Luke stood much too close to her to continue this conversation. She pushed away from the table to go around, but his hand shot out to grab her arm. She flinched at the suddenness of the contact but didn’t pull away. “You’d better remove that hand before I remove it for you,” she warned.
He leaned in close and whispered into her ear, “Is that your way of saying you don’t want me to?”
She turned to meet his gaze. “That’s my way of telling you to get the fuck out of my apartment.”
He didn’t budge. “Tell me you don’t want me and I’ll leave you alone.”
“That’s what this is about? Your ego decided it needed a boost?”
“I admitted I want you. I’m fine with stroking your ego,” he murmured. “And any other part of your body that feels neglected.” He released his grip on her arm and ran his hand down her forearm until it rested against the back of her hand. Not holding it. Just touching.
Her breath caught at the skin-to-skin contact as she tried to keep her face expressionless. “There’s no part of me that wants to be stroked by you.”
Luke leaned in and brushed his lips against the sensitive skin at the nape of her neck. Evelyn’s already pounding heart beat a frantic rhythm in her chest. Okay, maybe she was lying a little bit. But she had reasons! She pulled her neck away from him and caught his gaze again. “So what? You want to go on my bed right now and screw?”
“Well...”
“Because you’re going to meet one of the few people who can testify and bring down an entire ring of white-collar criminals who have stolen thousands of innocent employees’ pensions. So I’d rather get ready for that instead of indulging in whatever fleeting attraction I’m feeling for you.”
His lips tightened, and she could practically see the wheels turning in his mind. “So if I get Brian to say something incriminating tonight, will you feel like celebrating?”
“Are you blackmailing me?”
“Oh no. I’ll be trying to get Longineu to say something to trip him up no matter what. But once I get him, once we get the Thirteen Stars, you won’t be my handler anymore. And after that, I won’t be your asset. So if we both get what we want, would you be open to celebrating with me?”
She opened her mouth to tell him exactly why that was a terrible idea, but for some reason she couldn’t think of one reason. Damn it, he was right. She did want him, and once they weren’t working together anymore, why not? It had been over a year since she’d been with any man, and she might as well break the streak with Luke Devereaux, who was the most gorgeous man she’d ever seen.
“I wouldn’t mind sharing a glass of wine or two once some arrests have been made,” she said carefully.
He smiled in victory. “I knew you were reasonable.”
Before she could give a quick comeback, Luke leaned forward and kissed her. It was quick, fierce, possessive, and over much before Evelyn wanted it to be.
He pulled away and took a step back. “I should get going. You can still hear everything I’m doing?”
Evelyn blinked a few times, trying to clear her cluttered mind. “Um, yeah. As of this morning I could. I’ll have to set up my laptop and make sure it’s still transmitting. Should only take me a few minutes. I’ll shoot you an all clear text message once I’m set up. Are you okay? Still feeling good? Secure? If you want to call this off, now is the time.”
“I’m going,” he insisted. “I’m going to get Brian plastered, he’s going to spill all his secrets, you’ll arrest him, and then I’m going to fuck you hard and you’re going to love every minute of it.”
Evelyn’s breath caught in her throat as she tried to remember how to form words. “As long as you have a plan,” she finally murmured.
He leaned in and gave her one more quick kiss. “I’ll be seeing you,” he promised before he turned and left.
Evelyn reached behind her, fumbling until she grabbed hold of the back of a chair and pulled it out for her to fall into. Good grief. Was she really going to sleep with Luke Devereaux?
Well, if he got her Brian Longineu, she was.
“Follow me.” Longineu led the way deeper into the back of the gentleman’s club.
These types of clubs weren’t Luke’s favorite, but he was more than familiar with them. Something about the entire experience felt off. The women, who were half naked, flirted with him as though they actually meant it. Some of them were good enough actresses that he could almost forget that making him happy was their job.
