Page 54 of When Sinners Dare

“After you-”

“Please do not finish that sentence with killed your mother, otherwise, we can call it now.” There’s nothing I can do to change things. I know that. Abel’s moving on. I’m not sorry she’s gone, but I do wish it didn’t happen that way.

I turn around and face him. “You okay over there?”

“I appreciate you telling me.”

“Right. And?” I wait for the kicker.

“And, nothing. I couldn’t believe my luck when you walked into that bar. A beautiful young girl like you. Sexy and fearless.” He closes the distance between us and cups my face in his hand. “And then Abel shows up. I knew then you were trouble. And the more I know you, the more my gut is on point. You’ve only proved me right. Over and over again.”

“Are you making a point here?”

“I can’t stay away. I’m already in too deep with you and know I’m going to fucking regret it if I walk away.” He lowers to kiss me, and I kiss him back, pulling him closer to me and deepening the kiss. “Hmm,” he murmurs. “As good as you taste, I think we should quit while we’re ahead. I need to get back.”

“Spoilsport.”

“Yeah.”

~

After having a relaxing morning with Kai, and happy that we’re in the right place together – on the same page as to a relationship – I’m filled with energy. By the evening, I’m too bored and too wired to stay in the house, so I head out to Apartment B to check on Sasha and the bookings for the night. The opening was more profitable than we had first estimated, with the clients taking greater advantage of the private rooms. However, the turnover of the rooms would need monitoring – more staff dedicated to getting them back and available to use.

I spend an hour or so reviewing paperwork and schedules in the tiny office and pull up the plans for the apartment downstairs. It will be a necessity. We need more space already. Before leaving, I check the email account and see one from Knox, requesting the accounts and takings for the first night.

“Little fucker.”

I promise to send him the accounts, but also ask him about Reed and the address in Smithtown Bay. It doesn’t make sense that we have the information but we’re not acting.

His email back is almost instant, berating me for bringing it up again. But he’s attached a file. I click the icon and open up photos, documents, and what looks like surveillance.

Fucking hell.

He signs off with a ‘see you for breakfast.’

~

I ensure I’m awake and ready for my meeting with Knox at an ungodly hour. My mind is buzzing from all the information he sent last night, but, for once, he’s the one keeping me waiting. I finally give up waiting in the main room and take my breakfast out into the sun.

An hour or so later, I hear voices. Knox isn’t alone. He’s got Dante and Abel, clearly back from New York, with him. They all come out onto the deck looking for me.

“Enjoying the morning?” Knox starts.

“Yes, thank you. Breakfast is probably cold, though. You can help yourself or ask Marci.”

Dante disappears, presumably to fix the food situation, and Able and Knox sit at the table next to where I’m lounging.

“Once I get the accounts from Mariana, I’ll be able to forecast and build the model if we want Carmen to set up in another city. It would help grow the legitimate side of the business and provide cover for the transport. We’re still in the red from the London auction.”

I listen to Knox rattle off plans and feel my temper flare, especially given our conversation and emails from the other night.

No fucking way.

“Good. Carmen is a tool who’s good with the merchandise. She might be best overseeing the operation. We give the girls who don’t make the cut an opportunity-”

I cut Abel off. “Hold on a minute. You aren’t talking about Apartment B, are you?” I stand and walk over to where they’re having their little business meeting.

“Yes. From what Knox said, it’s got good potential. The first two nights performed well. But we’ll need to review the girls from Carmen.” He stops answering me and goes back into work mode with Knox. “She’ll need to have more input so she can manage the shipments. There’s a higher risk of exposure somewhere like Mariana’s. She’d have to scrutinise them.”

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