Page 107 of Say My Name

But it’s better this way.

If I tell him Sugar is running tricks out of his club, he’d try some vigilante shit and get himself hurt. Or worse, possibly killed.

No. I can’t tell him.

So, I keep my mouth shut, letting his lips get dangerously close to mine. If someone saw us right now, we’d have so much explaining to do.

If Sugar or Raven saw us, they’d probably kick me out of the hooker business.

Yet, I can’t turn away. I hum as his hand slides along my upper thigh, getting dangerously close to slipping underneath the hem of my dress.

“I should get back,” I whisper, even though there’s no part of me that wants to leave right now.

“I should get back too. But tonight, when we get home, you’re mine.” His voice is so demanding, and the domesticity of his words has my heart leaping inside my chest.

When we get home.

I need to remember this is just a job. God. That phrase will be written on my tombstone.

We go our separate ways, and I hustle back out to Sugar and Raven, resuming my position on the barstool between them.

“One more thing,” Sugar says, leaning in close. “I’m having a hard time staffing girls. You’ll do anything?”

“Anything?” I ask for clarification.

“Oral, full penetration, maybe some double penetration. Chains. Whips. Bondage.” She giggles. “Some of these guys are heavy hitters.”

“Sure, yes.” A thought occurs. “Does Brandon know you do this?”

She winks. “Who do you think runs the whole thing?”

“It was his brainchild,” Raven says, but Sugar prevents her from disclosing anything further with a stern glance.

This is enough to whip out my badge to arrest them for prostitution and take them downtown, but that’s not what I’m after.

“Is Brandon here?” I look around the crowd again, still not seeing him.

Sugar shakes her head. “No, work. Devereaux is coming down hard on him.”

I’m sure that’s partly my fault, but I’m not telling her that. “Was Luna one of your girls?”

They both shake their heads. “No, she wasn’t.”

I feel deflated. Had Luna been involved I could have actually tied in a reason for Brandon to kill her. I still think Brandon’s my guy, and more than anything I want to talk to Finn.

I glance over at Devereaux. A huge part of me wants to fill him in on what I’m learning, but I have to follow this through, see how this operation works and not jump to any conclusions too soon. I want to call Finn, have him bring Sugar, Raven, and Brandon down to the station to question them about the murders, but just because they run a prostitution ring doesn’t mean they’re killers.

Doesn’t mean they’re not either.

I just need to be sure.

Raven and Sugar get distracted by the fight, and I glance back at Devereaux. His eyes are like summer lightning, making my skin spark with heat.

Sugar looks down at her phone. “Oh, I’ve got to go. Have to meet a client.” She kisses us both on the cheek, telling me she’ll be in touch soon.

“Ready to get out of here?” Raven asks me.

Even though the fights aren’t anywhere close to being done, I am ready to go. Fighting isn’t really my thing, and I got what I wanted.

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