He’d insist that he wasn’t her boyfriend anymore, but didn’t hesitate to give her orders. “I don’t want to say goodnight,” she said. Archer exhaled. “Not because I wanna play with your dick, I mean, I do, but you’re gonna go back upstairs and Ester’s gonna keep drinking and she’s gonna keep needling you and you’re gonna end up fighting with each other and I’ll have to sit down here listening.”
Having to stay out of his business was the second hardest part of living under him.
Archer tried to lighten her worry. “Are you gonna call the cops and report a noise violation?”
But she didn’t want to laugh. “I’m serious,” Nya said, scratching her fingernail on his tee shirt. “I know you think her relationship with this guy is not gonna last, but she’s in love. You remember what that’s like, don’t you, Fella?”
“I got your subtle hint,” he said.
Grinning, Nya tipped her head back. “I’m never subtle about telling you that you love me,” she said, winding her arms around him.
“I meant about your birthday,” he said. “Is there anything special you want?”
“Sex,” she said, wearing a grin. “Lots and lots and lots of sex.”
She expected a serious response, but didn’t get one. “I’ll hire a tag team,” he said, taking every chance to get one over on her. “I’ll make you a tape. We can have a gangbang night at the club and play it across big screens.”
“Only you,” she said. “You can give in for one night, can’t you?”
Searching her eyes, he said nothing for a minute. “Nya, one day, soon, we will end up in bed together again.”
While his deep voice was somber, excitement bubbled up inside her. “How soon?” she asked. “My calendar’s empty tonight.”
Bowing lower, he murmured, “I’ll give you a hint, it won’t be when you’re drunk.”
That was fair enough. “Does that mean my punishment is nearly over?” she asked.
“Fucking is either gonna take us right back to where we were or blast apart what we have now.”
“I don’t see how it can do that,” she said. “We want each other.”
But he was serious. “What I do is dangerous, when you’re connected to me, you’re at risk. I never realized how much, I’d never had a girl I…”
“A girl you what?”
It had to be easier for him not to look at her because he pulled her forward to brush his lips on her hairline. “A girl I’d do anything for. I respected them, but I’d have told them to fuck off way earlier on when I figured out their baggage. Most of them were too scared to cause shit, you leap right in and, God it does something to me when I pull you out.”
Grinning, she knew what it did to him. “When I’m grateful, I’m happy.”
“It’s a weird kinda drug being able to do that to you by just doing what I do.”
Letting her head fall back, it hit the frame. “I love what you do.”
“Right now, you can tell anyone who asks that we’re over and put distance between us. If we get back together, you’re in trouble.”
“You told me no one would ever come after me.”
“But it’s not just me,” he said. “It’s your buddy, Tag… You’ve asked me to track down Gio, and everything I’m learning tells me he’s mixed up in something dirty.”
“So I’m as likely to be hurt by Tag’s business,” she said.
Her friend was working overtime to gain some ground in recovering his reputation. But it was an unenviable task, Tag’s relationship with Farrah Hexam had damaged more than just his business interests. People were reluctant to work with him after Brett Hexam cut all ties. What Tag needed now was a solid group of men he could trust and even on that he was coming up short.
“Same as ever, baby.”
“Do you know where Gio is?” she asked, hope cleared some of her intoxication. “If you’re sitting on this information because I haven’t paid you then you need to tell me what it is you want. You know Tag didn’t want your help, but I told him there were no hard feelings. This was a deal between you and me. It’s nothing to do with Tag. I told you I needed to know where he is and you said you would find out. You never told me what you wanted in return. I don’t have any weapons. You don’t want sex. Every time I try to give you money, you give it back.”
She’d tried again to give him rent and he just flat-out refused to take the bills from her hand.
“I’m not sitting on the information. I know where he is. But I don’t know what he’s doing.”
That was such an Archer distinction. “Well where is he?” she asked because that was what she actually needed to know. The what wasn’t as important as the where. Tag could find out what Gio was up to if he knew how to get in touch with him.
“I’ll have all the pieces in the next day or two and I’ll deliver them to Tag.”
So he was trying to cut her out of the loop? When Archer talked business, he tended to address the men in the room. Archer could be arrogant and his ego was healthy, but Tag hadn’t been involved in this job.
“This was between me and you,” she said again. “When you have all the information, bring it to me. I don’t want you two arguing with each other and I don’t want you charging a fortune either. He’d never tell you himself, but you know his finances have taken a hit since the whole Farrah Hexam mess. Do you think I’m just a weak woman who can’t handle the information?”
“I think that I want you away from all the danger. I don’t want you acting as a go-between. I’m doing this for you, but I’ll let Tag decide what to do with the information ‘cause this isn’t your mess, Ny. I won’t let him rope you into anything.” Picking up her hand, he pressed his lips to her brand. “Now what are you gonna do when you go inside?”
“Numb out in front of the TV,” she said. “Then go to bed, alone, to pleasure myself.”
He’d been ready to turn and walk away; she loved to throw him a curveball once in a while. “You’re not supposed to hit on me, that’s the rule.”
Steadying herself on the doorframe, she rose onto her tiptoes. “Then punish me, Fella.”
