Page 12 of Her Last Audition


Font Size:  

Despite the enormityof the fight taking place tonight, I find myself in my office until the ending. I trust Phil to keep an eye on things, and I’m sure trouble is about to be brought to my fucking door, anyway. I don’t have to wait long once the winner is declared, though.

Tension racks my body while I wait for this so-called Master to come back.

I can’t get my mind off the girl they took, either. It’s not just that she was stunning, but the look she had in her eyes as she fell. After the initial reaction, she didn’t look at me with disgust or fear. In fact, her bright eyes seemed to implore me to help.

“Would if I could, princess,” I mumble to myself, trying to shove it from my mind.

I don’t know what they’ll do with her, but it’s not something I can get involved in. I have too much to deal with already, and can’t go up the fucking Iron Elite for some girl I don’t even know, pretty or not.

Still, a ball of guilt sits in my gut that she was taken from me.

The commotion outside tells me the fight is over and I pull a bottle out of my drawer. I have a feeling I’m going to need a drink for this next talk. Now that I have a pretty good idea who Ivor is, I need to prepare for how I’ll respond to the offer I’m pretty fucking sure is coming.

It’s no more than ten minutes later when Ivor steps back in. I don’t see Eli and wonder briefly if he’s with the girl, but shove it aside for the time being it.

“Enjoyed yourself, I hope?”

“Very much,” he replies, brushing something from his suit jacket. “It’s been some time since I’ve attended such...thrilling, live fights such as this. I must admit, it was enthralling.”

“I’m glad,” I reply, gesturing to the chair in front of me. “Take a seat.”

Once he’s seated, I get right to it.

“So, what does the Iron Elite want with our little place, anyway? I’m glad you enjoyed the fight, of course, but as you even said, this isn’t your usual thing.”

Ivor nods his head in acknowledgement.

“Right to the chase? I like that. Yes, this is true and recent events have me looking further afield for entertainment.”

I say nothing, waiting for him to continue.

“We recently lost one of our establishments to an unfortunate event—arson—which you may have heard about.”

He pauses as though he asked a question.

“I heard,” I reply matter-of-fact. He doesn’t mention Neil, but that doesn’t mean I’m not right. The more I look at Ivor’s face, the more I see the resemblance.

“Well, this presents a bit of a problem for us. You see, while Eternity was in fact a club and provided us with a fantastic source of revenue, it was other…less clandestine activities that the location really provided us with. We are looking for someone with the skills and experience to manage such facilities.”

“I see.”

He smiles. “Yes, I imagine you do.” He holds his hands up to illustrate the building around us. “And tonight, I have certainly seen how well-run such a place can be. Let's get to it then, shall we? The Iron Elite wants you. We pay very well, I assure you, and membership has quite the perks. So, Mr. Davis, what do you say?”

Despite having somewhat expected this, the way he’s approached it, all of it, throws me off. From what I know of the Iron Elite, this isn’t their usual method of recruiting. I’ve heard nothing but whispers of the initiation process. As much as I’ve tried to stay apart from this shit, I can’t say no now that they’re directly asking me. Can I?

“I’m flattered,” I start, considering my words carefully, “and while I would be more than happy to host the Iron Elite and its members any time, I must respectfully decline your offer.”

The corner of his mouth quirks.

“I was led to believe you to be much less…couth than our meeting has indicated. I must admit, it's a pleasant surprise,” he says as he stands up. He holds out a hand for me. “While I regret your decision, we will very much look forward to future events.”

I eye his hand for a moment before standing and putting out my own.

“We will look forward to hosting you any time,” I repeat. His returning smile is still warm, but in his eyes, I see the hint of threat for the first time.

This isn’t the last I’ll hear from Ivor.

Kinsey

Source: www.allfreenovel.com
Articles you may like