I
looked at him coolly. There was no sense in lying; it would only raise more suspicion. “Company documents.”
He
raised a brow. “Documents? What type of documents?”
I
sighed heavily. “Look, Detective Burrows. Our documents contain sensitive data… our financial holdings and investments. My family has investments in all of the major industries.” This was true. Our family had amassed a fortune from being very savvy investors.
“
Uh-huh—so there's no truth to that reporter's allegation?”
“Reporter?”
I asked with more calmness than I felt.
“Jeff
Hunter, who alleges that there's some dark, secret society made up of rich men who your employees—escorts”—he leered at me suggestively—“provide sexual services to?”
I
had enough and wanted him out of my face. Pulling out my cell, I pressed the buttons so hard that I thought it would snap in half. “Hi, Reason. There's a Detective Burrows harassing me. Would you like to explain to him in lawyer talk why that's not such a good idea?” I extended my cell to him, tapping my foot sharply.
He
backed away from it like it was a snake. “Come on, guys. Let's clear out.” He started to leave, but not before looking at me with ice-cold eyes. “I know you’re hiding something, Ms. Credence. And I won't stop digging until I find out what it is.” He eyed me with disdain before strolling out with way too much confidence.
I
held my breath until I heard the door slam shut.
“Let
me make sure that they’re out,” Light said before rushing out and then coming back in to stare at me. “It's clear.”
My
breath was ragged as I put the cell on speaker. “Okay, Reason, they’re gone.”
“What
the hell happened?” Reason asked.
“Someone
broke into the office and stole every single document we had on our clients and escorts.”
Light
’s hands were trembling as she gathered her hair, pulling it into a high ponytail. “This is bad. They were thorough… contracts gone—records documenting what client booked what escort, places, times, agreed-upon service fees… all gone!”
I
got an instant migraine. My jaw tensed just thinking about all of the information that safe held. All going back centuries. Paper documentation was not my preferred method of doing business. I was more of a technology girl with documents encrypted on my laptop. But the contracts we had with our clients were arrangements dating back centuries, when paper ruled and a physically signed document was the only thing honored. A practice that was a recipe for disaster in the wrong hands.
“I
don't understand. I thought you had a safe,” Reason said.
I
paced back and forth. “We do, with a burglar alarm including a silent alarm function. It also has glass plate re-lockers and redundant time locks that keep the safe inoperable for a time. And on top of that, a biometric fingerprint-reading entry keypad.”
“The
thief bypassed it all,” Light said tiredly.
“Holy
shit! This requires major damage control, Storm,” Reason responded.
“Why?
We don't even know what the thief plans to do with it,” I said, all the while shaking in my fucking stilettos. We all knew that this shit would be a catastrophe if the Other Council found out the information was stolen.
Light
snorted loudly. “It doesn’t take much to figure that out—can you say blackmail?”
“If
you want to hold off on letting the Council know about this, I understand. But as your best friend and lawyer, this is not my advice. The Council has ears in all of the low and high places. So by putting off disclosure, you're damning yourself to further scrutiny,” Reason stated.
“Understood,”
I responded.
“Just
let me know if you hear anything. In the meantime, I'll keep my ears open in case I hear something,” Reason said before hanging up.
The
doorbell rang making both of us look at each other. No one should be ringing our bell without calling.
“I
can't stomach the thought of that detective asking any more questions,” I said.
Light
sighed. “I'll go and see who it is. You chill out.” She walked out of the office, mumbling under her breath.
I
walked around the office and thought about all of the things that had gone terribly wrong. And frankly, I wasn't so sure we were ready to take over the business. Everything I thought about running the business was wrong. It wasn't as easy as I had thought. Mom and Aunt Lia did handle a lot of the work I thought was so easy… dealing with the escorts… schmoozing with the clients… making decisions and comprises that kept this business successful. I was the first to admit it wasn't easy; it was damn hard. And I didn't want to be the one to destroy a business that was built on my ancestors’ backs.
“So
this is where the infamous Credence O. Empire resides,” Knox said.
I
looked up, startled. “What are you doing here?”
“Ryker
told me what happened. I was concerned.” He walked over and kissed me hard on the lips.
I
wrapped my arms around his waist, leaning in and inhaling his clean scent. “Thank you.” I looked up at the sound of commotion only to see Bones walking in with a very annoyed Light arguing with him.
“Look
, that’s not going to happen,” Light said loudly to Bones. She looked at Knox. “What's with your friend here?”
