I let the predatory look linger on those chicken tenders for a few seconds before I’m straightening and feigning innocence. But I feel Mark’s gaze burning into me.

As much as it sickens me, I need him to think I have an interest in the depraved things he does.

An hour passes while I continue to pretend to show interest in underage girls, looking right above their heads, at their food or whatever else that's close enough to feed the illusion. Nothing too obvious, and I don’t do it every time as not to be suspicious. Just subtle glances here and there.

During the hour, Mark continues to grow more inebriated. At the gentlemen’s club, I noticed that he sucks down whiskey like it’s life support.

I’m sensing alcoholism alongside his sadism.

And of course, that’s when the fucker decides to really look around and catch notice of a still-working Addie, tucked in her little corner and typing away like her life depends on it. I’ve kept an eye on her from my peripheral, and whatever she’s writing, she’s invested.

“Now, that’s a beauty,” Mark says, staring straight at Addie. Her mouth is wrapped around her straw as she finishes off a margarita. I watch her from the corner of my eye, but I don’t slide my gaze over right away. I have two seconds to make a decision. Act like I don’t know her or claim her.

Before I can open my mouth, Mark slides out his phone and snaps a picture of her, his thumbs moving quickly as he goes to send it to someone.

Fucking ballsy to do that shit in front of me. I’m not sure if it was leering at children together or the alcohol, but it was far bolder than I would’ve expected.

My hand lands over his phone, halting his progress.

He looks up at me, his eyes wide and cheeks flushed.

“Whatever you’re about to do, stop it. That’s my girl.”

Somehow, Mark’s eyes get even wider.

“That girl over there? She’s yours?”

I nod my head once.

“She likes to be left alone when she works, and I respect her space.”

Mark’s white, bushy brows plunge down.

“Why didn’t you say anything? Introduce us at least?”

“I was planning to after she finished with her work.”

Mark’s eyes thin, confusion swirling in his blue eyes. He’s an older man, with sagging skin, liver spots, and knee problems from how he groans every time he stands up. But he’s also an astute man for his age, and his mind is still sharp.

“You were going to pass the restaurant without saying hi to her?” he interrogates, referring to my lie about walking to my car. “And go to a different restaurant?”

I stare him dead in the eye, making sure he can see just how unconcerned I am with his questioning.

“My girl lives in a peaceful little bubble when she writes her books. She doesn’t like to be bothered when working, and I respect her space. Especially because it allows me the freedom to do whatever I please without her worrying about what I’m doing.”

Add a sprinkle of adulterous implications in there, and Mark immediately relates. He laughs, his yellowed teeth on full display.

“I knew I liked you,” he chuckles, his crow’s feet deepening.

I squeeze his phone, the device still trapped between both of our hands.

“Delete the picture, Mark.”

Mark’s eyes bug. “Oh, of course! I’m terribly sorry, Zack. I didn’t mean to offend. I had no idea,” he says hurriedly, trying to laugh off the fact that he was looking to kidnap my mouse. He hastily deletes the picture from his gallery.

 I'll be hacking into his phone later to confirm it has been permanently deleted. Asshole thinks I’m dense and don’t know what a Cloud is, or that you can access your trash and reload the picture.

I’ll also be ensuring that he didn’t actually send the picture to anyone.

“S’all good,” I say calmly, sitting back in my chair and appearing casual.

I’m anything but.

The need to slice him open from ear to ear is vibrating through my tense muscles. Beneath the table, I flex my hand, fighting the urge not to drive it down Mark’s throat.

I want to kill him.

Scratch that.

I’m going to kill him.

Slowly.

“Let me go introduce myself then. She’s been hard at work for an hour. I’m sure she won’t mind.”

Before I can tell the old fart to sit his ass down, he’s up and heading towards Addie.

Fuck. Me.

I hurry after him. Sensing the incoming danger—whether it’s from Mark or me, I’m not sure—she looks up and her gaze clashes with mine.

Instantly, her eyes widen into caramel marbles, and her face pales about five shades lighter. I’m ready to squirt some spray tan lotion on her if it means she doesn’t make it so damn obvious that she’s not happy to see me.

With Mark ahead of me, I quickly give her a severe warning look. Her brows plunge, but she doesn’t have time to react before Mark sticks his hand in her face.

“Young lady! What a pleasure to meet you. I’m sorry, Zack here didn’t tell me your name. But I’m Mark Seinburg. I just had the pleasure of meeting your boyfriend here not too long ago, and he’s quite the catch, but I must say, you’re much more impressive.”

Addie opens her mouth, but nothing escapes, her equilibrium thrown off from the sudden intrusion, alongside Mark calling me Zack and claiming her as my girlfriend.

“Addie,” I say. Both eyes snap to me. “Her name is Addie. Sorry, baby, I didn’t mean to intrude. I told you about Mark here already, he’s the guy I met at work.” I side-eye Mark, letting him think I told Addie we met under different circumstances than we did. He smiles wider at that.

Gentlemen’s clubs aren’t necessarily a secret, but they’re definitely not a place you go to visit when you have a beautiful wife or girlfriend waiting for you at home. At least if you’re not a narcissistic prick.

“Oh, uh, hi Mark. Pleasure to meet you,” she finally says, clasping Mark’s hand in her own.

I feel so many things right now.

Namely, the urge to fucking kiss her for going along with something she doesn’t understand.

She’s definitely getting rewarded later.

But I also feel the possessive beast rise. Not only to claim Addie as my own, but to protect her from the real monster. The moment Mark registers Addie’s beautiful smoky voice, his eyes droop. And if I see his khakis start to tent, I will kill him here and now.

She glances at their entwined hands with a hint of trepidation, but she smooths her face out quickly. Mark doesn’t notice her subtly wiping her hand on her jeans when he lets it go, but I do.

“The pleasure is mine. You have a beautiful name. What is it short for?”

She clears her throat, throwing me another what the fuck glance. “Adeline.”

Mark’s face is animated as he marvels over her response. “A beautiful name for a beautiful girl.”

A red blush stains her cheeks prettily. She pretends to act bashful, but I can feel the nervous energy emanating from her in waves. My little mouse doesn’t do well in social situations, especially when she’s thrown in one unprepared.

“Alright, Mark. Let’s leave my girl to get back to work.”

Her eyes narrow into slits briefly when I say my girl. I subtly quirk a brow, daring her to defy me. She knows I’m not saying it for Mark’s benefit. She’s going to hear me call her my girl for a long fucking time.

Next, we’ll graduate to my wife and then the mother of my children.

One day she’ll get it in her head that she’s mine.

“Nonsense!” he bellows, attracting a few curious eyes. “You don’t mind, do you, Addie?”

For the first time, my face slips, and I let loose a snarl. Mark doesn’t notice, but Addie does. If anything, my anger relaxes her by an inch. The knowledge that I’m not liking this situation must bring her some sort of comfort, compared to her thinking I’m purposely involving her in something dangerous.