Page 23 of Donovan Blake: Adrenalin

“So I assume you’re still worried there might be another attempt.”

“Get to the point.”

“The point is this. Manny is heavily involved in the sex industry. Porn videos, magazines, products, and he owns clubs just like yours in L.A. San Francisco and Boston.”

“Let me guess. You think Manny tried to torch my place because he’s planning to open a club in Manhattan and he doesn’t want any competition.”

“You bet I do.”

“Sam that’s crazy. There are plenty of other clubs like mine there.”

“Not upscale and expensive like yours. Just listen! Franco and Manny grew up in the same nasty neighborhood, and I know they’re partners in an online gambling business out of Vegas.”

“But what does that have to do with me?”

“Franco is trying to push Boris out and take over his business, or something along those lines. Right?”

“Yeah.”

“Boris may have been the one to ask you to step in and negotiate a deal with Franco, but I believe it was Manny’s suggestion. That meeting was a set up and you were almost killed.”

“What’s your point?”

“Donovan! Think about it. Suddenly Boris wants you to steal a piece of jewelry from Manny Trubello’s home. Don’t you see? Franco wants Boris out of the way, and Manny wants you out of the way. Franco and Manny are manipulating Boris to get both of you, and I bet they’re the ones who sent the buyer for that necklace to Boris.”

“It’s an interesting theory…” Donovan murmured thoughtfully.

“As I said at the beginning of this conversation, we could get Boris, Franco and Manny…all three of them…and put them out of business for good. It’s either that, or tell Boris you can’t do it. Then he’ll pressure you, and God only knows what that will entail. We need to deal with these bastards and deal with them now.”

“Franco and Manny working together to eliminate both Boris and me,” Donovan mumbled.

A chill pricked his skin.

“Okay, Sam. Send me everything you have on Manny’s estate and I’ll take a look at it. But I’m not making any promises.”

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

As Phoebe had strolled around the dungeon studying the bizarre array of furniture, implements and various lotions and potions, an endless stream of fantasies had crossed her mind. When she heard the door open and saw Donovan trotting down the stairs, she hurried across to meet him.

“That took a while,” she remarked, moving her arms around his neck. “Is everything okay? I was beginning to think you’d forgotten about me.”

“Hardly,” he muttered, jerking her against his body. “Just a long phone call. Do you still want to see the rest of the house?”

“Uh…yes…” she softly murmured, hoping he’d strip her bare and throw her on one of the intriguing pieces of equipment.

“Oh, I see—the naughty girl wants to play.”

“I’m not naughty—not really, but you left me in here. What did you expect?”

“Fair question. Let’s go. I’ll put you on the spanking bench, but I have to be quick.”

“That’s it? The spanking bench and we have to be quick?”

“Yes, and apparently you need it,” he said with a grin, grabbing her elbow and marching her across the room.

His take-charge demeanor sent a surge of erotic energy coursing through her body.

She loved it.

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