The Lion and the Lamb (3 page)

Sugar
ran her long, cotton candy pink painted nails along his shoulder. “I can get that frown off your face real fast, boss.” She purred right by his ear, but he shook her off.

“You know I don’t mix business with pleasure.” He moved away from the cloying scent of her perfume and ran his hand over his jaw. “Finish stocking up.” He turned and headed to his office, feeling all kinds of confused over the revelations that just landed in his lap.

The door shut behind him, and he leaned against it. He could still smell the sweet scent of Tatum’s arousal. It was a spicy aroma that tingled in his nose and had him hard as hell.

He didn’t doubt he could convince her that he was the best potential male for her, and if she didn’t want him he’d just have to try ten times harder to make her see that they belonged together. The intense and primal urge to be with her was not something he was accustomed to. Lust he knew all about, but what he felt for Tatum went against everything he had ever viewed.
A need inside of him crashed against the surface and clawed to get out. He knew that feeling all too well, knew that the animal inside of him wanted out so it could properly take its mate. The only problem was, how in the hell did he plan on telling his very human mate that he was actually a lion shifter?

“I don’t understand what you’re so worried about
,” Kiki said as she applied the second layer of lipstick. It was probably called Passion Fruit or Sex on the Sand.

“I have everything to be worried about.” After she left Leo, over two weeks ago,
Tatum had this feeling in the pit of her stomach that something was going to happen. She couldn’t put her finger on if that something was good or bad, just that it would happen.

She caught Kiki’s look in the mirror and rolled her eyes. “I mean, it’s still a new job, even if that job is filled with gorgeous women and men shoving dollar bills down their G-strings.”

Kiki turned around and crossed her arms under her breasts. “This is a classy place, Tater, and besides, we live in Las-Fucking-Vegas. We’ve seen a lot worse than that. You remember that homeless guy with the cardboard sign saying for twenty bucks he’d let someone kick him in the balls?”

Tatum started laughing. “Yeah, but this is totally different. I already feel out of place
, and I haven’t even started working there yet.”

Kiki giggled and turned to grab her purse. “I wouldn’t worry about getting hit on.” She eyed Tatum up and down. “I think you’ll be the one wearing the most layers of clothing.” Kiki’s grin had Tatum frowning. She stood and looked down at herself. The uniform Leo had sent her last week was classy, yet modest.

“What? I think I look nice.”

“You do, Tater. It’s just, who wears a knee length black skirt, a blouse, and a cardigan over that to a gentleman’s club?”

Tatum looked down at herself and smoothed the imaginary wrinkles from her skirt. The outfit was nice, but Kiki had a point. Tatum would have assumed Leo covered her up because he didn’t want plump girls working at his club, but that didn’t make sense at all since he hired her, and the sexual heat had been coming off of him like a tidal wave. Even weeks later she could still picture him standing in front of her, his eyes looking all kinds of smoky goodness as he told her he liked her curves. Thank God for the black cardigan that would hide her hard nipples.

“Al
l right, girl, come on. We don’t want you to be late on your first day.” Kiki took her hand and hauled her out of the chair. “I gotta say, I kicked ass on your hair, though.” Tatum looked in the mirror before they headed out. Her normally frizzy hair fell in glamorous waves around her face. She normally didn’t wear make-up, but of course she let Kiki talk her into it. The eye shadow was dark grey, and the image of “bedroom eyes” flashed through her mind. Aside from a splash of peach on her lips she wore no other make-up.

Kiki drove with the top down on her convertible
, and Tatum cursed her the whole way there. The Lion and the Lamb sat right off the strip where they built the new multi-millionaire dollar hotels and casinos.  They pulled into the parking lot, and Kiki drove the car to the side of the two story building. The construction was beautiful with perfectly manicured patches of AstroTurf and potted flowers and trees.

