With A Twist(21)

“Okay,” I say carefully. This is good news, but something about his voice causes my skin to break out in chilled goose bumps.

“Simon told me today that he wants to do a little sampling of his own before the sale,” he says, his voice sharp as a knife’s blade. “The lap dance you gave him during your audition was just a little too good.”

“Oh,” I say, lowering my eyes to my hands, which are clasped in my lap.

Simon Keyes wants to fuck me. Dismay and disgust course through me. I had imagined something like this could happen, even imagining worst-case scenario that I get sold, our bust gets foiled, and I endure being raped by my captor. But no amount of imagining really prepared me to accept the cold, hard reality of my situation.

Yet, we are too close to let this all go down the drain. It won’t mean anything if I have to do it. I can let my mind drift away as it does while I’m dancing, and I can compartmentalize that horror away from my psyche. I can do this.

Squaring my shoulders, I raise my gaze back to Wyatt’s. “I’ll do whatever is necessary so this doesn’t go down the drain. You don’t have to worry about me holding up my end.”

Wyatt surges up out of his chair and glares down at me. “For fuck’s sake, Andrea. You are not fucking Simon Keyes.”

“But we can’t get him angry… or suspicious. I have to—”

“You are not fucking him,” Wyatt snarls at me. “We’ll figure something out, but I just wanted you to be aware of his thoughts. I don’t know if he’ll approach you. For all I know, he could have just been spouting off. But I want you to be alert and careful.”

“But—” I try to say, and he cuts me off again.

“Starting now, I’ll cash out your tips first each night so you can hurry up and get the hell out. He normally stays locked up in his office until all of that accounting is over with.”

“But don’t you think—?”

“And you do not open that door for anyone that knocks on it,” he rolls right over me, thumbing back at the door over his shoulder. “If I have to see you again, I’ll always tell you it’s me when I knock. Otherwise, you keep silent and pretend you are not home for anyone that knocks. Understand?”

“Wyatt, you have to consider—” I try again, but he lunges at me, taking me by my shoulders and leaning his face in close to mine.

“Just shut the fuck up and say you understand,” he commands in a deadly voice that causes a shiver of dread… or is that desire… to race up my spine. “It’s not negotiable.”

“Okay,” I whisper.

Wyatt releases his hold on me and starts to turn away, but I make sure to hastily add on, “But if I’m in a situation where I have to make that decision, you have to know I’ll do what’s best for the operation.”

Spinning back on me, Wyatt starts to say something, but then slams his mouth shut. He glares at me a moment, and I lift my chin higher to him in defiance. His eyes bore into me, trying to cow me into submission.

I lift my chin higher, and then something shutters over his eyes.

With a shrug of his shoulders, he says, “Whatever. It’s your body… do with it what you will.”

“I’ll do what’s best for this mission,” I reaffirm.

“I’m sure you will,” he says softly before heading toward the door.

“Is that it?” I ask as I jump off the couch to follow him. “Is there anything else we need to discuss about the sale?”

His fingers work at my locks, but he says over his shoulder, “I don’t have any details on the time and place yet. Once I get that, I’ll get with you and we’ll have to come up with a fast plan of action. But there is one thing I need you to start doing.”

“What’s that?” I say, and my breath catches as he turns to face me. Again, I’m struck with just how beautiful he really is.

“Start wearing more casual clothes when you come in to work. Not the hooker wear. Jeans, baggy t-shirt, running shoes.”

“Okay, but why?”

“Because if Simon follows the same pattern, the abduction will happen after you get off duty… at the Club. I’ll need you to be wearing clothes where we can conceal a weapon on you. There’s nowhere to hide that Glock in those skirts you wear that barely cover your ass.”

“Got it,” I say, marveling over his foresight at this point in the game. He’s not telling me this to be prepared for an unexpected abduction. No, he’ll have notice of when that’s going to occur, and I’ll have time to be dressed accordingly. He’s telling me to start wearing casual clothing now so that it becomes my norm… my habit… and it won’t seem out of place later on down the line.