Tainted Kiss (Tainted Knights Book 1) by Terri Anne Browning
I took the camera case from her, along with the bag.
“What’s this?” She lifted a brow when I offered her the coffee and the small bagged lunch. Taking a sip, she groaned when she tasted the coffee, her eyes growing huge. “This is perfect,” she said with a sigh. Stepping up on her tiptoes again, she gave me a soft, quick kiss. “Thanks, babe. You’re the best.”
I dropped her off at her studio with the promise of picking her up later. She didn’t ask what my plans were, and I was glad, because I hadn’t wanted to lie to her. I figured she wouldn’t want me to talk to her roommate’s boyfriend, but there was no way in hell I was leaving town without that little fucker knowing Santana was mine now and I wasn’t going to let him pull the shit he had been getting away with for so long.
Gray was already waiting for me outside his apartment building when I pulled up. His face was stormy, but he didn’t offer to share what was eating at him, and I didn’t ask. I knew it wouldn’t have mattered if I did or not. If Gray wanted to tell me something, he would. If he figured it was none of my business, not even torture could have gotten it out of him. I respected his privacy, and he respected mine. It had made our friendship stronger over the years.
The lunch hour was just starting when I pulled up in front of The Way, where a valet was eager to take my car off my hands.
“Treat her well,” I called over my shoulder as Gray and I headed into the restaurant.
Santana had said the place was upscale, but that was an understatement. The Way was the kind of place where the plates costed hundreds of dollars. Gray and I could both afford it now, but at one time, I would have been washing dishes just to pay for a damn salad from this kind of place.
An older woman with long, platinum hair and the kind of smooth face that only a plastic surgeon could give her at her age smiled brightly at us as we approached her. “Good afternoon, gentlemen. Will you be joining us for lunch today?”
“We thought we’d give this place a try,” Gray told her, shooting her that grin that got Kassa to do just about anything he wanted. This chick wasn’t any more immune to the sight of his dimple than any other woman on the planet. “Actually, we’d like to eat at the bar, if you don’t mind, love. We heard that you have a really good bartender. Wade, I think she said his name was.”
“Wade is working today,” she assured him. “I think we have plenty of room at the bar. Come this way.”
We followed her at a slow pace, both of us taking in the whole place. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling like waterfalls. The way the light seemed to glow out off each raindrop-shaped crystal pendent reminded me of Santana, so bright and beautiful. There were three levels of seating, and not one booth in the entire place. The tables were covered in beige-colored tablecloths with silver cutlery and crystal wine glasses. Exotic-scented flowers were arranged throughout the place that smelled nice, but after a little while, they started to give me a headache.
The hostess led us to the second level where the bar was located. It took up most of the back wall, with at least a dozen people seated at it, having drinks and eating lunch. There were still at least thirty more open chairs spread around the bar, though, and after Gray whispered something in her ear, the woman showed us to two quiet seats at the end, well away from the others.
She practically purred as she handed him a menu once we had taken our seats. “Anything you need, don’t hesitate to let me know.”
Gray winked at her then waited until she was gone before tossing the menu on the bar top. “So, where’s this Wade dude? There are like three different bartenders back there.”
My eyes were already on them, trying to figure out which one was the one giving my little doll a hard time. There was only one chick, who was mixing fruity-looking drinks for the women at the other end of the bar. She was cute in a Barbie doll kind of way with her long, blonde hair pulled into a neat ponytail on top of her head. Her makeup was casual, and I saw a tiny glint from a stud she had in her nose. Definitely not Wade.
One of the two guys was stocking a fridge under the bar. Even bent over, I could tell he was tall and lean with the kind of hair that reminded me of Cash, who took too damn long to fix it in the mornings. Maybe. Then the other guy caught my attention. He was shorter, lean in the chest and hips, but he had a slight beer belly going on.
He said something to the two business men in front of him before pouring one of them another glass of draft. From where we were sitting, he seemed cordial, but there was just something about him. Cockiness.