The club didn’t open until eight on the weekdays and four on the weekends, but stayed open until all hours of the night. The sun hadn’t yet set, probably wouldn’t until well after the club opened, but she knew places like this didn’t need the cloak of darkness to make them feel safe. Kiki pulled into a parking spot
, and they made their way out of the car and to the employee entrance. From her standpoint, Tatum could see the brightly lit sign right above the front doors. It was a massive lion’s head, its jaw open wide and its teeth lethal looking. The thick mane of hair surrounding the face looked so realistic, like she could make out each individual piece of hair. The eyes, an eerie blue color, stared straight ahead. One paw poised high above the beasts head and its claws were outstretched. She could see where the “lion” came from in the club name, but saw no depiction of the “lamb.”

No, honey, the lambs are inside waiting to get sacrificed.

Kiki led the way through the side entrance, which took them down a long, brightly lit hallway. Several doors lined the wall on either side of her, their doors closed but the noise of female giggling coming through. It sounded like a group of high school girls were having a slumber party.

“There are several dressing rooms that the girls use before and in-between shows.”

Tatum wanted to tell Kiki that information didn’t pertain to her but knew it would be smart to know where everything was located.

“The kitchen is over there.”
Kiki pointed to a set of steel double doors once they cleared the hallway. “I’ll take you to Leo because I’m not sure what he wants you to do.”

They stopped right before they made it into the main floor. The sound of glasses clanking and female and male conversation floated around her. “What do you mean you don’t know what he wants me to do?” Yeah, Leo had explained what her job would entail, but the way Kiki said it had the hair on her arms standing up. Kiki looked at her and shrugged.

“I just mean we’ve never had a hostess before, so I don’t know where you’re supposed report.”

Shock filtered through Tatum. “You’ve never had a hostess before?”

Kiki shook her head and opened her mouth to say something, but another dancer dressed in a few strips of latex called her over. “Listen, I’ve got to go, but we’ll talk after work. I’ll meet you by the employee entrance, okay?”

Tatum nodded and felt her anxiety start to rise. She should be used to working. It wasn’t like this was her first job right out of high school. Squaring her shoulders, she watched Kiki disappear down the hall and behind one of the doors.

“I see you decided to give me a chance.” She turned to the smooth, deep voice that belonged to Leo. He strode toward her, his hands in the front pockets of his pants, and holding himself like he knew he had swagger. He wore a simple black tee-shirt, but it looked expensive and fit over his chest to perfection.

Give
him
a chance?
“Excuse me?” He stopped in front of her, his smile widening as he took in her uniform.

“The club. I’m glad you gave my club a chance.” He ran his thumb and forefinger between the edge of her cardigan
, and she forced herself to stand still. The very tip of his finger brushed along her collarbone every once in a while, and the effect it had on her was akin to pouring gasoline on an open fire. “I’m liking this uniform on you.” His voice was low, and she thought she sensed a hint of sexual heat laced through his words.

Forcing herself to swallow so she didn’t make a fool out of herself by drooling down her chin, Tatum nodded. “Yes, I’m liking the uniform
, too.” She looked into his blue eyes and started to feel herself getting lost in them. He smiled slowly and he looked satisfied as it curved his full lips.

“I feared you’d make me wear a thong and pasties to work.” She
teased him, for the most part, but when she heard a low rumble come from Leo she felt her eyes widen. Dropping his hand, he lifted it and ran it over his jaw. He cleared his throat and looked around the floor as his staff prepared it for the night.

“I’ll show you where to stand and what to say. This is a very casual position, so don’t worry about screwing it up.” He smiled and gestured for
her to precede him toward the front doors. His big hand landed on the small of her back, and she tensed, feeling the heat travel straight through her body. “All you have to do it stand here and greet the patrons as they enter.”

She turned
, and his hand fell from her. She didn’t have any training prior to tonight, and she had assumed her first night would be shadowing someone, not diving in by herself. “I haven’t even been trained. I thought tonight I’d just be following someone around.”

