Total pages in book: 129
Estimated words: 122896 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 614(@200wpm)___ 492(@250wpm)___ 410(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 122896 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 614(@200wpm)___ 492(@250wpm)___ 410(@300wpm)
When the club was open and hopping, most of the time he didn’t have a chance to watch the recorded footage, so he solely concentrated on the live streams.
Like tonight. While the club wasn’t packed solid tonight, being a Thursday, it was busier than earlier in the week.
He tracked Mel heading over to Sapphire, leaning in and saying something to her before winding her way back through the tables.
Every time a customer would reach out and touch her, Finn would grind his teeth and scream internally for them to release her. Even if the touch was innocent enough, like them grabbing her arm or wrist to get her to pause at their table. No matter what they did, she always gave them a warm smile and treated them with respect.
The other night while they recovered in bed after having a vigorous round of sex, the conversation turned toward her job and that touching. “Why do you let them get away with that?”
“What you’re seeing is mostly harmless. If something is inappropriate, I handle it differently.”
“How?”
“Well, if they mistreat me or the dancers in any way, they get banned from the club. If they do anything worse, I call the police. We do have limits, Finn. Just because the girls get on stage and strip or do private dances, or Sapphire and I show a lot of leg and cleavage, does not give anyone the license to touch us, to make us feel uncomfortable or do something without our consent.”
However, one disturbing fact she admitted to was that since Saint had fired all her former bouncers and replaced them with prospects who didn’t give a fuck, the customers had become more handsy than ever. The prospects’ lack of response when someone tried something inappropriate only allowed those same people to push the envelope.
That meant, not only were the women dealing with the Demon dickheads, they were now on their own to protect themselves from disrespectful men in the audience.
It was a catch-22. The task force needed her on the inside for now, but Finn wanted her the hell out of there.
Finn watched Mel make her way over to the velvet rope where that motherfucker T-Bone stood. She had no choice but to pass him if she needed to go into the back.
He held his breath as she skirted the rope while ignoring the prospect. Only she didn’t get by him unscathed. Quicker than shit, T-Bone’s hand snaked out and he snagged her wrist, yanking her off balance and causing their bodies to slam together.
Finn quickly clicked on the hallway camera feed so it opened up to full screen. He leaned in closer, every muscle in his damn body turning to stone. The damn cameras might not have sound but he could see Mel’s mouth moving and her pissed expression as she tugged on his hold, struggling to free herself. All without success.
“Let her fucking go,” Finn growled under his breath, his fingers tightening into fists. “Get away from him, Mel!”
When he surged from his seat, the wheeled office chair shot from behind him and crashed into the meeting table. His outburst caused a rush of footsteps in his direction.
Crew, in the middle of typing up another affidavit, popped out of his chair and rushed over. “What? What happened?”
Before he could explain to the group now gathered behind him, the task force members got to witness in 4K Mel’s knee jerking upward in a blur and making direct contact with T-Bone’s sac.
“Damn!” Decker shouted behind him.
“Fuuuuuuck.” Finn winced but watched with pride as her action caused the prospect to crumple to the ground in slow motion, effectively causing him to release her.
“Oof. Someone got their testes tested,” Nox grumbled.
“For fuck’s sake, that won’t make life at the club any easier for her,” Crew announced dryly.
Probably not. But seeing the agony on the prospect’s face was so damn satisfying. Finn only wished he was there to get a little satisfaction himself.
Without taking his eyes from the monitor, Finn explained, “That’s T-Bone, the goddamn prospect who hurt her last time. I should’ve—” He bit back the rest of it. What he wanted to do and what he could do in reality—without landing behind bars himself—were two very different things. Unfortunately.
But he didn’t have to say out loud what he was thinking. Everyone behind him could read between the lines.
Crew gave Finn’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “If only it was that easy, brother. A punch is one thing, a bullet is another.” The task force leader nudged him over slightly so he could see the monitor better. “Does she look okay?”
“Looks like it… Oh fuck,” he groaned as Saint came rushing out of his office, using long strides to quickly eat up the space between him and Mel.
Proctor left the desk where he was transcribing wiretaps to join them. “Why is she still standing there?”