“She's
freaking out. What did you do, man?” Knox asked with a smirk.
“Nothing.
I was a perfect gentleman.” Bones shrugged. “She tripped and I saved her ass from falling flat on her face.”
Light
slapped him on the arm. “By grabbing a handful of my ass. Which he continued to hold longer than necessary.”
“You
enjoyed it, sweetheart. I smelled interest all over your ass,” Bones responded quickly.
Light
jammed her hands on her hips. “I'm not your type, pretty boy.” She looked him up and down. “Isn't there some hot New York model you should be stalking?”
He
shrugged. “I'm tired of pretty women with nothing to say. I'm looking for a pretty woman to give me hell.”
“Well
, keep on looking.” Light looked at me. “Okay, I'm out of here.” She turned on her heels with a little too much sway in her hips. I knew that she liked Bones, much to her annoyance.
Bones
winked at me before saying, “See you tonight, Lightning.”
Light
didn't pause as she gave him a one-finger salute over her shoulder.
Bones
winked at me. “She's warming up to the possibilities.” He clapped Knox on the back. “Meet you in the car.” He walked out, humming loudly.
I
shook my head with disbelief. “They're both insane.”
He
grabbed my face and stared. “Are you okay?”
I
sighed heavily. “I'm so totally screwed, Knox. They stole documents with clients and escorts names. This is going to cause major waves if they do what I think they will do… blackmail us.”
“I
have some friends in low places that could do some digging… find out who was behind this. Just say the word.”
I
didn't need that. He didn't know anything about the true nature of our clients. “No, it's fine. I have my lawyer making some calls.” I paused. “I'm not sure where this break-in will lead, but… your name was among the stolen documents. So if that gets out, it could have an impact that you might not be ready for.”
He
laughed. “I'm not worried. First, people won't believe it. Secondly, I don't give a shit about what people think.” He grabbed the back of my neck. “But you, on the other hand, I'm worried about. That's a lot of heat if people know that Credence O. provides escorts to wealthy men.”
“
Uh-huh, I just want this mess to be over,” I responded. “I know that tonight is important to you, but I'm really not in the mood to be social.”
“Come
tonight. The only thing you’ll do is sit here, kicking yourself for something out of your control.” He kissed me softly. “Besides, I have something special planned for you tonight. It involves lots of desserts.”
I
raised my eyebrows. “I don't know what the hell that means, but it sounds absolutely naughty, Mr. Gunner.”
“It
is… very naughty.” He squeezed my ass. “I left something in the foyer for you. Wear it. Be ready by nine. I'm sending a car for you.” He brushed my hair away from my forehead before stepping away. “I'll lock the door behind me.” He walked out of the office, leaving me standing there wondering how the hell my life got so freaking complicated.
Knox's
hands burned through my dress as he led me through the party. “You look beautiful, baby.”
“Thank
you.” I had to admit that I felt beautiful wearing the stunning statement necklace with a red wrapped-bodice gown. I adjusted the black leather gloves that went up to my elbow. Several guests looked curiously at the way Knox kept me pinned to his side. Women eyed me with outright hatred. But I didn't care. This was my time with him. After I was gone, they could have him.
“I
didn't know that you were so involved in charity,” I stated. In fact, there was so much I didn't know about him.
“I've
always been involved in charity, and this happens to be a cause that means a lot to Ryker and me. All of the proceeds tonight will go to building homes for single mothers and their children. It will be the first time these children have a safe place to live without the threat of gang violence and crime.”
I
stopped short, looking at him when I heard the passion in his voice. “A very worthy cause.” I smiled. “And my part in this lovely event?”
He
ran his hand across my back. “To work the dessert table, of course.”
I
arched a brow. “Do I even want to know what that really means?”
“Nope.
Just be beautiful, darling. And remember, it's all for charity.”
Harper
came strolling over, looping her arm through mine. “Time’s up, sweetheart. We need you in the dining room. It's time for dessert.”
He
winked at me. “I'll be right in.”
I
walked away with Harper hustling me into a room with ten beautiful women milling around excitedly. Frankly, their unusual giddiness was making me nervous. I eyed the long tables draped with crisp, white linen.
“What's
going on, Harper?”
She
pulled me over to a table. “Strip, Stormy.”
“Are
you out of your damn mind?” I backed away, looking around wildly at the other women eagerly stripping down and handing their clothes to the waiting attendants. My eyes widened as the women lay on the tables like it was the most normal thing in the world. “Wait, we're going to be human buffet tables?”
