His Prize (The Cleaners Book 1) (2 page)

“Good to know,
Susie.
” The way he dropped his voice when he said her name made her clench her thighs together in helpless need, and he smirked as though he knew exactly what effect he had on her.

“Run along now, pumpkin. Keep your mouth shut, if you know what’s good for you, and I’ll see you later.”

He spun her round by the shoulders, opened the heavy door, and gave her a shove inside. The lock clicked shut behind her with a resounding gong in her head, and Susie just made it to the nearest loo before she was violently sick.

Chapter Two

How long she sat on the grimy floor, puking her guts out, Susie would never know, but eventually her stomach stopped cramping, and she became aware of the fist pounding against the door of her stall.

“Hey, sugar, are you all right in there?”

The concerned voice belonged to none other than Kim, her temporary roommate and the person responsible for having gotten her the job at the club.

“I’m fine.” Susie grimaced at the rough quality of her voice, and struggling to her feet, opened the door. Kim stood, hands on hips, clad in the tiny triangles of material which made up her dance costume, and shook her head.

“That asshole hasn’t left you knocked up, has he?”

It took a few moments for Suzie’s befuddled brain to grasp the meaning behind the words, because Ren’s smirking face was still occupying space in her psyche.

“No, of course not. I … I must have eaten something dodgy, that’s all.”

Kim didn’t look convinced, and to buy herself time, Susie walked over to the sinks, washed her hands and rinsed her mouth out to get rid of the foul taste.

“I’d believe that if I didn’t know full well that you’ve been run off your feet, and you never eat at the club. If that tosser of your ex isn’t behind this, then it must be Myrtle. I know you were sent to look for her, so what has the bitch said to you this time? I swear someone needs to staple her foul mouth shut.”

Susie couldn’t help it. That vision made her laugh. Rather hysterically to be sure, and once she started she couldn’t stop, until Kim slapped her hard around the face.

“Jesus, girl, what’s wrong with you?”

Susie held her stinging cheek and wiped away the tears that had rolled down her face with an impatient gesture.

“Nothing, I’m just…” Ren’s warning ran through her mind and pulling her shoulders back, she straightened her spine, and offered her friend a wobbly smile. “I’m okay now. Go, you’re dancing soon, right? And I’ve got a job to get on with.” Not waiting to see if Kim believed her, she all but ran from the toilets, and with a deep breath in, pushed open the door to the club. Loud music assaulted her ears, and plastering a smile on her face, Susie set to collect the empty glasses. If she happened to be glancing a lot toward the empty VIP section then that was for her to know only. Dodging wandering hands as she went about her business, the mind numbing work helped calm her. Besides, she needed this job, and while she was here, she wouldn’t have to worry about the loan sharks banging her door down at home. It was, after all, why she’d sought temporary refuge at Kim’s place, and had snapped up the chance to waitress at the club.

Say what you would about Owen Huntly, he did look after the girls working for him. While her stomach churned at the thought of spreading her legs for money, she might have to eventually swallow her pride. Owen had made it very clear when he’d hired her, that he would be only too willing to settle her debts for a price.

As though she’d conjured the man up by thinking about him, he entered the VIP area. It wasn’t him that made her almost drop the tray of glasses she was carrying however, but the tall, silver haired man by his side. Owen laughed at something that Ren had said, and when both men turned to look in her direction, as though they were talking about her, the proverbial rug was pulled out from under her for the second time this evening.

With his hair now loose from the tie and falling freely down to his shoulders, Ren looked so damn sexy it took her breath away. He’d changed his clothes, and her stomach churned as her imagination went into overdrive. As much as she hadn’t liked Myrtle, the thought of what either man might have done to her made bile rise in Susie’s throat.

She needed to get out of here. However, Ty had taken up brooding residence by the staff exit, and she would have to cross right in front of the VIP area to leave the club by the front. Neither Owen nor Ren would let her, of that she was sure. Dropping her gaze and doing her best to ignore the feel of Ren’s stare on her ass as she turned her back to him, she attempted to pick up the empties on the table in front of her. Unfortunately, the glass in her hand slipped, and she watched in growing horror as it crashed down onto to the table, knocking over the half empty beer bottles. The pale liquid fizzed over the surface and soaked the customer, who’d been staring down her exposed cleavage.

