“David Knapp?”
“He’s teaching a private lesson at the moment.” She glanced at her screen. “But he’ll be done in twenty minutes if you’d like to speak with him then.” She tucked the few strands of hair that had escaped her bun behind her ear and tilted her head smiling. “Is there something I can help you with? I can book your daughter or son in for lessons with David or one of our other instructors. Daphne is here with a beginner class. You can go in and watch if you’d like.”
If I ever had a daughter, which I wouldn’t, not a chance in hell would I let her near scumbag David’s studio. Fuck, I’d probably never let her out of the house.
The parents who waited on the leather couches had their eyes on me. I was accustomed to the stares, whether they recognized me from the band or they just eyed up my piercings and tattoos, I certainly didn’t fit in this high-class dance studio.
And neither did Savvy. Not that she wasn’t classy. She was in her own right, but this place was cold and sterile. I pictured Savvy in a place where it was real and warm. Brick walls. Worn hardwood floors. No reception area, just maybe a laptop and benches for people to sit on while they watched. Everything out in the open, not behind closed doors.
But then dick David liked closed doors, didn’t he? I wondered how long he’d been fucking other women behind Savvy’s back.
“Which room is he in?” I asked, my jaw clenching.
Her smile dropped, and she nervously glanced at the double doors on the left before saying, “If you’d like to help yourself to coffee or juice, he won’t be long.”
But I was already making my way to the double doors. She called after me and then the click of her heels followed. “Sir, you can’t go in there.”
I threw open the doors and strode in.
The girl behind me gasped then quickly spun around and left. I didn’t.
I shut the doors and stood with my arms crossed and legs braced as I faced the couple with half their clothes off. She was pressed against the mirrored wall. He was doing the pressing.
“I’d advise you leave,” I said to the barely legal girl.
She quickly crouched, grabbed her top and held it in front of her, then ran through a changing room door on the other side of the room.
David didn’t bother hiding the fact that he was doing a lot more than teaching. Or maybe this is what he taught. Fuck, Savvy had taken lessons with this asshole. She’d worked for him. She’d lived with him.
Christ. Had she fucked him in here? Had he had her up against the mirror?
I gritted my teeth thinking of his scummy hands all over her.
“Get the fuck out.” David’s shirt lay at his feet, but he didn’t bother putting it on.
He obviously knew who I was. Good. The less time I spent here, the better. And I wanted him to know I was with Savvy.
I remained silent for two reasons. One I needed a second, and two because I wanted David to sweat. It wasn’t hard to figure out why I was here.
He walked across the room to a bench where he picked up his phone. “I’m calling the police.”
Fuckin’ coward. “Please do. I’m curious to know how old the girl you were just about to fuck is?”
His head jerked up from his phone. “She’s legal.”
My brows lifted. “Maybe. But I’m betting the parents waiting outside for their kids in the next room have no idea what you were doing during one of your private lessons?”
David lowered his phone. “It’s none of their business and it’s consensual.”
Fuckin’ dickhead. I clenched my hands into fists, wanting nothing more than to beat the shit out of this guy. But I couldn’t. All I punched was a bag now.
“Then it won’t matter if I tell them.”
He stiffened. “What do you want?”
I strode toward him. Immediately, his eyes shifted right and left as if contemplating his escape routes. “Simple. I want you to stay clear of Savvy.” I stopped a foot away. “And by clear, I mean she no longer exists to you. You lose her number, her address, her fuckin’ name. Show up at her apartment again, and next time I won’t be this polite.” I lowered my voice. “But first, David, you’ll retract the lies you spread about her. And if you don’t, I will make sure you never teach dance again.”
He had the nerve to smile, although it was tight. And from the slight quiver in his voice, he was nervous. As he should be. “No one will believe you.”
“Try me.”
“You can’t do that.”
I smiled. “I can and I will. And I’d like nothing better than to ruin you like you did Savvy.”
“Did she send you here?” he spat.
Fuck no. “Does it matter? The result is the same.” I was uncertain how Savvy would feel about me being here, but David showing up at her apartment could not happen again. Luckily, Roman had been there and had recognized David entering the building. Luke had given him a picture of David in case he showed up.
This had to end, and Savvy working at the club had to end. I didn’t like it. Yeah, I hated the guys looking at her, but it was more than that. Compass had a link to my father, and with the profit numbers Brett gave me, my dad’s clubs had to be in the red.
He wasn’t going to sit back and let that happen, so I needed Savvy as far away from that as I could.
She loved dancing and the club gave her that, but the warmth radiating from her eyes wasn’t there. The passion was lit, but it didn’t burn like I’d seen in the gym at school when she’d danced.
“Fix the lies—today.” I then turned and walked away before I hit the bastard.
“Savannah is dancing at a club and fucking a rock star. That’s not on me. No parent will want their kid taught by her. She’s finished in this business no matter what I say.”
I stopped, hand on the door handle. “Then you are, too.”