Penni looked up from her computer screen when she heard the office door open.

“What are you doing here?”

Grace came into the room, wearing a gorgeous dress that had her self-consciously straightening her casual top over her black pants.

“I decided to come back early.” Grace smiled at her, putting her purse on the desk catty-corner from hers.

“I told you to take the rest of the month off.”

“Dad told me to come home, that he needed to be alone.” Her smile slipped then firmed. “He’s going on a road trip. I think it will be good for him. He’s bought a motorcycle and will ride throughout the country until he decides which movie he’s going to direct next.”

Penni and Grace talked every night. The father and daughter were close, but she could understand him wanting to mourn in private without his son and daughter as witnesses.

“Since you didn’t take my offer for more time off …” Penni picked up a sheath of papers, handing them to Grace. “This is the contract for the Atlantic venue. Make sure Kaden has his own dressing room. He can’t be a diva if he doesn’t have fresh fruit, coffee, and an air purifier.”

“Ax doesn’t want a personal chef?”

“I already hired one to go on tour with us.”

“Thank God. It was a pain in the ass when the venues’ hired cooks who didn’t make what he wanted.”

“I don’t think Genny knows how to make Sushi, but she’ll learn,” she stated confidently.

The women spent the day getting caught up on their work. Then Grace went out to get take-out for lunch. Shoving her paperwork out of the way, they sat at Penni’s desk to eat.

Grace brushed a crumb away from her expensive dress. “So, Ice said you and Jackal are a couple.”

Penni lowered a chip that she had been about to eat, taking her time before answering the question and finally giving the only she could.

“I’m thinking about it.”

“Is it ten percent or fifty percent odds?”

Penni thought hard. “Uh … I don’t know. More like seventy percent sure.”

Grace frowned. “More than fifty percent? I thought you would be, like, less than ten percent.”

“That was before last night.”

“What happened last night?”

Penni didn’t answer, shoving a chip in her mouth.

“Did you have sex with him? You swore you’d never want anything to do with him.”

“No, I didn’t have sex with him, but I’m thinking about it. He’s kind of sexy.”

“Do you think he’s ten perfect—”

“What’s going on? When did you become a freaking mathematician?”

Grace looked down at her food. “If you tell, I’ll get in trouble, but Max started a bet over whether Jackal could … get you in bed,” she answered delicately.

Penni could just imagine the words Ice had used.

“Max said Jackal couldn’t get you in bed even if he had Stump’s dick.”

Wow, that must have hurt Jackal’s pride. Then another thought struck her. Had Jackal been trying to win a bet?

Penni stiffened in her chair. “Does Jackal know?” She would cut off his dick and shove it up his ass!

“No … No, he didn’t. He didn’t until this morning when Ice told him. Ice wanted to figure out whom to place his bet on. Our hot tub is on the fritz … We enjoy our hot tub,” Grace admitted, embarrassed.

“What did Jackal say?”

“He told Ice it was fifty percent.”

Penni relaxed back in her chair. She could live with that answer.

“Well?” Penni raised her brows at her.

“Who did Ice bet on?”

Penni nodded.

“He placed on you, but he wanted me to make sure he shouldn’t change his bet.”

Now Penni could understand Grace’s impromptu return to work.

“You might want to tell Ice to go ahead and change his bet.”

“Really? Um … I’m happy … if you’re happy.” Grace carefully cleaned away the remains of her lunch. “But I wanted to make sure before he risks our money on a stupid bet so we don’t lose.”

“What do you mean?”

“Nothing’s going to change your mind, right? Even if one of the men tell you something that will upset you?”

Penni folded her hands together on the desk. “Spill.”

“It’s just that Ice is worried one of the men will tell you something about Jackal that would keep him from winning the bet.”

“Like what? If it’s about Raci, we talked, and that’s why I’m still making up mind about him. Before that, he had a solid ninety percent chance of getting me in bed.”

“See, that’s what has Ice worried.”

Penni noticed that Grace had downplayed her own worry.

“What kind of things do you think they would tell me?”

“I don’t know. If I knew, I would tell you. You’re my friend, and I wouldn’t keep anything from you that I thought you deserved to know.”

“That’s good to—”

“Except …” Grace became flustered. “You are aware he’s one of the bouncers at the Purple Pussycat?”

“I’m the one who took you there to show you where the Predators hang out. I also know he’s … slept with most of the women.”

“Cool. I was worried I would have to tell you. I admire you,” she said in a truly awed tone. “I don’t think I could take Ice watching the women working with their clients.”

Penni’s chair fell back as she quickly rose. “What’d you say?”

Grace paled. “I thought you said you knew?”

“That he was lying to me about not sleeping with the strippers. I knew he threw drunks out or men who got too touchy-feely with the dancers, not watching them fuck!” Penni picked up her chair. “Never mind. Tell Ice his bet is safe.” She sat back down, pushing her chair forward to her desk. “Let’s go back to work.”

Grace stood uncertainly. “I feel terrible. It’s not like they’re in the same room. He stays in a separate room behind a two-way mirror so the women stay safe. Usually, it’s high profile men who want a place to have sex without being seen. The men pay for the room and the women with neither of them knowing each other.”

