Page 38 of Once You're Mine

“Yes, but T&A isn’t a place you normally visit, so why were you there?”

I tilt my head, a smile playing about my lips. “Have you been stalking me?”

Her entire demeanor shifts. From the way her skin pales to the alarmed look on her face, the mere mention of a stalker, even in the form of a joke, is devastating to Callie.

She lifts her hand to her throat and quickly drops it. A spark of satisfaction ignites my blood. Her necklace is currently in my pocket, albeit not all in one piece. I’ve been carrying around the pearls since that first night.

She’ll get all of them back eventually.

Given the number of times I’ve fucked myself because of her, it’ll be sooner rather than later.

“No, I haven’t been following you,” she says. “I’m trying to figure out how you always seem to be around when I need you.”

That’s right. You’re finally getting that you need me. Andonlyme.

“Coincidence, I’m sure. Why are you here, Callie?”

Although her gaze remains doubtful, she waves a hand in dismissal. “I need to know how important it is that you finish the investigation of my father’s murder, Mr. Bennett.”

“It’s Hayden. And the answer isvery.”

Even more so since Zack said that there was no record of anyone matching her description being treated at a hospital on June 24th. If I didn’t know for certain that he was the best, I would’ve fired him. The hacker promised he’d continue looking into the matter, probably to appease me since I lost my shit. But I can’t wait for him.

Not when the source of the answers sits directly across from me.

Calista presses her lips together. I can almost hear the cogs turning in her mind. “Hayden,” she says, her voice lowering in volume. Almost as if she’s scared to say my name. “Why do you care so much about my father’s case?”

I almost groan at the sound of my name on her lips and tongue. “I already told you. It was one of the few high-profile cases in my career that I lost. Even with the senator acquitted, he still ended up dead. Whatever the reason, I want to know why. Don’t you?”

“Obviously,” she says. “That’s why I hired the P.I. in the first place.”

“Then we are agreed.”

Her luscious mouth pulls down into a frown. “Not quite. I’m willing to assist you in the investigation by filling in the gaps of missing information, but it’ll cost you.”

“Indeed?” I lean back in my chair, fighting a smile. My little Calista has grown a set of claws. I flick my gaze to her perfectly manicured nails, imaging them digging into my back as I fuck her. “This is very close to bribery, Callie.”

“I prefer to think of it as quid-pro-quo.”

A smile takes over my mouth before I can stop it. One that’s both rare and genuine. This woman seduces me at night and amuses me in the day. So unique.

So mine.

“A favor for a favor…” I tap my chin in thought although I made my decision to give her whatever she wanted when I first heard her say my name. “I can work with that. What’s your price?”

She blows out a stream of air and then says, “Okay. One piece of information for five hundred dollars.”

“Is that all?”

Calista winces before she smoothes her features. “Make it one thousand dollars.”

She has no idea that I would give her the millions of dollars I own if it meant getting to know everything about her. Very few people know about the wealth I amassed after investing the money I made from my career as an attorney. The only reason I continue to do this job is because it provides me satisfaction when meting out justice.

Not as much as killing the guilty with my bare hands. But we all have to make sacrifices for the greater good.

“You drive a hard bargain, Callie, but I’m willing to pay.”

“Great.”

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