by Lia Ellison
“You’re playing with fire,” she said, focusing back on my laptop.
“Maybe, but I can’t just walk away. Not when I can make him pay and save so many people from his gang.”
“Oh please. Another gang will pop up as soon as they’re gone.”
“Probably, but will they be as powerful as the Scarlet Cobras? The fact that they want this city under their control too shows that they’ve grown too strong.”
Nia sighed. “If they get too powerful, they’ll get too much attention. Someone will take them out. But why am I wasting my time saying any of this when you’ve already made up your mind?”
“I promise I’ll walk away if I realize it’s too dangerous or that he might suspect me.”
“If he lets you,” she muttered.
“And who says he wouldn’t have done something if I’d just kicked him out, which was the first thing on my mind? Or what if he’d gotten attached to one of my girls instead? Someone who doesn’t even know what he is? Everyone thinks he’s some rich businessman. They don’t know he’s a gang leader.”
Nia’s fingers were flying over the keys, and she didn’t say anything, so I went to get her a glass of her favorite juice that I always had in my fridge.
“Your guy isn’t stupid,” Nia said when I returned. “There’s not much on this phone. Just some shady contact numbers that don’t lead anywhere. I mean, they do, but to random places. He probably knows a secret word so they can reconnect him to whoever he really wants to speak to.”
“So there’s nothing useful?” I placed the juice on the desk.
“I didn’t say that. I’m just saying there’s no evidence of any criminal activity on this. It might lead to something, but someone would have to investigate. He does have some info about a few legit companies. I think he owns them and uses them to cover up whatever he’s really doing.”
“Right.” I frowned at the screen. “Can you look into it? Without anyone figuring you out? I don’t want you to take any unnecessary risks. This is my problem, not yours.”
She turned to look at me, her lips pressed into a tight line. “I’ll see what I can do, but you should stay away from this guy. He’s too much trouble, and I know you want to make him pay, but isn’t your happiness your best revenge? Why not show him that despite what he’s done to you, you came out of it stronger?”
“I guess I could try, but I won’t be happy until he’s destroyed, so how do I do that? And why would he care when he doesn’t even know who I am?”
“Oh girl.” Nia shook her head. “He’s going to be the end of you.”
“I hope not.” I didn’t want to back off.
Not now.
Not ever again.
Chapter 6
“YOUR BOY’S LOOKING for you,” Wendy said.
“Where is he?” I’d been waiting for Ryker to show up again, especially after our last time together. There was just no way he wouldn’t want to come again. This time, though, I had to find another way to either get some info out of him or get him to like me even more.
“Actually, he said he only wants to talk to you, so he’s at the bar.”
My body went rigid. Talk? Why would he want to talk to me? What if he had figured me out? What if he’d come here to kill me? I pushed those thoughts away. There was plenty of security and I had cameras too.
Ryker would be stupid to try something in here. Even though this place was supposed to stay as secret as possible from most people and the cops, if he killed me or hurt anyone, he had to know it would be a huge risk for him.
Besides, he would’ve just sent someone to do it. He wouldn’t be here himself. No, this wasn’t about killing me. It had to be about something else, and I had to find out what.
“Okay. I’ll go talk to him,” I said, and Wendy gave me a thumbs-up.
If only she knew who Ryker really was. She thought I was seducing a decent businessman, not a criminal. But it was better for her not to know. The fewer people knew the truth about Ryker, the better.
When I reached the bar, I spotted him sitting at one of the tables, a glass in his hand. He tipped back the contents just before I took a seat in the chair across from him.
His eyes met mine, and a smile spread across his lips. There was something about the way he was looking at me, but I had no idea what it was.
“You wanted to talk to me, so talk. I don’t have much time.” It was better if he thought that I was busy and that I was doing him a huge favor just by being here.
“How much do you earn here?” he asked, and my eyebrows shot up.
“None of your damn business.”
“Are you sure? I’ll pay you double if you agree to be my personal dominatrix.” He eyed me carefully.
My lips parted in surprise. Sure, I’d wanted him to offer something like that so I’d get closer to him, but I hadn’t expected it would be so soon. I glanced around us as if I thought this was some kind of a trap my boss had set up for me or a joke.
“That’s an interesting offer,” I said. “But I’m not sure if it’s something I want.”
A smile quirked his lips as he traced his finger over edge of his glass. “You want more. That’s fine. Name your price. I can give you anything you want in return. Anything.”
Oh yeah, I was sure that he could do that. He was a gang leader, after all. If I asked for someone’s severed head, I could probably get that too.
And no matter how much I wanted to accept his offer, I couldn’t outright say yes either, especially if the offer sounded too good to be true.
“Not everything is about money,” I said. “I like it here.”
“You don’t trust me. I get it, but I assure you my offer is real. All I require of you is to show up when I ask for a session with you and that you stop working here. With how much I’m willing to pay you, you should be able to live comfortably without having to work for anyone else.”
“And what if I have a boyfriend? Would the contract forbid me from spending my time with him too?” I cocked my head at him. Did he want me to be his private property? Because that was not going to happen.
