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He leans back and regards me through turbulent eyes.
“Are you good with this?”
I set my mask in place and nod. “Of course.”
He stares at me for the longest second and then says coolly, “Are you sure about that?”
“I said, of course.” This time, I lean forward and raise my eyes.
“Melissa is innocent. She doesn’t have a fucking clue what her brother is up to and all she is looking for is a walk on the wild side. I could ask her to stand in for one of the strippers in your club and she would probably do it. It doesn’t mean she’s not a nice girl, though. It doesn’t feel right playing her like this, but we both know we are not nice men.”
He says nothing, and the silence stretches between us tangibly before he shrugs. “Then let’s hope her brother does what we ask, then nobody will get hurt.”
My heart is beating a little too fast for my liking and I wonder when I started caring what happens to a stranger I’ve met a couple of times. I don’t have a conscience, no actual feelings, and yet leading Melissa into her potential damnation has dragged out a side of me I thought was gone forever.
CHAPTER 14
MELISSA
After the day I’ve had, I need a person like Apollo to distract me.
We took mom to Cedar Sands, a light-filled retreat where people go to recover their minds. I was unsure at first but Mrs. Partridge the owner was so kind, friendly and personable, mom instantly liked her, and they were soon chatting like two long-lost friends, leaving me and Troy to study the place in more depth.
Mom appeared comfortable and was happy to ‘give it a go’ as she put it and decided to remain there for a short break. Those were her exact words, and it surprised us both.
We were only going to check it out, but mom was sold the minute we walked through the door.
Now I’m free. For a week or two at least, and my brothers obviously feel it too because they are both missing in action.
Harrison is probably balls deep in his realtor, a woman he appears obsessed with, and Troy is probably doing the same with his new assistant, Laura Kincaid.
It amuses to think of the poor woman who has fallen into the path of my older brother.
This morning when we sat at breakfast, Troy’s driver delivered her to the house to assist me with mom.
That was as far as she got, because when she headed into the dining room, she looked like shit.
Mom was confused, especially when Troy told her Laura was just staff, however from the look in his eye, she was obviously way more than that.
He jumped from his seat like a bullet from a gun and propelled her out of the room before we even got a look at her.
That was the last I saw of my supposed ‘help’, and Troy stepped up instead and accompanied me to Cedar Sands.
I tried to question him about Laura, but he was pre-occupied, and I put it down to mom so didn’t push it.
However, when he asked if I could lend Laura some clothes, I knew something was up.
They never made it home. I was the only one at dinner and it reminded me how huge this house is when nobody else is around to fill it.
Mrs. Carlton knew nothing and just served my meal with her usual smile and diplomacy and for one night only it appears that nobody will be around to question my movements.
I dress carefully, because I have decided that tonight I will let nothing get in the way of what I want, and that goes by the name of Apollo.
I pull on my sexiest lingerie and my tightest jeans, paired with a t-shirt and a battered leather jacket that has always been a favorite of mine.
I’m careful with my make-up and tie my hair back to give it a chance to survive the ride to damnation.
I slip out without anyone seeing me and almost run to the gate. My heart is banging hard as I slip through the side gate, and I see the gleam of his headlights before the man himself.
