by Linda Verji
“You can help me?” Claire’s eyebrows rose and hope flashed in her eyes. “How?”
“I have my ways.” Sin smiled as she sent a text message to Ten.
New target acquired.
CHAPTER 2
“Are you kidding me?” Ten Henson stared at Sin like she’d lost all her marbles.
Though Sin had changed out of her swimsuit and was now wearing a dress and heels, Ten was still wearing the maid uniform that she’d used as a cover as she broke into hotel rooms upstairs. The two women were currently cloistered in the ladies’ room discussing the change of plans. Predictably, Ten wasn’t happy.
“This is not what I meant when I told you to find a new mark!” the petite, dark-skinned woman exclaimed. “Why did you promise that Claire woman that you’d help her?”
“Because she looked like she needed help,” Sin said. “You heard her story.”
“Yes, I heard her story.” Ten folded her arms over her chest. “What I don’t understand is why we have to get involved.”
“Because we can help her while also making some money,” Sin coaxed. “Wentworth Ransom is the son of the Chairman of RGC and he owns W Sport.”
Ten offered her an unimpressed look. “So?”
“Sooo…” Sin explained, “He’s more loaded than anyone either of us has ever gone after.”
“So he’s got a basement full of money-” Ten’s lips twisted in a sneer. “Whoop Dee Doo. Am I supposed to care?”
“Yes, you’re supposed to care.” Sin explained, “If we go after him, you can pay the money you owe Casper in one go, I can officially retire without ever having to worry about money again, and, most importantly, we can stick it to a bastard who thinks women are just holes for his dick.” She edged closer to her friend to coax, “Come on, tell me that’s not appealing.”
By the light that flashed in Ten’s eyes, it was obvious that Sin’s proposal was a tempting, but she shook her head. “Nope. No way. Too risky.”
“Since when did you start worrying about risk?” Sin scoffed. “The Ten I know revels in danger. The riskier a job, the more appealing it is.”
“I’m not worried about myself.” Ten pushed her fingers through her short dyed hair as she pushed out a long, heavy breath. “I’m worried about you, fool. You said that your time in prison was the worst time in your life. You said you never wanted to go back there again.”
“Aww.” Grinning, Sin edged closer to her friend. “So this is because you’re worried about me?”
“Uh uh!” Ten skirted away when Sin tried to hug her. “Don’t hug me then try to convince me to go along with this stupid job. I’m already mad that you got involved in my business but at least in this case I was the one doing the dangerous work. If things went sideways, I’d be the one taking all the heat. But this thing with you and Claire is different. If we go after Wentworth Ransom, you’re the one who’ll be in the lion’s den. The one he’ll come after.”
“Hey, I’m a pro,” Sin reassured her friend. “I can handle myself.”
“No, we’re not doing this.” Ten shook her head vigorously. “Ransom isn’t an easy mark.”
“No, he isn’t.” Sin soothed, “But I’ve reeled in sharks with sharper teeth.”
“Not as sharp as this.” Ten frowned. “Besides, have you forgotten that you failed at this once before? You landed in prison because of a job just like this one.”
“It’s not the same thing, and I didn’t fail,” Sin defended herself. “I successfully got away with Marvin’s money. The only reason I got caught was because he tried to kill me afterwards. And you know what happened to him after that?”
Sin waited for her friend to answer her but all Ten did was stare at her like she’d lost her damn mind. So Sin continued, “He got a longer sentence than me.”
She chuckled at that last part. Marvin Dubner likely hadn’t imagined that his revenge plan would screw him over too.
“Is that supposed to reassure me?” Ten cut into her friend’s chuckle. Her eyes were practically shooting fire as she continued, “Because it doesn’t. Marvin was a small-time accountant. Ransom is leagues ahead of him. If he decides to kill you-”
“I’ll be more careful this time,” Sin jumped in before her friend could finish the sentence. “I’ll make sure Worth can’t come after us after we’re done.”
“No, we’re not doing this.” Ten shook her head more vehemently.
