Total pages in book: 110
Estimated words: 107557 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 430(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107557 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 430(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
“Helping the dancers was so much more than keeping the club profitable.”
Sapphire nodded and swallowed another bite of plantain. “We have the same mindset. We’re not embarrassed by what we do. We both know this can be a lucrative career if done right. A club could be a cash cow if managed properly.” She shook her head. “Mel did her best to keep the club running smoothly and efficiently after the Demons pushed Laura out. She’s good at it. Really good. That’s why, if I had the money, I would never hesitate to become her partner. Mel is kickass.”
“She certainly is. But so are you, Phire.”
It hit him then, he still didn’t know her real name. And despite what she thought, he had not run her license plate. That would be an abuse of power since it would be done for personal reasons.
“I’m good at my job. I normally enjoy it. I’m normally happy. How many other people, men or women, can say that?”
“You’re all that now?”
“That’s changed only because of what happened with this club and who is running it. If—no, when—Mel gets a club up and running, I’ll be the first in line to work with her again. Absolutely thrilled. I wish I had the funds to give to her. To even be her partner.”
“But you don’t.”
“No, and the more this club spirals down to the bottom, the less I’m making.”
“Another reason for you to find somewhere else to work, even if temporarily.”
“I can’t work a nine-to-five, Rez. It’s not in my blood.”
“Not in mine, either, so I feel you on that.”
“So, are you going to finally tell me what you and Finn and the rest of your hunky buddies are doing with the Demons?”
“I can’t tell you everything but they’re under investigation.”
“I figured that out already. But for what? Selling drugs?”
“It’s more than selling drugs.”
Her blue eyes went wide and she placed her fork on her almost empty plate. “Gun running? Sex trafficking?”
“No. Let’s make a deal. You tell me your real name and I’ll tell you what I can about the investigation.” He lifted a hand. “And I’m only telling you because working at The Pit, as you call it, puts you right in the thick of things. Plus, I plan on coming in to do buys. It’ll be nice to have eyes inside.” Telling her about the hidden cameras was off the table at this point. She might have an issue with the task force recording the girls on stage. Even though that was not why the cameras were installed.
“My eyes.”
“Yeah. With as much as you hate the Demons, I figured you wouldn’t mind keeping an eye out for more than T-Bone.”
“And you’re searching for T-Bone because he’s a target of the investigation?”
Not quite.
“Name first. Explanation after,” he insisted.
Chapter Ten
Name first, explanation after.
He could call her whatever he damned well pleased if she got inside information on the investigation into the Demons. Her birth name was a small price to pay. Plus, she had planned on sharing it with him anyway, even if he didn’t use it.
“Sapphira Loukanis.” She pinned her lips together when his head twitched.
“Sapphira what? Luke-anus?”
“Loukanis. Lou… kay… nus,” she pronounced slowly.
“Like the Olympic diver?”
“That’s Louganis. My last name’s Greek. I’m not sure about his.”
“Either way, it’s a mouthful.”
“That it is and no one knows how to spell it, either. When I was very young I learned to automatically spell it whenever I had to provide my name. They would still misspell it. And mispronounce it.”
“Greek, huh? I never would’ve guessed with your blue eyes.”
“Some have them, but not many. The color of my eyes actually comes from my mother’s side. On my father’s side, I’m a third generation immigrant. I’m assuming you’re first generation?”
“Sure am.”
“And you speak Spanish?”
“Fluently, but only when I need to. Being bilingual helped me get hired with the Southern Allegheny Regional PD. What about you?”
She shook her head. “I speak very little Spanish. I had some classes in high school.”
A sexy grin crossed his bearded face. “I meant Greek.”
Of course he did. She knew that but wanted to play with him a little. Before she played with him a lot later. “No. Once my grandparents learned English, that’s all they spoke. My father never learned, so the language wasn’t passed down to me.”
“Do you wish they had taught you?”
“Who doesn’t want to be bilingual or even a polyglot?”
His forehead creased. “A what? I’ve heard of polyamorous, but polyglot? Is that some kind of kink?”
“Only if you get sexually aroused over a foreign language, I guess. A polyglot speaks several languages. A skill I wished I had.”
“You could still learn.”
She shrugged.
“So… Sapphira, huh?”
She lifted her eyebrows.
He shrugged his broad, muscular shoulders. “I mean, I don’t doubt you. Sorry if it sounded like I did. It’s so close to your stage name.” He took another mouthful of his beer, drawing her eyes to his corded throat as he swallowed. “But it’s fitting. Does it mean sapphire in Greek?”