PROLOGUE
KNOX
Five Years Ago…
I was standing at the bar making sure the shipment of product we had ordered had come through in its entirety. The members had been diligently working on opening Ravenous for the last few months and we were finally seeing the results. Wolf’s idea was to make the club a refuge for everybody. If you stepped foot in Ravenous all your worries would stay at the door. Guns were to be checked in as soon as you walked in and exclusive memberships were to be given out to anyone interested. They were also signing fucking contracts where if rules were broken they responded to The Hellbound Lovers. Wolf had given Cain full access as Sargent At Arms to set any rules he pleased, and those included the Velvet Rooms. Play rooms for the girls and shit like that. First and foremost we needed to hire bartenders and crew. We needed a bouncer and of course our dancers.
Three stages were set right up front for the entertainment. Everyone knows you can’t have a club and not have the pussy available. Grayson, the club’s VP and Wolf’s right hand was in charge of hiring and Wolf made it damn clear that there was no fucking the help. We could do anything we wanted with any sheep that walked in, but we were to leave the dancers alone. And everyone knew that when Wolf set his rules, you either obeyed them or you’d get stripped of your title, no questions asked. It had always been this way in the Hellbound Lovers. It was stipulated in the regulations when you became a member. You either accepted it or you packed up your shit.
Grayson was just getting started with the auditions. He had a few girls already lined up, one he said was going to blow the roof off this place. I was taking out the glassware with Riggs when the lights suddenly dimmed and heavy R&B music began to pump through the speakers. We both looked up, our eyes glued to the empty stage. After a long suspenseful moment, a sultry blonde walked out. My heart skipped a beat as I watched her long legs wrap around the dancer’s pole. She was so fucking young, not more than eighteen. She was up on the stage swiveling her wide, curvy hips to the beat of Ginuwine’s Pony and I thought my dick was never going to go down again.
“Now that is going to attract men and money, baby. Men and money.”
I ignored Riggs’ comment, growling quietly to myself. I didn’t want anyone near her, but I kept my mouth shut. I knew better than to share my feelings. I wasn’t known for it and I wasn’t going to start now. Besides, I’d never hear the end of it, especially with Riggs.
“Damn man, she’s fine! Fuck!”
“We got serious shit to do Riggs, just get back to work.”
Riggs huffed and puffed but did as I asked. With every ounce of willpower that I owned, I tore my gaze away from the stage and went back to setting the bar. There was no mistaking the girl was gorgeous. She was beyond gorgeous, she was a fucking angel.
I turned to put some of the boxes back in the inventory room when a crashing sound echoed through the empty hall. I looked back and caught Grayson storming the stage.
“Knox!” He yelled out as I realized a light fixture had fallen onto the stage and was pinning down the beautiful girl.
I literally flew across the bar and up the stage calling out to Riggs. She was sitting up, holding her leg that was pinned down by the metal rack. Grayson tried to lift it, but she cried out in pain and I swear I fucking hated that sound.
“Wait! Wait!” I yelled out at him and turned to her. It’s then that I noticed her eyes. The most beautiful crystal blue eyes I’d ever seen. I slid my hand across her arm and she bit her lip and looked up at me worriedly. Riggs jumped onto the stage and I heard him curse.
“Okay angel, Gray and Riggs are going to lift so I need you to hold on tight to me okay?”
She nodded quickly. “It hurts.”
“Yeah, kitten. I know.” I leaned towards her and she wrapped her arm around my neck. She had this scent of strawberries and field flowers that had me breathing her in as much as possible.
She felt small and supple in my arms as I slid my arm beneath her thighs. I looked at Gray and Riggs.
“On three!”
I looked back at her and our eyes locked. “One. Two. Three!” They hauled the heavy object up barely a few inches and I swiftly swept her out from under it.
“Fuck!” she cursed and groaned. I looked down and realized her leg was bleeding.
“I’m taking her to the ER!”
“Fuck Jade, I’m so sorry.” Grayson ran a hand down his face, his brow furrowed.
