Leo gave Brute ten minutes to cool his temper before he strode into the empty Shot of Sin night club.

“Speak of the devil.”

He lifted his gaze as he approached the main bar and found T.J. swiveling around on his bar stool.

“About time.” Brute turned from stocking chip packets behind the counter.

Leo ignored the jab and took a seat beside T.J. The three of them needed to talk, only the look on Brute’s face said there wouldn’t be a lot of civility involved.

“T.J. just finished filling me in on the stalker drama of Saturday night.” Brute leaned against the counter on the other side of the bar, his gaze scrutinizing. “Please tell me you didn’t sleep with her.”

Leo winced.

“Fucking hell, man. Are you kidding me?” Brute’s voice rose with each word, sparking Leo’s anger.

“My free time is none of your business.” It was a lie, a vain attempt to gain some ground over Brute’s holier-than-thou attitude. Leo knew he was in the wrong. He should’ve told them about Shay as soon as they arrived. Better yet, he should’ve called them Sunday morning. But sometimes Brute’s asshole attitude robbed him of his ability to think clearly, and all he could do was come back swinging.

“It is when you’re shoveling your dick into one of our employees during business hours.”

True, yet Leo didn’t need a lecture. And Brute rarely listened to reason. For once, Leo wanted to be happy. To hold a tiny piece of merriment in his long-frozen chest and hope for the best. He slid from the stool and stepped back, ready to cut and run.

“Wait.” T.J. grabbed Leo’s upper arm. “You both need to calm down so we can discuss this.”

Leo jerked off the hold and returned Brute’s glare. “Then talk instead of being a fuckin’ jerk.”

A pregnant pause followed, nothing but the clang of pans echoing into the empty room from their adjoining restaurant.

“You know this can’t end well,” Brute finally muttered.

“Fucking this up isn’t inevitable.” It was highly likely, just not inevitable. “We’re both taking it slow. Shay is willing to learn more about the lifestyle, so we’re going to see where this takes us.”

“Banging her in the storeroom is slow?” Brute shook his head and scoffed “And besides, Shay’s been drooling over your ass for months. I’m pretty sure she’d do anything for a bone.”

“Watch yourself.” Leo pointed a furious finger across the bar. “I know the risks. I’ve been through this before.”

“And obviously you didn’t learn a thing. Does she realize what your lifestyle involves? Have you thoroughly discussed it? Because a few hours working in the Vault doesn’t even scratch the surface of what goes on down there.”

Fuck you.

Leo ground his teeth and turned his back to stare across the vacant dance floor. This was not what he expected from his friends. Yes, they’d all endured the same bullshit and broken relationships due to the club, but it didn’t mean they had to ditch the idea of ever having a stable partner. Shay was his one chance to turn things around.

“Leo, it’s not our business to dictate what you do. Or who you do,” T.J. started. “But you’re putting us all at risk. I didn’t realize how much until Brute pointed it out.”

“Of course he pointed it out.” Leo swung back to face them. “Making others miserable is his M.O.”

“That’s not what this is about.” The anger in Brute’s gaze softened and he let out a huff. “We have a lot to lose.”

“I’m aware.”

Shay would no longer be able to work for them if this thing between them blew up in their faces. She’d have to walk, leaving them short staffed and Leo nursing another busted ego.

“Really?” Brute asked. “So you’ve thought about how much of a bull-headed spitfire she is? You fuck her over and she’s going to fight back first and ask questions later.”

Leo froze, swallowing over the ache tightening his throat. Shay was quick to lash out in armament, but she was professional…most of the time. “She wouldn’t do anything stupid.”

“And you’re willing to put Vault of Sin on the line with that assumption?” Brute gave a derisive laugh. “For a smart guy, you’re acting pretty fucking dumb.”

“You two were the ones who forced this. Not me.” His chest pounded with fury. None of this would’ve happened if they hadn’t encouraged her to work downstairs. “I didn’t want her down there in the first place.”

“She was meant to work the bar, not your cock,” Brute bit back.

“Calm down.” T.J.’s demand reverberated off the walls. “For fuck’s sake, take a breath, both of you.”