“Tatum, I’m not going to throw you to the lions.” His straight, white teeth flashed
, and her mouth went dry. “I am going to have Peaches seat them. So all you have to do is say hello, flash them your gorgeous smile, and lead them over to her.” He turned and pointed to a petite little thing standing a few feet away. She spoke to the same girl Tatum had seen behind the bar the first time she met Leo. The two women stopped talking and turned to stare at them. Peaches waved enthusiastically, but the bartender gave her a withering stare.

Peaches
literally skipped over to them, her breasts barely restrained under the teeny, tiny cutoff tee. Her daisy dukes were the size of some of Tatum’s panties, and the stilettos she wore were probably illegal in several states. She also wore a bobbed bright orange wig. “Hey, hun.” Peaches lifted her hand and wiggled her fingers at Tatum.

“Hi.” She felt her cheeks heat and felt like an idiot. The girl was beautiful and nice. At least she didn’t get paired up with the bartender still shooting daggers at her.

“Peaches here already knows her role to play.” Leo faced Tatum again, completely blocking out the pixie behind him. He leaned close to her, and she felt his breath tease the shell of her ear. “And, Tatum, if anyone touches you, male or otherwise, you come get me right away.” He leaned back slightly, his face stoic. “Do you understand?”

His chauvinistic ways
infuriated her, but he also enthralled her and found herself nodding. He snapped his teeth together and straightened. Their eyes held for so long she knew others had to have noticed by now, but before she started to feel uncomfortable he turned and strode away. A low whistle sounded, and she tore her eyes from Leo’s retreating back to look at Peaches.

“
Dayum
, honey, Leo has it B.A.D. for you.” Tatum just noticed Peaches chewed a piece of gum. She chose that moment to blow a big bubble, reminding Tatum of a child. It popped, and she grinned.

“No
, he doesn’t. He’s my boss.”

Peaches’
s grin widened. “Girl, he’s my boss, too, and doesn’t place a claim like that on me, or any other girl for that matter.”

Tatum huffed, not liking where this conversation was going. “There is nothing there.” She clasped her hands together in front of her, hoping Peaches took the hint that
the conversation was over.

Peaches took a step closer
, and a serious expression crossed her face. Even with those six inch heels on the girl barely matched Tatum’s height. “Sweets—”

“My name is Tatum.”

She shook her head. “In here you don’t use your real name. It’s better that way, especially when you get some real clingers if you know what I mean.” Tatum didn’t, but she didn’t say otherwise. “You’re all sweet and innocent. You look like she should be workin’ in a library or at an elementary school, but the boss sees something special in you obviously.” She lifted her hand and picked up a lock of Tatum’s hair. “That’s why I call you Sweets.” Peaches dropped the lock and eyed her clothing, a smirk on her face. “Conservative, too.”

“Leo gave these to me.”

Peaches quirked a perfectly shaped brow and laughed.“Yeah, the boss has it bad. He must not want other guys looking at what’s his.”

Tatum bristled at the implied statement. “I’m
not
his. I just started working here.”

The look Peaches gave her
appeared droll. “Girl, if Leo wants you he’ll get you. It’s as simple as that.” With that she smacked Tatum on the ass and went to back to talk to the bartender.

Two beefy bouncers came out from the back and straight toward her. They unlocked the front doors
, and Tatum took a deep breath.
Well, this is it.

Tatum’s feet were killing by the time her shift ended. It was going on two-thirty in the morning, but there was still a group of five men celebrating a bachelor party, several older business men getting a private show, and another handful
who had paid a hefty amount to have a private party in the Champagne room. All of this told to her by Peaches, who seemed to know what went down at every corner of the club.

She had watched Kiki dance, which she had been enthralled with. The girl knew how to move
, and when she worked the pole it was more artistic than slutty. Tatum never really knew women could be so beautiful and graceful on a stripper pole, but boy, had she been wrong. Even Tatum found Kiki’s act seductive. The men had watched her like they couldn’t get enough, like they had just seen gold fall from the sky. Pepper, which happened to be Kiki’s stage name, had done moves that Tatum didn’t even know were physically possible.