Then he turned his head and eye-fucked the blonde for nearly a full minute before looking our way. When he spotted us, he started heading our way.
In my gut, I knew this was Wade, just like I knew that he had been running his eyes over my girl. That he had been talking about her pussy. That he had fucking gotten close enough to her and could have hurt her.
Gray felt me tensing. “That him?” He snorted. “Santana could take that little dork on by herself. The girl seems shy at first, but she was keeping up with Kin’s sassy mouth in the end. I feel like me being here is overkill.”
I shrugged, not taking my eyes off the bartender who was coming toward us. “Doesn’t matter if she could take him or not. He’s not getting away with talking to her that way. Or getting in her face. Next time, he could hit her.” I turned toward him. “What if it were Kassa?”
His jaw instantly went tight. “Well, let’s get this shit over with. I promised my little caterpillar I’d be back by two.”
I rolled my eyes at his nickname for Kassa. Whether he realized it or not, he was whipped more than any other committed man. The dumbass just wouldn’t let himself see it.
The guy I assumed was Wade put down two napkins in front of us. “What can I get you guys?”
I glanced at his name tag, saw that he really was the guy we were looking for, and then moved so fast that even Gray was caught off guard.
Reaching across the top of the bar, I grabbed him by the shirt and pulled him halfway across the bar. “You can stay the fuck away from my girl; that’s what you can fucking get me.”
“What?” Wade was pale as death now.
“Hey! You can’t—”
I thought I heard the other bartender call out, but Gray was over his surprise. He put a hand up to keep the guy from interfering. “You don’t want in this, dude. This has nothing to do with you. But I can make you a part of it really damn fast.”
The other patrons were watching us nervously, but with open curiosity. I saw none of it. The red haze that had fallen over my eyes the night before when Santana had told me what happened blinded me now. All I saw was the way this fucker gulped with fear.
“It’s not fun having someone get in your face, is it, Wade?”
“I don’t even know you,” he tried to reason. “I don’t know what you want, man, but—”
“But nothing!” I yelled in his face. “Santana told me all about last night.”
Realization flashed in his eyes, and his fear increased times ten. “Sh-She did? B-B-But …”
His inability to put two words together without stuttering didn’t amuse me. That he was trying to make an excuse pissed me off even more.
“Stop talking.” I moved my face closer. “Stay the fuck away from my girl, or I will make sure you never breathe again. Feel me?” He started to nod, and I shook him, making him almost whimper. “Answer me, pussy.”
“Y-Y-Yes. I promise. Sh-Sh-She—”
“I better not ever hear about you talking about her pussy, or doing anything that makes her feel threatened. Because if you do, they will be scraping your ass off the fucking floor.”
Sweat started to bead on Wade’s forehead, and as the red haze started to die down a little, I saw his eyes start to fill with tears.
Releasing my hold on him, I pushed him back. “Don’t make me come back here, Wade. Because next time, you won’t get a warning.”
I turned away from him, my hands fisted at my sides, as I fought the urg
Gray squeezed my shoulder. “You cool?” I gave him a jerky nod. “Good, because I think the hostess chick is calling the cops.”
I shrugged, straightening my shirt. “Let her. I’m done here.”
When we started for the exit, Gray started to snicker. “Dude, I think he was about to piss himself.”
“This happens again, and that won’t be the only bodily fluid he spills.”
The hostess came into view, looking frazzled. She gave me a glare, then Gray a pout. “I’m going to have to ask you both to leave. If you cause trouble like that again, you will be banned from the premises.”
Gray gave her a smile that had her pout evaporating. “Sorry for the scene, love. We won’t bother you again unless your bartender steps out of line.”
“Wade?” She glanced over his shoulder, her eyes narrowing. “Has he done something to offend someone again?”
“Something like that. I think my friend here straightened him out, though.” He took her hand and lifted it to his lips.
The chick practically purred.
