Seeking Justice (6 page)

“I guess getting together with him would be a little awkward with you investi—”

I quickly shake my head, holding my finger to my lips as Julie slaps her hand over her mouth. I give a quick scan of the bathroom stalls.

“Sorry,” she mouths as I turn back to her.

“It’s okay. We’d better get back out there.”

As we leave the bar, I keep searching for Liam. I know he’s left though because I no longer feel that little tingle of awareness in my body that he inspires. I actually feel despondent, which is silly, and I scold myself. Yeah, no reason to be down about being attracted to the man I’m supposedly investigating. I sigh. Why do I have to be so attracted to him?

Chapter Five

“U
gh, my feet are killing me,” I moan as Tansy, and I sit at one of the dining room tables. The restaurant has closed, and we’re sharing a sandwich, finalizing our shift report. I kick off the heels I should not have worn to work no matter how good they look with my dress. I wasn’t sure what to wear since we have plans to hit the nightclub after our shift ends. I settled on a very short black tank dress with an overlay of black lace that supplies sleeves and a little extra length at the hem but still shows plenty of leg. Hence the need for killer heels.

“You did not give me adequate warning about Friday nights.”

She laughs. “Wait until next week, both shifts will be crazy.” She glances at me. “Don’t be nervous, remember I’ll be in early and stay late.”

“I hate that you have to do that.”

She shrugs. “Just goes with the job.”

I nod, pushing down the guilt I feel at the deception I’m carrying on here. I’m starting to think of it as nothing short of dishonesty. And that’s not sitting well with me. I like the people I’m working with, and I have to admit, it bothers me to deceive them.

A couple stops in the doorway of the restaurant, and I slip my shoe’s back on.

“I’ll go,” Tansy offers.

“No, I’ve got them.” I cross the room conscious of the man watching me.

“Mr. and Mrs. Grant,” I say in greeting. “I have the table for four you requested. If you’ll follow me, please.” Seeing that they are alone, I ask, “Do we need to wait for the rest of your party?”

“No. Phyllis and Ron will be along shortly,” Mr. Grant informs me.

“Very well. This way, please.”

I smile at Leon as we pass the bar on our way to the nightclub’s outer room. Once there, I turn them over to the attendant who will seat them in the nightclub. Holly explained the reason for the formality of us escorting members and keeping track of who goes into the nightclub. Liam evidently, runs a tight ship, making sure that the rules and regulations of Justice House are fully adhered to. Apparently, he insists on knowing the location of any member at any given moment while they are in the mansion. There is an outside entrance to the nightclub, and all members and their guests go through the check-in process at that door too.

“Have a lovely evening.” I give Mr. Grant a weak smile when he winks.

“I’m ready for a drink,” Tansy says as I return to my seat.

“Me too. Who might Ron and Phyllis be?”

“The Eldridge’s.” I frown still not recalling the members. “Holly might not have their specs in the book yet, they’re new.” She leans a little closer and whispers, “He’s the one from earlier who said you had a nice ass.”

“Oh! That guy.”

“Yeah, a real charmer.”

“Besides being rude, that was really crass of him to say it in front of his wife.”

“I don’t think she minded.” Tansy has her head down, but I see her smirk.

“What?”

“They’re swingers,” she whispers.

Okay. I don’t want to think too much on that. “The Grants too?”

“Yep.”

I study her for a moment. “You certainly know a lot of information about the members that’s not in the book.”

“At times, more than I want to.”

I decide this is a good moment to pump her for information. “You also seem to know a lot about all the people who work here.”

She looks thoughtful. “I guess I do. I’ve been here eight years, and I’ve gotten to know some of the staff and members very well.” She grins. “A person can hear quite a bit of gossip here in the dining room.”

That’s what I’m counting on.

“How did the Justice House get started? Did Mr. Justice just decide to move here, bringing all his school chums? He must have been fairly young.”

“I know very little about him personally. Mr. Justice is a very private person, but from what Holly has told me, the four of them went to school together. When Mr. Justice bought this place to open up a private club, the other three joined him here.” She looks over at the entrance. “Oops.”

I glance up to see the Eldridge’s.

“Let me get them,” she says.

I watch as Tansy walks with the couple across the room. Mr. Eldridge looks back at me, and I quickly avert my gaze. Music filters out from the nightclub as the door opens, and I look up as Holly joins me at the hostess stand.

