Well, fuck. I should have known. I’m not her onlyconnection.
10
Chasing Sage
Though Alexandradesperately wantedto spend another wild evening with Crockett, she couldn’t risk it. The blonde wig and southern accent could only fool him for so long. Besides, screwing the winner ofDC’s Brightest Tech Starwould buy her no points. If Max somehow found out, he’d fire her. Then, he’d trash her reputation. Hosting the cable station’s most watched show could open doors for a network opportunity. The faster she could distance herself from him, the happier she’dbe.
So she’d typed the note, tapped the reject button.He’ll move on.Sadness snaked its way around herheart.
Alexandra had come to the club for a different reason. To find Sage. No pressure, just a few chill questions. If her suspicions were wrong and Sage was accident prone, maybe the nightmares would cease. At this point, she had to do something. She was turning into azombie.
After work, her roommate hadn’t come homeagainand her mom was asleep by eight. She hadn’t made any friends at the news station and, other than Colton, she knew noone.
Except Crockett. And she wasn’t hanging out withhim.
“Excuse me, sir,” Jase said to the masked man seated next to her at the bar. “Your room isready.”
Alexandra glanced at the club’s GM.Jase, too?The two men strode out. She followed. Using his keycard, Jase and the member slipped into the same suite that Francois hadused.
A chill swept through her.What the hell? Is management screwing itsmembers?
She moseyed down the hallway. Each door displayed a gold engraved nameplate, except the one they’d just entered. This one had noidentifier.
The explanation could be simple. Maybe Incognito operated differently from Provocateur, offering special amenities to a select few. On the other hand, Jase could be up to no good. Curiosity, paired with her insatiable need to dig and dig and dig, had turned her into an award-winning journalist. Like the relentless child tugging on mommy’s shirt, that tiny voice insisted she plow deeper. Something wasn’t right atIncognito.
Then, again, this wasn’t the first time her overactive imagination had run rampant with suspicions that led nowhere.I need adrink.
She slinked back into the lounge and sat at a table near the arched entryway. A female server with black and purple hair bustled over. “Good evening, ma’am. What can I get you?” She smacked her gum like she worked in adiner.
“Sparkling water,please.”
The attendant’s shoulders sagged, probably because her tips depended on racking up a drink bill. “Could I interest you in amenu?”
Alexandra sighed. “Ever have one ofthosedays?”
As if she’d asked the magic question, the gal nodded. “Lately, all of ‘em.”
“What I’d like is a gallon of mint chip ice cream, a bottle of wine and a family-sized bag of potatochips.”
The server’s laughter brightened her eyes. “How about a giant piece of chocolate fudgecake?”
Alexandra smiled. “You know, water isn’t going to cut it. I’ll have a glass of wine. What do yousuggest?”
“We have a great Pinot Grigio, but it’spricy.”
“On your recommendation, I’ll takethat.”
The waitress perked up. “I love your accent. Are you from South Carolina? No, wait,Tennessee.”
“Nowhere in particular. I moved around like a gypsy. How ‘boutyou?”
“From Pennsylvania. Live inMaryland.”
“Is the Maryland to Virginia commute as maddening as I’veheard?”
As the waitress rambled about beltway backups, tension tightened her voice. “I’m running on no sleep, too much caffeine, and I’m trying to quit smoking. This nicotine gum isn’t cutting it.” She paused to catch her breath. “I’m Wendy, by theway.”
Alexandra smiled. Maybe this chatty employee could help her. “Hi, Wendy. I’m Electra. Have you worked herelong?”
