Holding Huck's Heart (Marco's MMA Boys #3) by S. M. Donaldson Read Free Book Online Page A

to your car. It can get a little rough out here after fights.” We start toward the exit. “So the guys were pretty much always this way then?”
    I nod. “Yes. The three of them were inseparable. Lox was always the level-headed, take in a stray pet kind of guy. Sly was always the class goof. He made more substitute teachers blush or quit than any other student I knew.” I let out a big exhale. “And Huck was always uptight and broody, unless it was something to do with Lox or Sly, then he would relax. Every once in a while he’d let his guard down and let you see the good guy in there, but he mostly saw that as a weakness.” I shrug.
    “Hmm. You seem to know a lot about him.”
    “I was his tutor. We spent a lot of time together. That’s all,” I say as if it’s no big deal.
    She looks at me like I’m crazy. “Okay. So the night he saw you stripping and wanted to tear down your dressing room door, then kissed the hell out of you all caveman style, that was all because you tutored him?” She barks out a sarcastic laugh. “I don’t buy it.”
    I reach my car. “Fine, it was a little more back then, but really nothing. He went his way, I went mine. I left here the day after I graduated high school and never looked back,” I say as I unlock my door and climb in.
    She puts her hands up as if she’s surrendering. “All right, I’ll see you at work later this week,” she says as I close my door.
    ~*~*~
    Before I realize it, it’s Wednesday night and I’ve just come off stage. I’m sweaty and tired. Liz meets me beside the stage and follows me to my dressing room. “Great performance.”
    I nod and take a sip of water. “Thanks. I think the damn air is broken in this place tonight.”
    She fans herself. “I think so, too.” I sit down on a stool and begin unsnapping loose the garter belts and wipe inside my thighs. She glances down. “I never noticed your tat before.”
    I glance down and see I’ve wiped my tattoo cover-up off. Shit. “Yeah, just something stupid I did years ago.”
    “Well, it’s really small. I don’t think anyone would notice even if you didn’t cover it up,” she says, trying to act like it’s no big deal. She squints. “What does it say?”
    I sigh. “It’s part of a quote from one of Mark Twain’s books. ‘Trembly and feverish to be so close to freedom.’ It’s just something that stuck with me.” I shrug, trying to avoid further questions.
    She nods. “Hmm, what’s it about?”
    I look up at her. “Wanting freedom, but being scared of it.”
    There is a knock at the door. Tugg, one of our bouncers, steps in. “Hey, Grace.” They are required to call us by our stage names. “There is a guy out here who wants a private dance.”
    I glance over at Liz and she nods. “Tugg, you know I don’t do privates.”
    “Are you sure? This guy is offering a grand.” He shrugs. “I know you said you could use some extra cash or I wouldn’t even let you know. He’s in room five.” He turns and leaves the room.
    I start touching up my make-up. Liz touches my arm. “Hey, you don’t know who this guy is and if he’s offering a grand,” she shrugs, “he may want more than a dance.”
    “Yeah, but the money.”
    She nods softly. “Okay, but make sure Tugg or one of the others is close by.”
    I nod as I gather my things and start toward the VIP area. You would think in a small town like this one that we wouldn’t have the kind of clientele that would merit a club like this one. The thing is we’re so close to UF and several high dollar vacation spots that clients like the privacy and intimacy that our club gives. They aren’t right in the limelight when they enter our doors.
    As I enter the VIP area I see Tugg. He nods as if he’s letting me know he’ll be right outside. I open the door to room five, pressing the button to start the music as I walk in. I start my dance and make my way over to the client. The room is very dim as the music pipes in through the