Chapter 10
My phone dances across the kitchen counter, and I collect it, answering immediately when I see who it is.
“Sloane, you need to get down here,” Sally’s voice comes down the line, and I don’t miss the hint of panic.
I’m up for the day and having breakfast after running ten miles on my treadmill, while Onyx took his aggression out on a punching bag.
I was feeling energetic and ready to take on the day, but the tone of her voice has me wanting to crawl back into bed and hide away from the world.
“What’s wrong, Sally?”
“The cops are here,” she mutters, trying to keep her voice calm.
I stand in a rush, grabbing my bag.
“For fuck’s sake. Keep them in the front bar until I get there.” I give Onyx a look, and he grabs his leather jacket and the car keys and the two of us are out the door and heading for the elevator.
“Actually, keep me on the phone. Put it in your pocket, I want to hear what’s going on until I get there.”
“Alright,” she says, and I hear the rustling of fabric as her phone is slid into her pocket.
“The owner is on her way. I can’t give you access to any other areas until she arrives,” she tells them, and I thank God at least my manager is sharp as a tack.
“We can wait,” comes a man’s deep voice.
One I recognize from someplace but can’t quite place .
We hop into my Porshe, and Onyx takes off up the road in the direction of The Raven’s Nest. This isn’t the first time we have had the cops sniffing around since the new team took over from the corrupt pigs who were controlling this town.
That’s why I have it all set up as a legitimate business.
Workers aren’t technically employees but independent contractors, which shields me from legal liability for what happens in the VIP rooms. We wipe all security tapes off the server every twenty-four hours; the only copies being held in an offshore server that Malachi set up for me.
As that thought runs through my tired brain, my skin suddenly goes all prickly, with sweat running down my spine.
“Fuck.” I cover my phone with my hand so I can’t be heard by Sally.
“What?” Onyx glances my way concerned.
“I didn’t wipe the server yesterday.” I fan my face, feeling like I’m going to be sick.
If the cops see what I did with Romeo.
Worse, the party. Shit!
My stomach rolls.
Onyx’s hand comes to my thigh.
“Sloane, stop panicking, I took care of it.”
I meet his dark eyes, my heart starting to settle.
“Thank you. I never forget.”
His brow raises, and I know he knows I’m right, but yesterday got out of hand.
“One bad day and I could have fucked up everything.”
“You had a lot on your plate yesterday.”
“Onyx, what happened between me and Romeo...” I start, not sure how to approach it but knowing we can’t keep skirting around what I did with him.
Especially if Romeo is going to be hanging around the club more.
“We don’t have to talk about it,” he cuts me off, his face hardening, and I see how furious he still is about it .
I give him a sideways glance, telling him we both know we do.
“I know you watched us,” I tell him, wondering what he has to say for himself.
His jaw tightens, but he doesn’t give me a response.
He just stares out the front windshield as he tears into the parking lot of The Raven’s Nest. I guess I didn’t really expect him to admit he watched me screw some other dude.
But I needed him to know I knew.
He can’t get away with shit like that without me finding out about it.
“Did you get off on it?” I ask, my heart pounding with a newfound bravery.
His fists grip the steering wheel with white-knuckle force, and I know I’m pushing him.
I wait for him to snap at me, but nothing.
“Did you like it?” I push, still watching him, waiting for him to crack and finally come clean with me.
“I have a job to protect you,” he growls.
“We both know that was going way too far. You watched us because you wanted to.”
He gets out of the car and comes around to my side, yanking open the door with more force than necessary.
Yeah, he’s pissed I know his dirty little secret.
I step out of the car, keeping my eyes locked with his.
“Answer me, Onyx. You watched me fucking some other guy because you wanted to.”
He moves in closer, his large frame caging me in, his head dropping closer to mine.
His breathing is ragged, and I know he’s about to lose control.
“You know I want you. You taunted me all fucking night. And then you let him fuck you because you knew I couldn’t. Yeah, I watched you. I watched you and I imagined it was me making you come apart. Tasting your sweet little cunt, stretching you for the first time. It should have been me. ”
Oh fuck.
A thrill runs right through me.
