“Lo, you have always belonged up on stage. From the minute I saw you, I knew you belonged up there. I just…I just knew, if I put you up there, every member would go crazy over you and I wasn’t ready for that. And…,” he paused for a second, but then never continued his sentence.

“And what?” I asked, as I placed my hand on his arm.

He blew out a frustrated breath and then looked up at me. His eyes looked tired and worn out, like he had been battling a never-ending fight with no victory in the future.

“And I knew the minute I got you up on stage, Jett was going to call you up to the Bourbon Room.”

“So, what’s wrong with…?”

I didn’t finish my sentence because I saw it all in his eyes.

I put my hand over my mouth in shock. “You like me.”

He didn’t say anything; he just continued to stare down at his coffee.

“Look at me, Kace.”

“I can’t,” he responded, as he got off my bed and walked toward my door. “I just wanted to apologize for yesterday and tell you it won’t happen again.”

He was about to leave when I grabbed my robe, threw it on and stopped him by closing my door. He looked down at me with fire blazing through his eyes as my robe peeked open from not being tied. I didn’t fix it. I didn’t know why; maybe because I wanted him to see me, I liked seeing how I could take him down with just my body.

He reached down and grabbed the straps of my robe and tied it shut as he skimmed my sides. Once my robe was tied shut, he rested his hands on my hips and looked down at me with his tired eyes. I didn’t know what to say to him; frankly, I didn’t know what to do.

“You have practice in half an hour; no workout this morning,” he said gently, as he looked me in the eyes. “Be careful, Lo.”

He leaned down and pressed a kiss against my forehead and, for some odd reason, it felt like he was saying goodbye to me.

“Wait. What’s going on, Kace? Are you leaving?”

He shook his head no. “I can’t leave here, not now. Not when…well, I’m not going to get into it, but just be careful, okay?”

“I don’t understand.” I searched his eyes.

Kace leaned against my door and ran his hand over his face.

“Jett is a powerful man and can suck you into his web very easily. I have seen girls get completely lost in him and then been let go. I have seen Jett destroy girls and not on purpose. He has always been up-front with them, that there is no love involved, but they always think they are the girl to change him. They’re not. The only reason Babs and Pepper are still around is because they have no ability to have an emotional connection when it comes to sex. Unfortunately, you’re not like them. You can easily get lost in him.”

“That’s not true,” I countered. “I have self-control.”

“I know you do.” Kace caressed my cheek and then put his hand against my heart. “But you have a beautiful heart, Lo, and that is what is going to kill you. I mean, look at you now, you promised yourself to Jett last night, but you still want to make sure I’m okay. You still want to have a connection with me and it’s because of this,” he rubbed my heart. “You’re beautiful and have a sweet heart that is incredibly admirable…and attractive.”

He continued, “I just want you to be careful; tread softly when you’re with him because I can’t stand to see you get hurt. I know this is what you think you want, but I don’t think it is.”

“Why don’t you let me be the judge of that, Kace?”

He nodded his head in agreement. His hand caressed my cheek one last time before he turned and left my room.

What the hell?

My heart was racing from his close proximity and words that only confused me. I was able to separate my heart from what I was physically feeling. I was able to do that when I was with Rex and just fucking him for money. Yes, I enjoyed his company, but I never fell in love with him.

I thought about last night and the feelings that I woke up with this morning, completely satisfied…and happy. Shit, Kace was right, I did need to watch myself because after one night with Jett Colby, I was ready to commit my body to him for life.

I walked back to my bed and sat on the edge as I looked at the new bouquet of ranunculus that were resting on my nightstand. I grabbed the letter and read it again, as I flopped back on my bed. It wouldn’t hurt to at least enjoy this moment, I thought to myself, as I pictured Jett in my head and read the note two more times.

There was nothing to worry about…at least that’s what I convinced myself.

Chapter Twenty Four

“American Woman”

Goldie/Lo

“Here, Lo,” Tootse said, as she handed me a towel to wipe the sweat off my drenched face.

Pepper was relentless today and, I swear, I could do this dance in my sleep by now, but it would be the first time we would be doing the presentation in front of the members and she wanted it perfect.

Kace sat in the back while working on his computer and looking over at us occasionally. I still was unsure as what to do with the little conversation we had in my room this morning, so I just dropped it instead of overanalyzing everything. I knew what I was getting myself into when I came here and I knew what was expected of me. If I got burned in the end, then it would be my own damn fault. Jett said we are always honest with each other, so I get that.

“Girls, can we line up one more time, please?” Pepper asked, as she clapped her hands to get our attention. “I want to go over the end one again, then we’ll be done.”

We all nodded and got into position. The beginning of American Woman by Lenny Kravitz came over the speakers and we started moving to the beat. Pepper had us all inches apart and moving together in one synchronized wave. We twisted apart, bent down with our legs spread and then worked our way back up while moving our hands across our bodies, enticing the audience.

When the song ended, we all walked off the stage to the back of the curtains.

“Good,” called out Pepper. “That was perfect. You can all come back out.”

We walked back out as Pepper was writing something down in her notepad.

“Tootse, do you have the costumes ready?”

“Yes, I do. I’ll go get them.” Tootse took off to a bag she brought with her.

“Babs, do you have the wigs?”

“Yup. I placed them in the girl’s bathrooms this morning. They are the perfect red.”

“Red?” I asked.

“Yes, we will all be redheads tonight. I also placed the masks and makeup directions in the bathrooms. If you girls need help, let me know and I will come up to help you.”

“Perfect, thank you. Francy, how are we over at the bar? Stocked and ready?”

“Fully ready to go. I also talked to the chef; he’ll have all the orders ready for tonight.”

“That’s right, thank you for reminding me,” Pepper said, as she looked through her notebook. “There will be ten members tonight. Some really powerful men are meeting about some government business. They are not to be disturbed for anything. All their orders will come through the iPad at the bar. They also will have full meals that we need to serve. Tonight will be a little different because we will all be serving after our presentation. Each girl will have two men to wait on.”

“No lap dances tonight,” Kace said, as he walked up to our conversation.

“What? Why?” Babs asked. “These men can afford it easily.”

“Jett said no lap dances tonight.”

All the girls made a knowing “oh” with their mouths as they turned back to what they were doing. Something was going on.

“Am I missing something?” No one answered me. “Um, hello?”

“Drop it, Lo,” Kace said. “You girls are dismissed until tonight.”

“Wait,” I called out before he could walk away. “I’ll be heading out to meet with my friend Lyla; I just wanted to remind you that I will be back around four.” Kace looked at me as if I had three vaginas plastered to my forehead. “I told you about it a week ago…you said it was ok…”