“
Uh-huh! Come on, Stormy. You're wasting time here. We're behind schedule.”
I
watched in horror as the waiters laid canapés delicately on the women's bodies. Oh my gawd. I'd never seen anything like this in my life.
Harper
gestured over to a tall, thin young man dressed impeccably in a well-fitted tuxedo. “This is Michael. He's here to provide anything you need to make this more comfortable for you.”
Michael
stepped forward. “Nice to meet you, Ms. Credence.”
I
nodded at him, still in shock at the women lying butt-naked across crisp linen. I wasn't shy, but I definitely wasn't an exhibitionist either. And me lying out for all the world to see like some human platter was something beyond my depth. “Look, Harper, this is Knox's sick joke. A joke that I'm going to kick his ass for. But this is not me. I'm sorry, but this I can't do.” I backed away from her.
Harper
reached out, quickly grabbing my hand. “Stormy, really, it's for a great cause. And at $50,000 per guest, this will give a lot of deserving children a real home for the first time in their lives. Some of them have been in foster care so long that they don't know what a normal life is. Believe me, I know what that's like.” Her voice ended on a sad note.
Damn,
she had to throw in the children. That was the decider for me. I unzipped my gown, stepping out of it and handing it over to Michael's outstretched hands. Two men quickly stepped forward, assisting me onto the table.
“Thank
you, Stormy. This means so much to me.” Harper smiled widely before waving impishly. “Have fun, honey. I saved the best for last. You’re going to be the dessert table.”
I
just lay there, waiting like a sacrificial lamb, when Michael touched my shoulder gently. He smiled politely. “This is your first time?” he asked.
I
laughed before responding. “Yes. And I'm so glad I shaved, or this would have been a really awkward situation.”
“Just
relax. I'm your assistant for the night.”
“So
what will you be assisting me with, Michael?”
“I
guide you. Make sure that the waiter keeps the desserts well stocked on your body. Answer any questions the guests may have when they stop by your table.” He moved my hair, spreading it around my shoulders. “There, you have gorgeous hair. We want to make sure it looks as sexy as possible.” He moved my legs without lingering. “Legs uncrossed and together. Arms akimbo. No moving at all when the guests take desserts from your body.”
I
didn't get this at all. “Are they allowed to touch me?” I wouldn't like that one bit. I wasn't up to being groped all night long.
“No,
that's not permitted. They will pick up the desserts and admire you, but no inappropriate touching. Most of these guests have been to this event before. And at $50,000 per person just for the invite, they understand the rules of engagement.”
“I
see,” I responded.
“Now
how the fundraising part works is that the table with the most guest visits accrues additional money for charity. In essence, they pay for the privilege of eating from each table.”
This
was simply genius. Freaky, but genius. It also added to the pressure. No visits—no additional money raised for charity. I pursed my lips. “So in essence, I'm the dessert buffet table. I lay here looking beautiful, enticing them to linger and come back. The more they linger, the more money I raise for this event.” I wasn't going through this angst and turmoil for nothing.
He
smiled. “Exactly. They are free to talk to you and you with them. The waiter will be here shortly to place the delectable items on your body. So relax.”
I
let the cold air kiss my body as the waiter carefully laid an assortment of sweet and savory delights strategically on my body. With the ultimate embarrassment—a cup of fondue like sauce placed precariously on my mound. It was dead quiet until I heard the door open and music pumping. I just lay there, relaxing and staring at the ceiling, concentrating on making sure not to move.
“Well,
it's the beautiful Stormy,” a woman purred.
I
turned my head carefully and smiled. “Hello, Vivica. Fancy meeting you here.” Two huge men hovered by her side protectively. Both handsome as hell. One with impeccably cut, chestnut-brown hair, the other with black.
“Knox
is such a lucky man,” the chestnut brown-haired man said with a smile.
“Oh
hush, Victor.” She rubbed his arm seductively. “Stormy, these are my mates. Victor and Alexandro.”
“Hello
, Stormy,” Alexandro said with a Texas drawl.
Vivica
picked up a canapé, the tips of her icy fingers light on my thigh.
“Thank
you for stopping by, Vivica.”
Her
gaze roamed up and down my body. “Oh, darling, it's my pleasure.” She walked away with her mates in tow.
As
the night wore on and my table was visited frequently, I actually had fun talking with the guests. I wasn't normally the social butterfly, but something was freeing about just lying there being admired by both men and women who seemed to enjoy flirting with me outrageously. But the man that I wanted to see—Knox—was nowhere to be seen. I started to get perturbed by his no-show when I saw him walking toward me with Ryker. I blinked because for the first time, I saw them standing side by side. They looked remarkably similar.