I stare back at him, my heart racing out of control.
That was the answer I wanted.
I pushed him for it.
But now what do I do with the truth?
He wants me as much as I want him but nothing else has changed.
Another car pulls into the lot, a matte-black Maserati GranTurismo, and I remember why I’m here.
Fuck, the cops. Onyx steps back from me, and I storm toward the back door, swiping us in with my all-access pass.
But as I do, Romeo arrives at my side.
“What the hell are you doing here?” I snap at him.
It’s too damn early to deal with a Moretti.
“Heard the cops are sniffing around, thought I better come and help.” He smiles confidently like some kind of hero.
Not my hero.
“You can help by staying out of my damn way,” I throw back at him as I move inside.
He follows right behind me, and both Onyx and I know there is nothing we can do to stop him.
But he is the least of my problems right now.
I need to get rid of the cops before the media gets wind of this and my clients think my club isn’t safe anymore.
I shove open the back door, the smell of bleach hitting my nostrils.
Thank the Lord the cleaning crew have already been through this morning.
I find two plainclothes police officers—a man and a woman—and a flustered Sally in the main bar area.
With a determined stride, I march right over to them, flinching a little when I recognize one of them and realize why I know his voice.
“What seems to be the problem?” I ask with an air of confidence I don’t have right now.
What the fuck did I say to this dude the other night?
I try to recall our conversation.
I know he made me all hot and bothered, but the actual conversation is fuzzier.
Jagger makes a point of us knowing every cop in every role from the local precinct.
It’s the only way we can make sure some unknown doesn’t come in here and start sniffing around without us knowing about it.
But this guy isn’t on any list of their current employees, Malachi would have found him if he was.
“Are you the owner of The Raven’s Nest?” he asks, trying not to show we have already met.
He is breathtakingly handsome, every bit as good as I remember him, with perfectly tousled sandy-blond hair, his voice a low sexy rumble.
And I realize exactly why Police Commissioner Sedgwick sent him—eye candy.
She’s smart. I met her a few months ago and instantly liked her.
Even if she is on the wrong side of the law.
“Yes,” I respond at the same time Romeo does.
I direct a pointed glare in his direction, telling him to politely fuck off.
This is my club.
“Sloane Stryker,” I offer, holding out my hand for him to shake.
His fingers meet mine right as I look up into his piercing green eyes.
This guy, with his sun-kissed skin and laid-back attire, looks more like he belongs on a beach with a surfboard than on the beat with a badge.
Something in the way he assesses me makes me smirk.
I would love to push this guy’s buttons.
We had a fun chat while he was sitting at my bar.
I’m disappointed to find he’s a cop.
We could have had so much fun together.
Romeo’s shirt brushes my arm as he moves in beside me, breaking my contact with the charismatic officer.
“Romeo Moretti. Sloane and I co-own this club,” Romeo introduces himself, way too cocky for my liking.
Sally’s eyes come back to me with concern, and I know what she’s thinking.
Who the fuck does this guy think he is?
But one problem at a time.
“I’m Detective Wilder.” He didn’t even give me a fake name.
I’m even more intrigued by him.
“This is my colleague Detective Scout.” He motions to the young female officer who looks me over with interest piqued.
She looks strangely fascinated with me, like you would expect a young fan to look at her favorite pop star, but we all know I’m a far cry from that.
“We have a warrant to search the premises for signs of illegal prostitution, Miss Stryker,” she says, the tremble in her voice giving away her fear.
I suppress the urge to roll my eyes.
Not this shit again.
“A warrant? It’s starting to feel like a monthly ritual. Last time it was Detective Hachette, wasn’t it? A real charmer.” I arch an eyebrow toward Wilder as he’s clearly the one in charge of this witch hunt.
“As I told him—the club operates on a private-party-only basis. Our luxurious rooms are spaces for private entertainment, nothing more. Every patron signs agreements acknowledging that our staff are entertainers and consenting adults. It’s pretty simple stuff, no need for a monthly visit.”
Detective Wilder doesn’t flinch like his partner.
He meets me eye to eye and the strangest sensation comes over me, much like it did when I met him the other night.
