“Don’t tease me with the possibilities,” I said and winked as I started the engine.
The city was busy, with rows of cars packed into the streets that led to where we were going. I didn’t expect any less for a Friday night, so I took as many shortcuts as I knew to get to Black Out. Even with the quick trip, though, we still ended up being an hour late by the time I got the car into a spot in a city parking garage. We walked past Jezebels, another bar, and headed south until we finally reach the club.
“This… is a nightclub?” Ross asked carefully, staring up at the dark neon lights that flashed in the carved out words Black Out. “It belongs to the Kings, if I’m not mistaken.”
“Does it?” I asked innocently, but the look he gave me said I wasn’t fooling anyone with my act, least of all him.
“Whose birthday party is this?” He glanced around nervously. Usually Black Out had a line of people waiting to get inside, but I assumed they must’ve warned their clientele throughout the week that it would be closed for a VIP event.
“Do you want an honest answer, or would you rather be surprised?” I slid my hand into his and dragged him against my side.
“Let’s go with the truth,” he said more confidently than I’d expected. “I’m a criminal now, too, you know.”
I grinned at his joke and bumped him with my shoulder. “Look at you, owning that shit.” We headed to the door, which had a bigClosed for Private Partysign lit up through a glass cutout, but all I had to do was knock twice. “To answer your question, it’s my girl Millie May’s birthday. She’s a Harlot. Big three-zero.”
“A Harlot?” He said the words slowly, as though testing them on his tongue, before he nodded. “Makes sense. They own the Courtesan, right?”
“Yes, love bug, they do. Millie May is a client of ours as well. Not mine, because she’s a woman and I prefer this.” I reached across to squeeze his package, nestled quite comfortably in those new pants of his. He thrust his hips forward slightly, but I quickly removed my hand. “She has a couple of men who she enjoys spending time with. Romeo, for one, but you wouldn’t know him I suppose. He’s a strict top, and seeing as you said you’ve never bottomed, I’m sure you’ve never met him.”
“No, I haven’t.”
The door ripped open, and I grinned when Jester, a big burly man who I knew was a member of the Kings of Men MC, stood there in his leather cut wearing a scowl.
“Hey, Jester!” I waved cheerfully. “Sorry I’m late. I had to wrangle my houseboy here. He’s my date.”
Jester grunted in answer and opened the door wider, giving us a view of his gnarly and colorful tattoos. The Kings were the reason I’d wanted artwork on my chest in the first place, even if my papa nearly had a heart attack over it. After he’d seen it, I heard a never-ending lecture about what it would do to my skin as I aged, but I didn’t expect any less from him. My dad had a whole other complaint. Something about the Torah. I hadn’t been paying much attention. Unlike me, though, Jester was covered in colorful tats, and every time I saw him I couldn’t help but stop and appreciate them.
He gestured for us to come in, and I slipped through the door, Ross right behind me. I thanked Jester as I strode past him and into a room crowded with drunk people. The club’s strobe lights flickered across the dance floor, which had a few familiar faces wriggling and groping at one another while they rocked to the music. I was used to the sea-blue hue that Black Out was known for, but they’d obviously changed the light settings for Millie May. The smell of alcohol meant drinks had already been poured and spilled—this was going to be an interesting night.
Millie May sat at the head of a long table set up on a raised platform. She had a black birthday sash across her shoulder, the wordsBirthday Bitchprinted across the front. She looked as sexy as always in a black corset that propped her boobs up and a pair of leather pants. As soon as she saw me, she called my name, stumbling to stand and nearly tumbling over her own boots as she made her way over to me.
“Stormy. The storm’s here!” She threw her arms around me and dragged me against her chest, squashing my cheek against her jiggly breasts. I didn’t mind because even though I didn’t like women, I’d seen my fair share of tits, and they were soft. I worked in the Courtesan after all, and breasts were the least scary thing I’d been pressed against.
“Hey girl, happy birthday!” I laughed when she finally let me go so I could give her a kiss on the cheek.
“Thank you!” She grinned at me. Even though she was clearly drunk as a skunk, her makeup was perfect, the black lipstick barely disturbed. She pointed at me and pouted. “You’re late.”
“Iknow, honey, and I’m sorry. I had to wait for my houseboy to get out of prison.” I waved at Ross, and as if seeing him for the first time, her mouth dropped open.
“Fuck me, it’s the mayor. The mayor is your houseboy?” She reached over to pat his face and grinned. “He’s so sexy. I jilled off thinking about you a few times.”
Ross made a face like he wasn’t sure whether he wanted to laugh or be horrified, and in the end he grinned at her. “I’m honored. I hope fantasy me took good care of you.”
Millie May fluttered her long black eyelashes at him. “All my fantasy boyfriends do, sweet thing.” Her attention swung back to me, and I froze under the scrutiny. “Does he have a nice dick?”
“Right here,” Ross said as I laughed.
“She’s drunk,” I murmured, touching his arm as I snuggled closer to him. I was surprised I could hear him in the chaos of the music and the loud, intoxicated bikers and professionals who filled the room. “Yes, Millie May, his dick is perfect, and it’s mine. So keep your claws to yourself, doll.”
She let out a long sigh, then shrugged, her boobs jiggling with the movement. “I tried.”
“It was a valiant attempt, darling, but this one belongs to me.” I kissed Ross on the cheek, and he leaned against me. The warmth of his body made me feel secure, which was a strange emotion, but I feltgoodabout finally having a man at my side, someone I could call mine. Sure, we weren’t dating, and he was mine because he owed me… several thousand dollars, but I was fine with that.
Millie May’s gaze flicked between us and her smile grew even wider, making her look like a Cheshire cat. “Come get a drink, guys.”
She dragged us toward the bar where Josh, one of my favorite bartenders, was working. His purple hair glittered under the lights. He winked as a hello and leaned over the bar top. Usually he didn’t work here, but I suspected they’d pulled him in for extra hands. “Hey, guys. What can I get you to drink?”
One of the Kings who I knew as Rogue walked behind Josh, slapping him on the ass on the way past, and Josh didn’t even flinch, like he’d expected exactly that. As far as I was concerned, an ass slap wasn’t anything to be surprised about.
