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Chapter One
One Is the Loneliest Number
Echo
It’s been twelve years since that fateful day at the airport which turned my entire life around. One wrong decision, one wrong con, and it all came crumbling down. I was never a good person, never claimed to be one. But at least up to that point, the only aches I left were broken hearts and empty wallets.
Not them, though. They ripped, shred, tore, and took all I had to give and more.
Neil. Peter. Sergio. Tanner. James.
Five men is all it took to turn me from a badass con-woman with a healthy sexual appetite to a broken victim.
I didn’t stay broken, though. Or rather, I’m still fucking broken. But now? I don’t care.
They’ll never see me coming.
I keep my eyes slightly downcast, peering up through my lashes as I approach the heavy doors to The Eternity Nightclub. My steps are even and measured, my heart rate normal despite the enormity of what I am about to do.
The two bouncers at the door are at least twice as big as me. Giant men meant to intimidate, and I would be shocked if checking IDs was actually part of their job descriptions. I flash my most charming smile as I step in front of them, allowing them the time to gaze up and down my body. I know I look damn good and a rush hits me at the validation.
“Hey, boys,” I say, echoing my standard greeting from all those years ago. The man on the right grins down at me, the other glowers. It’s almost comical, but my expression never waivers, never gives away anything but what I want them to see.
“Club’s closed tonight,” Grumpy says. Smiles shoots him a glare and steps in front of him, leaning against the wall to look down at me.
“You are…” he pauses to bite his knuckles and I let out a small giggle, “Damn, but Joe here is right, sweet thang. Club’s closed tonight for a private function.”
I lean forward, biting my bottom lip lightly and lowering my voice.
“Isn’t that a coincidence,” I reply, “A private function is exactly what I was looking for.”
Smiles barks out a hearty laugh and I see Grumpy roll his eyes, but I ignore him and focus on the receptive prey.
“What’s your name, sugar?” I ask.
“Pedro,” he says, putting his hand out with the grin still plastered on his face. “And you are?”
“Echo,” I reply easily, the old nickname rolling off my tongue.
“And what kind of, uh, private function, did you have in mind, Echo?” Pedro says salaciously. It takes everything I have not to pull the small blade from my purse and stab him.
This is something I’ve had to train myself to be good at. Self-control historically has not been my strong suit.
“Actually,” I say, “I was hoping for an audition.”
I follow it up with another winning grin. Pedro’s grin falters and I hear a very low chuckle come from Grumpy-Joe.
“No admittance,” Joe repeats, “It’s a private—”
The doors swing open, and a group of men walk out. Though outwardly I don’t react, my insides turn cold as an all too familiar laugh washes over me.
“Well, well,” Neil says as he sees me, his eyes roaming over my body. “What do we have here?”
I struggle to regain the confidence I had only a minute ago when Pedro did the exact same thing.
My smile never falters.
“Why, hello, handsome,” I reply, pulling myself together and taking a step forward. It’s been a decade and half a world away. Not to mention a new face and identity, but I still feel that moment of fear when he looks down at me. Will he remember me? Will any of them?
