What About Love (Club Decadence Book 6) by Maddie Taylor Read Free Book Online Page A

that day, T. You and Sean saved my life.”
    The abrupt change in subject seemed to surprise him. “I’m glad you’re all right. You gave us both a scare.”
    She felt his eyes searching her face and pretended a sudden interest in a less than interesting painting on the wall. Damn this awkwardness.
    “So you remember that day?”
    “Not really, only bits and pieces.” Glancing anxiously down the hall, she wondered what was keeping Dan. It seemed like an hour since he’d left. Resigned to having this conversation, she answered him truthfully. “I remember Stapleton stabbing me then gloating as I fell to the floor. He wiped his bloody knife off on my blouse, so cold and callous. And laughed, I’ll never forget his cruel laugh.”
    “You don’t have to rehash it all for me, darlin’.” The concern and regret that he’d brought it up resonated in his voice.
    “That’s all I can tell you, really. Most of the other memories are fuzzy. There are vague images of you and Sean working on me, urging me to hang on. I remember an insidious blackness surrounding me, but after that, there’s little else.”
    “Darlin’,” he murmured. One word of compassion and nothing else, no more was needed.
    She shrugged it off, aiming for stoic. When her words came out in a broken whisper, she knew she’d fallen short of the mark. “The doctors and trauma counselors told me that not remembering can be a good thing, although they warned me it could all come back out of the blue.”
    “You’re back to work so you must have been declared fit for duty. No lingering physical effects?”
    Her hand went to her side. In the short top, the end of the pink scar where it curved over her ribs was visible. She laid her hand flat on top of it, covering it. Had he noticed?
    “My doctors gave me a clean bill of health as did the psychologist I was required to see, something Cap also insisted on prior to hiring me. I was cleared by them all. Now I only have the memories to deal with. Catching Stapleton would go a long way with that.”
    “Cap told me he’s like the wind.”
    “The Feds are of the same opinion, like he vanished without a trace.”
    “What about you? Are you safe, Angie?”
    His disquiet ignited a little flicker of exhilaration that he would care, but it didn’t last long as the feeling was quashed quickly by bad memories. “I won’t lie,” she admitted softly, glancing up at him briefly. “I watch for him around corners. Jonas installed a security system at my place, which helps me sleep easier.” Two or three hours were better than not at all. After three months’ time, she wondered if the nightmares that haunted her sleep would ever go away.
    “You need a man on you.”
    “I have Dan.”
    He grunted. With a sidelong glance, she saw his dark brows gather, his lips curving downward for a second before he wiped his expression clean. What was that about? Did he have something against Dan? She thought all the Rossi team members were pretty close. As she opened her mouth to ask, footsteps on the steps echoed down the hall to them, announcing his return.
    He moved to Angie’s side as he rejoined them, his hand settling on her waist.
    “All set.” With a nod to T, he guided her toward the door. As they exited the rear of the club, Angie’s emotions were in an uproar, but one thing was certain, she was glad to leave the awkwardness with T behind.
     
    *****
     
    He watched Dan’s hand glide across her back possessively, skin on skin due to the low-rise skirt and cropped top Angie wore. Jealousy burned like fire in his gut. He wanted to shove his hand aside and take over Dan’s role himself—co-worker, trainer, Dom, all of it—maybe he should talk to Cap about a change in assignments.
    Hell! Was he nuts?
    Being around her constantly, mentoring her at work, training her at the club, touching her, restraining her, laying a flogger across her fine ass.
    Christ, no! It would be nothing less than torture.
    As they left,