“How do you know about it?”

Grace threw their trash away, going back to her desk. “Ice and I went there a couple times,” she muttered. “You know, to spice things up.”

Penni couldn’t help giggling. “Did it work?”

“God, yes. We usually don’t have a problem, but damn, it was … fantastic. Vida and Colton have, too. And I think that Max wants to, too, so bad. The room is expensive.” Grace waved her hand in front of her face. “If I didn’t want the hot tub fixed, I’d get Ice to splurge on another night.”

Penni went to the temperature control, turning the air conditioner down.

“Do any of the bouncers watch when any of you—”

“Hell, no. Only the customers get watched because Henry doesn’t want any of the women or men to get hurt. Some of their clients have a lot of money and think them giving a beating is included in the price. Ice said one of the men tried to break one of the women’s arms a couple of weeks ago, and Jackal jacked him up.” Grace rolled her eyes at Ice’s choice of words.

“Some of the male workers earn money that way?”

Grace nodded. “A couple of them do. Some of the bartenders are very good-looking, not that I noticed.”

“I have.” Penni picked up her cell phone. She noticed Grace watching her as she asked the voice on the other end of the line to speak to Henry. Penni almost started giggling again as Grace listened to her requests.

When she hung up the call, she turned to her computer.

“Did you just rent Henry’s room tonight?”

“Yes.” Penni read a new email that came in during lunch.

“But … It’s Monday. Jackal’s working there tonight.”

“I know.”

* * *

“You sure you’re not here to start trouble?” Henry’s skeptical gaze took in her appearance in her brand new red dress that was so tight and short she had to resist the urge to tug it down.

“I promise.”

Henry held out his hand.

“What?” Penni asked in confusion.

“Your card was denied.”

Damn. She reached into her purse, taking out the card she used for emergencies. She would pay Shade back. It’s kind of an emergency, she consoled herself as Henry went into his office, coming back a minute later and handing the card back.

“It’s the room on the right, off the bar.” Henry’s big body blocked her view as he keyed in a series of numbers for the gold door at the stairs of the strip club. “Enjoy.”

She almost snapped back at the amusement he made no effort to hide.

“You didn’t tell, did you?” Penni asked.

“No. I keep my promises.” Henry gave her another warning look.

Geez, what does he think I’m going to do?

Penni almost tripped over the plush carpet as she scoped out the room. Damn, she had been missing out. The bar room downstairs looked like a dive compared to the expensive furniture in this part of the club. The black booths were padded, and a small candle gave their occupants privacy. She was going to hit Kaden up for a higher salary if this was one of the things money could buy.

Penni saw the door off the bar, going to it and keying in the numbers Henry had given her.

She turned the knob, entering the dim room. Then she walked toward the bed, dropping her purse onto it before turning to face the mirror that she knew was a two-way looking glass.

She cleared her voice. She could almost sense him from the other room.

“Please don’t come out. I need to say something to you.” She took a deep breath, trying to begin the speech she had rehearsed in her head on the way to the bar.

“I told you I would know my soul mate after I slept with him, but I don’t have to know that now. I’m not scared of seeing the real you. You think I don’t remember that you’ve been an ass in the past? Did you seriously believe that, when you suddenly turned over a new leaf and became normal, I wouldn’t notice?” Penni shook her head. “Really?” she scoffed. “Some of the women even know what day of the week you’ll take them to the Predators’ clubhouse to fuck.

“Despite what you told me last night, I don’t believe you’re capable of walking away from the Predators. You’re a dangerous, lethal, hot-tempered, risky asshole who will never change, but that doesn’t frighten me, either. I think, after you get tired of me, I will become just another day of the week to you. However, if I can jump off a limb, nearly set my house on fire, and almost electrocute myself, I think I can handle you.”

Penni walked across the room, placing her hand on the mirror where she imagined his face was. “I wish so badly that I felt the same way about you that I did before Hennessy kidnapped me, but I don’t. I love you, Jackal. I’m dropping out of the race. I’m going to stop and smell the roses and find out what it feels like to be loved by you.” Her hand dropped to the top button of her dress. She slowly unfastened it.

“I’m not going to spend the rest of my life missing you, so before you open that door, make sure that you want me, too, because I’m not going to give you your soul back. I’m going to keep it, even if you try to take it back.” She undid the last of the buttons, laying the dress on the chair next to the bed and giving him a view of her ass with the thong riding up it. Facing the mirror again, she slipped her arms behind her back to unhook the red lacy bra then placed that on the chair.

When Jackal hadn’t come through the door after several minutes, her heart broke. He had made his choice.

She had started toward her clothes when she heard her cell phone ringing in her purse. Dammit, it was not the time to answer the freaking phone. But feeling embarrassed that Jackal had decided not to take her up on her invitation, she searched for her phone.

Seeing it was Jackal calling, she put it to her ear, turning toward the mirror.

“Can I come in now?” His hoarse voice put her fears to rest.

“Yes.” She was still laughing when Jackal came through the door, already taking his T-shirt off and throwing it to the ground.

