Excerpt :

“Thanks for the information, but looks like I’ve been ignoring Bunny here for too long. Think I’ll get myself a room for a few hours and then head out.” Too late, the guy was already at the table, blocking them in.

“You can’t go so soon. We haven’t even seen your slave dance.” Dolf hadn’t moved his bulk yet, so they couldn’t get out that way either. This was not good.

“She’s not for public entertainment. I don’t like to share.”

“My friends here and I think you should. None of us have ever seen a concubine dance before. I hear they got moves that will turn a man’s knees to water.”

“You couldn’t handle her moves buddy.”

Lara had never taken a dancing lesson. She’d taken karate and other martial arts training for years, but the military didn’t send its orphans to dancing school. She couldn’t dance a step to save her life.

Looked like she was going to have to try.

“I betcha she isn’t even a real concubine boys. I think Riley is trying to pull a fast one on us.” The room started to rumble with displeasure.

Lara didn’t like their odds of getting out of there alive. Spark it, she knew this guy, and she would bet her last credit he knew her too. He turned to goad the crowd a little more and it hit her. She had arrested him for beating the snot out of one of the working girls back home. He was a mean son of a bitch, and by arresting him she had saved him from getting pulverized by the rest of the troop. The woman he had beat almost to death was the favorite prostitute of the troop at the time. Lara had saved his foul life. Apparently he didn’t thank her for it.

The rumblings of the crowd were getting louder, she could see Riley pleading for her to stay calm. There was no way she was going to be able to fight her way out of here, but maybe she could bluff her way out.

“If it pleases my master, I will dance for his friends’ enjoyment.” Idiot, he almost blew it by looking at her like she had two heads. “Can I pick the music?”

Men stumbled all over themselves to make room for her to pick something out on the music player. Riley walked with her, the chain didn’t leave him much choice in the matter.

“Have you ever danced before?” he whispered into her ear.

“Not a step,” she whispered back, trying to find something she could work with on the player.

“Then what the feck are you trying to do? Get us killed? These guys are expecting a strip tease, what are you going to do? March around?”

“I’ll think of something, you just keep an eye on the ringleader there. I busted him once and I think he’s out for revenge.”

“Great, just great.”

“You guys picking out music or playing slap and tickle? Get a move on here, we want some entertainment!”

“I’ll worry about dancing, you worry about getting us out of here once I’m done. I have a feeling that Rat Face isn’t going to let us out of here without a fight.”

Lara didn’t recognize any of the music, so she picked a song at random and stepped to the middle of the room with Riley in tow.

“First a few ground rules boys,” Riley said as he pulled a laser out of his belt. “Bunny is my concubine, and the hand that touches her will be twitching on the floor ten seconds later. This is a rare treat for you slobs, don’t screw it up. Now move those tables back and make some room. And remember, I’m watching you like a Fed at roundup.” Riley unclasped the chain from his belt without taking his eyes off the crowd. No one appeared to doubt the seriousness of his words.

Lara took a deep breath and let the music throb through her as an impromptu dance floor was cleared for her. She could feel Riley move behind her for a minute, then move away. She shivered without his bulk to warm her. Men gathered around the space on benches and chairs, all waiting for her to begin. Stars above, how was she going to pull this off?

Hmm, pull this off. Maybe that was the key.

Taking one of the scarves from around her waist, Lara slid it through her hands until it was pulled tight. Rolling her hips as best she could, she ran the scarf between her breasts, pushing them up higher. Whistles and catcalls filled the air as the globes threatened to pop right out of their bindings.

The music was pulsing in her brain, making her move to the beat despite her lack of grace. The men didn’t have a clue whether she could dance or not, all they knew was that her breasts were big, and her skirt was practically see through. Their mouths were slack, and their eyes never left her as she used the scarf to test the force of gravity.

Lara was used to having power over men, but this was control of a totally different kind. And damn if she wasn’t enjoying it. She tossed the scarf up into the air and leaned back to catch it, thrusting her hips out and practically exposing her mound. Before anyone could get a glimpse, she spun around, her braid flying out behind her. Lara bent over in front of Riley who was standing by the door with his arms over his chest. He looked pissed off, and more than a little excited.

Good.

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