Between Us (The Renegade Saints #3) by Ella Fox Page A

instead of the step back I’d been planning to take. Fuck it. I’m going in. As I take another step forward, the elevator doors slide open.
    “Hey Devon,” a babydoll type voice says.
    As I turn from Devon, the overwhelming stench of bad perfume hits me square in the face. I watch as a beautiful girl in a Backstreet Boy hoodie steps onto the elevator. Devon and I jump off at the exact same time, like it’s about to plummet forty stories and we can’t get out of it fast enough.
    “Hi Brenda,” she says when she’s no longer within smelling distance of the elevator. “I’d love to chat but I’ve got stuff to do. Bye!”
    As the elevator is closing, Brenda lets out a disgusted sound. “You’re always busy,” she whines.
    Devon is saved from having to answer when the doors close all the way. I could do without that horrible odor for the rest of my life, but Brenda’s timing was impeccable. I was about to start something that could’ve made shit even trickier than it already is.
    I stay with Devon as she lets herself into her apartment. Once she’s in, I ask where the stairs are, cause no fucking way am I getting on that elevator again. After she tells me where it is, I thank her for coming with me and haul fucking ass to leave. I’ve never run from a girl—or a guy—before, but with Devon I feel like I’m not on solid ground. It’s like everything I’ve known disappeared in the blink of an eye. I need to get ahold of myself, quickly.
    I’ve never had a problem keeping myself aloof before. I’m sure this is just a case of temporary insanity.

 
    A s soon as I give my name, the bouncer at the most popular, and hardest to get into, club in Los Angeles unclips the velvet rope and steps aside so that Lana and I can enter. “Down the hall to the right,” he barks. “Your people are in the VIP lounge.”
    My people. I smile when he says it. I really feel like I am part of the Renegade crew these days. Tonight is yet another sign that I’m with the band. The line to get in is unbelievably long, so there’s no way I would ever have even attempted to get into this place otherwise. As we walk in and I see the setup, I have to admit it’s really cool. The music is bumping and the place is packed with people dancing.
    Two huge men in suits are standing side by side in front of what is clearly the VIP area. I know this because I recognize that one of the men is Morris, the security guard I met on the first day of work. He inclines his head once when he sees me before stepping to the side so Lana and I can get past. There are neon-accented see through steps leading up to the VIP area, which makes me giggle. It makes me think the place is half awesome club, half really cheesy porno set.
    The second I get to the top step, I see Cole. He’s standing with Gavin and two men I don’t recognize, but as soon as he sees me, he excuses himself and comes my way. His eyes are trained on me like laser beams, and his gaze sweeps over me from head to toe, twice. When he looks back at me, I see the heat in his eyes. He definitely likes what he sees.
    I try not to preen, but I’m definitely proud of how I’m looking tonight. My hair took me over an hour to get just so—sexy bedhead style doesn’t come easy—and I’ve got on a short halter style black mini dress and sky-high red heels. Lana calls them my bend-me-over-and-fuck-me-like-I’ve-been-a-bad-bad-girl shoes.
    He stops when he reaches me, wrapping an arm around me and pulling me in before dropping a kiss on my cheek. Having him against me causes warmth to spread through me as I’m pressed against his chest. Even with our clothes between us, I feel the spark.
    “You’re stunning,” he says against my ear.
    I beam at him like a fool as he steps back and looks down at me.
    “You too,” I blurt.
    Don’t laugh. He really does. He’s dressed all in black from head to toe—jeans, shirt and a leather jacket, and it works on every level. He gives me a sexy grin