Stripped Defenseless

Chapter One

Ava
Lureau snaked her leg around the silver pole, gripped it tightly with one hand,
and slowly let her body fall until she twirled around. As she came to a stop,
she planted her stilettos firmly onto the stage and whipped back the auburn
locks of hair that covered her view of the front door.

It
swung open and a group of whooping, whistling frat boys barged through, pushing
and shoving their way into the club. Two of them began jumping up and down to
the beat of the techno music blaring from the speakers.

Shit.
Not these guys again.

Ava
crawled on her hands and knees toward the man who had been her only audience
for the past ten minutes. He hadn’t showed her any dollar bills yet, but he
could keep her from having to dance for one of the obnoxious Alpha Betas or
whatever the heck they called themselves.

At
least Zack hadn’t walked through the door.

It
had been seven months since she’d packed a single backpack and fled from his
Washington, D.C. condo, but his words were still fresh in her mind.
Try to
leave me, bitch, and I’ll hunt you down and kill you.

Ava
believed him, considering he’d almost taken her life once. After recovering
from three broken ribs, too many bruises to count, and a concussion, she
decided to take the chance and run like hell. She emptied her measly savings
account, paid cash for a bus ticket to
anywhere-but-here
and ended up in
Flagstaff, Arizona. Twenty-two hundred miles from home.

She’d
gotten off the bus and immediately noticed the strip club. A
Dancers Wanted
sign hung in the window. She’d never once considered taking such a risqué job
before, one that forced her to be the center of attention. And she was sure her
ex-boyfriend would come to the same conclusion, which made it the perfect
choice.

The
owner of Hothouse Gentlemen’s Club hadn’t cared that she’d “lost” her
identification. The only requirement had been a flash of her breasts, and she
was in. And saved from having to let anyone know who she really was, a bookish
college student with little to no social life.

A
woman on the run.

How
would Zack find her if
Ava Lureau
completely disappeared?

She
learned a long time ago that Zack Moreno wasn’t a man to mess with or to
underestimate. He worked for one of the most powerful senators on Capitol Hill.
The right hand man who did the dirty work. Work that required a jaded heart and
a sick mind—something Ava hadn’t realized until it was too late.

The
simple fact that he hadn’t found her yet was a miracle of its own. In the two
years she had known him, he’d always needed to have the last word, and she’d
always let him. Until now.

She
moved along the stage, closer to the tall man with the short dark hair and
leather jacket. He appeared to be early to mid thirties. Attractive. Strong,
stubborn chin and an angular jaw line. Lips that beckoned without saying a
word. Brooding eyes. Hmm. How hadn’t she noticed his eyes were an alluring
light blue before? Well, now that they were staring at her breasts that swayed
with her movements...

Yep,
they’re real, bud.
Just not the hair and eyes. But he didn’t need to know that. No one did. It was
part of the cover.

His
ice cold gaze finally blinked as she lay out on her back in front of him,
arching her spine and caressing her breasts.

Her
nipples were tightly budded against the cold air that perpetually loomed in the
club. That along with the icy tiled floor underneath her kept them taut. But
she wouldn’t doubt her current customer’s avid attention was the cause of why
they tingled and felt heavier than normal.

This
guy had been coming in every evening for the past week, mostly sitting a good
distance away. And as Ava took in his ruggedly handsome features, she couldn’t
help but wonder why. He didn’t look like the type of man who would have a hard
time finding a date.

Maybe
he was recently divorced? Unhappily married? Looking for a distraction from his
mundane world? Who knew?

She
continued with her usual routine by sitting up and sweeping her hair back. The
wispy tips glided against the man’s broad chest. Then she spread her legs apart
in front of him and lifted her ass to sway her hips in the sexy way she’d
learned from the other girls. His gaze left her breasts and traveled down to
the thin strip of sheer black panty that barely covered her pussy.

For
the first time since landing a job in this place, she found herself attracted
to one of the patrons. And she had to admit, getting this gorgeous man off
would be a huge turn on. Having a little fun, just this once, could be just
what she needed to forget about her worries, if only for a few minutes.

But
he seemed so stiff and serious, she couldn’t tell if he liked her or not.

To
test it out, she abandoned her routine and spread her legs wider, running her
finger from her crotch up to her navel.

His
lip twitched.

She
swerved her finger over her stomach, between her breasts, to her mouth where
she sucked on the tip and then reached out and brushed it across his full lips.

His
tongue ran over the damp path she’d left.

Ava
never gave any particular man this much attention, especially if he wasn’t
showing any dough. But this guy’s cut jaw line, piercing blue eyes, and
powerful-looking mouth had her more than interested. She knew nothing would
happen. Nothing could happen. But he’d make a mighty sweet dream when she hit
the sheets tonight...alone.

“Do
you want a lap dance?” she asked him, since Poppy had taken the stage behind
her and the frat boys were beginning to close in. “Over there?” She pointed to
a secluded corner of the club across the sea of clear plastic chairs and
lavender laminate-covered tables that were each topped by a faux candle. Tacky
to say the least, but once again, she put the thought out of her mind.