“We’re doing it,” Sin insisted then before her friend could voice any further protest, she rushed on, “Look, I left Claire at the restaurant. Let me go speak with her then you and I can discuss this later.”
“There’s no more discussion. We’re not going after that-” Ten yelled but Sin was already out of the door.
Sin grinned. Ten might protest but Sin knew that if she packed her bags right now and headed to Portland, the younger woman would promptly follow. Of course she’d grumble all the way, but she’d still follow. It was one of the things Sin most appreciated about her friends.
Though she’d hated her stay in prison, one good thing had come out of it. No, make that three; Kelly, Ten and Ten’s sister, A.J. Before those three women, Sin had never had any close confidantes. Oh, she’d had plenty of people who claimed to be her friends and people who claimed to be in love with her. But those relationships were superficial. There’d never been anyone who knew who she really was, no one she could trust with her life.
The fact that none of her former ‘friends’ had visited her during her stay in prison had only emphasized the shallowness of her past relationships. Sure, she still sometimes hid parts of her life from Kelly, Ten and A.J, but she still trusted that if she needed their help, they’d be there for her unconditionally as would she for them.
It was cruel of her to drag Ten into hers and Claire’s business, but to pull off this job, she needed a good teammate. And Ten was the best. Not only did the woman have a photographic memory but she was the second best break-in artist Sin knew. Of course the best break-in artist was A.J, but she’d break their legs if she knew what they were up to.
Moments later, Sin found Claire still waiting for her at the hotel’s restaurant.
“I hope you don’t mind that I ordered for you.” Claire pushed a plate of salad towards Sin.
“No, I don’t mind.” Sin settled in the seat opposite the brunette then got right to business. “So what do you need to get Worth off your back? His money?”
“Money?” Claire guffawed. “I don’t need his money. I’ve got plenty of my own.”
“I can tell.” Sin hid a smile.
“No, we don’t need his money.” Claire continued, “What Baron and I need is the RGC shares that Worth holds. We don’t even need all of them; just enough to balance the power between them.”
“So like half of his shares?”
“Something like that.” Claire nodded. “If Baron holds the same equity in the group as Worth, it will be harder for the group to dismiss him.” Her voice took on a wheedling tone as she added, “We don’t even want the group. Just for Baron to keep his job. After all the sweat and years he’s put in, it’s unfair for him to get kicked out just because he doesn’t have Ransom DNA.”
“You’re damn right it’s unfair.” Sin paused to mull over all the information Claire had given her before she said, “Okay! So I need to get him to marry me then transfer his shares to me. After that I can transfer them to you and Baron, right?”
“Right.” Concern flashed in the brunette’s eyes. “But it’s not as easy as it sounds. It’s really not. And you and I are crazy for even thinking of attempting it.” Claire pushed out a shaky breath and shook her head. “No, this is a bad idea. Maybe we should quit while we’re ahead.”
“Hey, hey, calm down.” Sin reached across the table to squeeze her new friend’s hand. “You’re talking to a pro here. I’m sure I can get the job done. This ain’t my first rodeo. I once got a guy to marry me in thirteen days.”
Sin smiled as she fondly remembered
her second husband. The man had been idiotic enough not to get a prenup before their ‘marriage’. Four months later, he was out fifty percent of his property. Most of that fifty percent had gone to his ex-wife while a small percentage went to Sin – her cut for successfully completing the job.
Ah! Good times.
Sin assured Claire, “I’m an expert.”
“An expert?” Claire’s eyes widened. “You’ve done this before?”
“Yes.” Sin didn’t add in the ‘several times’ because Claire looked skittish enough.
“What if someone recognizes you?” the brunette asked.
“You said you’re based in Portland, right?” Sin asked. When Claire nodded, she smiled. “Then no one will recognize me. I’ve never worked a job there plus I’ll be using an assumed identity so even if they check me out they won’t find anything.”
“Where in the world would you get an assumed identity?”
