Page 36 of Into the Woods

“Fuck’s sake,” Rook spat, looking close to hurling.

I wasn’t too far behind. I looked back at Bishop, wishing like hell I’d done surveillance duty last night so I could sleep through this shit tonight. Lucky motherfucker.

“In fact,” One continued, his tone dangerously soft in a way that set my teeth on edge, “maybe you should get on your knees for me now, Henry. Crawl under this table and suck me off.”

Two and Three fell silent, their gazes bouncing back and forth between the two men as they seemed to realize this was a little more than giving Henry shit. Two actually put his phone down, clearly more riveted by this scene than whatever was on his screen.

One braced his forearms on the linen tablecloth, his eyes bright with a manic sort of energy as he looked across the table at a pale Henry. “I’m serious. Get on your motherfucking knees and crawl to me, bitch.”

Two let out an uneasy laugh, looking around to see if anyone was around. “Fucking hell, Colby. You aren’t serious, right?”

Colby didn’t back down, his stare hard as he glared at Henry. “Henry knows just how fucking serious I am.”

Three opened his mouth.

“Crawl,” Colby growled before arching his brows. “Unless you want me—”

“No,” Henry choked out quickly, shaking his head so emphatically, I wondered if it would snap off his neck. He looked close to tears. “It’s… Colby, please.”

Colby’s lip curled. “The next time you open that mouth, it better be to—”

“He’s here,” Three cut in, looking relieved as fuck.

I shot Rook a look, because this was what we’d been waiting for. The arrival of the fifth member of their fucked-up boys’ club. The leader of their group. A guy who, at twenty-three, was already making a name for himself globally. He’d recently moved back to Paris and taken over the shipping company his mother had left him when she’d died. He’d wasted no time setting up a network to transport more than just luxury cars and computers across international borders.

No, this motherfucker had figured out how to add people as cargo while greasing the right palms to get government and political officials to look the other way.

All four men stood as a unit, watching their friend arrive with a woman on his arm.

Of course he’d bring a girl with him. It was a power move, showing off a shiny new trophy that he’d probably offer up as a party favor for them to share after—

My breath caught.

My heart fucking stopped.

“Whoa,” Rook murmured, straightening and turning to me, alarm in his expression. “Court.”

But it was like he was talking to me underwater, the sounds muffled and disjointed as I stared at the screen. At the petite brunette with the big hazel eyes, smiling as she reached out her hand for Colby to drag up to his lips. He kissed her knuckles, making her cheeks blush the prettiest shade of pink.

I was vaguely aware of Rook waking up Bishop, but I was already on my feet and headed for the door, ripping it open. I bypassed the elevator and headed for the stairs, not giving a shit that we were fifteen floors up. The elevator would take too long, and I couldn’t stand there and wait.

Not knowing that down the street, Bex had just walked herself into the goddamn lion’s den.

CHAPTER 12

BEX

“It’s so nice to meet you,” I told Colby, offering him a smile as he kissed the back of my hand and winked at me.

“Eric, you asshole,” Colby said, turning to his friend with a teasing glare, “where have you been hiding this delectable creature?”

God, that was the cheesiest of lines, and it was all I could do not to roll my eyes. With that smarmy grin and rich, velvety voice with a slight Irish lilt, this guy had a future in politics.

“Away from you miscreants,” Eric replied, tugging me back to his side before continuing introductions. “Ignore Colby, Bex. We all do.”

Colby jutted out his lower lip in an exaggerated pout that wasn’t fooling me. I turned to the next guy, who gave me a long look before offering a hand.

“Brent Collingswood,” he said, his pointy chin lifted in an aristocratic way that made him look more like a pompous asshole than a distinguished gentleman.

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