Page 11 of Hidden Obsession

“It wasn’t your fault,” I said, trying to math in my head.

Logically, I knew missing today wouldn’t kill me financially. Missing a month wouldn’t hurt, either, with growing savings in my account, but I hated missing a day of work and falling behind on saving enough to not only get me out of that trailer park but my mom and sisters as well.

“It’s not yours, either,” Hollis reassured me.

“But I’m being punished for it,” I mumbled under my breath without thinking. Hollis’ hand pressed tighter against my lower back.

“You’re not being punished, baby girl.” I glanced up at him and blinked away tears.

“It feels like it. If I’m not on the floor, I’m not making money. And if I’m not making money—“ The panic was too much, and I had no idea how Hollis knew.

“I’m taking her home,” he announced.

“Hollis,” Jonas warned, but I could already tell the older Porter brother was as stubborn as they came. My boss sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. “Can you please text Kitty and let her know you got home safe?” Jonas asked gently. I nodded.

“Yeah, I can do that.” I smiled tightly. Jonas pulled his wallet out and took out a stack of bills.

“Here.” He extended his hand, offering the money.

“What?” I stared at the cash in his hands. Are those all hundreds?

“Might not cover everything you would have made tonight but⁠—“

“I got her,” Hollis said, and before I could ask what that meant, he slowly turned me to face him and slipped my arms through the sleeves of his suit jacket. His hand rose like he was about to touch me, but he changed his mind, and it dropped next to him. I’d never ached for a touch more.

“Grab your things, baby,” he ordered softly.

I didn’t know this man, not really, yet I listened. Doing like I was told, I went to the locker that held my things and walked right back to him.

“I asked Blu to get your shoes and clothes. You can get them from my office tomorrow,” Jonas shared, and I swallowed as relief washed through me.

“Thank you.” At least that was one less thing I had to worry about.

“Ready?” Hollis asked. I was about to take a step forward after I nodded, but one second, I was standing next to this handsome, almost intimidating man, and the next, I was back in his arms.

Exactly the way he’d rushed off the stage and carried me like the end of my mom’s all-time favorite movie An Officer and a Gentleman. I held on and stared at him as he walked through the darkened hall and right through the back exit of the Velvet Leopard. The dry summer heat hit like a force to be reckoned with, but I ignored it.

“I can walk.”

“You could,” he agreed but carried me straight to a new, shiny, black SUV. Its lights turned on, and without missing a beat, Hollis managed to open the passenger door and slowly, with the gentle way he’d set me down earlier, deposited me on the passenger’s side.

He pulled away and stared at me. For a moment, all I could make out was our breathing and the sound of the torrential rushing of blood and heat inside my veins. What is my problem? I saw good-looking guys all the time. Met nice guys. But none of them had this kind of effect on me and my senses. It felt like I was ready to throw every inhibition right out the window and lean right over and kiss him.

Almost like he could hear my thoughts, his amber gaze dropped to my lips. I wondered if his mouth tingled, too. If he felt this alarming increasing pull I felt towards him.

“Fuck,” he cursed the moment his eyes skated to my collarbone, and goose bumps flared to life. “Let me get something for you.” Get me something?

He reached over me, to the backseat, and I couldn’t help but shut my eyes to soak in the deep manly scent of him. He smelled like expensive cologne with hints of wood, mint, and citrus. And something else.

Something heady and dark. Full of promise.

Something Daddy would wear every day. Daddy? I shook the thought away. This was not the time to let my dirty, unhinged thoughts get the better of me! He was my boss now. He was my boss’ brother! I reminded myself just as he pulled back, his eyes locking with mine almost immediately. Maybe he feels this, too?

But that’s when I noticed it.

A gray shirt and what looked like track pants.

“Here.” He handed the clothes over, and I stared at them in my hands. “They’re clean, I promise.”