Page 27 of Don't Lie To Me

“Of course. We wouldn’t want to obstruct the law, would we, Sloane?” Romeo smiles at me, all charm. “However, as I’m sure you’re aware, accessing client lists without evidence of wrongdoing will require more than just a fishing expedition. But the cameras and financials? Knock yourselves out. You’ll find everything in order—just likelast time,” Romeo adds, his eyes meeting mine in a way that says cool it or you’re going to fuck us both over.

Irritation slithers down my spine. Who the hell does he think he is, acting like he knows what’s going on here. He knows nothing about this place. Truth is, it would serve him right if he got arrested on day one of owning this place. It would be his fault for involving himself where he shouldn’t, now wouldn’t it.

“I want to see the rooms as well,” the detective adds, his gaze coming back to me.

I plaster on my fakest smile and huff out a laugh. “Of course. I’ll take you through to the rooms now while my manager Sally walks your colleague through the books. Follow me.”

Onyx meets my gaze as I go to walk away, and I know what he’s thinking. He warned me about talking to strangers, and here I was flirting with this dude unashamedly the other night. Now he turns out to be a cop.

I feel all three men behind me as I sway my way through the empty tables on my way to the back door. Glad I chose a pencil skirt to wear this morning, knowing I have all three of them watching my every move.

After we take the stairs, I use my keycard to swipe us through, and we enter the strip club. Just like yesterday a couple of the new girls are having dance lessons on the center stage, with upbeat music blaring through the speakers. They look my way, and I wave at them to keep going. We head right on through to the back, and I swipe us through again. Once the door is closed, it’s quiet through the dimly lit hallway. At this time of the day, it’s empty, and every one of us in this space right now, including our new detective friend, knows if they wanted to see the real action, they would come during opening hours. This is a formality. His boss probably needs it ticked off her list to prove she’sdoing her due diligence as the new commissioner, but she’s not really after me.

I enter a PIN code and the door to room one flings open. Detective Wilder enters the room, the air growing heavy with tension, and I see his breath catch in his chest. His eyes find mine in the floor-to-ceiling black mirrored wall. My rooms are opulent and sexy as fuck. He’s turned on just imagining the dark and dirty things people get up to in here. How could he not be.

“Looks like a brothel to me.” His gaze burns into mine, a tangible heat in the intensity of his stare. He might be doing his job, but he has a thing for me, it’s damn obvious.

My lips turn up at the sides into a sassy smile. This guy takes his job so seriously. I know the type, and right now he’s trying to keep his composure and look professional. I bet he’s never done anything fun in his life. I could have been so good for him. “Or does it look like a luxurious hotel room that is booked out by the hour?” I step in closer to him. He is so near that the invigorating smell of clean skin and mint fills my senses. “People meet at places like my club and decide they want to spend a little more time together. It’s innocent really, Detective, we’re all about helping people find their match and fall in love at my club.” I run a hand up his arm, enjoying the way his breath hitches when I touch him. “What goes on behind closed doors is up to the couple themselves. If you’re free sometime soon, you should drop by the place and have a go for yourself. I’m sure being a detective on the streets of Ravens Hollow is an inherently lonely job.”

His bushy brows rise. “Are you saying your services are on offer?” he asks, his voice a low murmur, but I know right now he’s trying to trap me into saying something I shouldn’t. How dumb does he think I am?

“Like fuck they are,” I hear Romeo grumble from behind me.

Reef looks him over with fresh eyes, and I can see he’s trying to work out who this guy is. If he’s done his job correctly, he’s researched me and my club, and he wouldn’t have found anything about Romeo in that. His attention comes back to me, his eyes roaming up my body all the way from my six-inch pumps to my tight knee-length pencil skirt and fitted blouse that shows off a little too much cleavage.

I raise a questioning brow, and I know I have his attention captivated. He’s fascinated by me, trying to work me out. And that is exactly where I want him. “Not at all, sir. I run this place, I don’t have time to party.”

I hear Romeo snicker from behind me, and I choose to ignore him, as much as I want to slap him across his handsome face. All my attention is on the detective. He knows I know he’s the guy I had such a nice chat with the other night. It was clearly all fake, as he was here undercover. Must be the week for assholes who want to lie to me and screw me over.

I tilt my head to the side. “Have you seen enough yet or would you like a private tour of every room?” My voice is way too suggestive, and I know I’m probably pushing this a little too far, but I don’t miss the way his pupils dilate. He wants me.

“I think I’ve seen enough.” He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a business card, handing it to me. “In case you find yourself in more trouble than you can handle, Miss Stryker,” he says, glancing ever so slightly toward Onyx and Romeo, implying I might just be in trouble already. He still thinks he can save me from my life, how adorable.

I take his card and slip it under my button down-shirt and inside my bra as he watches me. “Thank you, Detective. I assume I can call you any time of the day or night?” I smile slyly, hoping to appeal to his imagination. He’s certainly going to be more fun to mess with than the other old dude who visited the last couple of times.

His eyes meet mine with an intensity I don’t miss. “If that is what you need.”

Romeo holds out his hand for Reef to shake. “She’s messing with you.” He snickers, but there is a hint of jealousy in his tone that I quite enjoy. “I’m sure we won’t need to be seeing you around here again. As you can see, everything is above board.”

Reef offers a quick sharp shake of his hand. “I’ll be the judge of that. What did you say your name was again?”

“Romeo Moretti,” Romeo says so smoothly, his accent sounding sexy as hell.

“Hmm.” He takes another card. “I’m head of sex crimes in Ravens Hollow. If either of you hears of or sees anything I should be made aware of, I’m sure I can trust you to contact me.” With that, he walks toward the door.

I move in front of them all, swiping our way back through the building. When we make it to the main bar, we find Sally and the other detective.

“All done?” he asks his colleague.

“Nothing much to see. The tapes have been wiped, and the books look squeaky clean.”

I grin at him like I told you so. “Don’t be a stranger. If you want to take me up on that offer, I’m sure we can find a nice girl to keep you warm at night, Detective.”

I hear Onyx growl out a warning, and I know I need to shut the fuck up. But I just can’t. This asshole was in here scoping out the place, and I’m not going to let him get away with it.

His gaze comes back to me, a little too much heat in it. “Next time I’m back it will be with a warrant to shut this place down, Miss Stryker. You and your team might be good at hiding what is really going onhere, but I can see right through the charade. Be very careful and know we are watching.”

That last line just gets me the wrong way, and I can’t hold my tongue. “You’re not the only one with eyes, Detective. You’re new around here so I will give you a day to adjust, but just know if you come for me, you will regret it.”

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