“Gray,” I muttered. I wasn’t in the mood to stand around while he seduced this chick. “Kassa is waiting for you.”
That name was the magic word. He quickly made up an excuse and sent the hostess back to work as we walked out.
After I got my car from the valet, I dropped Gray back at his place then headed to the gym. I needed to burn off the rage that was still simmering deep in my gut.
Two hours later, I was soaked in sweat, but at least the urge to kill Wade had finally faded for the moment.
I took a shower in the locker room then headed over to pick up my girl, who was already waiting for me outside her studio when I pulled up. She jumped in my car, and her arms instantly wrapped around my neck as she gave me a hungry kiss.
“I missed you.”
I leaned my forehead against hers for a few seconds, savoring everything about this moment. “I missed you too, doll.”
I had no idea how I was going to handle nine whole weeks without her.
FOURTEEN
Santana
After spending most of the evening in bed with Kale, we decided to go out. The band was again meeting up at First Bass since Harris Cutter was giving them a farewell party or something.
Kale had told me that they had played at the club every Thursday for a full year, but now there was another band playing there. I was curious to hear this all-girl rock band that had taken their place. Mostly, I just wanted to hang out with Kale and his friends. After being on my own most of my childhood, I liked being around other people. It was just something I needed, and probably one of the major reasons I was hesitant to move out of the apartment I shared with Sage.
I didn’t want to be on my own again. It was lonely and reminded me too much of how it was when my dad had been on deployment.
My phone started blowing up on the drive to the club. Seeing that it was Sage, I tried to ignore it. She had texted me while I was working, basically rehashing all the shit she had texted me the night before about how pissed she was at me.
Maybe I had started the argument with Wade …
Okay, so there was no maybe about it. He had insulted me first. Was I supposed to just sit there and take it? Fuck that shit. I didn’t let anyone walk all over me.
I ignored her just to keep the peace, when what I really wanted to do was grab her by the shoulders and shake some sense into her.
Her boyfriend had been eye-fucking me right in front of her. He’d talked about parts of my body right in fucking front of her! He had no business even thinking about me that way, let alone talking about it. Then, he had taken things to the next level by getting in my face.
And she had just sat there, glaring at me like I was the bad guy.
Honestly, I was done with it all. I loved her, and I knew I would worry about her, but I was ready to move out. Let her and Wade have the damn apartment. I couldn’t stand watching them together any more. I couldn’t deal with the way he talked down to her. And I sure as hell couldn’t handle a repeat of the night before.
Unless it was a repeat of what had happened with Kale. Because I was all kinds of ready for more of that.
After spending the first part of the evening in bed with him, I was slightly sore and tender, but I didn’t care. It felt like I couldn’t get enough, and the only fear I had of what I was feeling for him now was that this might stop just as quickly as it had begun.
We didn’t go up to the VIP floor this time. Instead, Kale led me to the ground floor where the place was packed to capacity already. He kept his arm tightly around me as he pushed through the crowd until we found his friends close to the stage that had been set up for the Blonde Bombshells.
The DJ was still playing music for the crowd, but it was getting close to time for the band to come out, so no one was dancing.
Someone called out to Kale, and he lifted his free hand, waving at them, and we moved in their direction. I didn’t see them, because I was in flats tonight rather than heels and couldn’t see anything over the shoulders of the hundreds of people around us.
“Santana!” someone squealed my name loud enough to be heard over the music and the slight roar of the crowd. Next thing I knew, two sets of arms wrapped around me, pulling me away from Kale.
I saw a flash of red hair, followed by blonde, and grinned, realizing it was Kin and Kassa. I had gotten a text from them both earlier, asking if I was coming with Kale. I liked that they had accepted me so easily, that I had made new friends who cared about me. Sage was so lost in her Wade bubble that nothing else seemed to matter.
“You look hot, babe,” Kin said as she took a step back to run her blue eyes over me appreciatively.
