Proposition 1

by Leann Ryans

  “Not without digging. How much do you want?”

  “Go ahead and send me whatever you can find.”

  I’ve already got something to use to convince her with, but it doesn’t hurt to know everything. Some people can be stubborn.

  “Will do.”

  Smiling to myself, I headed off to take care of business.

  3. Cadence

  “Holy shit! He’s here again!”

  I look up at Sharron’s words, following her gaze to the front door. A man in a suit was standing in the doorway, his dark hair styled to look tousled. He seemed vaguely familiar, but I couldn’t figure out why.

  “What do you mean?”

  He was handsome, in that cocky, self-assured way men with money were. The smirk pulling up the corner of his firm lips told the world he knew every woman was staring at him, and he could have anything he laid his eyes on.

  “He came in last night. Sat at the corner table for a few hours, but never ordered anything. It’s like he was waiting for someone who never showed. Who would stand him up?”

  I ducked my head back to my work as his gaze turned toward us. I made a noncommittal sound as I filled the last glass and lifted the tray. Sharron was still staring at the man, and not being subtle about it, but I was too distracted to pay attention to a stranger, no matter how good looking he was.

  My mind was still stuck on how to save my brother, because there was no way I could find over twenty thousand dollars in less than two weeks.

  When I went home the night before, I’d gone straight to my room, telling my mother and brother I had a headache. I didn’t even come out for dinner, because there was no way I would have been able to look my brother in the eyes and hold it together.

  I wasn’t sure if I would have burst into tears, or ripped his head off, but something would have happened.

  He tried to catch me this morning before I left for the office, but I brushed him off saying I was working on it and walked out the door. He was busy with Momma when I went home to change into my waitressing uniform, and I hoped he would be asleep by the time I got home after my shift. I wouldn’t be able to keep the information from him forever, but I wanted to have an idea of what to do before he found out.

  Heading to the table waiting on their drinks, I shoved my thoughts aside and plastered on a smile. I couldn’t afford to lose tips because of the flashing sign in my brain telling me I had no chance in hell of fixing this one. I needed every penny I could come up with.

  After taking their order, I turned to head back to the kitchen and noticed the man Sharron had been ogling seated at one of my tables. His eyes were locked on me, sending a shiver down my spine. My brows drew together for a second since I shouldn’t have been next on the list, but I flashed him a smile.

  “I’ll be right back to take your order.”

  He nodded, still not looking away from me as I went to drop off the other table’s order to the cooks.

  The feeling of familiarity was still nagging at me, but no matter how hard I tried to place him, I couldn’t come up with a name or how I would know him. It was enough to pull me from the worry that ate at me since I’d left that man’s property yesterday.

  I walked back to his table, ignoring the way his lingering stare raised goosebumps along my skin. I didn’t think he’d stopped looking at me the entire time, and I wasn’t sure if I should be flattered, or creeped out.

  “So, what can I get started for you?”

  His green eyes traveled down my body. He made no effort to hide his appraisal, and my smile turned brittle. I didn’t have time to waste on men on a usual day, and things were anything but usual right now.

  “I didn’t come for the food.”

  His voice was rich, like thick chocolate melting on your tongue. I felt my nipples tighten as another shiver skated through me. The twitch of his lips let me know he didn’t miss the reaction, and my fingers clenched around my notepad.

  “Then how can I help you?”

  His gaze returned to mine, the heat in them sending a pulse of shock straight to my core.

  “I’m here to help you.”

  I felt my brows raise as I looked him over again. His carefully styled hair, the perfect amount of scruff on his face, the designer suit. This man reeked of money and was totally out of place in the diner.

  “You don’t recognize me, do you?”

  I didn’t want to admit that he had me at a disadvantage, but I still couldn’t place his face to a name. Even the people I worked with at the office didn’t dress as nice as he did, and he wasn’t a regular here. The shape of his dark green eyes is what kept holding my attention, so my best guess was that he worked for one of the office’s partners.

  “We’ve never been introduced,” he said as he stood from his seat.

  He was a good six inches taller than me, and I had to tip my head back to look up at him. I hadn’t felt it while he was sitting, but the man had an imposing aura. A hint of danger wrapped up in that distracting smile and hungry emerald gaze.

  Holding out his hand, he said, “You had a meeting with my father yesterday. I’m Leo Galleon.”

  My breathing stopped as my eyes widened. I knew my mouth was hanging open, as I stared at the outstretched hand. I don’t know how I didn’t realize this was the man that had come into the room to stand behind the desk, except that I was too upset to pay any attention to him at the time.

  Snapping my mouth shut, I lifted my hand to place my fingers against his, not sure if I should be touching a man from that family. I didn’t want to be associated with him if anyone else recognized him, yet I didn’t want to offend him if he was trying to help me. I assumed he was in league with his father and knew the debt we owed, so maybe he had convinced his father to go easy on us.