Nya kissed his jaw, then curled around the doorframe to slip into her place. Archer didn’t want her to talk about sex, not because it disgusted him, but because when she said naughty things, he got turned on. Those were the times she got her greedy hands on his hard dick, and it did get hard for her, a lot. But always in the nick of time, he took it away from her.
Being drunk would help her sleep, Nya just hoped when she woke up she’d remember what he said: “soon.”
two
“How much?” Nya asked.
She had been dealing with the schedules when Tag came into her office at Sizzle, so she was distracted by her computer. Straight off, it was obvious that her friend was in a snit about something, but before she could give him her full attention, she had to finish her work.
If he visited her at the club, it was unlike him to stop at the bar for a drink. This time, he had. She knew because the glass he’d brought in with him was currently leaving a water ring on her desk that would distract Archer next time he was in here.
“Fifty grand,” Tag said, helping her to understand why he looked so stressed. “I need to find this fucker.”
That was a turnaround of attitude. While tapping her pen on the desk, Nya crossed her legs under it. “Gio is one of your best friends.”
Emptying his glass in one gulp, he slammed it onto the desk. “He’s a fucker who’s stolen from me!”
Tag got up to cross the room; he was restless enough to raise her concern. Peering at him, she got suspicious, and decided to poke at him. “I stole from you.”
“Not fifty grand,” he said, striding the width of the room. “Gio has no right to touch that money. The bastard. I did everything for him. Pulled him out of nowhere. I made him someone. I trusted that bastard. He’s the only one. The only one who knew…”
He kept ranting. Nya examined his movements—pacing, wor
king his knuckles, running his hands into his hair. Tag sniffed once then twice. Grabbing a tissue, she left her chair and went around to get in his way.
Pissed off, Nya was aware of what caused this kind of agitation and she wasn’t impressed. “Are you getting a cold?” she asked, holding up the tissue.
Snatching it from her, he wiped his nose. “This has upset me. He stole from me, Yorkie! Stole from me!”
Seizing her arm, he gave her a shake. His grip was so tight that it bruised, but she didn’t care about that. She cared that he was an idiot. “Do you know what Gio’s into? What he needs the money for?”
Her friend’s obsessive, singular focus confirmed her fears. “I don’t give a fuck why he needs the money, it’s my fucking money!”
“Maybe he needs help,” she said, pressing a hand to his torso to stop him from shaking her again. “You should hear him out before you do something stupid. Don’t trash your relationship with him.”
“Me? He’s the bastard. He stole from me! He’s a double-crossing, scum-sucking—”
“Ok,” she said. “Calm down. How about I go and get you another drink and we’ll sit down to work this out?”
Nya had to make sure no one came back to the office while Tag was like this. Her friend didn’t agree or disagree, but she guessed he was ok with drinking more alcohol. When he spun around to start pacing and cracking his knuckles she hurried from the room, locking the door on her way out.
The club was jumping; this was a frantic time of night, not long before closing. Everyone was drunk, couples were hooking up, and her staff were ready to go home. Jada was behind the bar and Nya ducked to get a glass. She didn’t use the optics, she grabbed the vodka bottle and poured less than half a measure to tip it into the glass.
Jada was laughing at something as she passed behind Nya’s back, she twisted to clutch Jada and draw her near so she could keep what she said private. “Don’t let anyone come in the back,” Nya said.
Jada had become a rock for her. Although she was young, she was responsible, and the other employees trusted her. Nya had taught her how to cash out and given her access to the safe. Jada was flattered by the show of trust; Nya was just relieved to have someone to rely on.
“Is your friend ok?” Jada asked, moving near.
“I think so,” Nya said, she wasn’t going to share her misgivings about Tag’s state with her employee. Nya trusted her, but not that much.
Jada was eyeing the glass in front of Nya with a frown. “That’s not a full measure,” she said.
If any of her staff tried to short-change a customer, Nya would address it. It made her smile that Jada’s autopilot compelled her to flag the violation, even though Nya was the manager. “I know,” she said, offering no explanation as she turned around to grab the draft gun. “Just keep everyone away from the office. Staff and customers.”
Jada moved with her. “Archer is here, does he count?”
She stopped filling the glass to look at her employee. “Arch is here?”
Jada nodded and ducked back and forth to see through the bodies at the bar. When Jada spotted him, she pointed to the far end of the bar. Nya’s relief almost made her curse. She smiled at Jada and kissed her cheek before squeezing around her to hurry down to the end of the bar toward Archer.
Archer still conducted a lot of business in Sizzle. He wasn’t always here, but he came in a few nights a week, sometimes he was here for ten minutes, other times he was still at the bar after they closed. His contact with her was as erratic, sometimes he was at her side all night, but on other occasions he didn’t talk to her at all.
Archer saw her coming. He was leaning on the bar, one forearm against his torso and the other laid out at an angle so his fingertips could rest on the base of a glass that she knew would only contain soda. He was talking to the guy on his other side, who Nya couldn’t really see.
The group of girls nearest Nya had noticed the two hunks at the far end of the bar. She couldn’t blame them, but she did miss the days when she could pull Archer over the bar and snog his face off, which would put those girls in their place.