But every once in a while, one of the girls would have the dazed, spaced-out expression only brought on by some sort of heavy drug, and he was reminded it was all an act. Some guys seemed to get off on the power rush, and some of those guys who got off on the power rush happened to have very lucrative contracts with DevX Tech, so he was more than happy to show some of the clientele the rounds if needed.
And apparently Brian was also a fan of the clubs. This one was more exclusive. Kind of like a sleazy country club. This was its opening week, but from what Luke understood, they charged a massive membership fee up front and from then on, free drinks and eye candy abounded. More services from the girls were always a bit extra...
“Here’s my booth.” Longineu ducked into a table in the back corner. They’d gone through a maze of rooms, and Luke was pretty sure he could find his way out if he needed to, but it wasn’t a straight shot to the door.
Luke slid in across from Longineu. The booth was in a scallop shape, so there was room for plenty more, but he kept his distance. Within a second of him settling in, a girl in tall, spiky heels, barely there shorts and a sparkly, bejeweled bra came over to pour some top shelf whiskey into a glass for Longineu before she glanced over to Luke. “Can I get you anything, sir?”
Luke gave her his favorite brand of Scotch, and she nodded and winked at him. “Coming right up.” She smiled before she twisted around and strutted away, probably putting more sway to her hips than was natural.
“I thought this was a new opening.” Luke motioned to Brian’s glass that had been filled without any instruction needed.
“A friend of mine is the owner. They appreciate my patronage. They should have a good selection of cigars if you want to browse.”
Luke shook his head. He needed to focus on drinking and getting Brian as comfortable as possible. “I’ve had a long week. I think just sitting back sounds perfect.”
“Trouble at DevX?” Brian took a drink.
“Not exactly.” Luke didn’t want to give Longineu any personal information, but he needed to give something to get his trust. His pride might have to take a hit to pull this off. “I’m in the middle of a dry spell and it’s not a feeling I’m used to.”
“Well, hell. We can break that streak tonight easy enough. You just say the word and we’ll make it happen.”
Luke shook his head. “Hate to be that guy, but there’s someone I already have in mind.”
“No shit? I thought you were bagging chicks left and right. You know, I hate to stereotype, but usually all I have to do is break out the Ferrari and the panties drop. Ferrari is one of my cheaper cars. They don’t care.”
Luke ran a hand through his hair and really wished he had less in common with this ass. At least he wasn’t married while he was using his cars to pick up women. “It’s a bit more messy. She works for me and doesn’t want things to get complicated.”
“Well, shit. What’s the problem? If anything, fucking you would just be better for her career.”
“That’s what I think!” said Luke in mock agreement. “Would she rather I fire her?”
Longineu snorted. “They always think they’re making things easier, don’t they?”
Luke had to bite back a look of disdain. “True.” Just then, the waitress dropped off his Scotch, and Luke immediately took a swig. If he wanted to get his information, he needed to remain relatively clear-headed, but there was no way he could carry any more conversation with this ass sober. “So how are the investments coming along?
The last statements looked promising.”
Longineu shook his head. “No, I’m not done yet. Who is the chick?”
Trust. He needed to build trust. “Some new secretary who just started. No one important.” No one Longineu should have any reason to think he knew.
“Didn’t your brother just hook up with a secretary? That should make this chick feel fine about it!”
“Lori’s not a secretary, actually.”
Longineu didn’t look as though he cared a bit. “Is it the hot blonde who took me to your office? I can totally understand why you’d want a piece of that.”
Luke practically spit out his drink. “Cali? No. Hell no. She’s like a sister.”
“Interesting. Does that mean I can get to know her better the next time I’m at your place?”
That’s it. Luke was going to kill him. “Last I heard, she was seeing someone. But feel free to take your shot,” he managed to squeeze out. Trust. Building trust.
“I’ll have to keep that in mind.” Longineu took another drink. “What about the other hot one? The Mexican chick?”