“Smoking hot,” Kassa seconded. “Ugh. I wish I had hair as pretty as yours. I’m so jealous of you, hoochie.”
“You two are beautiful,” I told them. “I’d kill for your legs, Kin. Being short has some serious drawbacks. And Kassa, you are stunning. I want to be you.”
The blonde made a face at me. “No, you don’t. Trust me; you wouldn’t want to have to deal with my brother and Gray twenty-four seven. It’s exhausting.”
“True story,” Kin agreed, then took my hand and pulled me through the last little bit of the crowd.
As we cut through a small group of guys, all of them stopped what they were doing to watch us. I barely looked at them, but Kale was suddenly right behind me, his heat like a wall as he pushed me ahead of him. I noticed he shot the guys a hard look that had a few of them backing up a step as he put his hands on my hips and held on tight.
Laughing at how possessive he was, I shook my head at him. “Relax,” I mouthed at him.
“You relax,” he grumbled right beside my ear. “These fuckers need to keep their eyes to themselves.”
I could only laugh harder at him. It was adorable the way he was acting. I liked it, but I didn’t want him to think I would ever encourage any other guy to look at me. I didn’t need the attention, and I didn’t like that kind of attention. All I wanted was him.
Once we met up with the others, I was introduced to a few other people. Nate, who was one of the bartenders and the assistant manager, was hanging out with us tonight, as well as Kin’s other stepsister, Carolina. Sin and Cash had also shown up.
I got a chin lift from Sin who was drinking a beer, but Cash talked to me for a few minutes before Kale pulled me away so I could hug Lucy and Angie, who had just arrived.
I wanted to talk to Jenna about the offer she had so generously offered me the night before, but I didn’t want to do it in front of everyone else. I was seriously tempted to take her up on it. However, I wasn’t going to do it without paying rent if I did decide to do it. I had always paid my way, and I wasn’t about to stop now.
My phone vibrated again in my hand, and I rolled my eyes when I saw that it was Sage calling again. She wasn’t going to give up tonight until she got to bitch.
Without warning, the lights suddenly dimmed and everyone in the club went oddly quiet. I didn’t see the girls walk out on stage. Nor did I hear them move around to take their places, even though you could have heard a pin drop right then. Then there was a steady ba-dump-dump-dump, and I could actually picture a woman walking to the beat, her hips swaying in a seductive way that would pull every eye to her.
The drum beat stopped and a spot light came on above the stage, highlighting a single blonde in fishnet leggings, a pair of black shorts that barely covered her ass, and a shirt that read FIRST BASS across her breasts. She was the most beautiful female I had ever set eyes on. The way her long, blonde hair flowed around her shoulders, her elfin face, with those stark blue eyes that seemed to drill into every person, even though we were all still in the dark. Then she smiled, and the spotlight was put to shame with how bright it was.
“Are you ready?” she asked into the microphone she held in her hand like it was an extension of herself. Her voice was husky, seductive, and I heard at least a dozen men groan around me in response to both the sound of her voice and her words.
“That’s Roanna,” Kale murmured with his lips against my ear. “She can cast a spell over an entire audience and make them do her bidding. Sin calls her a witch.” He chuckled. “And he’s all torn up because she won’t give him the time of day. Not that he would ever admit that.”
“Here we go!”
I had to agree with Sin. Roanna was a witch. She took control of everyone’s attention in the building, and I was far from immune. The way she moved around stage, drawing everyone’s eyes as she sang one song after another, made it almost impossible to remember the other three blondes in the band. And her voice … it was like some sultry angel was singing for us. When she hit those high notes, I got chill bumps. This chick could have given Lzzy Hale a run for her money; that was for frigging sure.
My phone started vibrating again, and I sent it to voicemail without even looking at the screen. Kale stood behind me, his arms linked around my front as we swayed to the music. When the hard tones of the last song faded into the softer tones of the next one, I pressed my ass into his groin, feeling more than hearing his groan, and was rewarded when his dick flexed against my hip.