Widening her smile, she went over. Nya was the manageress, she had to exude confidence and hospitality; that was what she told herself anyway. “Hello, boys,” she exclaimed. “Are you having a good time?”
She’d bypassed a dozen other customers, so it was obvious she wasn’t just playing hostess, and Archer knew it too because his eyes had already narrowed. “Great time,” Archer’s friend said and she liked that he smiled, because few of Archer’s friends did.
The girls were edging closer and giggling. Archer was focused on her, probably trying to figure out her mood, but Nya was edgy about these females. Leaning over the bar, she tickled a kiss to the corner of Archer’s mouth, and when she sank back onto her heels, his knowing smirk made her drop her gaze. The bastard. He knew exactly what she was doing.
“Friendly place,” Archer’s friend said.
“Yeah,” Archer drawled.
Clearing her throat, Nya cast aside her embarrassment to relocate her bravado. “You know that thing you’re doing for me?” she asked.
Archer straightened and turned to murmur something to his friend whose eyes glittered with mischief when he scanned her figure. The guy zipped away. She peered at Archer when he turned back to her and shifted down the bar away from the women, giving them more privacy.
Propping herself on her side of the bar, their faces were only a few inches apart. “What’s up?” he asked.
“What did you say to that guy?”
“That the kiss meant you wanted to take me in back to suck me off.”
Nya might object, except she wasn’t averse to the offer. “I’d love to, Fella, but I have a problem in back.”
His mischief fled. “What problem?”
“Nothing, it’s not important,” she said. Tag and Archer already didn’t get along, she wasn’t going to fuel that fire. Before she got to business, she had to backtrack. “I was a complete lush last night, I’m sorry.”
“No worries. Love to see you hot for me.” If that were true, he wouldn’t keep telling her not to hit on him. “Now what is it you need, Squirm?”
“Gio took fifty grand from Tag’s offshore account.”
“Interesting,” he said, sampling his soda.
Since Archer was working on finding Gio, she figured she should let him know. “We still don’t know where he is.”
Watching his eyes, Nya tried to judge if he knew more than he was letting on. Trouble was, Archer always knew more than he was letting on and he had a great game face.
“Are you trying to read me, Squirm?” he asked, his lips hinted at amusement.
He thought it was downright hilarious that she might try to see beyond his poker face.
“Why would I do something so stupid?” she asked and inched closer. But she wasn’t going to let him get away with laughing at her without having a little fun of her own. “You know if I wanted to know what you know, I could find out.”
“Could you?” he asked, his brows sliding up. “How would you do that?”
He’d once told her that he could have any woman he wanted, that anyone could be persuaded to do anything, because everyone had a price. Pushing her arms together, she plumped her breasts. “What’s your price, Mr. Archer?”
“I’ve seen your tits,” he said.
He didn’t like that her cleavage was on show, so it probably wasn’t smart to remind him about it. Since they’d broken up, she’d seen him eye her chest, though she’d never worked out whether he was admiring the view or resenting that others had it.
“I never convinced you to tell me anything by showing you my breasts,” she said, though she did remember how much he enjoyed playing with them. “Do other women do that for you?”
Tipping his head back, he took a drink. “I’m not touching that.” Probably best that he didn’t fill her head with mental images that would add to her stress. “Did you see the footage?”
She had no idea what he was talking about. “What footage?”
“In the bank, of Gio withdrawing the money.”
Tag hadn’t said anything about seeing footage. From what she could figure out, there was money missing from the account and that was how he knew it had gone. “I don’t… Tag didn’t say anything about that.”
“Was it a physical withdrawal or a wire transfer?”
“I… I don’t know. I can find out what bank it is if you think you can—”
“I know where Taggert keeps his money,” he said.
Damn Archer and his inquisitive mind, she hadn’t thought to ask about the bank or how the money was transferred. Except even if she had, Tag probably wasn’t present enough to answer. Her head fell back and she growled, though the noise wouldn’t be heard over the music.
When her head came forward again, Archer was standing up and she knew he’d identified that she was stressed. “It’s nothing,” she said, anticipating his question.
Though it was against all her rules, Nya took a mouthful from the glass she’d filled for Tag and wished she’d been more generous with the alcohol.
“You put vodka in that,” Archer said, proving that he must have been watching her before she even knew he was in the club. “You never drink on shift.”
And if she hadn’t already garnered his concern, she had it now. “I do now.”
“Why?”
Sometimes his questions irritated more than they helped. “It’s nothing.”
But there was no way he was going to accept her being dismissive. Side-nodding, Archer didn’t give her a choice except to follow when he began to move up the bar. If he was on a mission to talk to her in private, there was only one place around here they could do that. Shit.
Sliding the glass out of her hand, Nya ran along behind the bar in her attempt to get to the office. She managed to plant her back on the door just a second before he got there.
With a hand on either side of the door frame, Archer leaned in to her. “What’s going on?”
If she didn’t answer him, he’d go through that door whether it was locked or not. “I think he’s high,” she answered, thankful that the music still gave them some cover in this quieter corner of the club.
Marked (Branded Book 3) Page 2