His hands balled into fists under the table. He knew from the file he had on Evelyn that her grandfather was Puerto Rican, but he didn’t say anything. “Mexican?”
“She has the office across from yours.”
Oh...that Mexican. Luke shrugged, feigning ignorance. “Oh, her. She’s some intern who got the position by winning some essay contest. I forgot to tell Cali about it and that office was the only thing open. Don’t really know anything about her.”
“That’s funny,” said Longineu.
“What’s funny?”
He slammed his glass down. “Because she’s an FBI agent.”
Luke met his gaze over the table. “She’s a what?”
Longineu leaned forward. “She’s. An. FBI. Agent. And I think you knew that.”
“I have no idea what the fuck you’re talking about. Why would the FBI be in my building? Everything I’ve done is legit.”
“The hundred mil you gave to me wasn’t legit. You knew that. I know that. And I can think of a few reasons why you’d be working with the FBI. Ken might’ve thought you were the best thing to ever happen to our little organization, but I never agreed with him.
“See, I know your family. I know your crazy ass cousin, and I know the cousin who wouldn’t touch people like us with a ten-foot pole. So I never, not for one second, thought you were honestly trying to increase your portfolio by joining up with us.”
Luke leaned forward, setting his arms on the table, refusing to be cowed by Longineu’s accusations. “That didn’t stop you from taking my money, did it?”
He shrugged. “Not my choice. The higher-ups gave you approval.”
“And who are these higher-ups who are on my side?”
Longineu’s smile twisted into a grin. “You’d like to know, wouldn’t you? Probably transmitting every little word I’m saying right to the government.”
“You think I’m wearing a wire? This isn’t a made-for-TV movie, Longineu. It’s an honest fucking question.”
He shrugged, not seeming convinced at all. “I don’t care if you’re wearing a wire or not. This entire level has a signal blocker, so no matter what you’re trying to transmit, nothing is getting out.”
For the first time since he sat down, Luke started to get worried. “That seems a little paranoid.”
“Oh no,” said Longineu. “Paranoid would be sending my best man to pay your little FBI agent a visit. Now that would be paranoid.”
Evelyn banged on her computer for the tenth time but still didn’t get anything from the open line she was supposed to have on Luke’s phone transmitter. “God damn it!” she screamed at the good-for-nothing machine.
She pulled out her phone and dialed Gail’s disposable line. The agent answered on the third ring. “I lost transmission,” she said before Gail could get more than a “hi” in.
“I saw them go into a building,” said Gail. “But I can’t get in. It’s a men’s only place. I’d need a male escort to get past the bouncers. A rich male escort from the looks of it.”
“Mother fuc—” Evelyn stood and paced around the room. They could just be in a place that was built to protect against all transmissions, or they could’ve destroyed his phone. “That’s it. I’m coming out there.” Evelyn snatched her jacket off the back of a chair and pulled open her nightstand drawer for her loaded gun.
“They might recognize you,” warned Gail. “Just lay low and let me look into this.”
“I don’t care. It’s my job to keep Luke safe and I can’t do that with no eyes or ears on him. I need to do something.” She knew Luke had never been all that concerned for his own safety, but she wasn’t about to let him pay for her being unprepared.
Damn it. She’d felt fishy about this entire thing ever since Longineu had come into her office. This was why she needed to trust her instincts and not let Luke tell her how to do her job.
“Evelyn!” shouted Gail through the line.
She brought the phone back to her ear. “I’m about to leave now. Just hold tight and I’ll message you when I get closer. My ETA is twenty minutes.”
“Evelyn, I got this. There’s nothing you could do if you got here. You wouldn’t be able to get in. And unless we get a sign of distress, we can’t go barging in the front door without a warrant.”
Sign of distress? What the fuck was Gail waiting for? It wasn’t as though she’d be able to hear Luke’s screams from the street. They needed to move fast. Right now.
“I promised Luke I’d keep him safe. I’m not going to wait for Longineu to light up some massive sign saying he’s up to no good. I’ll be there in twenty minutes,” she repeated before she hung up the phone.
