The Lion and the Lamb

Evernight Publishing

www.evernightpublishing.com

Copyright© 2013 Jenika Snow

ISBN: 978-1-77130-510-5

Cover Artist: Sour Cherry Designs

Editor:
Karyn White

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal.  No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.

This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

DEDICATION

To everyone that has supported me along the way. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Jenika Snow

Copyright © 2013

Chapter One

“I can’t work at a strip club, Kiki.” Tatum would have laughed out loud at her best friend
’s suggestions if she didn’t know without a doubt Kiki was being dead serious.

“And why not?” Kiki gave a little huff of irritation.

“Well.” Tatum cut the rest of the watermelon and tossed it into the bowl. “For one thing it’s a
strip club
.” She said those two words like they were the dirtiest thing imaginable, and she instantly felt the air chill. Looking over her shoulder, she saw Kiki cross her arms under her huge breasts and scowl.

“What in the hell is that supposed to mean?” The indignation in Kiki’s voice was
crystal clear. Tatum sighed and tuned around.

She placed her hands on Kiki’s shoulders and said, “You know I didn’t mean anything by that
. It’s just…” Tatum sighed and looked at the ceiling. “Do I look like someone who would be prancing around a strip club?” When she looked back at her best friend she could see a smile touch Kiki’s red painted, Botox injected lips.

“First of all, it’s a
gentleman’s
club.” Tatum rolled her eyes. She refrained from pointing out that gentleman’s club was just a fancy and expensive name for house full of strippers. “Second of all, if you wanted to dance you so could. You definitely have the body for it.”

Tatum held up her hands. “No, no, no. I do not want to dance, and I most definitely do
not
have the body for it.”

“Whatever. We are so not going there again.” Kiki picked up the bowl of fresh fruit. She turned away and started walking out of the kitchen, talking as she went. “Besides, the position that is open is for a waitress, not a dancer.” Tatum had no choice but to follow her.

She grabbed the paper plates on her way out the door. The outside patio of Kiki’s home was like some kind of oasis. A small Koi fish pond sat off to the side and surrounded by greenery and a trickling waterfall. A pool was situated on the far end of the yard, the color an unrealistic blue, but looking refreshing nonetheless. The covered deck held the table that Beau and Kiki filled with grilled meats and side dishes. The heat of a Las Vegas evening in July was close to the surface of the sun. Beads of perspiration started to cover the back of Tatum’s neck as the dry heat slammed into her. Sitting on one of the chairs, she watched Kiki wrap her arms around, Beau who stood behind the grill. Smoke billowed around him as he laughed softly at something Kiki murmured to him. Coming over to eat dinner with Beau and Kiki every Sunday evening with the norm anymore. Tatum had known her since they were bratty, pimply teenage girls. Beau had come into the picture the year they turned twenty. That had been five years ago, and even after all that time Kiki and Beau acted like teenagers in love for the first time.

Tatum did this a lot—just watch
ed them interact with each other. They were so intense together. Maybe it was a bit creepy that she watched them, but she liked to see the person she cared about most in the world happy. Her own love life was nonexistent, and aside from a few boyfriends after she graduated high school, she had been alone.

“I
told Tater that she should go apply for the waitress position at the Lion.” Kiki sashayed back to where Tatum was seated.

She refrained from rolling her eyes at the ridiculous nickname Kiki had given her when they were kids. It did no good asking her to stop calling her a vegetable, because Kiki did whatever the hell she wanted. Beau turned and brought over a heaping plate of more meat. There was already enough on the table to feed an army, but then again Beau was built like a sold
ier.

“I think that’d be sweet. That way I can watch over both of you.” Beau’s deep voice was like an instant
fire-starter. At well over six feet tall and layered with thick muscle, Beau wasn’t someone to mess with. He had a head full of auburn hair that fell to his shoulders and only intensified his dangerous persona. Most of the time he kept it in a tight, short ponytail at the nape of his neck, especially when he was at work, but at home he let those silky locks hang free. His body was corded with muscle, and the tribal tattoos that wove their way up his arms added to the whole intimidating factor.

