Page 48 of Their Domme

I looked up at her. “Will do. But why did you invite me here with Roderick to give me this? You could have given it to me whenever.”

“The fact that evenmycontacts are having to diga lotto get dirt on the agency is worrying. Getting information is my job, Nicholette, so if they’re having such a hard time getting anything useful…” Maeve turned pensive, her jaw tightly clenched when she stood up and walked back around her desk. “You are going up against people that have a lot of power, resources, and influence, which means you need the same.” I looked between her and Roderick, and Maeve continued talking before I could say anything. “Being a call girl isn’t going to cut it anymore, and your men, while powerful, aren’t going to be enough for this fight. I know you have contacts that you’ve never mentioned to me, people you’ve connected with on your own, like the F?rstners, that can give you more leverage than I currently have.”

“Maeve—”

She held up her hand, cutting me off before I could say more. My heart was pounding loudly in my ears, panic filling me when she paused, licking her lips as if she were fortifying herself to keep going.

“Their drive to help you isn’t something that will transfer to me. It must be you calling the shots for this to work. We both know that. Things are already in motion, Nicholette.” She gave me a sad smile, real regret showing once she let her mask down. “You need to sign things with Roderick while I finish up here, then you can get your paperwork in order. After that, walk out of here and don’t look back.”

“Don’t do this.” My voice cracked, and I stood up, letting the papers fall to the ground. Maeve speaking in riddles was something I was used to, but avoidance… She didn’tdoavoidance. There was only one way someone left a position like hers, and the thought of what she was about to do made me feel like she’d pulled the rug out from under my feet.

Maeve smiled indulgently at me. “Embrace how much you hate me, little one. Focus on the toxic relationship we had… It will make this easier. This is the last gift I can give you… and your children. My blessing and my goodbye.”

I reached for her when she tried to walk by, and she let me stop her. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to scream, cry, or lash out, so I was surprised when I pulled her into a tight hug instead. She wrapped her arms around me after a few seconds of surprise and held me tightly. Soft lips brushed my cheek, and if I didn’t know better, I would have thought I’d felt tears on my face before she broke free.

“Why?” I asked just as her hand touched the door knob.

“Because you remind me of myself before life shaped me into the woman I am today,” she replied, not looking back at me. “Ambitious, cunning, resourceful. You can do great things. And despite how bad we were for each other, little one, I love you. Maybe I never knew how to show it in any of the ways you needed, but I do love you.”

“Maeve…”

She swiftly left, and I felt my heart shatter. Ice ran through my veins, the cold hardening with every fading click of her heels. A numb void consumed me until it felt like I wasn’t even in my body anymore. Conrad moved in front me, and I blinked a few times when I saw his lips were moving. Eventually, his words started to register in my mind.

“Nicholette, do you need anything?” He looked so worried. I shook my head slowly, detachment taking over.

“What do I need to sign, Roderick?”

Roderick, who had remained silent from his post along the wall, stepped forward now. “Maeve named you her heir and beneficiary almost two years ago. The paperwork is all set. I just need you to sign everything. Conrad, if you could sign as a witness?”

“What is she planning?” I asked, not moving toward the pen he held out to me.

“I don’t know, and I think it’s best we all don’t,” he replied firmly.

My hand was somehow steady when I took the pen, but I didn’t sign anything yet. I fiddled with the cool pen and looked up at Roderick, needing more answers even though I wasn’t really sure I was ready for them. “What does being her heir mean? No legal jargon, just tell it to me straight.”

“She left you all of her money, properties, everything in the event of her death,” Roderick told me evenly, holding my gaze with a blank expression. “You will also become the next Madame and the head of her entire network of contacts. You will be one of the biggest players in the criminal underworld in the Northeast.”

“The Madame of Ashview?” I choked.

Roderick shook his head. “She wasn’t just the Madame of Ashview. Sign, then I can fill you in.”

I signed the papers after another brief hesitation, then Conrad signed as well. He murmured something about getting rid of the trash can, and with a quiet order to wait for him, he left to dispose of it.

“Tell me everything. Now,” I ordered Roderick sternly.

“Once everything is processed, you will now have access to all of Maeve’s money. Last time I checked, it was about twenty million dollars. You are now the owner of quite a few businesses and about four different homes. We should discuss those at a different time when I can walk you through it all.” He paused. I just stared at him, waiting for the rest because that wasn’t what I was interested in right now. That was all her personal things, not the business side that she’d just said I would need to get my brother back. He let out a long sigh. “You had no idea, did you?”

“Then fill me in,” I ordered him coldly.

“Not many people knew, though I thought you did since you were so close.” Roderick rubbed his face, looking exhausted. “Maeve wastheMadame. The head of a network that has ties and connections throughout the United States. I think she was starting to break into things overseas, but I’m not sure about that.”

I looked back at him, not understanding, or maybe I just couldn’t imagine that level of power. Why would a woman with that kind of power give a damn aboutme? Why leave me, a fucking prostitute who hadn’t even graduated high school, the power to take over?

“This position will make you the target of many people, but it will also make you powerful enough in your own right to protect yourself,” Roderick said softly. “The moment you walk out of here, you will be the Madame and one of the most influential people in the world.”

I felt my lips tug upward, and a hysterical laugh filled the room as I threw my head back. Tears soon followed, and I curled in on myself, sobbing, when the meaning of all this truly hit me. Maeve was…

The door opened, revealing Conrad’s concerned face as he hurried over.

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