Sed glanced at the beautiful woman, now lying at the front of the stage with her hair dangling over the edge, her backed arched and her perfect, naked breasts jutting into the air.

“Jessica.”

Sed jumped to his feet. He shrugged off his leather jacket and tossed it over her body. Her naked body. Jessica. His Jessica was naked. Naked. In front of all these men.

When he pulled her off the stage, she gasped in surprise. He cocooned her against his chest, protecting her from lustful gazes.

A wall of bouncers surrounded them immediately. “No touching the dancers,” one of the mountains of flesh said.

Jessica struggled in Sed’s arms, but he wasn’t about to let her go. Wasn’t about to let these men gawk at her body.

“Sed.” Brian grabbed his upper arm. “Let her go.”

Jessica gasped. “Sed?” She rubbed her face against his shoulder to push the silk scarf from her eyes. It fell down around her nose and mouth. Her eyes widened. Those jade-green eyes. The ones that haunted him day and night. How was it possible that she’d become even more beautiful since he’d last seen her?

He lowered his head to kiss her, his heart swelling so full he thought it might suffocate him. It didn’t matter that the scarf separated their mouths. He remembered the taste of her lips all too well.

A thick forearm wrapped around Sed’s throat from behind, jerking his head back. He planted his boots firmly on the floor to prevent himself from tipping backward.

With her shoulder, Jessica nudged the scarf down to her neck. God, her lips. So full and inviting. He needed to kiss her again. Never stop kissing her.

“Put me down, Sed.”

Her soft voice—just as he remembered it. The way she said his name squeezed his insides. So long since he’d heard it. Too long. He bit his lip. He didn’t know if the bouncer’s grip or his heart trying to force its way out of his mouth caused the greater ache in his throat.

“Let go of his throat, you fucking cretin,” Eric bellowed. “He’s a professional singer.”

“I don’t give a shit who—”

Eric punched the bouncer holding Sed and his grip loosened. It tightened further a moment later. Sed winced. Several bouncers grabbed Eric and forcefully escorted him away from the front of the stage.

“Get your fucking hands off me,” Eric protested.

“Go quietly or we’ll call the cops.” Even with the throbbing music playing through the club, Sed heard several fists connect with flesh.

“Motherfuckers!” Was that Jace? More fists connected with flesh. The door slammed shut.

Jessica squirmed in Sed’s arms. He had no doubt that if her hands were free she’d be slapping the shit out of him.

Brian sighed loudly beside him. “Well, I guess I’ve got to kick some ass now. Can’t let my boys down.” He moved out of Sed’s peripheral vision toward the exit.

The door opened again. “What the fuck is going on?” Trey yelled into the club.

“Bellaway,” Jessica shouted to the guy behind Sed. “I know this guy. I’m fine. Seriously, don’t injure his throat.” She looked into Sed’s eyes. “Put me down, Sed. Now.”

Sed tried to shake his head, but couldn’t move his neck.

After a long moment, the arm around Sed’s throat loosened.

The bouncer stepped away.

Sed swallowed. His throat burned, but he refused to release Jessica. Refused.

“What are you doing here?” he asked her angrily, except his usual baritone growl came out raspy.

“Put me down, Sed.” Her nostrils flared in that way that always turned him on. There was nothing on Earth sexier than this woman when she was pissed off. Lucky for him, she had one hell of a temper.

“Answer my question and I’ll put you down.”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Her eyebrows arched as she gazed up at him. “I’m dancing.”

“I thought you were going to law school. Wasn’t that your excuse for walking out on me?”

“That isn’t why I left and you know it. Besides, law school isn’t free. I’ve got to make money somehow. Now put me down. I answered your question.”

“If you needed money, you should have asked.” He set her on her feet and reached for his wallet. He pulled out a wad of cash and held it out to her. “Here. There’s a couple thousand bucks here. I can get you more. Whatever you need.”

“I don’t want your money, Sed.”

“Why, because I’m just giving it to you? Fine. What do you charge for an hour of your time? A couple hundred? I’ll buy you for the night. Or the week.”

Smack! She slapped him so hard he tasted blood. He winced, tonguing the cut on the inside of his cheek.

“I fucking hate you,” she spat, her eyes narrowed dangerously. She stalked off, dropping his coat on the floor. Her perfect bare ass was the last thing he saw as she stormed out of his life. Again.

Jessica burst into the dressing room backstage, startling several of the girls who worked the next set. She plopped down on the stool in front of her mirror, pulled the silk scarf from her neck and lowered her face into her hands.

Of all the strip clubs in the world, Sed had to show up in hers.

Don’t let him get to you. You’re over him. Remember?

Someone dropped a robe around her shoulders. She glanced up at Beth’s cousin, Agatha, the black-haired dominatrix who worked the south stage.

“You okay, kitten?”

Jessica nodded and wiped at a stray tear with the back of her hand. “Yeah, I just didn’t expect to see a man from my past. That’s all.”

“That guy who pulled you offstage?”

“Yeah. I was engaged to him once.”

“He told me to give you this.” Aggie dropped a fat stack of cash onto Jessica’s dressing table.

“Oh my God, that ass! Do you see why I couldn’t marry him?” She looked up at Aggie, beseeching her for understanding.

“Uh no, actually, I don’t. The guy is hotter than Phoenix in July. Absolutely gorgeous. That big, hard body. And that sweet, handsome face that completely contrasts with his ‘who gives a shit what you think’ aura. Growl.” She bared her teeth, ruby red lips curling.

Aggie’s ever-expressive face made Jessica smile. Just a little.

“You got all that from talking to him for twenty seconds?”

“Hey, you work in this business for very long and you get to know men. If he’s carrying around that kind of cash, I’m guessing your eye candy is rich, too. Booyah!” Aggie thrust a fist in the air.

“No. No, booyah. He’s not only rich, he’s famous, which means his ego is larger than Alaska.”

Aggie’s brows drew together. “Famous?”

“Lead singer of Sinners. The band.”

“I think I’ve heard of them. Rock music?”

“Hard rock. And you missed his most notorious ‘quality.’” She finger quoted. “He has an insatiable appetite for sex. You can’t get him out of bed long enough to have a decent conversation with him.”

Aggie laughed, blue eyes twinkling. “I’m liking him more and more, doll.”

“You’re welcome to him.”

Aggie’s eyes wandered toward the ceiling as her expression turned thoughtful. “I don’t think he’d be fun to dominate. I would probably just tick him off.”

“I’m sure.”

Jessica’s gaze moved to the dressing table and the thousands of dollars sitting on its surface, mocking her. It would take her weeks to earn that kind of money, and Sed just tossed it around like it was a pittance. To him, it was. The bastard. Flaunting his wealth. Thinking it made him superior.

Jessica shook her head in annoyance, jumped to her feet, and scooped the money off the dressing table. Sliding her arms into the robe sleeves, she rushed out of the dressing room. She ran through the club with her robe flapping behind her and burst through the front doors, looking for signs of Sedric Lionheart. Apparently, he was long gone.

“Damn that man,” she muttered under her breath.

She’d just have to hunt him down and shove his unwanted money in his face. He always did this. Treated her like she couldn’t take care of herself. Like she needed Mr. Ego Trip to look after her. He’d never learn. Stupid asshole.