Page 18 of Room Twenty-Three: Tangled & Teased

“I don’t. Not really. But they were both dressed the same, and he kept staring at us at the beach, then to Lydia and the man?”

Atty mused. “A bodyguard, perhaps.”

“We need to hack into the street cameras in the area,” Beau says.

“You’ll look into it?” I ask, surprised.

“You’re in danger, Erin. Lia might be in danger. We’ll do whatever we have to,” Jove says. “I’ll speak to you later about the street names and times. Right now, eat your food and stop pushing it around the plate.” He stares at my hand as it stills.

“I wanted to ask you something else.” The words come out choked as I think of my plan. “My life is at risk.”

Jove nods. “You wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t. But you’ll be safe here with us. Nobody knows you’re here.”

“I know. That’s why I wanted to ask you a favor. All of you.”

Atty and Beau stop eating and place their cutlery down as they wait for me to continue.

“I want the three of you to take me into room twenty-three. I want to be tied up and float in the air.” My throat ripples with a swallow. “And touch me.”

“What the hell!” Jove yells. “It’s a fucking sex club. Not a playground ride.”

Tears coat my eyes as I try to speak, but momentarily, I lose my words in my throat before I gasp. “If I’m going to die. I want to experience it. I want to do something wild. Something the opposite of me.”

“No... no... no... NO!” Jove yells.

Each word makes my face burn with embarrassment.

I don’t need them for this.

I don’t.

Tears are already in my eyes when I push my chair back and rush out of the kitchen, up the stairs and slam my bedroom door before I throw myself on my bed.

I don’t cry for too long, enough for my shoulders and back to hurt, but I need to be brave. There is someone out there who could kill me the same way they did my cousin. I won’t be safe in New Orleans for long. I know the Mafia better than Atty, Beau and Jove.

I know they’ll kill me the same way they did Lydia. The same way they’ll hurt Lia if they find out it was her and not my cousin who was with Nicolai Bianchi that night.

If I’m next, I’m going to make sure that I experience something wild in my life before I die.

With or without the men downstairs.

Chapter 7

Beau

Wespentthenightbefore investigating another missing girl from a few years ago. She never turned up dead but also never seen again. She doesn’t have famous or Mafia parents. She wasn’t rich and didn’t attend the same private university as Bambi. But she attended Club Sin and auctioned herself to the highest bidder.

And the winning person is unknown.

The identification was for a man who lived in New York. And that identification was fake. We hoped the girls were connected through parents, social life, anything but Club Sin. But it appears the assumption is wrong.

Which means Club Sin has a major problem. They probably got away with the first girl disappearing because her parents never caused a fuss. After discussing it with the owner, we’re now waiting on their intel. However, I’m already running my computer to hack into their system.

Club Sin called us in—but it doesn’t mean they’re innocent.

Rather than watch my computer and wait for it to do its thing. I stroll along the corridor and stand at Erin’s bedroom door with my hand curled into a fist and tap my knuckles against the wooden panel.

I thought Erin was a good girl and I need to know what she’s thinking when she asked us about Club Sin, but I don’t want Jove and Atty to hear me.

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