Club 22 (Hades Book 3) Read online

  I clicked my tongue, feeling Cass's heavy gaze on me as he popped out of the fridge with a raw steak in hand. "Guess you've got me there, Seph."

  She knew I was mocking her, and it wasn't amusing her in the least. Her glare just darkened, and her lips pursed with anger.

  "I'll think about it," I told her with absolutely no intention of doing anything of the sort.

  Frustration flashed over her pretty, doll-like face. She drew a breath to argue, but Lucas beat her to it.

  "Actually, come to think of it," he commented quietly, "I would really benefit from going back for at least a couple of my subjects. We're so close to exams now; it'd only really be a few weeks of classes. I could play bodyguard to Seph and make sure Chase doesn't snatch her again."

  I swiveled my head to peer at him. "You could ask me for help with assignments."

  He smiled. "I could. But I wouldn't actually be learning anything."

  For a moment, I turned the idea over in my brain, then looked over at Cass to see what his thoughts were. He just gave me a miniscule shrug as he tossed his steak into a frying pan. Not amazingly useful, but also he was clearly not opposed to the idea.

  "Fine," I acquiesced. "I'll set up a meeting with the school today and sort out their security. I'll have to move your schedules around to get you both in the same classes too."

  Lucas smiled, leaning in to kiss my cheek. "Thanks, babe. You're the best."

  Seph was just scowling even harder, though. "Oh, I see. So when I ask it's all I'll think about it, which we both know means flat-out no. Then Lucas asks and you're okay with it? You're such a selfish bitch, Dare." She stormed out of the kitchen in her bratty rage, and I rubbed at my temples in my endless search for sanity.

  "Is it just me," Cass rumbled from where he prodded at his cooking steak, "or would Seph really benefit from Phillip D'Ath's camp?"

  I choked on my coffee as a laugh took me by surprise. Cass peered over at me, all fucking innocent, and I swiped a hand over my mouth.

  "If only it was still running," I chuckled, shaking my head. But I wasn't serious. Even if that camp had still been active, I wouldn't send Seph there. She was annoying as hell, but I wouldn't kill her spirit like that.

  Zed entered the kitchen with a confused look on his face, glancing back the way he came. "Uh, anyone know why Seph just told me we were all ruining her life before bursting out crying and slamming her door?"

  I couldn't help myself, I started laughing. It was that or cry when it came to my little sister.

  36

  Seph gave me the cold shoulder all weekend, even slamming her door in my face when I delivered her new Shadow Prep uniform on Sunday evening. But by the time she and Lucas got home on Monday after their first day back, all seemed forgiven.

  She hugged me tight on getting back to the house, then sweetly asked if I wanted to have a Netflix date with her that night, just like we used to.

  I missed my sister enough that I agreed and didn't call her on all the shitty attitude over the last few days. It earned me a few dark glares from Zed, but I just flipped him off behind her back. Then made it up to him later. Repeatedly.

  So all things considered, I was in a good mood by the time Zed and I headed to Club 22 on Tuesday afternoon for my rehearsal with Maxine. I'd postponed my actual performance so many times it was starting to feel like I was just attending a class rather than preparing for a show.

  Still, I wasn't prepared to give Zed even a hint of a preview, so I made him drop me off and come back when I was finished in a couple of hours.

  Training with Maxine was refreshingly enjoyable. She'd long since stopped treating me with the careful, fearful respect that my Hades face demanded and had started treating me like a real person. Like a friend. I liked it way more than I could ever admit, but it was part of the reason I kept stalling on following through with the bet. After I did the show, I had no reason to hang out with Maxine. She'd go back to being an employee.

  Obviously, I knew that wasn't how things worked in the real world. But that wasn't the world I lived in. I couldn't afford to have friends. Hell, just having lovers was dangerous enough. Anyone I cared about was a liability, and I definitely didn't need to add to that list.

  Zed arrived back right on time, to the minute, and it made me suspicious that he'd just lurked in the parking lot for the entire time, which was ridiculous because he had a shit ton of work to do. But the thought crossed my mind.