Leo’s nostrils flared as he tried to settle his rampant breathing. It wasn’t only fury at Brute being an unsympathetic bastard making him hyperventilate. It was the fact his business partner was right about Shay’s temperament. She was stubborn, and her initial reaction when hurt was to bite back. If Leo ran the business by himself and the risk of backlash only fell on his shoulders, maybe it wouldn’t be so bad. But moving forward was dangerous to T.J., Brute, Vault of Sin and all the patrons who felt at home within its walls.

Fuck.

His mind had rested solely on the outcome of losing Shay as a friend and bartender. God knew his experience with backstabbing women was first-class. He should’ve contemplated every direction this relationship could turn instead of letting himself concentrate on the carnality.

“I’ll print out a non-disclosure statement,” T.J. broke the silence. “Exactly the same as the one we made Travis and Tracy sign. Then Shay will know the legal ramifications of exposing the Vault.”

“Go ahead.” Brute grunted. “But we all know it won’t do shit when the club is running illegally.”

Leo tried not to crumple under the weight of guilt pressing down on his chest and ran a weary hand over his face. Lack of sleep wasn’t helping his ability to figure this shit out. He’d been too overcome by lust and the hope he’d finally found someone to accept his desires to be able to get more than a few hours’ sleep over the last two nights.

This had to work. Somehow. He needed Shay, but he also needed the club and his friends by his side. “What should I do?” He grimaced when his voice waivered.

Brute sucked in a heavy breath. “Stay away from her.”

“No.” Leo shook his head, not in anger, not in defiance, but in resignation. He couldn’t stay away. Today had proven he wasn’t strong enough.

“I don’t mean forever. Just a week or two. Let her think things over and make up her own mind without your sleazy pheromones playing havoc with her judgment. If she turns up to her shift at Vault of Sin this Saturday, at least we’ll know she’s taken the first step by herself.”

“It’ll also give us time to see if she can separate work and play,” T.J. added. “Having you in the office doing the books isn’t uncommon. Keep your distance. At least for a little while.”

Leo gave a defeated laugh. “And you think Shay’s going to be okay with being ignored? She’ll be pissed.” She’d be fucking furious.

“If this is about commitment and not just sex, she’ll wait.”

T.J. nodded. “I’m sorry, but I think it’s necessary. I know I joked about you being with her, but we all risked a lot to open Vault of Sin. I’d feel better if I knew how serious she was taking this.”

“We’ll keep an eye on her for you.” Brute lowered his voice, the hostility finally leaving his tone. “Unfortunately, with the way things have gone in the past, I think we need to be extra careful. None of us want to see another crash and burn.”

“Yeah. I get it.” Leo rubbed the tension from the back of his neck and let his last ounce of excitement fade away.

He owed T.J. and Brute peace of mind. Hell, if one of them were shacking up with a staff member, Leo would probably feel the same apprehension. Each of them had a cross to bear in relation to their desires. Brute had been open and honest about his sexual activities, not holding back with his friends and family when they found out. He’d taken their disapproval in his stride, closing himself off to each and every one of them, becoming more heartless with every lost tie and no longer giving a shit about who he offended.

While T.J. had done the opposite and run before he could inflict pain on himself or others. He’d left a beautiful wife and a promising future because he couldn’t stand to taint the woman he loved. And neither Leo nor Brute blamed him. People had strong beliefs when it came to sex. Many of which couldn’t be swayed. Only he couldn’t walk away from Shay with no explanation and expect her to be waiting for him at the end of the week.

“I need to warn her first.” He already dreaded the conversation. “I’ll catch her in the parking lot before she leaves tonight.”

“Do what you need to do.”

“Just be mindful of all the players involved,” Brute added.

Right. Leo turned on his heel and made his way back toward the Shot of Sin entrance.

“It’ll work out for the best,” T.J. called.

Leo scoffed. Women never wanted to be pushed away, and he’d already seen firsthand how Shay reacted to rejection. Too bad for him, he’d used all his luck on her over the weekend. What he needed now was a miracle.