Maybe.
There was definitely something about the area that called to me.
20
STEELE
I wanted to hang around for a while, sticking close by. If only make sure Cassidy was safe with the woman, and to be there sooner if and when she needed me. But I also had something important that needed to be taken care of. Something that would make it easier for when Cassidy did make her decision. Since, I had heard good things about the person who owned the business Cassidy was visiting, I figured she was in safe hands.
Cassidy also had my number should anything happen, and she needed me.
Besides, if I didn’t do what I had to when the opportunity presented itself, I might have never had another chance. Because I wasn’t going to continue to do the same things I had been doing. Tricking and robbing women. I was tired of living under Charlotte’s control. I was tired of being no better than Cassidy’s ex-boyfriend.
I wanted my own life and if that meant going rogue, then that was something I would do. But first, I had to do the respectful thing. Charlotte was my alpha in the end. And that title earned her a certain level of respect whether I wanted to show it or not. Whether she deserved it or not.
So, after waiting for Cassidy to go inside, and making sure everything surrounding the shop was free from a hint of the scent belonging to Xander, I took off toward the club. Hopefully for the last time.
I had made it to Tiger’s Eye Nightclub in record time. Ghalen was already standing outside the door. I swore the man never slept. Or he had some sort of hidden cot somewhere in the club, which wasn’t likely. I didn’t know much about him, but I was pretty sure he had a kid to take care of.
We nodded at each other as I approached.
“Is she in there?” I asked.
“You already know the answer to that,” he said.
I nodded. “You’re right. I do.”
“Good luck,” he said as I walked through the door.
“Bad mood?” I asked, setting my gaze on the tall dark-skinned man who acted as our bouncer. He was one of us… a mountain lion shifter, but he normally kept to himself for the most part.
“More like a rare mood,” he said.
“Shit.” Those were almost worse than her bad moods. I gave Ghalen a nod. “Thanks for the heads-up.”
“Mm-hmm,” he mumbled. He lowered his head once before shutting the door behind me.
The smell of cleaning supplies and dishes clinking together filled my ears as I made a beeline to Charlotte’s office at the back of the club. It was always odd to walk in and not be smacked in the face with loud music, smoke from the fog machine, or the overwhelming scent of women’s perfumes and hormones blended together.
I made my way across the main room toward the back of the building. As I passed the bar, I nodded toward the bartender. She smiled at me politely just before I disappeared from sight. At the end of the hall, toward the back of the building, was Charlotte’s office.
Once I arrived at the door, I gave it a couple of knocks with my one of my knuckles.
“Enter,” Charlotte said. Her voice filtered through the door, barely audible, but I caught the sound of a slight purr in her words.
I clenched my jaws and squeezed my eyes closed. With a deep breath in, I prepared myself for what I needed to do and gripped the handle.
No time like the present, I told myself.
I pushed the door open and then stepped inside. Charlotte’s eyes took me in as I stormed toward her desk. Her eyes were filled with questions.
“Take a seat,” she said. “You look like you have a lot on your mind.”
I nodded. “You can say that.”
“Well, unburden yourself,” she said and gestured to the seat. “Maybe I can help.”
I took the seat in front of her desk and settled my gaze on my alpha’s. Getting this done and over with was going to be a lot harder than I thought it would be. The thing about Charlotte? Whenever we followed the rules, we were cared for. She was pleasant and doting and cared for us in ways we only hoped for. She was only harsh and cruel when it came to bending or even breaking her rules.