  "Hey, I meant to say earlier," Maxine said to me as we both sat on the stage floor to take our shoes off, "I should have mentioned about me and Zed. I realized last session that you didn't know, and then I got all freaked out that you were going to... I dunno..." She trailed off as Zed sauntered his sexy ass closer, clearly listening in. Prick.

  I gave her a soft smile, letting her off the hook. "You thought I would flip my killer switch and come at you in a jealous rage? Maybe break into your house and bludgeon you with a stripper shoe?" Her eyes widened and smile slipped, and I cringed. "Sorry, my people skills need work," I muttered. "No, we're cool. If I was going to kill every girl Zed had ever slept with, there would be a hell of a lot of blood on my hands." More than there already was, anyway.

  Maxine's breath rushed out in relief. "Okay. Cool. ’Cause this"—she indicated between her and Zed—"totally ancient history. Way, way in the past."

  Zed gave her a tight smile back but added nothing more.

  Not that I needed to know, but color me curious. "Why did you guys break up, anyway?" I asked, stretching out my leg and reaching for my toes. My hamstrings were screaming at me after today's session.

  Zed's eyes widened, and Maxine made a small noise of surprise. "Oh, um, I figured you knew. We broke up because..." She trailed off, looking at Zed in panic.

  He gave her a reassuring smile, then answered me directly. "We broke up because Max accused me of being in love with you, and I couldn't deny it. Because it's true."

  Oh.

  "You know what? I'm gonna... go shower," Maxine mumbled, scrambling to her feet and grabbing her bag. "I'll see you later, H." She hurried toward the backstage area where our staff had a full locker room complete with showers, and Zed arched a brow at me.

  "H?" he repeated.

  I shrugged. "I like her."

  His smile was smug and knowing. "I can tell. I don't think I've ever seen you with a friend before. It's cute as hell."

  "Shut up; it is not," I muttered, pushing off the stage and heading over to the bar to fill up my water bottle. Because I was a lazy asshole, I boosted my butt up onto the bar top to reach over and grab the soda gun, and Zed leaned his elbow on the bar beside me. "Besides, you're my friend."

  "I meant a girl friend. And before you say it, Hannah doesn't count. You like her, but as an employee not a friend. And you just barely tolerate Gen because she's good at her job." He watched me with an amused smile as I gulped my water.

  Putting my bottle back down, I flipped the conversation on him. "Okay, well how long ago did you guys date? It must have been recent if you broke up because of me."

  Zed huffed a short laugh. "It was three years ago, Dare. She was my last real relationship, and when she called me on loving you, I gave up trying. The rest were just... fun ways to pass time. Something to temporarily fill the empty void in my life that you belonged in."

  My lips parted as I held his gaze. "That... is surprisingly romantic, Zed. In a really slutty man-whore kind of way." Then an unpleasant thought slammed into my mind, killing the fizzy affection that had been building. "Uh, speaking of your long, long list of previous conquests, have you—"

  "I got tested before we slept together the first time," he cut me off, already knowing exactly what I was asking. "Like... weeks before that time. Just in case. I didn't want to risk anything on the chance things with us did work out."

  I let my breath out in a long exhale. "Good. That's good." I gave a shaking laugh. "Probably something we should have discussed sooner, huh?"

  Zed gave an e
asy shrug. "A lot of why we work so well, why we've always worked so well, is mutual trust. What about Cass and Lucas?"

  I parted my lips, not really wanting to divulge Lucas’s sexual history—or lack thereof—and internally cringing that I’d never talked STDs with Cass. He was such a control freak, though, there was no way he hadn’t been getting regular tests.

  "Do you really want to discuss Cass’s and Lucas's dicks?" I peered down at him with a teasing grin. "But I know you've seen them both now. Any thoughts you want to share with the class?"

  Zed scoffed a laugh, his palm warm on my thigh. I was still in a sports bra and hotpants so short they were basically underpants, so his touch made my skin shiver with delight. "If you're asking whether I have any bisexual tendencies, Boss..." He paused there. So fucking dramatic. "The answer is no." Oh, good. Or... damn. I wasn't totally sure whether I was pleased or disappointed by that statement.

