Page 94 of Nails
At the end of the hall, Erik knocked once on a dark wood door.
“Come in,” came Adam’s voice from inside.
Erik opened the door and gestured her in.She stepped through, and before she could say a word, the door closed behind her with a soft click.Alone now.
Stay calm.
Adam came around from behind his desk almost immediately, crossing the space with easy confidence.He frowned as his gaze swept over her face, lingering on her cheek, then dropped briefly to her shoulder.
“I should have had Erik kill that bastard,” he said, placing his cold hand against her bruised cheek.
“It’s fine, Adam.I’m fine,” she tried to assure him, careful to keep her tone casual, and not swat his hand away.He acted like he had every right to touch her.
He studied her for a moment longer, then gestured toward the couch in the corner of the room.“Please, come and sit down.”
The office was spacious and modern, with everything arranged in arcs and crescents that echoed the club’s design, including a crescent-shaped desk, a circular rug, and curved shelves.Even the couch was a wide half-moon upholstered in soft charcoal leather.
But her eyes were searching for cabinets.She scanned the room, trying not to be obvious.There were several cabinets in the room, and she wondered which one held the USB drives.
She took a seat and crossed her legs.Adam joined her, but first handed her a bottle of water, before he settled on the couch next to her.He turned slightly toward her.
“I hope I didn’t pull you away from your job,” he said, eyeing her leggings and royal blue sweater.
Shit!Riley thought to herself, remembering it was Friday, and at this time she should have been at her “day job.”
“No.You didn’t.I actually called in sick this morning.”
Judging from his expression, she assumed he believed her.
“How are you doing, really?”He asked.
“I’m doing okay,” she said, adding a note of vulnerability.“I’m a little sore and have a few bruises, but they’ll heal.”
His expression darkened as he looked at her cheek again.
“I hate that it happened.If I’d known that piece of shit had those kinds of intentions…”
She reached over and squeezed his hand.“You didn’t know,” she said softly.Even though she wanted to call him a piece of shit, too, for the disgusting operation he was running inside his own club.
Adam shook his head.“This is my club.What happens inside here is my responsibility.You are my employee and should be treated with respect.”
Respect?Riley had to school her expression.Talk about the pot calling the kettle black.What about all the girls, his so-called employees, that he was trafficking?Don’t they deserve the same respect?But there was one thing he said that he was right about.He was responsible for what happened inside this place.And when she had the proof, he would be held accountable and would answer to the law.His name would be splashed across arrest reports, court dockets, and headlines, forever tied to the downfall of his own empire.Just the thought of it sparked a quiet satisfaction deep in her chest.
“Well, at least the bouncers saw what was happening and got there in time.”
He reached across the table and covered her hand with his.“I care about you, Riley.I promise that you’ll never see those guys in the club again.”
He cared for her?Riley forced a smile on her face and gently pulled her hand away to pick up her water and take a drink.
Ignoring his comment about caring for her, Riley moved on with the conversation.“I still don’t understand why the guy kept saying that he paid for me.I never took any money from him.”
“Yeah, about that,” he started, “we found out who was behind it.”
Her brows lifted.“Who?”
“Anya.”
Riley gasped, and her hand flew to her mouth.“What?”
