Page 42 of Gilded Caresses

Her mood shifts and regret is written in the creases scrunching her forehead. Damn it. I knew we should have gone for her before now. We are about to lose her if we don’t move our asses.

My eyes narrow. “Look at me and tell me what is going on.” I put more authority into my tone and it does what I expect.

Blue eyes swivel to lock with mine with the force of a category five hurricane.

“I…just…I can’t.”

“Can’t what?” I know where this is going.

There goes that lip again.

“Look, I don’t think this is a good idea. Sex…er, phone sex and all that is great. But this…arrangement. It’s not going to work.”

“Hold that thought.”

I storm out and find the other two in the office where they usually are this time of the morning. They take in my state of undress and semi-hard cock and deduce what I was up to.

I motion to the phone and both come to stand beside me.

“You don’t have a choice. The contract is enforceable. Do not make us move on our contract. You will not like how that turns out.”

I let the finality of my tone sink in for a minute.

We all knew this could happen. Or at least I did. I told Elyah and Gregor the same damn thing.

“You wouldn’t.” A flushed and furious Sapphire has her face shoved into the phone’s camera. Her eyes fill with defiance.

“We would. And we will.” I hit end on the call. She has a fighting spirit and I know today is going to be interesting. It will make the second claiming we do all that much sweeter.

Gregor and Elyah both exchange glances with me. “Something or someonehas spooked her.”

I nod. “If Harlon or anyone else has laid a hand on her I will cut their fucking balls off personally.”

Elyah grips my shoulder, a look of war in his eyes. “You were right, brother. We move right now.”

Twelve

Sapphire

Ishould have never called them, but I can’t ignore the way my body hums hours after talking with Lev.

Ha. Talking. It’s fair to say there’s a conflict of interest between my body and my brain. That man flicked my worries aside by using my body against me and my brain says I need to be mad at myself for giving in. Damn accent and his commanding tone. That wicked combination does embarrassing things to my free will.

I push up from my computer. I am at Club Genesis hunkered over the details from Riot’s canceled contract as of three days ago.

No one has spotted her in over a week and the trails are ice-cold.

The Savage brother is not going to like that news. Thank God I won’t be the one delivering it.

I grab my diet coke and laptop. I shut down the other systems and walk toward the exit. The place is quiet and for once there’s not a runner waiting for me to hand out money.

That will make what I need to do easier.

Tomorrow I’ll ready the payment Riot moved to my escrow to be returned. Wait, no. Harlon or one of the other men can do that. I head back to my desk and scribble a note on a piece of paper and leave it on my keyboard for them to find. Let that keep them busy while I make a new life in Buenos Aires. Get my party on in one of their Carnivals. Soak up some culture. Learn a new language.

Or maybe I should change sides and head to the other side of the globe. I’ve always wondered if Norway is as cold as the brochures make it look. I like the winter. Probably warmer than this windy place.

“You have a minute?”

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