Enraptured(16)

"What's that room?" I pointed to the other door.

He smirked. "Naturally curious?"

I shrugged. "I suppose I am."

"That's Daman's office."

I nodded. "Your brother. How is it working so close to a sibling?"

I was hoping to make small talk, but his blue eyes narrowed on me. "You know about me." It wasn't a question. It was a statement.

"Obviously." My grin fell when he stepped toward me. My stomach felt tight and I concentrated on standing tall as everything Dee told me about Dace came flooding back to my mind. It hit me like a ton of bricks and I found myself short of breath.

He stopped only an inch away from my body. He was so close I could feel the heat emanating from his form, but he wasn't touching me. He was so tall he towered over me. His scent - pure male - a seduction to my senses surrounded me. Without contact he enveloped me. Without knowledge he consumed me.

"And tell me," his whispered voice was low. "What have you heard of me?"

"A lot." I murmured, praying for the self-control that seemed to have vacated my body.

"Do you believe everything you've heard?" He bent his head down and I felt small beneath him. His eyes were searching my face and I couldn't find the willpower to look into his hypnotic blue eyes but he didn't allow me to maintain my easy avoidance of his question. He slipped a finger under my chin and forced me to look up at him. "Answer my question?"

"I don't know," I breathed. My hands shook and I shoved them into my pockets. "I haven't known you long enough to draw my own conclusions."

He chuckled, dropping his hand from my chin. "You would do well to maintain the preconceived notions you have of me, Angel."

He turned his back to me and I spoke - or more like blurted out my thoughts. "Why do you call me that?"

"What?"

"Why do you call me Angel?"

He swung open a door and flipped on a light, granting me access. "I don't know. It fits."

I stepped into his space. "I think it's you who has the preconceived notions of me."

He grunted as he closed the door. I knew I should be uncomfortable with him shutting me in a room alone with him, but I wasn't. Whenever I was around him, as nervous as I was, I always felt safe. For some unexplainable reason I felt as though I could trust him. I believed with every ounce of my being - every fiber - that when I was with him no harm would or could touch me.

I took a moment to study my surroundings. His office was enormous. The entire far wall was glass and it looked out onto the dance floor of the bar. He could see everything from up here. He was like a God. His desk was large and dark and I knew he had quite a view of the club from where his chair sat. There was a seating area adorned with black leather couches and chairs and a small but elegant looking bar. Beside the bar there was a small round bar-height table with two chairs.

He gestured to the small table. "Have a seat."

I shifted uncomfortably before I tugged at the ties of my jacket. "Where do you want me to hang it?"

"Set it on the back of the couch." He strolled casually to the table before claiming one of the chairs. He touched the wrapper of what looked like a breakfast sandwich. "It's still warm, but it won't be for long."

I took the hint and quickly joined him at the table. I wasn't starving by any means, but I was hungry now that I could smell the cheesy goodness. "Thanks."

"Welcome."

"You didn't have to buy breakfast, you know." I added, feeling awkward.

"I don't do anything I don't want to do, Angel." He took a large bite of the sandwich.

"So I've heard." I stated as I took a bite.

His cobalt eyes narrowed. "What have you heard exactly?"

"Not much." I swallowed. "Basically that you're a violent womanizer without a heart."

He chuckled and shook his head. "Well, that pretty much sums me up."

"I doubt that's true, but if that's the rep you're going for then so be it."

The grin fell from his face and there was a moment of silence between us before he hopped down from his stool. "You want a drink?"

"Do you have anything besides liquor?"

"Water and orange juice." He offered. I watched him pull open a mini fridge behind the bar.

"Water's good."

He pulled two waters from the fridge before ambling back to the table. He set a bottle in front of me before twisting the cap off his bottle and taking a long swig. I watched his Adams apple bob. "So, what made you want a job in a club?"

We were back to talking business. Good - it was safer. "Money."

He eyed me thoughtfully. "It always comes down to capital."