“Fuck, you bitch did that on purpose.”

Susie cried out in shock as the guy’s fingers clamped painfully around her wrist. He staggered to his feet, and his alcohol laced breath blasted her straight in the face as he yanked her closer to him. The heavy tray clattered to the floor, glass broke, and liquid splashed up her bare legs. Before she could even formulate a reply Ty appeared behind the swaying customer. He glanced behind her as though looking for permission, and in the temporary lull of the music, she heard glass crunch under heavy footsteps, seconds before a familiar scent engulfed her.

“Take your hands off what’s mine, mister.”

Ren’s gravelly drawl held a dangerous edge, which made her stomach do flip-flops, especially when Ren put his solid arm around her waist and clamped his large hand over the other man’s wrist.

Sweat broke out on the inebriated man’s forehead, but he was either too stupid or too drunk to grasp the danger he was in, because instead of letting go, his beefy fingers dug into her wrist even more. Tears sprang into Susie’s eyes, and she couldn’t suppress a whimper.

Ty exchanged a glance with Ren, and in the next instant brought his hands down either side of inebriated guy’s neck in a karate move that meant the overweight guy slumped immediately. Ty held him up by the scruff of the neck, while Ren uncurled the man’s fingers from around her wrists, and in the next instant the world tilted and she was tucked up in his arms cradled high against his chest, as he strode away with her in his arms.

“Take out the trash, Ty.”

“Sure thing, boss.”

Susie risked a quick glance up the man who was carrying her as though she weighed no more than a feather, and his dark gaze briefly connected with hers as they left the busy club behind. Her heart beat faster at the quiet determination she saw in his eyes, only to turn into a jackhammer when they entered Owen Huntly’s office. She’d only been in here once, the day he’d hired her, and the place had seemed ominous then. With its dark mahogany furnishings, the massive desk, and the floor to ceiling window—one way glass she knew—that afforded an unrivalled view over the club below, it screamed extreme wealth and power, and made her so nervous she could barely breathe. Why on earth had Ren brought her here? A door banged shut behind them, and in the next instant, Ren had set her on top of the club owner’s desk. Susie didn’t know where to look when Owen Huntly himself stepped up to her, grasped her hand and clucked his tongue.

“Best ice that, Ren. Seems your prize is somewhat fragile?”

His prize?

Before she could question that odd choice of words, Ren was back, and she jumped when he wrapped a cold icepack around her hurting wrist.

“It’s okay, pumpkin. It will help, trust me.”

His large hand held the pack in place, while he grasped her chin with his free hand and nudged her head up until she had no choice but to look at him.

The quiet fury that emanated from his frame made the fine hair on her neck rise to attention. It seemed so out of proportion to what had happened, and surely he wouldn’t be that furious because she got hurt? A muscle ticked in his jaw, and she forgot to breathe altogether when he rubbed his thumb over her bottom lip, in an almost absent minded gesture, while he addressed Owen.

“That was unacceptable, Huntly.”

The other man chuckled.

“Not like you to be this possessive, Ren.” The far too arousing moves of his digit across her lips stopped, and he flashed her a brief smile. Releasing her, he stepped away, and Susie made a quick grab for the icepack. It did soothe her sore wrist, after all.

“I’m not, just don’t like my property being damaged, that’s all.”

****

Susie gasped and dropped the ice pack when he said that, while Owen shook his head and smirked. If the man wasn’t one of his oldest friends, he’d deck him for sure. Instead he bent down to pick up the ice pack and handed it back to her.

“Keep that on. It’ll help keep the bruising down.”

Already ugly fingerprints marred her delicate skin, and it took every ounce of self-control he possessed to not storm out of the club, hunt that fucker down and beat him to a pulp, for hurting his pumpkin. The possessive nature of his feelings made him angrier. Why her, and why now, he had no idea, but no other man was ever going to put his hands on her again. He scowled at her, disgusted with his thought processes, and a faint blush appeared on her cheekbones as she dropped her gaze again and dutifully wrapped the pack around her wrist.

