When the meeting ended, Sin said, “Erica, please grab two black masquerade masks from my store at Uninhibited.” He handed her a key. “The front door to the club has been sticking. Jacoby, can you go with Erica?”
“Sin, I can open a fire door,” Erica protested.
“That door’s been jamming,” Sin explained. “I needed help opening it.”
“Okay, thanks for clarifying,” she replied. “Jacoby, will you come with me?”
“Sure thing.”
The team dispersed, each armed with a list of action items.
“I’m going to speak with Birdie,” Sin said to her.
“What should I do?” Evangeline asked.
“Lay low and don’t talk to the press.”
“What about my sister?”
“Tell her you’re not the woman in the video and leave it at that. The press knows to keep their distance from me, but there’s always someone in the media who thinks they can outsmart me.” That made him smile. “That’s a career ender for them.”
She rose, shouldering her bag. “Thank you for this.”
“I’ll take you home before I head over to Justice.”
Once outside, he opened the back door of his vehicle and she slid inside. Her shapely, toned calves stole his attention as he dipped in after her. Once he instructed his driver, he settled back.
To his relief, there were no paparazzi camped out at her apartment building. They exited the vehicle and he walked her to her door.
“Do you have a good deadbolt on your apartment?”
“Average.”
“I’ll have Sanchez swing by and install something better.”
She unlocked the glass door to the building and turned to him. “Tell me, how did you know that wasn’t me in the video?”
He stepped close, her warm breath heating his face. “I know the way you move, the sounds you make. I know what you like, what turns you on, what you crave from a lover. I knew that wasn’t you the minute I saw that damn video.”
6
The Intimidation
Sin stepped out of the vehicle and into the blustery afternoon. The chill that shot through him had nothing to do with the biting temperature and everything to do with his past. Today, he could duck into a myriad of places for warmth, but there was a time when he had to endure the freezing cold, hoping for a better tomorrow.
Shaking off the unpleasant memory, he strode into the Department of Justice wanting the truth, but knowing he’d never get it from Birdie Caraway. Birdie did what needed to be done to ensure he remained a superstar in the arena where he played. The high-ranking government official had dozens of allies who would be willing to risk their own careers to defend him.
Sinclair, he didn’t give a fuck about any of that.
He ran his picture ID under the scanner. The light turned green and he sailed inside. While he wasn’t an employee, he, too, had friends in all the right places. His badge permitted him to walk the halls of most government buildings unescorted.
He hadn’t called ahead and had no idea of Birdie’s whereabouts, but he’d start at the top and work his way down. After entering the waiting elevator, he pushed the button for the top floor and glanced around. All three women were staring at him.
His lips curved as he acknowledged them. “Ladies.” The elevator stopped on every floor. Only one of the women rode with him to the executive level.
As the door opened, she said, “I wish I had a problem so you could fix it, Mr. Develin.”
With a grin, she walked in the opposite direction.