I looked down at her, wondering if Jade was just a stage name.
“It’s okay Gray. I’m okay,” her voice rang out sweetly as she clung onto me.
“No baby, look at you.” He leaned in to touch her and I took a step back. My eyes narrowed on Grayson’s and I think I actually bared my teeth at my brother. I felt Jade’s gaze on me, and I tore my gaze from Grayson to get lost in hers.
“Okaaay,” he raised his hands and backed away. “So, you’re gonna take her to the hospital?”
I rolled my eyes. “Get out of the way, man.”
“The job’s yours Jade! Start when you can!”
She jumped lightly in my arms and smiled from ear to ear. “Thanks Gray, I won’t let you down!”
I grunted and strode over to the front door. Pausing for a moment I looked down at her. “Grab that.”
I nodded over at my leather jacket that was lying on the bar countertop. She reached back as I bent down and she swept it up and pressed it against her chest. I notice her eyes watch me carefully and I swallowed hard, having this yearning of wanting to be held tight in her arms just like that.
A few minutes later I had her propped up sideways on my bike, the trickle of blood had run down to her ankle and the leg looked bruised but not broken. I placed my jacket around her shoulders to hide her from prying eyes. She was barely wearing any clothes and I didn’t want her being ogled at.
Yeah, I know I’m a fucking fool.
“I’m Jade,” she whispered sweetly.
I nodded. “I know.”
“And what’s your name?”
“Knox.”
“Knox,” my name slipped out of her pretty lips in a soft whisper and I closed my eyes for a moment. Images of her crying out my name as I fucked her heavenly body flooded through my mind. I took a deep breath and took out my bandana. I rolled it up in my fists and got down on my knee.
“Oh! You don’t have to...”
“Hush now.” I looked down at her leg and as I ran my hand down her soft calf I heard her gasp. Gripping her ankle gently, I propped it up on my knee and lightly cleaned up the drying blood.
She hissed and I couldn’t help but squeeze her flesh. When I looked up at her she was looking right at me, her cute lip biting was driving me crazy.
“Are you always this sullen?” Her unexpected smile had my whole world fucking flipping upside down.
“Hold onto me.” My voice was firm, but my hold on her was gentle.
I looked down at her injury and taking the bandana, I wrapped it around her leg. I felt her place her hand on my shoulder and I closed my eyes for a minute. Her touch, even through my shirt, heated up my insides.
“This may hurt.” I tied up the bandana around her leg and pulled at the ends, tightly securing it so that the bleeding could be contained. She groaned and did this fucking, sweet whimper that if I wasn’t already on my knees I’d fucking drop for her right then and there. I wanted to hear that whimper again, as I was molding her pussy to my cock.
I looked up at her and she was fucking pouting at me. I reached up and stroked her cheek, her expression softening and I had this strong temptation to kiss those plump lips. I shoved that feeling way down deep inside, hiding it away. Now that she was a Ravenous employee there was no way I could touch her. Wolf was strict. When he said no, he meant it. He’d kick me out if he found out I was sleeping around with the girls he hired. Shit, if anyone found out they may take her away from me, or take me away from her. Rules were meant to be followed when it came to the HLMC.
I lifted her and positioned her so that she’d straddle the seat. I couldn’t help but stare at her. She was so fucking beautiful. In that instant, I wanted to run away with her. Take us far away where no one could find us. Where no one could separate us. I slid onto the bike, gripping tightly to the handles.
“Hold on tight,” my voice sounded laced with lust over the roar of the bike engine.
She grabbed my waist and the feel of her body pressed to my back was fucking perfect. Through the thin t-shirt I could feel her breasts mold to me, her hands slide around my waist and hug me tight. In that moment, I knew there would never be anyone who could provide me the warmth she did. It was seeping into my bones by the second and there was no stopping it. No one would know. It would be my secret obsession to deal with. She would be my obsession. But I’ll tell you one thing. She belongs to me. If I can’t have her, no one fucking will.