“Okay, well I have a phone. Just call me.” Her hips sway as she walks in front of me. Her plump ass is goddamn mouthwatering. The curves on her, the way she moves—she’s a fucking goddess, and she’s made the mistake of wandering into my club. I can’t look away. And I sure as fuck can’t let her disappear into the night. Not happening.
“Just a phone won’t be enough.” I stop, and she turns to face me.
“Why not?” she huffs.
Because I want to get closer to you, because I need to know you’re safe, because I want you right here, right now up against this wall. “Because it’s the nature of my business.”
She wrinkles her nose. “What’s the nature of your business? I thought you owned the club.”
“I own many things.” I look her up and down. There’s no way in hell I’m letting her out of here dressed like that by herself. She’s like a beacon calling all manner of bad men straight to her. Including me.
“Look, if I’m done for the night, I’ll just go back to the sh—go home,” she quickly amends and reaches for the bag with her cat in it.
“No—”
“Boss!” Malone pokes his head into the backstage door. “Trouble.”
“Fuck.” I hold on to the bag.
“Alonzo and Brenda are having a screaming match.” Right as Malone says it, I can hear it. That motherfucker Alonzo is cussing Brenda, but what he doesn’t know is that Brenda will drop him without another thought. She’s badass, an ex-assassin from the Brotherhood. That’s why she’s in charge of the front of the house.
“I have to go. Stay here.” I let her have her bag. “Wait. What’s your name?”
The yelling grows louder.
She glances around, then says, “Diamond.”
“No, your real name,” I press.
“Boss, I’m going to have to do something. He tried to put his hands on her. Oh shit.” Malone disappears into the front of the house.
Fuck. “Stay right here, Diamond.” I point to the floor, then turn and dash toward the fight. If I don’t stop it now, Brenda will slit Alonzo’s throat, and I’ll have yet another mess to clean up.
“Stay!” I call behind me to Diamond as I rush from backstage and enter the melee, my fists flying as I take no fucking prisoners.
4
Diamond
I watch with wide eyes as Brenda drops a man in a suit like it’s nothing. He’d jumped in front of the man who cut me with his words earlier, ready to defend the jerk. Why do all the men in this world have an army to protect them? I watch as another man steps up, ready to fight for the same man. This one pulls a gun, which she easily takes from him and turns it right back on him.
I don’t think I’ve ever been more impressed or surprised by someone in my whole life. In the back earlier, before I went onstage, Brenda had been so sweet and almost motherly toward me. Or what I’m guessing a mother would be like if I had one. The women my father brought around over the years tended to be as mean as him at times.
Both Devlin and Malone jump into the chaos. I stand there, not sure what I should do. If I leave, will I be fired? He told me I was done for the night. The last thing I want is that, but I also don’t want to be here in case the police show up or something. They might run my name, and I can’t risk it.
I have no clue if my father is searching for me. What I do know is he’s always been tight with the police. I have no idea how far his reach stretches. I’m a whole state over, but you never know. Mama meows, circling my feet. I bend down and pick her up.
“You’re right. We should get out of here.” I put her back into my bag as I make my escape. I quickly grab my things and put a coat over my clothes so I don’t have to change. I slip on some sneakers. If Devlin catches me, I think he’ll push to take me home.
I know I shouldn’t feel shame for staying at a shelter. If anything, I should be proud that I actually escaped from under my father’s thumb. But I can’t help it. Especially when I hear some of the other ladies' stories.
“You already got fired?” Natalie asks. All the other girls here have been nice to me except for her. She’s wearing a smirk on her face at the thought of me losing my job. She may be a beautiful girl except when she makes some of her facial expressions. She’d gone onstage right before me. That hadn’t helped much with my confidence. I should ignore her, but I can’t help myself for some reason.