The Lion and the Lamb (13 page)

“I have plans tonight, Kiki.” Tatum pursed her lips to hold in her laughter as she watched her best friend fall dramatically on the sofa.

“You always have plans.” She threw an arm over her eyes and sighed. “Let me guess
. Leo?” Kiki dropped her arm and turned her head so she stared at Tatum.

“Yeah.” When Kiki didn’t say anything Tatum looked up. “You’re not mad
, are you?” Tatum poured the second glass with white wine and made her way into the living room.

“Of course I’m not, but I’m in desperate need of a girl’s night out.”

Tatum sat beside Kiki and handed a glass over. She watched with a raised brow as Kiki downed half of it in one swallow. “Everything okay?”

Kiki sucked in a big lungful of air and set her glass down. “It’s just…” She picked at her shirt before continuing. “I think Beau’s cheating on me.”

Tatum sputtered on the wine she had just swallowed and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. “What?” Kiki nodded and grabbed her glass. She drank the rest of it and handed the glass to Tatum to refill. When both of them were topped off Tatum finally found her voice.

“Kiki, I think you might be seeing things that aren’t there.”

Kiki shook her head, and tears swam in her eyes.

“No, I mean, I hope I am, but I don’t think so.” She wiped angrily at her tears and refused to look at Tatum.

“Honey.” She placed her hand on top of Kiki’s. “What makes you think he’s cheating?” Tatum honestly couldn’t see Beau doing anything like that. He loved Kiki, doted on her like she was precious crystal. For five years Tatum had watched their nauseating PDA.

“I don’t know. He’s just been acting very secretive the past few weeks. He’s getting these phone calls and leaving right in the middle of dinner to answer them. I’ve tried to overhear what he says, but all I can make out are urgent whispers.” Kiki sniffed loudly.

“Did you ask him about it?”

Kiki nodded. “Yeah, and let me tell you that didn’t end well. He was all nonchalant about it, like I
imagined everything. That pissed me off even more.”

Lord, Tatum could just imagine how that ended. Kiki wasn’t known for keeping her anger in. More times than not
she set her inner wild child free, and the destruction tended to be cringe-worthy.

“I think he’s seeing someone at the club.” Kiki let her head fall back on the couch and sighed. “I’m happy for you and Leo, I truly am, but I need this girl’s night out, Tatum. I need to get good and wasted, dance my ass off, and not think about who Beau is fucking behind my back.” Kiki pouted in an attempt at humor, but Tatum could see the pain behind her friend’s eyes.

There was no way she planned on not being there for her friend. Kiki had always been there when Tatum needed her. Grabbing her phone, Tatum typed out a quick text to Leo.

Sorry. Can’t make it tonight. Need to have a grls night out with Kiki.

A second later her phone buzzed.

Leo:
Everything ok?

Ya, just boy problems. Can we reschedule for tmrrow?

Leo:
Sure, baby. Where u gonna go? Just so I’m not worrying all night. 

“Kiki?” Her friend’s eyes were closed.

“What?” She sounded so forlorn that it pulled at Tatum’s heart.

“Where do you want to get drunk at?” Kiki squealed right before she jumped out of the couch. After she told Tatum where sh
e wanted to go and she sent a text to Leo, they headed into her bedroom to get ready for a night of debauchery.

****

Leo sat at his desk, his gaze on the papers strewn across the top. His mind was on other things than work, more important things. He couldn’t help but think about Tatum and everything she had told him.

Since they spoke a week ago things had been going better than he could have ever imagined. The fact she had accepted his lineage astounded him beyond comprehension. He
had expected her to run away from him, to see him as the animal he truly was. She had opened her arms to him, and he had eagerly fallen into them. He was putty in her hands, whether she realized that or not.

A knock on his door had him lifting his head and putting the thought of Tatum in the farthest part of his mind. Whoever was coming to him
would not taint the image or thought of her.

