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“I don’t understand.”
I am genuinely sorry for her as her lip trembles and her words are edged with fear.
“I want to know if you accompanied him before?”
“No sir.”
I sense Mikhail’s frustration as all hope dies, along with her last word.
“I have never met him, but Miss Steele made a remark that surprised me.”
“What did she say?” Mikhail leans forward, and she says quickly, “That Mr. Romanov’s usual escort was no longer available, and I was needed as a last-minute replacement.”
I can sense the frustration pouring off Mikhail and he says roughly, “Do you know who she is? A name perhaps.”
She shakes her head. “Names aren’t used very often at Burning Roses. Anonymity is the most important part of our business. I’m guessing you would need to speak to Miss Steele about that. She is the only one with access to that kind of information.”
Mikhail glances at Damien and I watch as he angles his head as a silent message passes between them and I guess Marsha Steele is about to receive some extremely unwelcome visitors.
Mikhail leans back and Damien says smoothy. “Thank you, Miss Mahoney, your services will no longer be required. Remain in the car and the driver will take you home.”
She opens her mouth to speak, and Damien withdraws a bundle of cash and presses it into her hand.
“I believe that is treble the amount you were promised tonight in return for your silence on this matter.”
I detect the relief in her eyes as she grasps the money and nods emphatically. “Of course. Um–” She appears hesitant and as we all stare at her, she whispers, “If it’s any help at all, my friend is also attending the party tonight. She has been to several of these and when I told her I was meeting Mr. Romanov, she appeared surprised at that.”
“What did she say?” Mikhail’s interest grows, and she glances around and then says softly, “You didn’t hear this from me. I will never work again if I’m caught spilling Burning Rose’s information to the customers, but Beatrice told me that he was renowned for always bringing the same escort. She was Iris, the same as us, but never really fitted the brief.”
“In what way?” Mikhail hides his interest well, but I can sense the tension pouring off him and she shrugs. “She was a little older, very well spoken, and they never allowed anyone to swap with him.”
“Swap with him?” I can’t hold it in any longer and a bad feeling washes over me. What the hell happens at these parties?
Mikhail rests his hand on my knee in a warning, but I won’t apologize for speaking up.
The woman glances at me sympathetically, and I sense a different kind of evening from what I expected.
“Usually, at these events, the escorts are required to accept the situation. If another man wants to, shall we say, try someone different, he seeks the permission of the man she’s with. If he agrees, they swap partners. Sometimes more than once.”
“Gross.” I blurt out and Mikhail grips my knee almost painfully in a warning as the woman nods in agreement. “It’s understood. We all know the score and it’s why we are paid so well. Most men take advantage of that, but Mr. Romanov never did. He always accompanied the same woman and, to anyone’s knowledge, all they did was mingle with the guests and then leave. I suppose its news because it was different from everybody else. Nobody understood why they were here at all.”
If anything, I’m glad to hear it. Obviously, Mikhail’s father isn’t such a douche after all, and yet it makes me wonder if this woman was more than just an escort to him. Was it more serious and, god forbid, was he in love with her?
CHAPTER 41
MIKHAIL
Iknew I should have left Lilli back at the house. This world isn’t for her and what goes on inside that house will scar her memory for the rest of her life. If one of those bastards approaches me to swap, I’m liable to slit his throat and I sense a hard night ahead trying to get information from the woman called Beatrice while protecting Lilli from predatory bastards.
We have all the information we need from my previous date and as we pull up in the courtyard, Damien remains in the car to make sure she understands exactly what her silence involves. Then my guards will drive her home, so she is aware we have her address, to strike the fear of God in her.
My host won’t know any different as I walk inside with my own Iris Mahoney. The trouble is, she is radiant and will easily be the most desirable woman in the room. She is dressed like a goddess and I’m wondering if this was such a good idea at all. I will be like a snarling guard dog at her side all night and so I whisper as we step inside the grand entrance, “Don’t leave my side and if anyone approaches you, touches you, or even looks at you in the wrong way, we are leaving. Understand?”
“It will be fine.” She rolls her eyes and I grip her hand tightly and hiss, “It will not be fine all the time we’re here. Do everything you can to locate this Beatrice woman and find out what she knows.”
Lilli tiptoes against me and whispers, “You just need to discover who she’s with and pretend you want to swap. Ask for a word with her and then say you’ve changed your mind.”
“Not fucking happening, baby. Think of another plan.”