  "Or, at least, I have no secret desire to suck dick," he continued. "Am I so straight that I would balk at the idea of another man seeing my dick buried in your pussy or in your mouth? Nah. I love an audience." His wink was pure sex, and it made my breath catch in my chest. Goddamn, this hadn't been my intention at all, but suddenly I was seriously considering fucking Zed on the bar top. We only had about fifteen minutes before Rodney would arrive for his shift, though...

  Zed was apparently thinking the same thing because his hand crept higher and his fingertips hooked the elastic waistband of my pants. "You know what I've always wanted to do?" He shifted to stand directly in front of me, between my dangling legs. "Ever since we opened this club?"

  "Hmm?" I replied, obediently lifting my hips as he peeled my hotpants off and abandoned them on the floor. "I think I can guess, but go ahead and tell me anyway."

  Zed gave a dark chuckle, lifting each of my bare feet and placing them on bar stools to either side of where he stood, exposing my bare pussy to him. "I've always wanted to christen this bar... the way it was meant to be done."

  He bent down, kissing me in the most intimate way and making my toes curl. Drawing a deep breath, my eyes flicked to the clock, even as my hips tilted to give him better access to my pussy.

  "Just this bar?" I murmured, gasping as he licked my clit and already quivering with need for more.

  He laughed against my core, sending soft vibrations through my sensitive flesh. I squirmed under his touch, and he nipped my thigh with his teeth.

  "Not just this one," he admitted, straightening up. "All of them. But this would be a great start, don't you think?" He licked his lips, and I groaned.

  "Shit," I whispered. "I can't say no to you. Hurry the fuck up, though. Rodney—"

  "Starts in ten, I know. Lay back." He swiveled me on the bar, then climbed up to join me, already loosening his belt. "And you’d better be quiet; Maxine is still in the shower."

  I cringed. I'd totally forgotten about Maxine. But there was no changing my mind as Zed positioned himself on his knees, then lifted my hips and drove his dick deep into my throbbing core. "Ah fuck," I cried out, then immediately clapped my hand over my mouth.

  Zed laughed as he shifted our position again, then used his grip on my hips and ass to hold me in just the right spot while he went to work. His thrusts were hard and deep, making soft grunts and gasps escape my throat with every push.

  My back kept sliding down the polished bar top, though. Eventually Zed reached out and pulled me up to sitting. Then lifted me to straddle him as he hung his legs off the bar, and I sank back onto his cock fully.

  "Oh yeah," he breathed as I found my seat. "Yeah, that's it. Fuck me hard, Boss. We've only got a couple of minutes left."

  "Shit," I breathed, settling my weight and resting my forearms around his neck. I quickly found my groove, bouncing up and down on Zed's dick like an equestrian. He tugged my sports bra up to expose my tits, right in his face, and grabbed one of my nipples between his teeth right as I started to come.

  My startled yelp fast turned into a moan as my pussy contracted around his dick, and he bit down harder.

  "Fuck, Zed!" I screamed out as my lady bits imploded, blowing my damn mind all over the freaking bar. Zed grabbed my waist, holding me still as he thrust up into me a couple of times, finishing himself off as well.

  For a moment, time stood still, and I just rested my forehead on his shoulder, panting and waiting for my cunt to relax. But then the unmistakable sound of the front door opening shocked us both out of our post-orgasm bliss.

  Not wanting Rodney to catch me with my pants down—literally—I made a snap decision and dove off Zed and behind the bar.

  The sound of my best friend's laughter followed me, and a second later my hot pants flew over the bar top as Zed called out a greeting to Rodney.

  37

  Zed and I had to work our asses off for the next few days trying to sort through the mess that Chase had generated for us with Anarchy. Not only had the reporters redoubled their efforts in trying to get the "Timberwolf story" thanks to the bullshit accusations of our drug-using patrons, we also had the city council to deal with.

  Luckily, Chase hadn't managed to break all our alliances. Some of them had taken a long time to cultivate, and they weren't shifting allegiances easily.