“Yeah?” He unlocked the door by a simple press of a button under his desk. The lock unlatched
, and Tryck, one of his bouncers, stepped inside and shut the door behind him.

“Slade’s here. Peaches took him to the Champagne room. He’s got three girls in there now and two of his men hanging back.”

Shit.

Leo didn’t know what was going on with Slade, but the shifter had been sniffing around his house
, and Leo wasn’t feeling it. Whatever the hell Slade had up his sleeve couldn’t be good. He had known the asshole since he first moved to Vegas. Ever since their altercation five years back, they had kept their distance from each other. The town was big enough for both of them, but Slade didn’t see it that way. The lion wanted full reign of the land, but there was no way Leo would back down.

After a lot of bloodshed Slade had walked away, but Leo wasn’t a fool enough to think the psychotic shifter would let it be. It might have taken five years, but Slade kept coming back to his club for a reason, and Leo had a feeling it wasn’t for anything good.

He stood and made his way to the Champagne room. The steady, low bump of music surrounded him, and the closer he got to the closed door of the VIP room, the more the bass intensified. Without knocking, because really, it was his fucking club, Leo pushed the door open. Slade sat on the black leather couch situated in the center of the room. Two girls in nothing but a G-string and their tits hanging out danced seductively to music.

Slade looked the relaxed part as his arms were thrown over the back of the couch and his legs were parted. One of the girls moved between his legs and turned around, showing her ass. She did a little shake before popping her ass out in Slade’s face. The lion’s expression
appeared almost bored as he watched.

“Candy, Pepper, and Macie, get the fuck out of here.” The girls hurried out of the room at Leo’s menacing tone. He was beyond pissed that Slade was here, and the fact the fucker had a smug grin on his face had his blood roaring in his ears.

Once the girls were out Tryck took a step closer. Slade’s men followed suit, their hands at their waists. Leo didn’t doubt there were guns hidden under their suit jackets, but Leo was beyond that gangster shit. If things were going to get ugly with Slade, they were going to do it lion to lion. No guns, no back-up. Just the two of them, and may the best shifter win.

“Why are you here, Slade?” Leo didn’t bother to keep the growl out of his voice. He had been disappointed to get the text from Tatum cancelling, but now he was glad she wasn’t coming down. If shit got bad with Slade, Leo sure as hell didn’t want her anywhere knew the sick fuck. Leo had seen what Slade had done to girls he “cared about.” He liked sick shit, shit that left scars and broke hearts, literally.

“I enjoyed myself so much last time that I wanted to come back. Is that so wrong?” Slade lifted a brow in question.

“You’re not welcome here, and you fucking know it. The deal was you stay to your side of town
, and I’ll do the same. The fact you are here leads me to believe you are up to no good, and I’m not about that, Slade.” Especially not now that he found Tatum, but he wasn’t going to go there.

The grin Slade gave him was feral and filled with a lot more
than he said. “I hoped to see that sweet piece of pussy you got at the door, but to my disappointment she’s not here.” Slade’s grin was downright disgusting. Leo could only imagine the vile things Slade had swirling around in that fucked up head of his.

Gritting his teeth, Leo breathed out his anger. What he really wanted to do was fuck Slade up for even thinking about Tatum, but he knew if he gave any indication of what Tatum meant to him Slade would use it against him. Leo opened his mouth to respond, but no words came out. Slade’s grin widened.

“Cat got your tongue, brother?”

“You are not my brother.” The words were forced past Leo’s teeth. Before Slade could say anything further to piss Leo off, Slade’s phone rang. Nothing was said, but Slade kept his cold
eyes locked on Leo. He tucked his phone back in his pocket when the call ended and stood.

“Well, looks like I’m needed elsewhere.” Slade walked passed Leo, but right before he exited he stopped and turned his head so they looked in each other’s eyes. “I like what you’ve got going on here, Leo. Makes me want to change things in my own life.” Leo turned on him and bared his teeth.

