her ear and hangs it up. I ignore her as she stares at me and walk to my locker. I unlock it and pull my phone out. I quickly skim over the four texts my brother sent me and roll my eyes at how concerned they sounded.

“I understand why you’re mad,” Rachel says from behind me.

“Oh, yeah? Why is that?” I ask barely paying attention to her.

“Well, Case is a great fuck! But once he’s done with you, he’s done. He doesn’t go back,” she says matter-of-factly.

I set my phone down on top of my purse and very slowly turn to face her. Her usual bitch smile is plastered on her face. “Excuse me?” I must have heard her wrong.

“He’s done with you.” She gives me a fake frown. “And I know it must suck knowing that he doesn’t feel the same way about you like you did him. You were just a fuck to him.”

“How do you …?”

“You didn’t think you were the only one he’s slept with up here at the club, have you?”

Has he slept with her? What about his rules? She laughs. “Oh, you did. That’s sweet. Honey …” she says with pity. “He can have his pick of any woman here every night. Why would he pick you?” She looks me up and down with that same pity look. “I’m not saying he won’t fuck you more than once. But when he’s done, he’s done.”

I fist my hands by my side. “I don’t think …” I sigh, what do I say? “How do you know when he’s done?” I place my hand on my hips. “Were you one of those girls he quit fucking?” I hate to even ask the question, but I wanna rub in the fact he dumped her.

“Not quite.” She pushes off the wall and takes a step toward me. “See, it has been a few weeks since he’s fucked me, but he’ll come back to me. He always does.” She runs her hands over her large breasts and down her stomach. “Him and Brecken.” She licks her lips, and my eyes widen. “Did he share you with Brecken?” she asks, and I don’t move or make a sound. I can’t. I’m in shock and pissed. “He likes to share his women. He likes to watch another man fuck them.” She smiles. “Believe me. You’ve never been properly fucked until you’ve had them both at the same time.” She looks me up and down with a scowl on her face. “But I guess that isn’t going to happen to you. I can see why he didn’t stay with you for long. You’re not what he needs, and you’re sure as hell not what he wants.” And with that, she turns and walks out of the locker room.