  He lifted my hand, his firm lips pressing to my knuckles far longer than necessary. I felt myself flush and forced my eyes away from his when he finally released my hand. He was no stranger to women and knew how to get the reaction he wanted, but I didn’t have time for games.

  I cleared my throat as he continued to stand instead of taking his seat again.

  “You said you could help me?”

  He waited a moment longer before answering. Reaching into his coat, he pulled out a card and held it out to me.

  “I have a proposition for you. Call me when you’re ready to discuss it.”

  With that, he removed those searing green eyes from me for the first time since he entered and walked away. I was left staring after him as he passed through the door and disappeared into the darkness outside. It didn’t seem like what he wanted to discuss was something as simple as forgiving my brother, and we couldn’t afford to get more tangled up with them.

  The ding from the kitchen letting me know the food was ready jolted me back to reality. I had no reason to trust Leo, but I also had no way to come up with the money on my own. I had a feeling I wasn’t going to like whatever his proposal was, but I pocketed the card before going to grab the plates.

  If I couldn’t come up with something on my own, I may have no choice but to call him.

  4. Leo

  I was surprised how long Cadence held out, but I knew she would call me eventually. She was strong, but she was in a desperate situation. After the information I received about her, I knew she had no other choice, and she didn’t seem the type to leave her brother to answer for it himself.

  I also had more respect for her. She’d been forced to take on a lot for her age, but she’d managed to hold things together so far. If her brother hadn’t gotten them into a mess, I was sure she would have been able to figure something out to save their situation.

  As it was, I now had more leverage on her. It wasn’t that I couldn’t find another girl to take the last spot, but something about the good girl look she had made me want to be sure she was the one to take the stage.

  Her name flashed across my screen as it rang. She wouldn’t know I had her number, but it was one of the many things my informant
had gotten me.

  “Leo Galleon.”

  There was a moment of hesitation where all I could hear was her stuttered breathing before she responded.

  “H—Hello. It’s Cadence Green.”

  I decided to put her out of her misery and cut to the chase without making her say why she was calling. That could take all day, and I had a schedule to keep. I may like to torture my women, but not like this.

  “Are you ready to discuss my proposition?”

  I heard her suck in a deep breath.

  “Yes, I’d like to hear your offer.”

  A smile pulled at my lips. She was trying so hard to sound calm and collected, but she had to know what I was going to suggest wasn’t something good girls like her would agree to.

  And I wasn’t going to make it easy for her to say no.

  “Meet me tonight at ten.”

  Her sharp intake made my smile widen. She didn’t want to see me again. Probably didn’t want to risk being seen with me, and rightly. Too bad for her she wouldn’t get what she wanted.

  “Can’t you tell me now?”

  I let the smile drop off my face, a hint of sternness edging into my voice.

  “It’s not something I can explain over the phone.”

  Her hesitance only enticed the predator in me. I wasn’t used to women that seemed as innocent as she did, and it was a refreshing change to the ones who stalked me like I was the prey.

  “I work tonight.”

  I already knew she would say that, and it worked to my advantage. I wanted her to see the club in full swing, and if she wasn’t working, she would have insisted on coming earlier.

  “Eleven then.”

  It wasn’t a question. I knew what time the diner closed, and she should be able to make it to the club by then.

  I heard her start to protest again, but I cut her off. I couldn’t let her wait any longer, or it would be too late since the event was in two days.

  “It won’t take long, and this is a limited time deal.”

  “Oh.”

  Her voice trailed off, and I could tell she was fighting with herself, but she was backed into a corner.

  “Okay, I can do eleven. Where?”

  “I’ll message you the address. Someone will wait at the door to show you in.”

  I hung up before she could say anything else. Manipulating people into doing what I wanted was a talent I learned from my father, and I wasn’t above using it to get her on the stage.

  Cadence hadn’t left my thoughts since the idea first entered my head, but I tried to tell myself it was only because she was the first woman not to throw herself at my feet. She had a luscious body, and I couldn’t wait to see her under the stage lights. She would be the highlight of the night.

  Texting her the address, I made myself a note to let the guys at the door know to bring her to me, then turned my focus back to the details of the deal I was examining. I had plenty to keep me busy until she arrived that night, and her reaction would let me know if my idea was going to work.

  5. Cadence

  I frowned down at the phone. It was bad enough that I gave in and called him, but now he wanted me to meet him somewhere downtown.

  The way he acted only solidified my suspicions that I wasn’t going to like whatever he had in mind, but I had exhausted all other avenues. I’d finally had to tell my brother the truth the night before, and the terrified look in his eyes when he heard how much that backpack had been worth tore me apart. I’d seen the sheen of tears he fought not to shed, and I’d promised him I was taking care of it.

  Momma distracted us before he could ask me how, but I knew he would try to get it out of me as soon as he caught me alone, and I needed an answer to give him. He already knew we were on the verge of the bank foreclosing on the house, and no one would give Momma another loan. I couldn’t get one either, and we didn’t have anything left to sell.