“You better watch it, asshole.” Slade’s two men took a step forward, but Slade held up his hand to stop them. For several long moments they just stared at each other. The tension was heavy, and the aggression and testosterone pulsed between them. Leo was on the verge of shifting, and he could tell Slade was right there with him.

Slade winked and turned to leave.

Leo stood there, catching his breath and calming his beast.  His blood boiled as a plethora of violent acts he’d like to do to Slade passed through his mind. Things between them were a lot tenser, and Leo knew sooner than later the explosion between them would crush cities and destroy lives.

The bodies crushed on either side of Tatum as Kiki kept a firm grip on her hand and led her through the club. At the last minute Kiki
had decided to change where they were going. Now they were practically nose to nose with half-dressed people at Stripped.

The dance club was the newest addition to the strip and was decked out in mellow colors and modern décor. It seemed sophisticated, but the majority of the people crammed in were young. Tatum felt overdressed in her linen shorts and poppy blouse. She had thought she spiced things up by wearing heels, but she felt like a granny compared to the girls that grinded with the overly muscled men.

Kiki pushed a few girls away from the bar, which in turn got them some nasty glares. Drinks in hand after about a ten minute wait, Kiki led the way to one of the few available tables. Luckily, everyone was out practically having sex on the dance floor or they’d be standing around.

Kiki grabbed her shot and downed it, chasing it with her fruity, bright orange drink.

“You want to talk about Beau?” Tatum had to yell over the deep bass of music. Kiki shook her head vehemently and sucked back the rest of her drink. Looks like Tatum was going to be carrying a very sloshed Kiki home tonight.

“Let’s dance.” Kiki stood before Tatum could respond. She held her hand out
, and Tatum shook her head.

“You know I’m a horrible dancer.”

“I can’t hear you, Tater. Come on.” Tatum knew damn well Kiki heard what she said, but Kiki was in her zone and wouldn’t have taken no for an answer no matter how much Tatum complained.

Picking up her drink, Tatum gulped down half of it. Kiki gave her a smile and wink and dragged her to the center of the dance floor. The heat was intense as the bodies gyrated all around her. Kiki started swaying to the music, throwing her hands in the air and closing her eyes. She looked free at that moment, and Tatum wished she wasn’t going through shit, although she felt in her heart that Beau would never do anything to hurt her. He loved Kiki too much.

Tatum didn’t drink much, so the alcohol she had all but guzzled down rushed through her veins and had warmth spreading through her. Closing her eyes as well, she left herself feel free. Her life was starting to go in the right direction, and for once she felt happy.

The music washed through her
, and she swayed, not caring that beads of sweat dotted her flesh, or that arms and legs bumped into hers. When she opened her eyes she saw Kiki bumping and grinding with a blond haired man. She couldn’t see his face, but the view from the back was impressive. Kiki opened her eyes and caught Tatum’s. Her smile seemed slow and a little hazy. Kiki was already buzzed, and if Tatum didn’t intervene Kiki would do something she regretted.  She took a step toward them, but the man pushed them through the bodies and farther away from Tatum.

Kiki stared up at the man, and Tatum watched as he dipped his head and whispered something in Kiki’s ear. She shook her head and continued to sway. Before Tatum could move another step strong arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her back toward a thick, hard chest. She tensed, ready to spin around and rip into the asshole who thought groping her was okay, when a deep voice she remembered whispered in her ear.

“The way you move can make any man putty in your hands.” She was spun around until she looked into green eyes. Slade grinned down at her, his straight, white teeth looking feral. She wondered if he was the same as Leo, more animal than man. They hadn’t spoken about Slade or their altercation at the club, but now that Tatum was this close to him, she could sense some kind of animal magnetism pouring from Slade.

Yeah, no doubt the man who had his arms around her was deadly.

“Let me go.” Her instincts told her being this close to him, whether Leo was here or not, was not a good idea. Slade used his strength to pull her closer to his body. She could feel every hill of muscles beneath his expensive suit.