Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 58090 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 290(@200wpm)___ 232(@250wpm)___ 194(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 58090 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 290(@200wpm)___ 232(@250wpm)___ 194(@300wpm)
With shaky fingers, I reached for the empty bottle. “Of course. I’ll go get some new glasses.”
Richie didn’t argue and turned away as I hurried to finish loading my arms with all the dirty glasses I’d collected. With everything swept into my arms, I bolted for the door, holding my breath as I slithered past Richie. As I retreated back to the bar, I felt his eyes trained on my rear.
“There she is!” Liam boomed, his warm tone helping to take the edge off my nerves as I entered the bar area again.
“My apologies, handsome. I got off course with one of the private rooms,” I said, flashing a smile over my shoulder as I deposited the dirty glasses and empty bourbon bottle into the sink behind the bar.
I’d managed to escape with the napkin, and after making sure my back was turned, I folded it as small as I could and wedged it under the wire of my push-up bra. “Barbie, would you please take some bourbon to the red room? And find some…entertainment.”
“Sure thing,” Barbie said, pushing off the opposite counter and hustling away.
I ducked under the counter and scratched around until I found a fresh bottle of bourbon. “Looks like I had one here the whole time,” I said, popping up to present the bottle to Liam. “Ready for another?”
He lounged against the counter and dropped a pointed look to his still full shot glass. “Like I said, love, I was waiting for you.”
“Right.” I smiled but felt the edges trembling as my thoughts drifted back to Bennett. I wanted to get out of the club. Call him or run down the street to see if anyone had seen where he’d gone. Surely, three larger-than-life men in dark suits would have been hard to miss. Someone would have seen something, right?
Liam wasn’t losing interest fast enough, and I didn’t have the energy to keep dodging him.
I poured myself a shot of bourbon and clinked my tumbler with Liam’s. “Thanks for waiting, handsome.”
“For you, Avery, I’d wait a lifetime,” he crooned.
Damn, this tip better be worth it.
Liam rambled on about his business dealings while I mimicked interest with an occasional nod. The napkin tucked in my bra was a constant reminder. What could three point six mean? What did it have to do with anything? It looked like Bennett’s handwriting, but I couldn’t be sure. Was it money? Three-point six million? Bennett didn’t have that kind of money. Or did he? Was he paying Richie for information? Or the other way around? Was there something else going on entirely?
“Where’d I lose ya, gorgeous?”
I blinked away my collection of thoughts and sighed at Liam’s polite question. He was still smiling at me, not irritated that I’d zoned out, which only made me feel worse. He was a good client. And while he was flirtatious, he was never pushy. On the contrary, I was usually flattered to play his game.
“I’m sorry, handsome. I’m just not myself tonight.”
“Anything I can do to help? I promise I could take your mind off your troubles if you’d let me.”
I smiled and opened my mouth to reply when Barbie reappeared out of the corner of my eye. “Excuse me,” she said, coming over to my side. “But Mr. Dalton is requesting you.”
My heart rate jacked up again, and my smile melted into a tight-lipped grimace. “Of course.” I brushed my hand over Liam’s. “Forgive me. Next time?”
“Of course.”
Barbie slid into my place, getting Liam another round, and as I passed out of earshot, the two of them were carrying on fine without me. I tugged at the edge of my tight shirt, trying to cover the sliver of skin showing before marching back to the red room.
Richie had been joined by three other men, all in dark suits. I couldn’t tell if they were his usual goons, friends, or business partners. All I knew was that none of them were the men I’d seen with Bennett. My heart sank as I scanned their faces. Richie was lounging on one of the couches as a blonde straddled him. She went on, oblivious to my presence, and tossed her long hair back as she arched and shoved her bared tits in his face.
When I entered, Richie shoved the woman off, unceremoniously dumping her onto the couch beside him and shot to his feet. The woman bristled but quickly went to work on the beefed-up man who had been sitting beside Richie—who was all too happy to get his leftovers.
Gross.
“How can I assist you, Mr. Dalton?” I asked, resisting the urge to wrap my arms around myself.
Richie’s eyes narrowed at me as he crossed the room, only stopping when he was close enough for his cologne to invade my nostrils.
“I need to speak to Reed,” he said. “The other girl told me you’d be able to contact him. But, you know, Red, I don’t care for these fuckin’ hoops I gotta jump through. So, before my patience thins any further, I’d suggest you get his ass down here.”