She dropped the phone in her jacket pocket and arranged it carefully so her shoulder holster wasn’t visible. Then she undid her chain lock and deadbolt in a quick motion and opened the door.
Only to look straight into the barrel of a gun.
“What do you mean you’re sending someone to pay her a visit?” bit out Luke between clenched teeth.
Longineu took another drink, emptying his glass, and smiled. “Well, you know how protective I am of my secrets. I’m not going to let some outsider threaten everything we’ve worked to build. You should be just as upset as me. Some agent sneaking her way into your company. That’s a major invasion of privacy. But if it makes you feel better, I’ve ordered my man to make sure she suffers.”
Hell no. Luke stood up fast, bumping the table and knocking over Longineu’s empty glass. Without a word, he turned to leave, but two muscle-bound men immediately blocked his path. His hands balled into fists as he stared them down, not about to let anyone stop him from getting to Evelyn.
“If you want to go, you’re allowed,” said Longineu from behind him. “But if you walk out this door, it will be war between us from now on. Know that.”
Luke didn’t need to think of a good answer. He simply pushed through the two men in front of him and made a beeline for the front. He’d deal with Longineu later, but if there were men on their way to Evelyn’s place right now, that was his foremost concern.
Damn it. He’d been the one who convinced Evelyn that Longineu wasn’t suspicious. He’d been convinced that even if Longineu was onto something that the only one in danger would be him. How the fuck had Longineu gotten Evelyn’s real name? Her address to send his man to?
Unless the whole thing was a bluff. What if this had been a test that he failed? Now they knew for certain that she was an agent just because he couldn’t keep his cool. Mother fucker!
As soon as he got outside, he paused. If he went to her apartment right now, he’d lead Longineu right to Evelyn.
Fuck it. He’d move her to one of his places then. As long as he knew she was safe for now. He held up his hand to hail a cab. If he had his own car service, he’d be able to make it to Evelyn a hell of a lot faster, but he had to rely on a stranger to get him to Evelyn in t
ime. Damn it.
As soon as he was in the backseat and on his way, he took out his phone and dialed Evelyn’s number. She should be right next to her phone considering she had been listening in on him.
But there was no answer.
Evelyn held up her hands and took a step back.
“Keep moving,” said the man at the other end of the gun.
She took a nervous gulp and continued to back up until she was in the middle of the room. The gun in her shoulder holster pressed into her side, but she knew she couldn't go for it while this guy had his gun drawn and ready. The man stepped inside and kicked the door shut.
He didn’t look familiar to Evelyn, but she had to assume he was one of Longineu’s men. Which meant Luke was probably screwed right now. This guy definitely seemed formidable. He was well over six feet tall and had a muscular build that showed exactly how much time he spent in the gym.
His dark brown hair was slicked back and his clean-shaven face clearly showed his handsome features. Which meant he wasn’t worried about Evelyn identifying him later. Not the best sign.
But he came alone. Which was his mistake. He also hadn’t shot her right away, which probably meant he wanted to kill her in a quieter way. She could handle that. All she needed was one chance to get to her gun.
“I have money,” she said, looking for a way to distract or stall him. Even if he lowered his gun, would she have time to draw? Guns were horrible for close quarter fighting anyway. Maybe it would be easier to disarm him...
He glanced around the tiny apartment with a scowl. “I doubt it.”
“There’s a laptop on the table,” she pointed out. “And I have savings. I’m sure we can make a deal.” All he had to do was lower the gun just long enough for her to rush him. She inched closer to the table.
“Don’t move!” he ordered.
“No, it’s a really nice laptop! Top of the line, brand new! I’m sure you can get a few hundred for it!”
He let out a laugh even as she kept inching to the table. “I’m getting a lot more than a few hundred for this.”
Devereaux Billionaires Complete Series: Books 1-4 Page 40