A familiarity I don’t understand.
“We’ll need access to all security cameras, financial records, and client lists, Miss Stryker.”
I straighten my shoulders, trying to get out of my fantasy of who this guy was; I know who he is now.
My glare intensifies to ice queen, fists clenched, ready to boot him and his partner off my property.
I don’t care how hot he is.
“Of course. We wouldn’t want to obstruct the law, would we, Sloane?” Romeo smiles at me, all charm.
“However, as I’m sure you’re aware, accessing client lists without evidence of wrongdoing will require more than just a fishing expedition. But the cameras and financials? Knock yourselves out. You’ll find everything in order—just like last time,” Romeo adds, his eyes meeting mine in a way that says cool it or you’re going to fuck us both over.
Irritation slithers down my spine.
Who the hell does he think he is, acting like he knows what’s going on here.
He knows nothing about this place.
Truth is, it would serve him right if he got arrested on day one of owning this place.
It would be his fault for involving himself where he shouldn’t, now wouldn’t it.
“I want to see the rooms as well,” the detective adds, his gaze coming back to me.
I plaster on my fakest smile and huff out a laugh.
“Of course. I’ll take you through to the rooms now while my manager Sally walks your colleague through the books. Follow me.”
Onyx meets my gaze as I go to walk away, and I know what he’s thinking.
He warned me about talking to strangers, and here I was flirting with this dude unashamedly the other night.
Now he turns out to be a cop.
I feel all three men behind me as I sway my way through the empty tables on my way to the back door.
Glad I chose a pencil skirt to wear this morning, knowing I have all three of them watching my every move.
After we take the stairs, I use my keycard to swipe us through, and we enter the strip club.
Just like yesterday a couple of the new girls are having dance lessons on the center stage, with upbeat music blaring through the speakers.
They look my way, and I wave at them to keep going.
We head right on through to the back, and I swipe us through again.
Once the door is closed, it’s quiet through the dimly lit hallway.
At this time of the day, it’s empty, and every one of us in this space right now, including our new detective friend, knows if they wanted to see the real action, they would come during opening hours.
This is a formality.
His boss probably needs it ticked off her list to prove she’s doing her due diligence as the new commissioner, but she’s not really after me.
I enter a PIN code and the door to room one flings open.
Detective Wilder enters the room, the air growing heavy with tension, and I see his breath catch in his chest. His eyes find mine in the floor-to-ceiling black mirrored wall.
My rooms are opulent and sexy as fuck.
He’s turned on just imagining the dark and dirty things people get up to in here.
How could he not be.
“Looks like a brothel to me.” His gaze burns into mine, a tangible heat in the intensity of his stare.
He might be doing his job, but he has a thing for me, it’s damn obvious.
My lips turn up at the sides into a sassy smile.
This guy takes his job so seriously.
I know the type, and right now he’s trying to keep his composure and look professional.
I bet he’s never done anything fun in his life.
I could have been so good for him.
“Or does it look like a luxurious hotel room that is booked out by the hour?” I step in closer to him.
He is so near that the invigorating smell of clean skin and mint fills my senses.
“People meet at places like my club and decide they want to spend a little more time together. It’s innocent really, Detective, we’re all about helping people find their match and fall in love at my club.” I run a hand up his arm, enjoying the way his breath hitches when I touch him.
“What goes on behind closed doors is up to the couple themselves. If you’re free sometime soon, you should drop by the place and have a go for yourself. I’m sure being a detective on the streets of Ravens Hollow is an inherently lonely job.”
His bushy brows rise.
“Are you saying your services are on offer?” he asks, his voice a low murmur, but I know right now he’s trying to trap me into saying something I shouldn’t.
How dumb does he think I am?
“Like fuck they are,” I hear Romeo grumble from behind me .
Reef looks him over with fresh eyes, and I can see he’s trying to work out who this guy is.
If he’s done his job correctly, he’s researched me and my club, and he wouldn’t have found anything about Romeo in that.
His attention comes back to me, his eyes roaming up my body all the way from my six-inch pumps to my tight knee-length pencil skirt and fitted blouse that shows off a little too much cleavage.
