Page 16 of Tops
My head started to swim again as I could see a million versions of this playing out. Finding myself fighting for my life against that giant man or simply slouching forward from a gunshot wound to the back of the head I couldn’t see coming. He had sat less than ten feet from me for over an hour, and I hadn’t even noticed him staring. I wanted to say yes and have Tanner whisk me away to some safe place, like a white knight swooping me into his arms. But that was fairy tale shit, and I’d seen enough life to know we do not live in a fairy tale world. Real-life was rough and gritty, with just enough lazy rainy days to keep a girl going.
“I have school I have to go to. If I miss my classes, it will extend my graduation date, and I need to get out of this city,” I said. I could feel hot tears threatening my eyes. All of this was just too much.
“Ah yes, your anthropology degree. Your plan is to apply for the Smithsonian after graduation, correct?” Colten said. Wait a minute. How the fuck did he know so much about me? Like how he knew my name was Vanessa, even though Tanner only calls me Nessa.
“How do you know all that?” I asked, narrowing my eyes at him.
“Because I asked him to run a full background check on you,” Tanner said, so I could swing my glare in his direction. “I don’t just let anyone into my life, Nessa, but somehow you literally burst in. Colten happens to be a business partner of mine, along with being my attorney. A third business partner happens to be able to help you with your anthropology credit and guaranteed acceptance into the Smithsonian. Nikolai David Cage.”
Cage. Cage. I knew that name from somewhere. “Professor Pain?” The words shot from my mouth before I could think twice. I immediately regretted it, and my hand came to cover my mouth. Stifling my horror, quickly turned into hiding my laughter at the look on Tanner’s face as the words bounced around in his head. I might have short-circuited his brain.
“Professor Cage. Your new substitute professor for your anthropology class,” Tanner said, using that slow voice again.
“Yup,” I squeaked, lowering my hand to reveal my apologetic smile.
Tanner’s eyes flitted to Colten before settling back on me. “He’s our partner and will escort you to class. He will sign all the necessary documents for your credits and field hours. And the moment you graduate, there will be a letter in your mailbox asking you to accept their offer of employment. I promise you.”
I swallowed harshly as my throat seemed to dry up. I wanted all of this. I wanted it to be true, but I knew this wouldn’t be free. The bargaining point now would simply be cost. “What’s the downsides?” I asked.
“None,” Colten said from my side. I could hear the smug smile in his tone. Lawyers needed to watch what they said and how they said it.
“What’s the catch?” I said firmly, looking directly at Tanner.
“You live where I tell you to live until the matter is settled. You cannot go anywhere without security. It could take some time to track down everything we need before we can say you are safe, so I don’t know how long you will have to live like this. And, of course, all of this falls under the confidentiality clause you signed. You can never tell anyone about anything you do or learn while staying with us.” Tanner looked over to the briefcase sitting at Colten’s feet. That’s where they had put the forms after I signed them.
“I promise you, Nessa. We will take care of you and ensure no one is coming after you. The cost is uprooting your life and placing your trust in three strangers. But the reward is everything you ever dreamed of,” Colten said calmly, as if this was a simple matter.
“What about Hannah?” I asked, knowing that freedom was worth more than any life fantasy they could provide her.
“I just got a secure message from my security team. Hannah has already been taken to a safe house outside the city. One of them was Lennix, who you met earlier. The man with a proposition,” Tanner said, raising his eyebrow at me suggestively.
“You had a security team member seduce one of your employees to kidnap them?” I said with a burst of outrage.
“No, of course not. I didn’t even know they had officially met,” Tanner said sharply.
I relaxed a bit more in my chair. I was dealing with a lot of pushed boundaries today. I didn’t want to think that Lennix asked me to have a threesome just to whisk me off to the safe house.
“Lennix and his team were put on security to watch the two of you until I could figure out what was going on. Guess he liked what he saw, and so did she.” Tanner shrugged.
“So, am I going to the safe house with Hannah?” I fiddled with the hem of my shirt, suddenly feeling nervous that I would be trapped in the house with Mr. Threesome for the foreseeable future.
“No, because you still need to go to class. You will be staying here with us in New York. You cannot act like you know Nik when you are in class. And you certainly can’t mention the agreement,” Colten explained.
“Well, I guess I accept then. Since I don’t seem to have any other options,” I muttered the last part to myself. “Where is this safe house?”
“Just below us. You’ll live in Bottoms.”
6
Bottoms
Theydidn’tletmereturn to my apartment to get my things. Tanner said I could write out a list of items I needed to be collected, and he would send one of his men to retrieve my belongings. Honestly, the only things I really needed were my meds, backpack, and chargers. I wasn’t ready to settle in New York, so I rarely went shopping. Looking down at the pathetic list, my brain shuffled through what else I could need. I needed clothes. My hand hesitated before the ink hit the page as a thought flashed through my mind. I wasn’t thrilled about some stranger going through my dresser.
I sighed deeply before setting the list on the bed as I ran my fingers through my long brown hair. It was almost dry and still held some of the waves from being tied up on my head. No one ever said being taken into some kind of underground witness protection shit would be easy. Still, I needed clothes before I ended up walking around here naked. I was sure Hannah would love that.
I scribbled clothes on the bottom of the page before moving the list to the top of my new bedside table. My new room was sleek and modern, like all the other rooms I’d seen in Bottoms. Honestly, Tanner only showed me to my room while Colten explained where the kitchen, bathroom, and lounge area were. Colten gave me a bracelet I was supposed to always keep on my wrist. Apparently, it had a GPS locator powered by my body’s movement. It also unlocked the doors in Bottoms that I was allowed in. The boys wore theirs in wristwatch form.
I flopped back onto my stupidly comfortable new bed, trying not to think about how many other women had slept here. I really hoped this wasn’t their orgy room.If I banged all three simultaneously, Hannah would probably pass out from shock.