  Letting out a deep sigh, I put the phone in my pocket and walked into the diner feeling like my neck was stuck in a guillotine. I tried not to let the stress affect my work, but it was a constant cloud that descended every time it got the chance.

  The one night I wasn’t wishing my shift was over, I blinked and the boss was locking the doors. The haze of worry and exhaustion cleared, and suddenly I only had thirty minutes to get downtown to meet Leo.

  Grabbing my purse, I headed out to the old Toyota my brother and I shared. I would take the bus to the office in the morning while my brother took the car to school, but I usually drove to the diner since I got off so late. There’s no way I could have made it to the address Leo gave me trying to take the bus and I’m glad I didn’t have to worry about not being able to leave whenever I wanted.

  I got behind the wheel and turned on my GPS. My heart was pounding out of my chest as I got closer to the destination, and I was surprised when the GPS told me I’d reached it.

  The building I’d pulled up to looked like an old warehouse, one of the relics from when the city was smaller. Cars lined the streets, and the only parking lot I could see was packed, yet there wasn’t any apartments or businesses that I could see nearby.

  I was idling in the middle of the road, unsure where to go, when I saw a group of people head across the street in front of me. The girls were dressed in skimpy outfits, made up like they were going to a club, and they disappeared along the other side of the building.

  Curious, I rolled the car forward until I could see around the corner. I was just in time to watch the last girl in the group disappear through an open doorway. The entire building seemed abandoned, yet as I watched, two more girls dressed just as scantily came along and passed through into the darkness inside the opening.

  Sucking in a deep breath, I decided the building must be more than what it seemed, and I knew it was the correct address, so I searched for a place to park. It was five minutes to eleven already, and I was going to be late.

  I circled the block and searched the parking lot with no luck. Spotting a small alley between two buildings a couple blocks down, I risked parking along the wall by the dumpster. I knew I shouldn’t, but I wouldn’t be there long and would hopefully be gone before anyone noticed.

  By the time I got back to the door I saw the others go through, it was already ten after and I was out of breath. Pausing, I peered into the dim interior and noticed the door opened into a hallway. The flickering yellow lights didn’t do much to illuminate it, but they kept me from stumbling into the walls as I walked inside.

  Moving farther along, I began to hear a low thumping, but I didn’t realize it was music until I reached another set of doors and pushed them open. The room in front of me was just as dim as the hallway, and there was another set of doors on the opposite end. Two men dressed in black suits stood by the open doors, checking people’s IDs as they pass.

  There were about fifteen people between me and them, but I wasn’t sure what to do. I wasn’t twenty-one yet, and this didn’t seem like the type of club that allowed eighteen and up. I didn’t know why Leo wanted to meet me here, but he may not have realized I wouldn’t be able to get in.

  I was still debating turning around and calling him from outside when I realized I was standing right in front of one of the guards. Fumbling my ID from my purse, I handed it over.

  “I’m supposed to be meeting someone here. Leo…”

  I trailed off as he looked down at my ID. The man grunted and glanced at his watch before handing my ID back to me.

  “Mr. Galleon is waiting for you. Follow me.”

  He said something to the other guard, then he turned and walked into the club. Worried I would lose him in the crush of people, I rushed to keep up, staying right behind him as he wove his way around the edge of the room.

  Halfway down the side wall, we went up a set of stairs to a balcony that circled two-thirds of the room. There were couches lining the edge for people to sit and have a drink while being out of the way of the dance floor below.

  Once we turned the corne
r to the back wall, the seating area gave way to pool tables. The bass still thumped through my body, but it wasn’t as loud on the balcony as it was below, and when we passed through another set of doors in the middle of the back wall, it was muted to almost nothing.

  We walked across a short hallway before the guard pushed open another door. The room we walked into looked like a theater, except the chairs were leather with small tables between them. The walls were black, as were the curtains on each side of a stage that was painted a deep red. It was fairly small, but it was well-lit, and it was easy to see who was standing in the middle of it.

  The guard stopped inside the door, giving a nod toward the stage when I glanced at him. Leo watched me as I made my way between the seats until I stood on the floor in front of him.

  His hands were in his pants pockets, his face expressionless as he looked down at me in silence. I couldn’t help fidgeting, debating on apologizing for being late, when he finally spoke up.

  “Join me onstage.”

  I jerked my eyes around until I saw the stairs to my right. Even though the seats behind me were empty, it still made me nervous to climb the steps and walk to where Leo stood. My chest was heaving from the strain of all the stress, and I watched his eyes dip to wander over my body once again. I was still in my waitressing uniform, and a flush of embarrassment raced through me.

  “Turn and look around.”

  My eyebrows pulled together at his odd request, but I did as he said. The theater looked larger from the stage than it had as I passed through it, and I was glad we were the only people in the room. The guard must have considered his job done and left once he’d brought me to the theater.

  My gaze turned back to Leo, my eyebrows raised.

  “You said you had an offer for me.”

  One side of his lips tipped up as he huffed. Moving around me, he placed his hands on my shoulders before running them down to my upper arms and turning me to face the empty chairs.