Without
a word, he stood up to his six and a half foot height and offered her a hand
off the stage. A large hand with long callused fingers. Masculine. No wedding
ring.

Ava
was tempted to curl her smaller hand around his palm, into his embrace, but
remembered the house rules. “Sorry, the bouncers will be all over you in two
seconds if you touch me.” She slid off the stage on her own. “You go. I’ll
follow.”

The
mysterious man turned on her order and began walking. The rear view of him
didn’t look half bad either. His broad shoulders and wide back put the bouncers
to shame. Unfortunately, his black leather blazer covered his ass, but she
didn’t imagine it would be disappointing.

He
stopped short in front of her and swiveled around. His well-built frame was a
good foot higher than her height in heels. And as he stared down at her with a
strange intensity, a cold sliver of fear crept down her spine.

Zack
was about this tall.

That
bastard just wouldn’t get out of her thoughts. No matter how red she dyed her
hair, what color of contacts she wore or what job she had...a job she never
dreamed she’d have the nerve to do in her previous life.

The
mere thought was laughable. She’d been an excellent student, working hard to
get her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree. And now here she was about to
purposely arouse a complete stranger. It was part of the job, but there was
something not quite right about this guy. Something unsettling.

Before
she could get up the nerve to turn and leave the intimidating blue-eyed man, he
lowered his body into a chair and tugged off his jacket.

His
black T-shirt stretched against his muscular chest and ribbed stomach as he
leaned back, letting his hands dangle at his side. He cocked his head while his
wintry eyes engulfed her like a hunter examining his prey.

Everything
about this guy told her to flee, to get the hell away from him and fast. As
inconspicuously as possible, she swept a glance around the room, finding the
nearest bouncer. Jarred, the two hundred twenty pound mass of muscle, met her
gaze and gave her a slight nod. At least she had that.

“What’s
your name?” The man’s deep voice drew her back.

Time
for the show.

She
stepped in between his massive legs, bringing her knee up to rest on his thigh.
Her hands braced on his stone hard shoulders as she leaned forward and let her
lips touch his ear. “Lily,” she answered in the sensual, playful voice used
only inside these walls. The musky smell of his aftershave wafted up her nose,
relaxing her a little. “What’s yours?” She pulled back, lightly brushing her
mouth across his stubbly cheek.

“Is
that your real name?” His voice rumbled across her jaw line, warming her cheek
and prickling her skin.

Like
she was going to tell him that. She smiled and rested her forehead against his,
meeting his stare. “It’s whatever you want it to be.” She ran her fingers over
his temple and through the soft curls on his head.

The
coldness in his expression began to fade as he edged into her touch.
Not so
tough after all.
He was just like any other guy who walked through the
door, putty in a woman’s hand. But unlike any other man, he was holding her
interest.

Ava
brushed her breasts against his chest, and he sucked in a breath. Her nipples
hardened achingly from the friction...and from his reaction. Or maybe it was
because she hadn’t had sex in so long. It was lonely being on the run. Heck,
who was she kidding? She’d always felt somewhat isolated. Even in a room full
of people. And nothing or no one could ever quite squelch that glum feeling.

It
might have had to do with the fact that she’d never had a real family. Her
mother died when she was six. After the funeral, she moved in with her only
other relative, an elderly aunt, until she passed away just after Ava's
seventeenth birthday. From then on, her friends were her family. Well, what few
friends she chose to have.

But
none of that mattered at this moment.

“What’s
your name?” she asked him again and ran her fingertips over the curve of his
lips—full, powerful and tempting. She let her leg fall off his to straddle his
solid thigh. Her pussy jolted from the contact, threatening to drench her
panties, and him in the process. Damn.

Get
a hold of yourself, Ava.
She cleared her throat and tried to concentrate on the show.

“Kade,”
he answered, without blinking.

“I
love that name,” she lied. His name didn’t make a damn bit of difference to
her, but his wallet did. Why the hell hadn’t he pulled it out yet? Maybe it was
time to scoot along to the college boys. At least they came prepared. “And what
do you do for a living, Kade?”

“Traveling
salesman,” he murmured.

“Oh,
and does that pay a lot?” she asked, hoping he’d take the hint. A girl had to
eat.

He
eyed her lips as he spoke. “Enough to get what I need.” Then his gaze slowly
lifted to meet hers. “And what I desire.”

She
held her breath for a moment as she took in his seductive tone and penetrating
blue eyes. There was no doubt he was used to getting everything he wanted with
or
without
having to pay. Hell, she was proof of that as she stood there
pressing her mostly naked body against his hard, masculine chest, massaging her
fingers over his scalp, down his neck and up again.

She
should move on, but something was keeping her in his presence. It was an odd
mixture of feeling protected and scared shitless at the same time. Imagining
waking up enveloped in his strong arms was the clincher. It had been a long
time since she’d felt that comfort.