Page 7 of Proposition 1

4. Leo

Iwas surprised how long Cadence held out, but I knew she would call me eventually. She was strong, but she was in a desperate situation. After the information I received about her, I knew she had no other choice, and she didn’t seem the type to leave her brother to answer for it himself.

I also had more respect for her. She’d been forced to take on a lot for her age, but she’d managed to hold things together so far. If her brother hadn’t gotten them into a mess, I was sure she would have been able to figure something out to save their situation.

As it was, I now had more leverage on her. It wasn’t that I couldn’t find another girl to take the last spot, but something about the good girl look she had made me want to be sure she was the one to take the stage.

Her name flashed across my screen as it rang. She wouldn’t know I had her number, but it was one of the many things my informant had gotten me.

“Leo Galleon.”

There was a moment of hesitation where all I could hear was her stuttered breathing before she responded.

“H—Hello. It’s Cadence Green.”

I decided to put her out of her misery and cut to the chase without making her say why she was calling. That could take all day, and I had a schedule to keep. I may like to torture my women, but not like this.

“Are you ready to discuss my proposition?”

I heard her suck in a deep breath.

“Yes, I’d like to hear your offer.”

A smile pulled at my lips. She was trying so hard to sound calm and collected, but she had to know what I was going to suggest wasn’t something good girls like her would agree to.

And I wasn’t going to make it easy for her to say no.

“Meet me tonight at ten.”

Her sharp intake made my smile widen. She didn’t want to see me again. Probably didn’t want to risk being seen with me, and rightly. Too bad for her she wouldn’t get what she wanted.

“Can’t you tell me now?”

I let the smile drop off my face, a hint of sternness edging into my voice.

“It’s not something I can explain over the phone.”

Her hesitance only enticed the predator in me. I wasn’t used to women that seemed as innocent as she did, and it was a refreshing change to the ones who stalked me like I was the prey.

“I work tonight.”

I already knew she would say that, and it worked to my advantage. I wanted her to see the club in full swing, and if she wasn’t working, she would have insisted on coming earlier.

“Eleven then.”

It wasn’t a question. I knew what time the diner closed, and she should be able to make it to the club by then.

I heard her start to protest again, but I cut her off. I couldn’t let her wait any longer, or it would be too late since the event was in two days.

“It won’t take long, and this is a limited time deal.”

“Oh.”

Her voice trailed off, and I could tell she was fighting with herself, but she was backed into a corner.

“Okay, I can do eleven. Where?”

“I’ll message you the address. Someone will wait at the door to show you in.”

I hung up before she could say anything else. Manipulating people into doing what I wanted was a talent I learned from my father, and I wasn’t above using it to get her on the stage.

Cadence hadn’t left my thoughts since the idea first entered my head, but I tried to tell myself it was only because she was the first woman not to throw herself at my feet. She had a luscious body, and I couldn’t wait to see her under the stage lights. She would be the highlight of the night.

Texting her the address, I made myself a note to let the guys at the door know to bring her to me, then turned my focus back to the details of the deal I was examining. I had plenty to keep me busy until she arrived that night, and her reaction would let me know if my idea was going to work.

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