“Do you have a boyfriend?” His intense gaze was pinned on me.
“That’s none of your business.” Was he fishing for information now or what?
“You could do whatever you want in your free time, but I’d have to know if you’re seeing someone else. For health reasons.”
Right. Did I believe that or not? His face was unreadable, so it was hard to tell. “So you expect me to have sex with you?”
“Maybe. If we both want it.” If only he’d stop looking at me with those damn dark eyes.
“No. It’s a nice offer, but I can’t accept it.” I got to my feet.
Ryker was used to getting what he wanted, and I took special pleasure in telling him no. Besides, it would only make him try harder. I knew him. He wouldn’t give up easily.
I expected him to run after me, but he didn’t. When I glanced back at him, he was looking at me, his brow furrowed. Good.
Maybe he was shocked because no one had refused any of his offers before. In our hometown, everyone was afraid of him because they knew exactly who he was, and here, he could probably get anything he wanted if he paid enough for it.
“What did he want?” Wendy asked as soon as she saw me.
“Nothing important.”
She gave me a puzzled look.
“If he asks for me again today, tell him I already left.”
“But why? I thought you two were getting...”
“He’s only interested in sex, not dating. Just like pretty much everyone else here.”
“Oh. Okay then.”
On my way to my office, I wondered if Ryker had a girlfriend, so that was why he wanted to have me on call whenever he was free. If he had to come here all the time, she might find out.
But then again, could someone like Ryker really love someone? He only loved himself, so I doubted it was even possible for him to care about another human being if
they weren’t useful to him in some way for his world-domination plans.
Although, if it somehow turned out that Ryker had a heart, then maybe I could find my way to it, and just when he thought he had it all, I could crush it the way he’d crushed my hopes and dreams.
When I checked the cameras, he was already gone. Was he mad at me for rejecting him? Would he even come back? Or would he try to follow me home? I supposed I was going to find out soon enough, and I’d be extra careful on my way home, just in case.
I didn’t think he’d kidnap me or hurt me, especially since many people here knew he’d been talking to me, but maybe he’d try to intimidate me into giving him what he wanted. Or he’d come up with another way to convince me to change my mind.
There was a small chance he’d back off, but that wasn’t the Ryker I knew. No, he’d try something. I just didn’t know what it was going to be.
Chapter 7
TWO WEEKS HAD GONE by, and I’d already started thinking that Ryker had truly given up, but then I spotted him in the lobby while I was checking the cameras. Only a few moments later, Wendy knocked on my door.
“He’s asking for you. Regular stuff, no talking this time.” She waved the paper in her hand.
Ah, so Ryker thought that we could just go back to our sessions here. Hmm. Or maybe he just couldn’t resist, which was good.
“Send someone else.”
Wendy’s head jerked back. “Are you sure? He specifically asked for you. I don’t think he wants anyone else.”
“Yeah, I’m sure.”
“Should I tell him you’re not working today?” She frowned.
“No, just tell him that I’m not available at all today.” Could Ryker handle more than one rejection?
But, seriously, what did he think? That he could just come whenever he wanted and that I’d be here to fulfill his needs? Even if I really were just working here, that would be stupid to expect.
He wouldn’t be my only client. Usually, clients picked from whoever was available, and if they were looking for someone specific, they had to schedule in advance.
“Okay, I’ll tell him.” Wendy’s frown deepened, but she didn’t say anything else.
A part of me wondered if Ryker was going to agree to have a session with someone else. I gritted my teeth, not overly fond of that idea. It was just too dangerous for any of my girls to get in contact with him, wasn’t it? That was why I didn’t want him with any of them.
Although, Ryker wasn’t the only shady client we had, but as long as they behaved and followed the rules, it was all fine. It wasn’t like I had much moral ground to judge. So why did the sole thought of Ryker with another girl annoy me? I had no idea.
I focused on the computer screen. Ryker was in the lobby talking to Wendy. After she shook her head, he stormed outside. Wow. He really did only want me. How interesting was that?
I had him right where I wanted him. Now I just had to see what he was going to do next. Once I finally agreed to his offer, I didn’t think he was going to be suspicious of me at all.
A few hours later, just as I was getting ready to go home, Wendy approached with a worried look on her face.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
“The guy you rejected. He’s outside. In the parking lot. The guards tell me he never left. He’s been waiting the whole time. What should we do? The guards can make him leave.”
I bit down on my lip, debating what to do. In a way, this was exactly what I was hoping for. If he wanted to do something to me, he definitely wouldn’t be this obvious.
Maybe back at home, where he was sure no one would dare make a move against him, he could get away with just about anything, but here, not so much. Besides, we had footage of him and multiple witnesses.
“No, don’t do anything. I’ll go out there and talk to him. The guards should be close by and ready, just in case. Okay?”
“Are you really sure about that? I know I said he was hot, but this is just creepy. If he’s an obsessed stalker, you don’t want to talk to him ever again. Trust me.”
