Page 146 of Indulge
My fingers curl in my lap to hide the tremor. “You’d be surprised what a woman will do when she’s desperate.”
“Oh, darling…” Her voice softens. “Desperation makes for excellent employees. It also makes for terrible liars.”
She stops in front of me, leaning against the desk, the hem of her black silk dress sliding up her thigh. Her gaze pins me where I sit.
“So tell me, what did you run from? Debt collectors? A jealous lover? Or the police?”
Her words are light, but her eyes are daggers.
I force a small, nervous laugh. “All three, maybe. Depends who you ask.”
She smiles. “Clever girl.”
Eve crosses to the small cabinet by the window and pours two glasses of champagne, her bracelets catching the light. When she turns, her expression has changed. She’s no longer amused, she’s now calculating.
“Drink.” She offers one glass.
My throat tightens. I take it anyway. My hands are steady, but my pulse isn’t.
She clinks her glass against mine, watching me over the rim as I take a sip. Just enough to wet my lips.
“Tell me something, Bella,” she murmurs. “If I asked you to prove your loyalty to me tonight, would you?”
I look up through my lashes. “Depends on what kind of proof you want.”
Her mouth curves into something that looks like a smile but isn’t.
“Oh, nothing terrible,” she says lightly. “Just a little test. A job comes with trust, after all. And you will be one of my goods, we need to work out your worth.”
A shiver runs down my spine.
She walks to a drawer, pulls out a sleek black folder, and sets it in front of me.
Inside are photos of women, maybe six or seven of them. Different faces, same haunted eyes.
“These girls all came to me wanting what you want,” she says. “Money. Protection. Power. Some were smart enough to earn it. Others…” She closes the folder. “Let’s just say they disappointed me.”
Her hand drifts up, brushing the side of my neck. It’s intimate and invasive all at once.
“You won’t disappoint me, will you? You’re a pretty girl. Together, we could make a lot of money, and all your problems will disappear.”
My heart slams against my ribs, but I keep my smile faint and steady. “I don’t think I will disappoint you,” I say sweetly.
She studies me in silence.
“Club Persephone is where I think you’ll do well,” she says finally. “South side of the city. It’s where my girls make the real money. It’s the next step into our world.”
Every nerve in my body lights up. That’s it. Another lead.
I fight to keep my voice casual. “And what kind of work is it there?”
Her smile deepens. “You’ll find out soon enough.”
The way she says it sends ice down my spine.
She turns toward the door, flicking her fingers for one of her guards. “Take her downstairs. I want a full evaluation.”
The guard’s hand clamps around my arm. I stand, heart pounding, forcing myself not to flinch.