“Are
you tired, honey?” Knox asked.
“A
little. But I'm all right.” I shivered as his fingers grazed across my breasts.
“You
did a lot tonight. I'm proud of you. But anytime that you want to call it a night, it's fine,” Knox said.
Ryker
winked at me. “Did Knox tell you your table raised the most money tonight?”
I
arched a brow. “No, he didn't.”
“I
didn't want to give her a big head.” Knox growled.
I
rolled my eyes. “Uh-huh. Angry your diabolical plan didn't work out exactly like you planned?”
He
trailed his fingers along my abdomen before picking up a canapé, biting it and reaching down and popping the rest in my mouth. The pastry melted in my mouth. He leaned down, thrusting his tongue in my mouth and kissing me hard.
“Delicious,”
he whispered against my mouth before licking away some stray crumbs. “I'll be back in a few for you.” He stepped back, giving Ryker a perturbed look for the way his eyes lingered on me with appreciation. They walked away surrounded by several men from Ryker's pack. This strange friendship between Ryker and Knox was something I didn't quite understand. I sighed, relaxing my body and closing my eyes, letting the fragrant air soothe my nerves.
“It's
time, Ms. Credence.” Michael’s voice was smooth.
My
eyes popped open to see him standing with a black silk robe open and extended toward me. Two men eased me off the table, stepping back as I stepped into the robe.
“Ms.
Credence.” Michael gestured toward a door at the other end of the large room.
I
smirked. “It's Stormy. I think after you've seen me naked, first-name basis is more than appropriate.”
“As
you wish.” He smiled. “Shall we?” I followed him past the other women putting on robes and leaving the banquet room. “Harper has placed your dress in a private room in the back. Here's the key.” He handed it over. “Mr. Knox has requested your presence downstairs when you’re done.”
“Thank
you, Michael,” I responded before walking through the hallway. I was exhausted. And now, left to my own thoughts, I worried about all of the changes happening in such a short time.
“So
he's finally succeeded in making you his slut,” a voice taunted from the shadows.
I
recognized the voice. Turning around quickly, I staggered back with eyes wide. He was the last man I expected—no, wanted—to see. “Luke? What the hell are you doing here?” I looked around nervously, relieved that the area was not completely deserted.
“Watching
the humiliation of him treating you like his personal sex toy.” Luke sneered.
I
didn't know what to make of his presence. He looked the same as he did in college. Still blond, handsome, and crazy as hell. Women in college loved him. In fact, they hung on his every word. But I quickly realized something was very wrong with him. It took me months and an order of protection to finally shake him from my life after college. Now, here he was, standing before me after all these years, looking cool and focused on me… again. I popped my hands on my hips. “What I do with my life is none of your business, Luke. Were you invited or are you stalking someone else?”
“You
forget my family runs in these circles, Storm.” He walked around me, checking me out. “Still beautiful. No woman could ever compare to you. I've tried to forget you but failed miserably.”
“
Uh-huh.” I edged away from him. “Look, I'm seeing Knox again.”
His
lips curled up into a cruel smile. “And exactly how long do you think that it will last this time? Face it. You're nothing but his fuck toy.”
“Oh
, shut the hell up.”
“No
man will ever love you the way I love you.” Surprising me with his quickness, his hands slid around my neck in a weird gesture of ownership.
Oh
, hell no. Enraged, I shoved him away. “Don’t touch me, Luke. It's been over for more than four years. I'm not sure how many times I have to tell you I'm not the woman for you. I've never been.” I took several calming breaths, trying to soothe my anger.
His
creepy smile widened. “Let me take you out to dinner. Prove how wrong you are. We're meant to be together. I was born to love you.”
He
was certifiably crazy. “No! I'm not going out with you. Don't come near me again.” I shoved him away before walking away from him.
“Storm!
You better stay away from Knox Gunner. You know what happens to humans around the Credence women,” he shouted after me.
I
stopped cold in my tracks, turning around sharply. “What did you say?”
His
eyes were cold as he folded his arms across his chest. “You're getting too close to Knox. Stay away from him. I won't be responsible for what happens to him if you don't.”
I
clenched my fists. “You're sick and delusional. That's exactly what you are,” I spat.
He
shrugged. “Call me what you want, but history is a funny thing… It has a habit of repeating itself,” he said with an amused look on his face.