“I know, but I can handle him.”
I headed down the hallway, my heart thudding loudly in my chest. What did Ryker have in mind this time? To freak me out?
Because that would work so wonderfully in his favor.
Not.
Before I walked out into the parking lot, I steeled myself, pretending that I hadn’t noticed anything odd. I just made my way to my car. When I was only a few steps away, Ryker caught up with me.
“Hey,” he said, and I jumped so that he’d think he’d scared me. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.”
“What do you want?” I asked, eyeing him with all the distrust in the world.
“I need an escort for a business party tomorrow.” He pulled an invitation out of his pocket. “I’d rather not go alone, so if you’re in need of some extra cash, you can come to the address on the invitation. It’s only a cocktail party. All you have to do is smile with me for the cameras and pretend you’re my date.”
I raised an eyebrow at him.
“It’s okay if that’s not something you want to do.” He gave me a small smile, rubbing the back of his head as if he was suddenly shy or embarrassed. “Those parties can get really boring, so if you don’t want to go to one, I understand.”
“I’ll consider it.” Of all the things I might have expected, this wasn’t one of them.
A business party? Ryker wanted me to be his escort. Well, hell. That only confirmed that he really didn’t know who I was, or he’d never want to have a photo with us together in it.
“Thank you,” he said, dipping his head. “I hope I’ll see you tomorrow.”
I quickly got into my car and sped out of there. Since there was a chance one of his guys was following me, I took a long route to my apartment, driving around until I was sure no one suspicious was watching me.
A business party with Ryker. It still sounded so damn surreal. What was he trying to achieve? He could’ve taken anyone to that party. I was sure there were plenty of escorts who’d love to go with him, so why me? Especially after I’d refused his offer.
Maybe he’d figured out that he’d come on to me like a creep. Sure, waiting for me in the parking lot hadn’t helped either, but it would’ve been worse if he’d sent the invitation to me to my home address or if he’d tried to jump me somewhere else.
Maybe this was his way of trying to show me that he was a legit businessman, and not some criminal or a liar. Huh. It was possible that he thought I’d refused his offer because I didn’t believe he had that much money or that I thought he was dangerous.
He probably thought he could impress me at the party. I liked this approach way better, but it also confused me. The Ryker I knew would be very angry, and he wouldn’t just want to play nice and go to a party with me. He’d want to make me pay, so what else could he be planning?
Did he think he could cause me trouble at work if my photo with him ended up in the news somewhere and everyone believed I was his girlfriend? Maybe. But then his plan was going to fail, and mine just might end up working.
Someone at the party might spill some interesting details about Ryker or about one of his companies. The more I knew about him, the easier it would be to figure out how to expose him for what he really was.
And if he wasn’t going to be the only criminal at the party, then maybe he’d also use the opportunity to strike a deal with someone, and he thought I was the safest choice and a good cover-up. An escort he hired through some agency might turn out to be an undercover cop or his rival’s spy. Hmm.
Maybe the whole thing wasn’t about me at all, which just might be exactly what I needed.
Chapter 8
AS I PARKED MY CAR in the parking lot of the restaurant where the cocktail party was being held, I focused my gaze on the black SUV that had pulled over in front of the entrance. Maybe Ryker was already here. It looked like all the important people were inside, and many more were coming, dres
sed in fancy suits and dresses.
What the hell was I even doing here? I didn’t belong with those people. This wasn’t my world. I was pretty sure that if I drove up all the way to the entrance and tried to get the valet to park my small old car—I liked it too much to buy a new one—somewhere, they’d kick me out or think I was one of the staff instead.
I doubted this was Ryker’s world either. Or maybe it was. Maybe he mingled with the businessmen who were dabbling in all kinds of illegal stuff, just like he did.
But I came here so I could gather intel on Ryker, and that was exactly what I was going to do. Once I got out of the car, I took a deep breath. Then I spotted Ryker right across from me and my throat constricted.
He was smiling at me, just like he’d been smiling the day he’d burned my car. Oh shit. I tried to push the memory away, but images flooded my mind anyway.
It had taken me ages to convince my parents to let me buy an old car so I could drive myself to school. And then, one day, after a long school day, I found my car on fire. Ryker was grinning at me from afar, and he disappeared before the cops and the firefighters came.
No matter how many times I repeated that I was sure he’d had something to do with it, the cops told my parents that I’d set my own car on fire for attention. There were even witnesses who claimed they’d seen me do it, which was impossible, but my parents chose to believe everyone else over me.
I blinked back to the present. Ryker couldn’t terrorize me like that anymore. I wasn’t going to let him.
Putting on my brightest smile, I made my way toward him. He met me halfway, a wide smile on his face.
“I’m glad you came,” he said. “I was dreading going inside alone.”
Ha ha. Yeah, right. “Aw, you poor thing.”
He offered me his arm, and I took it. Being so close to him was unnerving. A part of me wanted to stop in the middle of the red carpet and yell at him for everything that he’d done to me and that mattered so little to him he’d completely forgotten about it.