“The observation room is soundproof to avoid anyone knowing they’re being watched.” Jackal toed off his boots, unsnapping his jeans and kicking them away as he stepped out of them.

“Oh…” Penni backed toward the side of the bed. “Are you sure?” She began retreating, only to have Jackal push her on the bed.

“I’m sure.”

Her body reacted to the dominance that was stamped across his face.

“You took a piece of my soul the first time I saw you. It’s only fair I take a piece of yours.”

She melted into the coverlet on the bed. “I know this is insane to ask this now, but is this clean?”

Jackal laughed. “Yeah. Henry gets a discount from a factory then gives them to the homeless shelter after they’re washed.”

“No wonder he charged so much for the room.”

“If you had told me what you were planning, I would have talked Henry into giving you a discount.”

“I don’t think he would’ve. I don’t think he likes me.”

“I’ll give you back the money for the room,” Jackal offered, covering her with his body.

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll get it back when Max pays Ice for the bet I got him to place for me.”

“Damn, I’m going to marry a smart woman.”

Penni would have jumped from the bed, but Jackal kept her pinned under him.

“I didn’t mean tonight. I can’t believe you weren’t afraid of me, the Predators, or Hennessy and his men, but I mention marriage, and you’re ready to run screaming from the room.”

“Marriage scares me,” Penni confessed. “I’ve had this weird fear since I was younger that I would end up being one of those women who have multiple marriages. I have an uncle who has been married five times and an aunt who’s been married six.”

“How many times have your parents been married?”

“My mother was married to Shade’s father and then my dad.”

“Have you met Shade’s father?”

“Yes, and I like him a lot. My mother was just tired of being alone. He served overseas and wasn’t ready to retire. He spent a couple of vacations with Shade when he remarried and retired.”

Talking had her relaxing back on the bed, becoming aware that he was stroking the pulse on her throat with his thumb.

“You’re only going to get married once … to me. But I can wait until you’re ready.”

“As long as you understand that it is going to be a looong time before I’m ready.” She looked down her body to stare at Jackal. “What are you doing?”

“Trying to make love to you.”

“Oh … That feels good.” Her head fell back to the pillow.

The muscles in her pussy were already in need, wanting him to fill the ache that had begun when she had seen the full view of his naked body.

Jackal circled her nipple with his tongue, making it pebble in arousal. He put his hand between her legs, playing with her pussy as if they had all the time in the world.

“Mmm, that feels really good, but I only bought the room for an hour.” She circled her hips, raising them and trying to hurry him along.

“I’ll pay him for the rest of the night.”

“That’ll be expensive!”

“It’s my treat,” Jackal grunted, moving toward her other nipple.

Penni’s eyes started to roll back in her head, but her eyes were held by the image above her. A mirror above gave a view of Jackal. His ass was magnificent, his skin tan, and his muscles coiled as he moved. She could climax from looking at his body.

He moved to the side, rubbing his cock between the folds of her pussy. Penni couldn’t see the balls of the piercings she had seen when she had given him a blowjob, but she could feel them against her skin, giving her friction that had her ready to jump into the unknown pit of desire where she was afraid she wouldn’t find an opening to reach air ever again.

“Jackal …” She bit her lip when she felt him enter her.

“Babe, it’s going to be all right.”

“Maybe you should take a couple of those balls off.”

“Babe, trust me; you’re going to beg me to get more.”

Where would he put them? They already traveled the length of his dick.

Penni’s curiosity disappeared when he tried to put his cock in her pussy.

“It’s not going to fit.” Penni began to panic, slapping his back when he began to laugh.

“You had a rubber dick in your nightstand, and you’re worried about how big my dick is?”

“I told you I never used it.”

Penni trembled as he worked his dick into her. Sweat dripped down the side of his face. He looked like he was in more pain than she was.

“Woman, you’re tight …” Jackal raised himself, bracing a hand beside her head. “Sweet Jesus … You feel good.”

Penni circled her hips, trying to make him move faster. His slow movements were sending shockwaves throughout her until it was everything she could do not to scream.

Their playing around fell away as the intensity built between them. Instinctively, she rocked her pussy as he thrust inside of her. Pleasure enveloped her as she sank to the bottom of the pit of fire.

Penni shut her eyes, afraid Jackal would see the emotions rolling through her body.

“Open your eyes.” Relentless, he moved harder and faster inside of her. He then tugged her hair until she opened her eyes. “Watch.”

Penni gripped his shoulders, unconsciously digging her nails into his flesh. Trying to hold on to him was the only way out of pit that was consuming her.

She screamed and heard Jackal murmur something, but she couldn’t make out his words. Her climax was so close she could only writhe with each of his strokes.

“Penni …” He was calling her name, each syllable leaving a mark on her heart. “Penni!” he shouted, grinding his cock so high into her that she shattered into a million pieces.

She wasn’t aware she was crying until Jackal shifted to his side, brushing her tears away.

“Babe, did I hurt you?”

Penni shook her head. “You’re not going to give it back, are you?”

The ruthless man that Ice had made his enforcer knew what she meant. “No, I’m not giving it back. It’s mine.”