Page 108 of Nails
But when she’d stood to leave, he had followed her outside.He was quiet and visibly struggling to let her go.But to his credit, he didn’t try to stop her this time.He just touched her hand, pressed his forehead to hers, and said,“Come back to me.”She carried those words with her now, tucked deep down close to her heart.
Tonight, she was determined.She wasn’t just playing hostess.She was hunting answers.And no matter how dangerous the players in that suite turned out to be, she wasn’t walking out of there empty-handed.
She bent slightly and adjusted the tiny black name tag clipped to her top.Aussie had rigged it earlier in the day, complete with a hidden micro camera embedded just beneath the surface.It was fed to the team’s secure laptop in real time, including audio.They would be able to see and hear everything.
She checked herself in the mirror one last time, then hit the tiny button on the back of the name tag to start the feed.
She pulled out her phone and sent a text to Nails, making sure they could see the video feed.
Riley:Checking in one last time.
Nails:We’re watching.Be safe.
She smiled, thinking about how Nails had kissed her breathlessly before she had left the house, and promised her more of that when she got home.
A knock at the door snapped her out of the thought.
Riley straightened, and her eyes flashed toward the door.She took a slow, steady breath, then let it out.“Showtime,” she muttered, then stepped toward the door and opened it.
Adam stood there in a tailored blue suit, sans the tie, with a white dress shirt unbuttoned at the top, and the same easy smile on his face that never quite reached his eyes.
“Hey, beautiful.You ready?”he asked, his eyes moving slowly over her body as if he was memorizing every part of her body.
Riley gave him her most practiced smile in return, the kind that revealed nothing.
“I was born ready,” she replied and followed him toward the stairs.
The rhythmic thump of bass faded as they climbed the stairs, the soft click of Riley’s heels echoing as she walked beside Adam through the quiet, polished corridor of the second floor.She could feel her adrenaline start to build, sharpening her senses and narrowing her focus with each step closer to the suite.
Adam, of course, looked perfectly relaxed, hands in his pockets, voice smooth as silk.“The suite’s already been prepped.Just waiting on our guests to arrive.”
Guests.The word was vague.Too vague.
“How many guests are you expecting this evening?”she asked.
He gave his shoulders a slight shrug.“Six or seven.”He glanced down at her.“You seem different tonight.Are you nervous?”he asked.
Riley tilted her head slightly.If the man could only read her mind right now.
“Only about trying not to trip in my heels,” she laughed.
Adam chuckled, his eyes trailing down to her legs with undisguised interest.“Then let’s make sure you stay close to me tonight.I’d hate for something as perfect as you to hit the floor.”
Oh, don’t worry, I’ll stay close, right up until the moment I help take your ass down.
She wanted to roll her eyes, but she kept her smile in place.
As they neared the end of the hallway, a door to their right opened.Riley turned just in time to see a mean-looking man step out.He was tall, with a thick build and dark eyes.His face was sharp, his jaw clenched like he chewed nails for breakfast.
Adam slowed, gesturing casually.“Riley, this is Dima.He handles surveillance for the club.”
Surveillance.Her pulse spiked, but she kept her expression polite, curious, but not too interested.“Nice to meet you.”
Dima didn’t say a word.He just gave a curt nod and handed Adam a small, black USB drive.
Riley’s eyes locked onto it.
She watched the handoff like it was happening in slow motion.The casing was matte, unmarked, barely the size of her thumb.But it might as well have been a nuclear key.
