Free Duke by Tressie Lockwood Page A

I want to run by you.”
    Duke raised his eyebrows in surprise. “What’s that?”
    “What if you keep the motorcycle and come work for me?”
    “Now you’re sabotaging Marquette’s?” Duke was only half joking. “I’m not the best waiter, but I figure I give a little presence to the place, being a genuine Marquette.”
    Stefan shook his head. “No, I don’t mean instead of at Marquette’s. I would never do anything to interfere with the success of the restaurant. I’m still one of the owners after all. Our club hours run later than the restaurant’s. You can do both and make the money you need. With your background, you can work as my head of security.”
    “Whoa.” Duke had to admit the idea had a certain ring to it. Obviously, he would be over other guys. He hadn’t played a leadership role since the army. “What about your bodyguard, Jerome? Surely, he’s got the skills for the job.”
    “He does, but his job is to protect me personally. Dividing his attention between the patrons in the club and me won’t work.”
    “True, well you know me, cuz. I’m an easygoing guy.” Duke ran a hand over his jaw. Stubble grazed his fingertips. He’d shaved that morning, but the hair was growing out again. What did Takiyah feel about a beard, he wondered.
    Stefan interrupted his thoughts. “If you take the job, I can give you an incentive for doing me such a huge favor. After what happened at the other club, I need to step up the security in our new club. I don’t want to take any chances on Talicia getting hurt. Not that I’ll allow her to work without me being there.”
    “I get you.”
    “So is it a deal?”
    “I’m not the type to take on too much of a heavy burden.”
    Stefan smirked. “Think about it.”
    “Will do, partner.” Duke joked around with his cousin a little longer and then bid him good-bye. He pretended he wasn’t all that enthusiastic about the job offer. The signing bonus plus the fact that he could keep his bike sounded fantastic. Then to handle security at the club, it was a win-win. He knew Stefan’s skills when it came to promotions and marketing. The place would probably be buzzing with activity the first night.
    Duke was almost at the restaurant before he gave in to the spark of excitement in his gut. He stopped at a traffic light and pulled out his cell phone to text Stefan. Within moments, even without a signed contract of employment, his cousin had dropped a load of cash into his bank account. Duke shook his head in disbelief and dialed again. Takiyah answered the phone on the fourth ring.
    “Hello, sexy lady,” Duke said in a deep, rumbling tone.
    He thought he heard a sharp intake of breath and grinned, imagining her squeezing those thick soft thighs together. “What do you want, Duke?”
    “Come with me to buy a house.”
    “Huh?” She gasped out loud this time. “Are you serious?”
    “Very serious. You needed me to have my own place, didn’t you? So help me choose.”
    “I don’t have any house-buying skills. My place is rented, and I don’t know you like that.”
    The light changed, and he peeled off down the road. “You wanted to feel like we weren’t fucking for the hell of it. I can’t say house shopping is romantic, but you can get to know me a little better. Afterward, I’ll even buy you lunch.”
    “So generous. Are you getting something near your cousins?”
    He chuckled. “Is that your way of asking if I’m in the market for a mansion, or something equally pretentious?”
    “It was a question.”
    He wasn’t fooled. “I’m sorry to disappoint you. Unfortunately, I don’t have that kind of money. I figure I can get something in my price range that’s also safe enough to take you.”
    She said nothing, and he almost believed she would turn him down. He’d thought he heard a bit of excitement in her voice, the same as he was feeling at the prospect. Jeez, hadn’t he just told Creed he wasn’t interested in settling down? No, this