Right Into Stranger’s Arms

Clair's POV

The Autumn breeze was something I had always looked forward to, and now, feeling it hit me at full capacity, I wiped the stubborn tears off my cheeks and gently pushed my mother, fragile in her wheelchair toward her bed.

“You’ve done so well, Clair. Don’t worry about me anymore.”

My mother’s voice trembled, her eyes misty as tears lingered on her lashes, and I fought mine back, hating how completely pathetic and exhausting my life had become.

“I will always take care of you, Mum. You don’t have to worry,”

I whispered, finally allowing the tears that had practically become a part of me to fall again. I bent down and dropped a soft kiss on her forehead, and her faint smile felt more fulfilling than anything else I had left in this world.

“I’m late for work, Mum. Let me be on my way,”

I said, and she nodded slowly, pulling the duvet over herself. I watched her close her eyes before slipping out of the room.

The new boss at the club was a great man. Ever since he learned about Mum’s condition, he’d never complained about my lateness. But just as I stepped into the club, my eyes landed on the nightmare that had haunted me for months , the tiny hope of finding solace in this community slipping away before it could even begin.

He was dressed differently tonight. His gaze, still lustful as ever, clung to me with a familiar hunger. His tall, commanding physique was the same as the first day I saw him, but something was off, his hair was different, and the usual spark in his icy blue eyes was gone, replaced with a dark, unfamiliar brown.

“Are you falling for Sylvester King?”

Sylvester, was that his name? I stared at Amy, the beautiful Finnish woman who had once been a stripper here. She knew everything and everyone in this place.

“Not at all,”

I muttered quickly. She smiled knowingly, her eyes drifting to the gorgeous man before closing as though she was indulging in her own vivid fantasies.

“He’s the second son of the King family of the Moon Pack. Wealthy, powerful, and blessed with unfairly good looks,”

she added, twirling a strand of her long hair. She liked him, that much was clear. And I knew he wouldn’t hesitate to take advantage. Hadn’t I already seen how rough and dirty he could be with a woman?

“Come over here, Clair,”

Boss called out. His face was stern as always, but I knew him well enough to recognize the kindness behind the business façade. As a man in charge of his fortune, he didn’t joke about money.

“You will serve Sylvester King today,”

he said, handing me a bag. His eyes softened into an assuring smile.

“Change into that. And avoid any mistakes with him. Good luck, girl.”

And then he left me alone with my hammering heart. How on earth was I supposed to face that man again? It had been so dark inside the club room that night, but I remembered how he looked at me, how he consumed me, tracing my sweat with his tongue, devouring every part of me like he owned it.

“Oh my God, Clair, you’re so lucky,”

Amy mumbled, snatching the bag from me. She unzipped it, and the soft fabric spilled onto the floor, more like a tattered strip of cloth than actual clothing.

“You should’ve told him no. Sylvester King is dangerous. One mistake could kill you,”

she whispered, picking up the skimpy garment. Her eyes widened as she scoffed and shoved the cloth toward my face.

“Look at this! How would a good girl like you wear something this… sinful?”

She glanced around the room nervously.

“Tell the boss you don’t want to go,”

she insisted. I didn’t want to be prey for the girls’ gossip or jealousy, but Amy despite being tough and sophisticated meant every word. But still how could I say no to the boss?

“I can tell him if you don’t want to, okay?”

She headed straight for his office.

“No, Amy!”

I blurted. And she froze, her expression twisting into shock and irritation.

“I will serve Sylvester King,”

I said, forcing courage into my voice. I reached for the outfit, and she handed it over, spite practically etched into her face.

“Let’s see how it goes, Clair. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

She left, and my gaze drifted toward the women circling Sylvester King like moths to a flame. If I avoided his eyes, maybe this wouldn’t be as terrible as I feared.

In the changing room, I slipped out of my work clothes and into the thin fabric barely covering my thighs, the material clinging to my curves like a second skin. I needed to stay professional, but how could I maintain any composure dressed like this? Boss definitely had a death plan for me.

“Wow… who’s that girl?”

Great. Exactly what I didn’t want. The entire walk to the VIP section felt like a runway of unwanted attention. The women’s eyes crawled over me, and the men practically drooled as I took the final steps inside, reminding myself that wherever Sylvester King was, was supposedly safer.

“I will serve you today, sir,”

I announced, hating the intensity in his stare. No familiarity. Just lust, pure, consuming lust. As if he was seeing me for the very first time.

“Bastard,”

I cursed silently. How could he forget me so easily? I hadn’t even healed from the bruises he’d left on me. The way he bit me, marked me like some wild animal claiming his prey.

“Everybody leave,”

he ordered, voice low and husky. Maybe he did remember. The room emptied quickly, and his footsteps approached me. But something was wrong. His scent, once a mix of hibiscus and icy winter, was now drowned in heavy alcohol that clawed at my nose.

“What is your name?”

he growled, reaching toward my chest. I stepped back. His face hardened, steps intentional as he closed in again.

“Aren’t you here to serve me?”

“Yes, sir,”

I said, angry at myself for ever thinking about him, when he obviously never thought about me at all.

“So come and serve me.”

His smile was bitter, twisted. And I wanted to run, far away, to somewhere he would never be able to find me.

“Okay…”

I whispered, moving toward the table. I knew the great drinks to taste like his favorite, so I mixed them carefully, hoping it would distract him.

He burst into laughter the moment I offered it. He took a long drag from a pipe before standing, moving toward me with heavy footsteps.

“You better serve me properly or you lose your job,”

he threatened. And I knew he meant it. The King family owned half of Arkansas’s biggest businesses, including the club.

“I… I’m a waitress, sir,”

I stuttered, voice trapped in my throat. How could this be the same man who whispered and pleaded in my ear that night, asking for things he had already taken?

“Teamwork, girl!”

he shouted, and I flinched, regretting not telling the boss no. Anything would’ve been better than this.

“Start right now!”

He barked, unbuckling his belt and yanking off his shirt. And stupidly, I missed the version of him from that night in LA.

“No, please… I can’t”

My plea meant nothing. He slammed me against the wall, his mouth attacking my neck. I sobbed as my stomach twisted violently until I threw up, directly onto his chest.

“You crazy girl!”

he shouted, disgusted as he flung a bottle across the room.

The door burst open, chaos erupting instantly.

“You irresponsible bastard!”

a deep voice growled. I peered past the bodies and froze.

A sinfully tall man, those gorgeous blue eyes locking on me, stood over Sylvester King who lay gasping on the floor. And the man’s expression softened the instant he saw me.

“You?”

he breathed, voice filled with longing. My heart pounded wildly. My eyes hadn’t betrayed me, this was the man whose memory had haunted me since that night.

“Don’t go, or you’re fired!”

Sylvester snarled from the floor, his threat clear in his bloodshot eyes. But I didn’t care anymore. Neither of these men deserved space in my life.

“I quit!”

I shouted. With no regret for what I did next, I turned and fled the scene, hoping with everything in me that I would never have to see him again.