“Yep.” She met his gaze. “I’m sure Leo said nine pm.”

“This is the first I’ve heard of it.”

A firm slap landed on his shoulder before Brute strolled around him. “What’s with the meeting? I see your ass too much already.”

“Me?” T.J. frowned as Leo walked past on his other side. “I didn’t ask for a meeting.”

He glanced from Brute’s scowl to Leo, who shrugged before diverting his attention to Shay. The bartender was wiping down the counter, pretending to ignore their conversation. He had a sinking feeling she knew more about what was going on than he did. “Shay?”

She raised her gaze, the confidence in her stare wavering as she opened her mouth. “Yeah?”

His hearing honed, blocking out the music of the D.J. and chattering teens to the sexy clap of heels approaching from behind him. Leo and Brute glanced over his shoulder, their attention landing on the same spot, their expressions tightening almost imperceptibly.

“Good evening, gentleman.”

T.J closed his eyes at the sound of Cassie’s voice. He didn’t turn, didn’t even bother to meet her gaze as her footsteps came to a stop beside him.

“Thank you for meeting me.”

“You organized this?” Brute crossed his arms over his chest—his usual defensive stance.

“Oh.” Cassie released a gasp and raised her voice to compete with the people dancing around them. “Didn’t I write my name at the bottom of the email? Damn it, I could’ve sworn I did.”

Feigning ignorance didn’t suit her. She wasn’t stupid, and they all knew it. He wanted to call her on it, only he couldn’t open his mouth, not without spilling fractured words that would deny the adamant position he was trying to maintain with their divorce.

“I hope you didn’t mind me using your email, T.J., I don’t have a business account of my own and needed to get in contact with you all as soon as possible.”

“Of course not,” he ground out, still unable to look at her. He couldn’t. He’d begun to live with the pain of being away from her. If he met her sweet stare, he’d have to start all over again. Ripping open barely healed wounds.

“What can we do for you, Cassie?” Leo asked.

She sighed, the feminine sound sinking into his ears and sending an ache through his chest.

“I’ve lost my job.”

T.J.’s heart sank and he finally turned to her. She didn’t seem distraught, not when her position at the hotel had been a former source of pride. Instead, she was beautiful, her blonde hair hanging over her shoulders, her black skirt exposing legs he loved entwining with his own. She had the glow of determination in her eyes and confidence showed in her perfect posture.

“With the divorce moving forward and my own income now non-existent, I’ve had to rethink my position as silent partner.”

His heart was throbbing, pounding. His mind was a mass of thoughts, trying to figure out what was going to fall from her precious lips next.

“I’ve spent days thinking over my options, and every time I come to the same conclusion. I have no choice but to come work here. At least until I find another job.”

Nobody spoke. He wasn’t sure if his friends were stunned into silence or waiting for his restraint to crack so they could step in. Either way, he was in hot water, unable to let Cassie nudge her way back into his life, yet also incapable of turning away from her when she needed help.

“What a coincidence,” Shay chuckled. “I was telling T.J. a few minutes ago how badly we need more of a feminine touch around here.”

He glared at Shay, his blood pressure rising with the smug way she met his stare as she continued to serve people lined along the bar.

“Shay,” Leo warned.

“It’s not permanent.” Cassie’s voice was sweet and awkwardly comforting. “I’m already seeking other employment. Things are just slow in my line of work at the moment.”

“I’ll give you the money,” T.J. grated. He’d give her anything, now and after the divorce, she only had to ask. What he couldn’t give her was access to his life. Being around her, unable to touch or taste, would tear his already fractured restraint into pieces.

“No,” she insisted. “I’m not going to take your money. I need to re-establish my independence.”

He remained still. Unwilling to rake a hand through his hair to expose his trembling fingers.

“I think it’s a great idea,” Shay called from the bar, striding away to the opposite end to serve the birthday girl. “Welcome to the team.”

T.J.’s nostrils flared. Leo wasn’t happy either. He was glaring at his girlfriend, his jaw set in a stubborn line, while Brute carried his usual air of disinterest.

“When do you plan on starting?” Leo murmured.

“Actually, I came prepared to learn the ropes tonight. There’s been a lot of changes to the club since I was last here, and I thought I could spend the next few hours familiarizing myself.”

A tick formed under T.J.’s eye, the nervous twitch causing him to blink. He knew exactly where Cassie wanted to go, and he wouldn’t allow it. Not if he couldn’t be with her. The Vault of Sin was a place of pleasure, and he could never take her down there and leave her wanting.

It had been his sexual aspiration to introduce her to the club. To show the world how beautiful and responsive she was—the perfect wife. He didn’t brag. He didn’t boast. But he’d always envisaged the moment when he’d escort her downstairs and the patrons could see for themselves just how lucky he was.

“Maybe another time.” Preferably when he was dead and buried. “Go home. Leave us to figure out how to address this.”

“I’m afraid you don’t understand.” She turned to him. “This is my business too. Anything you need to figure out should be done with my involvement.”

Brute cleared his throat. “Let’s not make this into an issue. I’ll show her around. She can work the restaurant bar on slow nights, or help with the books. No big deal.”

T.J. kept his gaze on her, wishing he could ignore the silent threat hidden beneath the innocent light blue of her eyes. “She’s not going downstairs.”

“There’s no need to refer to me like I’m not here. We can both be adults about this.”

“Can we?” He cocked a brow. She wasn’t acting like herself. He’d first noticed it in the way she’d replied to his message on Sunday. He was unfamiliar with her spite. He was used to sweet, nurturing, breathtaking Cassie. The woman before him was someone different, with a smile carved of malice. “You won’t go downstairs while you’re here.”

“This is my business too. Where I go and what I do is none of your concern, as long as I do my job.”

He released a caustic laugh. That’s where she was wrong. She’d always be his concern—today, tomorrow and twenty years from now. That was the problem. He couldn’t let her go. But he was trying. Every inch of him hurt, every single day, in an effort to let go. If she came to work here, he’d be consumed with the need to be around her. He’d lose his mind. No doubt about it.

He broke away from her gaze and focused on Brute and Leo in turn. “She’s not to go down there. Hear me?”

He didn’t wait for a reply. He turned and stalked from the Shot of Sin dance floor to head for the upstairs office, as far away from Cassie as possible. There were many things he was capable of right now—madness, mayhem, murder—what he couldn’t do was keep pretending he didn’t love her with all his heart.

She had too much to lose if they remained together. And even if she didn’t know it, he would kill himself trying to make up for the mistakes of his past.

* * * * *

Cassie’s cheeks ached from pasting the fake smile on her face for the last three hours. She was nervous. Nauseous from treating T.J. badly. Manipulation wasn’t something she agreed with, and the only thing keeping her here was the knowledge she’d gotten under his skin.

“I’d like to see downstairs,” she murmured, waiting for her husband’s head to jerk up.