I raise a questioning brow, and I know I have his attention captivated.
He’s fascinated by me, trying to work me out.
And that is exactly where I want him.
“Not at all, sir. I run this place, I don’t have time to party.”
I hear Romeo snicker from behind me, and I choose to ignore him, as much as I want to slap him across his handsome face.
All my attention is on the detective.
He knows I know he’s the guy I had such a nice chat with the other night.
It was clearly all fake, as he was here undercover.
Must be the week for assholes who want to lie to me and screw me over.
I tilt my head to the side.
“Have you seen enough yet or would you like a private tour of every room?” My voice is way too suggestive, and I know I’m probably pushing this a little too far, but I don’t miss the way his pupils dilate.
He wants me.
“I think I’ve seen enough.” He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a business card, handing it to me.
“In case you find yourself in more trouble than you can handle, Miss Stryker,” he says, glancing ever so slightly toward Onyx and Romeo, implying I might just be in trouble already.
He still thinks he can save me from my life, how adorable.
I take his card and slip it under my button down-shirt and inside my bra as he watches me.
“Thank you, Detective. I assume I can call you any time of the day or night?” I smile slyly, hoping to appeal to his imagination.
He’s certainly going to be more fun to mess with than the other old dude who visited the last couple of times .
His eyes meet mine with an intensity I don’t miss.
“If that is what you need.”
Romeo holds out his hand for Reef to shake.
“She’s messing with you.” He snickers, but there is a hint of jealousy in his tone that I quite enjoy.
“I’m sure we won’t need to be seeing you around here again. As you can see, everything is above board.”
Reef offers a quick sharp shake of his hand.
“I’ll be the judge of that. What did you say your name was again?”
“Romeo Moretti,” Romeo says so smoothly, his accent sounding sexy as hell.
“Hmm.” He takes another card.
“I’m head of sex crimes in Ravens Hollow. If either of you hears of or sees anything I should be made aware of, I’m sure I can trust you to contact me.” With that, he walks toward the door.
I move in front of them all, swiping our way back through the building.
When we make it to the main bar, we find Sally and the other detective.
“All done?” he asks his colleague.
“Nothing much to see. The tapes have been wiped, and the books look squeaky clean.”
I grin at him like I told you so.
“Don’t be a stranger. If you want to take me up on that offer, I’m sure we can find a nice girl to keep you warm at night, Detective.”
I hear Onyx growl out a warning, and I know I need to shut the fuck up.
But I just can’t. This asshole was in here scoping out the place, and I’m not going to let him get away with it.
His gaze comes back to me, a little too much heat in it.
“Next time I’m back it will be with a warrant to shut this place down, Miss Stryker. You and your team might be good at hiding what is really going on here, but I can see right through the charade. Be very careful and know we are watching.”
That last line just gets me the wrong way, and I can’t hold my tongue.
“You’re not the only one with eyes, Detective. You’re new around here so I will give you a day to adjust, but just know if you come for me, you will regret it.”
His sidekick’s bottom lip trembles, and I know I have her shaking in her boots.
But his glare intensifies.
“Sloane,” Romeo mutters, his hand grabbing my wrist as he pulls me back toward him in warning.
“What my colleague means to say is have a nice day, detectives, thanks for stopping by,” Romeo talks for me.
Reef takes one last look between the two of us then walks out the front door with his associate closely behind him.
Romeo spins me to face him, his fingers still digging into my arm.
“What the fuck was that, Sloane?”
“That asshole was in here chatting me up the other night.”
“You’re so pissed because he tried to play you, you’re trying to risk our business?”
“This is my business, not yours. And I have been just fine dealing with things my way for a very fucking long time. I don’t need you coming in here and telling me how I should run things or deal with the cops.”
He breaks into an over-the-top smile.
“That is exactly what I’m here to do.” He looks at Sally and Onyx.
“Everything changes today,” he announces to the room, his voice booming off the walls in its empty state.
My blood boils, from his barbaric hold on me and from his tone.
Fuck him for thinking he’s going to come in here and change things.
He has another thing coming if he thinks I will just lie down and take it.