Meet Me in the Hallway (18+)

Four.

Declan took me to the upstairs loft, which was brighter than I expected. It was a contrast from the dark and smoky bars I had been through in the last few days. Declan took his jacket off and draped it over the bar, and I didn't spare myself in looking over how his shirt fit around his muscular arms and toned chest. "Now, I know you're new in town so we'll have to figure out where you can stay. I own a complex down the street where most of the girls stay but it's full, a detail my dear brother didn't necessarily account for with recruiting you."

"So, where does that leave me?" I asked, crossing my arms as he poured two glasses of scotch over ice.

"You have two options," he handed me one of the glasses and I took it, watching his eyes glance over me. "You can go home and continue living the life you desperately wanted to leave." I felt my jaw slack as he said that, my heart beginning to beat faster at the thought of having to go back with nothing. "Or, we can make a deal. The loft across the hall is vacant. I planned to expand this one to make it the entire floor but I can put that on hold. It's yours under one condition."

"What's that?" I sighed. "I don't do porn or anything like that. That's off the table."

"It was never on the table, love." He chuckled, standing in front of me with a sly grin. "However, I do think there is something you could do for me."

I didn't know what could possibly be his suggestion. I didn't want to share any money I made, that's why I came here. The idea of handing anything that I made to someone else made my skin crawl. It made it even worse that I didn't even know how he wanted me to make them money. There are reasonable assumptions in this line of work and this city but there's no way. Not me.

"I would never expect you to allow yourself to be mangled by men. But, the gentlemen that come here have a specific taste. Young, beautiful, soft... you fit what they want. They will want you."

"Declan, I am not a hooker." I shut down his offer before he could make it but it seemed to surprise him. He gently touched my arm and ran his fingers up to my clavicle.

"I don't expect you to be touched by anyone. Unless you want to." His hand loosely wrapped around my throat and I gasped as he moved closer to me. "Tell me to stop and we can go our separate ways. You can find another place to dance at. You can get away. Tell me to stop." He whispered in my ear, a yearning tone to his voice. "You're exactly what I've been looking for."

"What you want from me, Declan?" I sank my teeth into my bottom lip and looked up into his dark eyes, begging for an answer.

"I want you to tease, Rose. I want you to drive them all crazy and make them think they have a chance." He chuckled darkly. "I know it will drive me crazy." He released my neck and stepped away from me. "You can move in the morning, if you want the loft. You'll be going shopping with Lilly tomorrow for your wardrobe."

"Should I be shopping for me or for you?" I licked my lips and a grin spread across his face as I crossed my arms over my chest.

"Give me your best, baby doll."