Kiki
had started working at The Lion and the Lamb two years ago. She certainly had the body and moves to be a “dancer” there. Beau had gotten a job as a bouncer shortly after Kiki started her employment there. Even now Tatum suppressed her laugh as she remembered the way he went all caveman when he found out his girlfriend worked at a strip club. Surprisingly though, he was relatively okay with Kiki being there, but most likely because he could keep an eye on the drunks and their grabby hands.

“I just don’t think working at a ‘gentleman’s club’ is really something I’d like.” She didn’t look at Kiki because she knew her friend would be staring daggers at her. Instead, she started piling fruits and veggies onto her plate. The table was silent
, and she chanced a glance up. Of course they were both staring at her.

“I thought you said you were sick of being the cigarette girl at the Flamingo?”

Tatum exhaled and leaned back in her seat. “Yeah, I am, but I don’t think working as a waitress at a strip club is much of an upgrade.”

“Gentleman’s club
,” Beau said through a mouthful of food.

“Whatever.” Tatum speared her fork into a chunk of watermelon and shoved it in her mouth.

“You’d be making triple what you make now. Just think of how fast you can get out of debt.”

Tatum dropped her fork and rubbed her hands over her eyes. Of course Kiki was right. With her mother passing away last year and her mom leaving her a ratty house and debt up to her neck, Tatum was the sole person responsible for fixing everything. It didn’t help that she had no other family to rely on for help. Kiki was like a sister to her, but
Tatum refused to take money from Kiki.

Tatum didn’t mind stepping up and getting things cleared up, but when the majority of that debt stemmed from drinking and gambling, it made dealing with everything so much harder.

“I don’t know, Kiki.” The opportunity sounded great, and even though carrying around a tray with cigarettes to gamblers wasn’t the most lucrative of jobs, it had kept her afloat until she did feel like she was drowning in late notices and past due letters, courtesy of her mother. She looked at Kiki and saw a sheepish look cross her face.

“What? What did you do?” At least Kiki had the courtesy of looking embarrassed by whatever she was about to admit, which couldn’t be good.

“I actually already set up an interview with Mr. Castill.”

“Ugh!” Tatum speared her hands in her hair and tugged on the strands. The dark locks slipped through her fingers easily, but
she really wanted to rip them out. “Why would you do that?”

Kiki rolled her eyes. “Quit being so dramatic. A lot of girls are applying for that position, but you have an insider to help you nab it. Why wouldn’t I help my best girl out?” Tatum knew Kiki
only tried to help, and she loved her for it, she really did, but sometimes Kiki took matters into her own hands when they were better left alone.

“Your interview is tomorrow at noon.” Tatum made a noise in the back of her throat. “Oh, and make sure to wear something sexy that shows your killer cleavage and curves.” Kiki wagged her eyebrows and grinned.

“I’m not going.”

Kiki knitted her brows in what Tatum knew
to be frustration. “You’re going to go, because if you don’t you’re going to make me look bad in front of my boss.” She got a smug look on her face. “Is that what you want to do?”

Ugh! Damn her!
“You know damn well I don’t want that.”

Kiki clapped her hands together
, and her smile widened. “Great! Noon, don’t forget.”

Like Tatum
would forget. This would either be the best thing that happened to her or the worst. She had a feeling it was the latter, though.

Lord, help her.

The interior of The Lion and the Lamb was ostentatious. Tatum had seen plenty of strip clubs working in Vegas, but this place topped anything she had ever seen before. A large stage with a pole sat in the center of the room. A bar was on the right of that, the counter curving in a crescent shape with gleaming counters and top shelf liquor lining the mirrored wall. A second level showcased more intimate tables that looked down at the “main attraction area.” The main floor was huge with dark carpet, lush leather chairs, and intimate lighting. The whole place screamed of class and sophistication, which almost seemed like an oxymoron since half naked women was the selling point.

At that time of time she only saw
one person actually working, and that was a gorgeous blonde with a chest so large Tatum wondered if she could see her feet. The woman didn’t pay her any attention, just continued to stock the back of the bar with bottles of alcohol. She felt increasingly uncomfortable just standing in the middle of the deserted strip club.