“Cait, would you take this list to Leon? The Edwards are in the nightclub, and they would like to purchase a few bottles of wine.” Holly hands me a list that I look over.

“I can do that.”

“It’s not something we usually allow, but Liam okayed it so…” she shrugs. “Just make sure Leon has it all and that he puts the bottles in a wine box. We’ll take the wine with us on our way to the club, and the Edwards can pick it up as they leave.”

“No problem.”

Leon has several customers sitting around his bar, and I take a stand at the end of the counter. When he notices me, he smiles a welcome and holds a finger up, signaling he’ll be right with me.

“What can I do for you, young Cait?”

“We have a member who would like these bottles of wine.” I hand him the list and watch as he scans it.

“Hmmm, has Liam approved this?”

“Yes.”

He glances behind him as a small group walks up to the bar. “Let me take care of these folks, and I’ll get the wine for you.”

“Do you have a spare wine box?”

“I’m sure I do.” He smiles, then heads for the other side.

As I stand waiting for Leon, I’m aware when Liam enters the bar area. His heady scent permeates the air, and I feel the powerful energy that seems to emanate from him. When he sits on the bar stool right next to where I’m standing, I toss him a quick look to find him staring at me.

“Miss Shaw.” His voice is deep and oh so sexy. My lower extremities tighten in reaction.

I can’t stop myself, I glance his way again. He looks so good my mouth goes dry. He’s in dark jeans and a white linen shirt, loose at the waist with the top two buttons undone. I see the outline of his pendant under the material of his shirt and decide he must wear it all the time. His sleeves, rolled up to his elbows, expose a light smattering of dark hair on his tanned forearms. Taking a deep breath, I look away.

“Mr. Justice.” My voice comes out all breathy.

His chuckle is soft, and I glance at him again, this time making the mistake of direct eye contact. His intense blue gaze holds mine for a moment before I’m able to look away.
How can one man be so freaking hot?

“I hope you had a pleasant… time last night.” Something in his voice has me looking at him again.

“Yes.” I lick my lips, praying for Leon to hurry. “Um… thank you for the drinks.”

“My pleasure,” he says with a caress in his slow drawl. My stomach muscles clench tightly, and I bite my lip.
Oh hell!
I frantically look for Leon, who’s still busy on the other side of the bar.

“The couple you were with—” I look at him again when he leaves his sentence hanging.

“My friends.” His eyes.
Shit!
His eyes are almost hypnotic to me, and I now notice he has a thin, darker band of blue around the outside of the iris.

“I thought they might be your lovers.”

“What?” I give a choked laugh, and I know I blush bright red if my heated face is any indication. I look away. “No, we’re just friends.” I glance at him again, his expression thoughtful. “Paul and Julie are married.” I’m not sure why I’m explaining this to him.

“Do you often tag along with your… friends?”

What the hell, he thinks I’m lying?
“Yes, I guess I do
tag
along with them as we are good friends.”

“Good friends.” He says it as if he’s trying to decide if there is hidden meaning in my words, or maybe I’m talking in code. Are
his
friends lovers? Is that why he’s wondering about mine?

I sigh. “Mr. Justice, Paul, and his wife Julie and I are nothing more than friends. We enjoy spending time together.” I look at him and then turn back.

“So, you had no date?”

I glance again. He’s leaning back with his arms crossed over his chest, facing me. I just now realize his legs, stretched out wide, are on either side of mine so that I’m standing between them. Why does he do that? I want to step away, but because I’m right at the end of the bar, against the wall, I have nowhere to step. I’m trapped.

I clear my throat in nervousness. “No. Paul’s parents are in town, we met them for dinner.”

“Ahhh. Do you usually have a date when you tag along with your married friends?”

I blush again. Why is he pursuing this? “No,” I say softly, genuinely embarrassed. He probably thinks I’m a loser.
Where the hell is Leon!

“Caitlyn, I do believe you’ve lied to me.”

I look at him in surprise. “What?”

He unfolds his arms and leans forward on the stool, moving in close. Too close. “You told me I didn’t make you nervous, darlin’.”

My breathing is shallow, and I nervously lick my lips at his nearness. I don’t say anything I just look at him, at his mouth so close all I need to do is…

He suddenly sits back, effectively moving his lips from my reach. I blush again. He knows I almost kissed him, and with the realization that he didn’t want me to, I’m mortified.
I have to get the hell out of here.

