“Hello.” Stephen answered on the last ring.
“I’m not keeping Dane. Either keep him with you or send him back to jail. He’s not my responsibility. He’s yours.”
There was muttering over the line. He made out Ursula’s voice and the rustle of paperwork.
“He’s scaring the clients, James. I can’t have him here. Especially with the press jammed up my ass,” Stephen said.
James stopped in the hallway before entering his office. “Listen to me. He is your responsibility. I’m dealing with the crap from the press just as much as you. At least you have a woman by your side. I’m juicier meat because I’ve got f**k all. This was the deal that you, Cadeon, and Lucas cooked up with the FBI. I have no involvement with this. I don’t even know what you agreed to. He’s a murderer for crying out loud.” James hit his head against the wall in order to bring some focus into his world.
Prudence’s presence had really knocked him hard. She wasn’t a little girl anymore. His feelings were completely irrelevant. He needed to keep his focus; otherwise he was going to be in trouble.
His friend cursed on the other line. Dane’s release had not come easily. All of them had had to delve into their pockets for lawyers and judges, not to mention the reassurance they gave to the FBI. The headache was intensifying from thinking about all the paperwork he’d needed to sign from giving money to help.
“Look, we’ve got to keep him safe. I’ve got a few members of the bureau working undercover here to keep an eye on him,” Stephen said.
“Then why send him to me?”
“Because he was getting restless. I don’t know.”
“I covered for you growing up, Stephen. I’m not taking your shit now. Get Lucas to come and pick him up. I want him out of my establishment in two hours.” James ended the call resting his head against the wall.
His club was his one salvation. It meant he didn’t have to be at the front line with Stephen. He didn’t want any part in that life. Possession wasn’t for him. This lifestyle was for him. He rolled his shoulders trying to loosen the knots forming in his muscles from the stress of everything that had happened.
James knew that being at the club meant sacrificing being in the know of what was going on with Dane and the deal they had made. He liked being in the dark. By being in the dark it meant the people closest to him were never at risk. There were a lot of people close to him who could end up hurt by him. He wouldn’t let that happen. He needed to take care of them like he did in everything else.
Opening his office door, he stared at Dane who was turning around in circles with the chair.
“Hey, dad. Can I go out and play?”
After seeing Prudence, James didn’t want to be reminded of his age. He walked past the turning chair and pushed. The chair and its occupant tumbled out.
He watched Dane recover without landing on his ass. The other man buttoned up his shirt and gave a bow. “I’ll be at the bar. Not causing trouble.”
Dane left closing the door behind him.
Sitting at his chair, James stared at the white envelope in his hands. Veronica had promised to keep his secret if he promised to never contact her again. He’d kept to his promise. No conversation had passed between them. James wondered what could be happening in his ex’s life for her to be the one to get in touch.
Placing the envelope down on the desk he stared at it. The pounding in his temples continued. His mind was all over the place. All he saw in front of him was her curves. The temptation she provided him from simply being available. He hadn’t seen a ring on her finger or any signs of her being owned by another man.
You want to own that body.
He shook his head. His thoughts were not welcome.
James grabbed the envelope and slid it into a drawer. He didn’t need the pressures of his past. He typed in his password to the computer and opened the link to the security cameras throughout the club. The basement, or the dungeon, as some of his patrons liked to call it, had plenty of security. He didn’t want anyone to be hurt on his watch.
Dominance meant the world to him, and so, too, did his reputation. Without both he knew he would be lost. He hovered over the club’s security. James wanted one more look to make sure he hadn’t made it up.
Closing his eyes, he battled with himself. Then he pressed the button that would zoom the camera in to find her.
He needed to make sure she was all right. James refused to question his need. Prudence was his responsibility. He didn’t want to see any other reason other than her being a friend.
****
Okay, that sucked more than anything else in the world. Prue watched him walk away. For a split second she was sure she’d seen interest in his eyes. He’d demanded that guy be taken out of his club.
Her two friends were looking at her. She couldn’t handle the pity in their gazes. The other two men who’d been with them were gone. She guessed they must have gone when James approached or when their friend had been kicked out of the club. Taking the seat at the bar she ordered a drink, a strong one. Jermaine got her the drink without argument.
“Sweetie, who was that man?” Becky asked.
“What makes you think I knew him?” Prue winced at the sadness in her voice. Why was she sad? James meant nothing to her other than being the guy her sister used to date or f**k. God, just the thought of them together made her upset. She couldn’t handle this.
Seeing James was supposed to make her feel better, not worse.
“You’re not kidding anyone, Prue. You know that guy, and he knew you.”
“He’s Veronica’s ex. She used to work here.”
“Oh my God! The guy you were crushing over owns this bar? Wow, do you even know the reputation of this place?” Anya asked.
Prue nodded her head. She knew about the reputation. The professor who’d taught her to love her fuller curves had dabbled in the lifestyle. The thought of James being into it made her hotter than hell.
“We’ve tried to get into that part of the club. No one has a clue where it is.”
She knew where it was. Prue wouldn’t be telling them where it was. They were walking right over it. Before the big media reveal about the BDSM club and Possession, she’d been going into several clubs that had mentioned this place as a way to become part of the crowd.
Grabbing her drink she sipped at the clear liquid. The alcohol burst on her tongue.
“It doesn’t matter. Did you see him? He couldn’t wait to get away from me. Do I have stale food on my clothes? Do I smell bad?”