“If you say so, Ren.” Owen laughed, and then sobering, turned his attention to Susie.

“You will recall I gave you a choice when you started working for me, Susie?”

“Yes, sir?” Susie raised her head to look at Owen, and the slight tremble in her voice as she addressed Owen made Ren hard as freaking nails. He needed to get them out of there, so that he could fuck her senseless. That would surely stop these conflicting emotions that made him act so out of character.

“You also said I could work here as a waitress. I’m not ready for anything else, and with all due respect, sir, you can’t make me.”

“He isn’t. I am. I’m claiming you as payment for services rendered, and besides, this way I can ensure you can’t squeal about what you saw out there.”

It was immensely satisfying to see her head whip round to look at him. Mouth slightly open, her breathing sped up, and Ren watched her reaction.

“I won’t sleep with you. I’m not a whore.”

Owen chuckled as though watching this interchange was the most amusing thing ever. Ren flipped him the finger, without breaking eye contact with the curvy redhead in front of him.

“I never said you were, and I agree you will not be sleeping with me.”

Her eyes widened, and the flare of hope in their blue depths pissed him off.

“More like pass out after I’ve fucked you raw. You’re mine now, to do with as I please, and you best remember that.”

Her reaction would have been comical in any other circumstances and with any other woman, but the way she wrapped her arms around herself, while biting down on her lip so hard she was drawing blood, made his already dark mood worse.

Especially when she wrenched her tear-stained gaze to his, seemingly determined to have the last word.

“So, murder isn’t enough for you now? You’re gonna add rape to your repertoire, because that’s the only way you’ll get anywhere near me.”

The words were brave, but she flinched when he stepped up to her, wrapped his hands in her hair and yanked her off the desk. Another swift move had her face down on the piece of furniture, and she gasped when he kicked her legs apart and cupped her pussy through her underwear.

Owen smirked at him over the prone girl’s body. Lifting Susie’s head to make her look at him, Ren traced one finger along her slit, satisfied to feel the dampness under his fingertips. Oh yes, his little pumpkin could protest all she wanted, but she wasn’t immune to him. To prove his point, he nudged the elastic of her underwear away, and sank two fingers into her hole, while circling her clit with his thumb. The girl bucked underneath him, and her internal muscles squeezed the shit out of his fingers when he found the spot he was looking for. Her whole body tensed underneath him, and having proven his point he withdrew his fingers and smacked her ass twice. The flesh wobbled and pinked up nicely. Pulling her back up by her hair, he made a point of licking his fingers clean, before he grasped her chin with that hand, and smiled at her.

“It’s not rape if you’re enjoying it, pumpkin, and trust me, by the time I’m done with you, you’ll be begging me for my cock.”

“Never.” The word was barely above a whisper, but Ren heard it anyway, as did Owen, because he laughed again.

“As entertaining as this is, I’ve got things to do, so take your toy home with you, Ren.” Owen smirked at Susie when she shook her head, as best she could with Ren’s fist still buried in her hair. He loosened his hold on her and dropped his hand to her nape. Whether to reassure her or to make sure she wouldn’t run, he wasn’t entirely sure himself, but she’d gone so pale, the enticing line of freckles dusted over her nose stood out in dark contrast. Definitely a natural redhead, if he had to guess.

“You can’t just pass me off to him. It’s not right. It’s—”

She stopped speaking and reared back when Owen shot to his feet with so much force that his chair went flying and crashed into the glass wall behind him. Ren tightened his hold on the girl’s neck, but he needn’t have worried, because she pushed back against him as though she was seeking his protection.

“
Enough,
girl! My mind is made up, and I’m not in the habit of repeating myself. You accepted my protection when you sought out employment here, which makes you my property. I made my terms perfectly clear, so either shut up or instead of letting him fuck you, I’ll put you to work on the floor.  Ren wants you, so you’re his, for as long he deems you useful. So, I suggest you keep your ungrateful little trap shut, and keep my man happy. Are we clear here?”