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“Mmhmm,” she nodded.
“My bedroom,” Flannigan smiled. “Of course.”
He took her hand, guiding her through the maze of a house. Despite his riches, Brent Flannigan was an overgrown nerd. She knew perfectly well that he hadn’t been popular in high school or even college, and that most of his dates even now came not because he was attractive or interesting, but because Brent Flannigan had money.
It was a little bit sad, she thought, but he didn’t seem to mind. He was never without company, in any case, and he was never without a date to any sort of special event.
“Well,” Tabitha said once they’d reached the room. There wasn’t really anything else to say. They were there. They were in the bedroom, and that was it.
Flannigan closed the door, and she turned back to him and gave him a sultry smile. How was she going to play this? She wanted that damn map. The safe was in his room behind the painting that hung above his bed. She needed him to press his hand to the lock to open it.
“Well indeed,” he said.
Only, he didn’t seem as drunk as he’d seemed a few minutes ago.
In fact, it might have been Tabitha’s imagination, but it seemed like Flannigan’s eyes actually sparkled a little once the door was closed.
What the hell?
He took a step toward her, but he no longer seemed weak or intoxicated. If anything, he seemed wildly alert and aware of what was happening.
He seemed like he knew perfectly well what she was up to.
“Brent?”
“Oh, what’s wrong?” Flannigan asked. “The shy seductress is gone?”
Okay, so he wasn’t drunk.
Not by a long shot.
Worse than that, he was on to her. Maybe she hadn’t been the only one ordering virgin drinks all night. She thought she’d seen the bartender pouring liquor into his cocktails, but maybe he’d been ordering the same things that she had.
Well, shit.
“Excuse me?” Tabitha tried to play it off. She tried to act like she didn’t know what he was talking about, but she did.
Oh, she did.
“Why don’t you start by telling me who the fuck you are, and why the fuck you’re here?” Brent Flannigan stepped forward, stalking her.
Suddenly, the room felt very small, and Tabitha felt like she was now the prey. How unfortunate. Apparently, this wasn’t going to be as easy as she’d thought.
“What are you talking about?”
“Don’t play coy,” he snapped.
“I’m not playing coy,” Tabitha said.
One more step and Brent was in front of her. She was pressed against the wall, and he reached for her throat, gripping it.
“Who the fuck are you?”
“My name is T-T-Tabitha,” she whispered.
She wasn’t sure why she felt like being honest in that moment, but she did.
“You know, I thought it was a bit strange my business partner didn’t show tonight.”