  Zed was leveraging one of those important contacts while I drove us home from the Copper Wolf office in his Ferrari. We'd worked late, again, and it was well past dinnertime, so my stomach was growling as I turned into the driveway. We had intended to order takeout while we worked but ended up fucking on my desk instead. Whoops.

  "Understood," Zed murmured into his phone as I parked in the garage. He badly hadn't wanted to let me drive his baby, but I'd reminded him of that scratch on my McLaren. He’d given the keys up with a grumble. "Thank you, Gerald. I appreciate your assistance on this matter." He paused, glancing over at me with a smile on his lips. "You're right; we are overdue for a round of golf. How does Sunday sound? Rainybanks Country Club? Perfect. See you then, Gerald."

  That was the main reason I had Zed on the call rather than me. He walked the walk and talked the talk. He could schmooze the politicians like no one else. He had a way of delivering the same threats and blackmail that I would but making them sound so very casual. It was scary as hell and equally impressive.

  "Well?" I prompted after he ended the call.

  His grin spread wide. "All sorted. Two-week closure, then we can reopen without any fines and no black marks on our record."

  Climbing out of the car, I gave a small groan. "Two-week closure? Why?"

  Zed rolled his eyes. "Seriously? We were facing a massive fine and potential loss of our liquor license. All Gerald asked was that we stay closed for appearances."

  I pouted, but he was right. We were getting off easy. It was just shitty timing for our events. "I don't know how you do that shit," I commented, shaking my head. "Charming the pants off those old politicians."

  Zed laughed, draping his arm around me as we headed inside the house. "I know. That's why I handle that part. It's what makes us a good team, gorgeous. I subtly threaten them with the axe. You're the axe."

  I couldn't help grinning at that description. He wasn't wrong.

  "Uh, why does it smell like burning in here?" I wrinkled my nose and glanced up at Zed, who looked severely unimpressed.

  "Fuck's sake," he groaned, "I told them to order in for dinner."

  We made our way through to the kitchen, and sure enough, there was a flustered, red-faced Seph flapping a dish towel at the smoke billowing out of the oven.

  "Seph, what the hell is going on?" he demanded, storming over and snatching the cloth from her, then kicking the oven door shut. "Why are you trying to burn my house down?"

  "I wasn't!" she whined back. "I was trying to cook dinner for everyone. Your stupid oven is broken or something!"

  Laughter bubbled up in my chest, and I bit the inside of my cheek in a weak attempt not to grin. Seph definitely wouldn't appreciate the funny side right now. Neither would Zed, s
eeing as he took his kitchen appliances very seriously.

  "Right, Seph," he snapped, the sarcasm thick in his voice, "you're right. My eight-thousand-dollar Smeg oven must be broken. No user error involved." He shot a glare at me, like he knew I was about to lose it. "Seph... Don't you have homework to do or something?"

  My sister glared at me as well, as though her failed meal was somehow my fault, then let out a frustrated scream and stormed out of the kitchen.

  "Don't fucking start, Dare," Zed growled, pointing an accusing finger at me. "Go order pizzas; I'll clean this mess up."

  Offering him a mocking salute, I pulled out my phone to call in a pizza order while heading upstairs to change into sweats. After spending all day in a pencil skirt, stockings, and high heels, the softness of my sweatpants was better than anything.

  Cracking the loft door, I yelled up to Seph that pizza would be half an hour. The only response I got was a bratty "Whatever," so I left her to go in search of Cass and Lucas.

  I found Cass first, in the middle of a shower with sweaty gym clothes on the floor. As tempting as it was to join him, I mustered up the strength of will to overrule my greedy cunt and instead just let him know about the pizza ETA.

  Lucas was in his room but was fast asleep on top of a pile of his textbooks. He'd been pulling crazy late nights preparing for exams and juggling his EMT course work; it was no surprise he'd crashed.

  As gently as I could, I tidied up all the books, wiggling them out from under him and stacking them neatly on his bedside table. Then I grabbed a blanket from the closet and draped it over him before flicking off the lights and leaving him to sleep.

  Back downstairs, Zed had managed to get rid of the smoke in the oven, but the smell clung to the air and a piece of charcoal-black meat—I think—sat in a roasting dish on the counter.