“Don’t worry about it. I have my ways.” Sin reminded her, “All you need to be careful about is making sure that Worth doesn’t know we’re connected.”
Claire still looked a bit unsure about the plan. “Are you sure about this?”
“I’m sure.” Sin bit into her salad before asking, “Do you have a picture of Worth?”
“Not here with me,” the other woman said, “but if you search his name on the internet, you’ll find him.”
Sin took out her phone and swiped her fingers over the screen. A moment later, she frowned. Wentworth Ransom III was hot… like sizzling hot. Even if he was a complete asshole, there were lots of women who could be fooled by his looks and money. Why go after his brother’s wife?
“What’s up with this guy?” Sin wondered aloud. “He looks successful in his own right. He doesn’t need to come after you and your husband.”
“He’s doing it just to be spiteful,” Claire explained. “Some people are like that.”
A fresh spurt of hot anger raced through Sin. The man needed to be brought down a couple of notches and she knew the right woman to do it. Herself. Usually, she preferred to go after old men who’d ditched their wives for sugar-babies but she’d happily make an exception for Worth.
“How will you get his shares?” Claire asked. “It’s not like he’ll just hand them over to you.”
“That’s exactly what he’ll do! Once I’ve got him hooked, he’ll give them to me all on his own.” Sin’s lips curled into a wicked smile. “But first I need a way into his life.”
“I might be able to help with that,” the brunette offered. “Worth’s assistant is about to go for her maternity leave and they’re looking for a replacement. I can get you in. Have you ever been an Executive Assistant?”
No, Sin had never been an Executive Assistant. She’d been a yoga instructor, an architect, a dental assistant, even a pilot (that one had been the hardest), but she’d never been an Executive Assistant. But she couldn’t admit that to Claire. The woman looked worried enough as it was.
Sin smiled. “Yes, I’ve been an Executive Assistant before. I won’t get caught.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’m sure.” Sin nodded. Leaning back in her seat, she asked, “Now tell me – what kind of women does Worth usually date?”
* * *
THE TENSION IN the room was so thick even the sharpest knife wouldn’t have cut through it. Everyone seated around the conference table was actively trying to avoid meeting the gaze of their employer, Wentworth ‘Worth’ Ransom the Third.
“Who’s in charge of the Adidas account,” Worth asked for the second time.
The eerie silence that met his question only served to annoy him further.
He barked, “If I have to find out on my own, then the consequences will be worse. Who was in charge of the account?”
“M- me.” Simon Richardson, the newest addition to the marketing department, tentatively raised his hand.
Worth eyed the young man for a long drawn out moment before saying, “Clear out your desk by the end of the day.”
Sharp breaths met Worth’s announcement but Simon’s gasp was the loudest. “Wha – what?”
“Tessa.” Worth turned his attention to another member of the marketing team. “Take over the account. Make sure you talk to their Head of Marketing so that-”
“But sir,” Simon cut in to Worth’s words. “I tried to-”
His words came to an abrupt halt when Worth shot him a sharp look.
Any other boss would’ve been happy to be able to shut down his employees with one look. Wentworth wasn’t. Even as he gave Tessa instructions on how to take over the account, he couldn’t help feeling a bit disappointed that Simon wasn’t trying harder to defend himself. He wanted his employees to have a bit of back bone, be capable of standing up for themselves. People without backbone were followers, and he didn’t need followers and sycophants around him.
“Anything else we need to discuss?” Worth asked when the meeting drew to a close. No one said anything. He waited for Simon to plead his case again, but the younger man kept staring at the table, looking like he was about to cry.
Shrugging on the inside, Worth rose to his feet. “Okay then, get back to work.”
With that, he left the boardroom. Barely ten minutes after Worth settled in his office, Diana, his assistant, called, “Mr. Ransom, Mr. Gaines would like to see you.”
Worth didn’t even bother asking why his second-in-command wanted to see him. He already knew. With a drawn-out sigh, he said, “Let him in.”