I frantically look around for Leon, who seems to have vanished. I feel panicked, desperate to get away.

“Cait—”

I turn, facing away, and when he pulls his legs in, I head away from him as fast and as far as I can manage. Of course, the
far
is only to the ladies’ bathroom in the main hallway.

I lock the stall door leaning back against it.

Damn! Damn, damn, damn!

I know I’ve made matters worse by running. I should have stood my ground, acted as if nothing happened. I cover my face with my hands. But it did happen, and I will never be able to look him in the face again. I would have kissed him; except he made it perfectly clear he’s not interested. I pull my hands from my face, tucking my hair behind my ears. Why him? Why do I finally desire a man who is so far out of my reach, so incredibly beautiful that he would never be interested in someone like me? A man who is probably some kind of libertine who only dates women as sexually liberated as he is.

Not someone—like—me.

Compared to the women I’m sure he sleeps with, he’d probably laugh me right out of bed.

I wonder why he thought Paul and Julie were my lovers. Is that what he’s used to? He lives in a world so different from mine. The man doesn’t just frequent sex clubs; he freaking owns one.

Okay, enough of this, I need to get back to work before Tansy comes looking for me asking questions. Exiting the stall, I dampen a paper towel, lifting my hair to place the cool towel on my neck. Looking at my reflection in the mirror, I look flushed. As I exit the bathroom, I say a prayer that I don’t see Liam Justice for the rest of the night.

Finishing our shift, Holly joins Tansy and me as we head for
In Justice,
picking up the bottles of wine Leon has left sitting on the bar top. We stop at the employees’ bathroom near the break room to freshen up.

“Where’s everyone been all day?” Tansy asks Holly as she brushes her hair.

“You mean Liam and Bryce?” I tense slightly at the mention of Liam’s name. Holly snorts, rolling her eyes. “The idiots, my husband being one of them, have been upstairs all day playing that stupid game.”

Upstairs? Playing?
I’m shocked that Holly says this so casually. I now know that all of the nefarious activities of Justice House happen on the second level. Holly must see something in my expression because she’s quick to explain.

“Not upstairs
,
upstairs! I’m talking about Liam’s apartment.”

Liam’s apartment?

Holly laughs. “I’d kill Ryan if he messed around upstairs, and he knows it, being the smart lawyer that he is. Y’all ready?”

I pick up the box of wine bottles, and we head out the door. I stop just outside finally making the connection. “Wait, your husband is Ryan Phillips?
The
Ryan Phillips?”

Holly beams at me. “Heard of him, have you?”

“Who hasn’t?” Ryan Phillips is an up and coming lawyer connected to one of Chicago’s most prestigious law firms. The past two years he’s been in the news often with his court cases. He doesn’t like to lose.

“Wow, I’m impressed.”

“Thanks,” she says, giving me a wide grin as she pushes against the door that leads into the small outer room that we pass through to the nightclub. This is where we escort and leave the Justice’s club members. Holly pulls the inner door open, and we walk into a noise level that could rival a loud rock concert.

We step just inside, and I’m surprised at the number of people. I had no idea the club was so large. Holly had previously informed me that it was the mansion’s old ballroom. It’s a long room with a two-story domed ceiling running its length. At the end of the room, steps lead up each side of the far wall to meet in the middle near the top where a balcony is located. From under the point where the two stairways meet, multiple rays of flashing teal colored light shoot out across the room like laser beams. It’s definitely awe-inspiring. Below the flashing lights, and the balcony and stairs, is the nightclubs bar.

I grin at Holly and Tansy.

Holly makes a motion for us to follow, leading the way through the throng of people as she skirts the crowded dance floor located in the middle of the room. The Sohodolls,
Stripper
plays over the sound system, and the overhead teal lights pulsate to the beat. Holly leads us to the bar, where one of the bartenders is a good-looking guy I’ve seen around Justice House. He looks up and grins when Holly gives him a sign that he evidently understands as he immediately reaches for glasses.

I lean close to Tansy, hoping she can hear me when I ask her if we are going to try to find a table.

“What?” she mouths, holding her hand to her ear. I try again, speaking louder. She grins and shakes her head then shrugs.