Moments later, the door swung inwards and Joel Gaines, W Sport’s Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, strode in. At first sight, most people assumed that Joel was a former basketball player. Given the black, bald-headed man’s astounding height, it was a fair assumption. But it would be a wrong assumption. Joel was a pole-vaulter through and through. In fact that was how he and Worth had met.
After Joel had retired from pole-vaulting, he’d become Worth’s coach and even taken him as far as the Olympics. When Worth retired from pole-vaulting and founded W Sport, it was only natural that he bring Joel in.
“Please tell me you’re not here for Simon,” Worth said as he watched Joel edge towards his desk.
“Of course I’m here for Simon.”
“Didn’t waste any time, did he?” Worth’s top lip lifted in a sneer. “You’re teaching these people that it’s okay to run to you instead of learning how to solve their problems on their own.”
“They wouldn’t have to run to me if you weren’t such a hard ass.” Joel settled in the seat across from Worth. “Will you really fire Simon? He just started working here a week ago.”
Worth returned his friend’s skeptical look with a defiant one of his own. “Is there a law somewhere that states how long someone is supposed to work here before I can fire them?”
“You know you’re being unfair, right?” Joel eyed Worth. “The manufacturers are the reason we didn’t get Adidas’ stuff on time. They sent the delivery two days later than expected.”
“Then Simon should’ve called them to make sure our stock was delivered on time.”
“He did but the guys at the factory kept stalling.”
“Then he should’ve insisted on speaking with the higher ups,” Worth suggested defiantly.
“He’s not trained enough to start making demands like that,” Joel countered.
“Then he should’ve gotten help from someone who knows how to escalate matters to the top.”
“He didn’t think that far.”
Worth smirked. “And that’s why he’s fired!”
“Come on, Worth,” Joel cajoled. “He’s still a rookie. You can’t expect him to already know how to handle these issues.”
“Hey, he’s not that much of a rookie. Wasn’t he with Dick’s before?” Worth waited for his friend to answer. When all he got was a sigh, he continued, “Besides his experience or lack thereof isn’t the problem here. You know what pissed me off?” He paused. “That he couldn’t tell
me all that when we were in the boardroom. He just sat there looking like a sad, wet puppy. Then he comes crying to you after the fact? Ridiculous!”
Though Worth knew he was being a bit unfair to Simon, Joel’s presence in his office only made him want to fire the man more. See, this is why people never moved up the ladder. What kind of coward ran crying to another man instead of defending himself? Was Worth supposed to trust him to negotiate contracts when he couldn’t even negotiate to keep his own job?
“I’m sure he was just scared of you. Have you seen you when you’re in the boardroom?” Joel asked. “They call you Darth Vader.”
“Am I supposed to be offended?” Worth gave his friend a toothy grin. “Cause I kind of like Darth Vader.”
“Why am I not surprised?” Joel chuckled. Still smiling, he wheedled, “Come on, Worth. Give Simon another chance.”
“I don’t want to.”
“But you should.” When that didn’t get Joel the surrender he was looking for, he added, “I promise I won’t come pleading on his behalf if this happens again.”
“Please!” Worth guffawed. “You can’t help yourself. You’re a regular Captain Save-An-Employee.”
“I promise,” Joel insisted.
Worth pushed out an annoyed breath. “Fine. I wasn’t going to fire him anyway. I just wanted to scare him a little.”
“Why would you want to scare your employees?” Joel shook his head disapprovingly. “You’re one sick kid. No wonder the suggestion box is always filled with notes about you.”
“What are you complaining about?” Worth grinned. “Now that I’m Darth Vader, I’m sure they think you’re Luke Skywalker. The hero.”
“I’m not sure I want to play that part.”
“Aw, come on.” Worth teased, “You were born to be a hero.”
Joel eyed Worth for a second before saying, “For some reason that sounds like an insult coming from you.”
Worth smirked. “Caught that, did you?”
“Bastard!” Jason chuckled. A moment later, his tone turned serious. “Ah! I forgot to tell you… Claire is moving again.”