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Maybe next week? I’ll check when Lev and Elodie are free. Make it a group thing.
The dots flicker with a reply for a long beat as I descend to the ground floor before a simple thumbs-up emoji appears on my screen.
I drop my cell into my bag before I catch Ford on his way out of his little hidey-hole high-tech office as he’s slinging a backpack over his shoulder.
“Hey!”
My greeting catches him by surprise, and he hesitates slightly before looping an arm over my shoulder to steer me back the way I’d come.
“I’m afraid I’m on my way out, Miss Caputo. How can I help you?”
I waste no time. “What are the other areas of Rogue? And why can I not access them?”
The real unspoken question hangs in the air between us.
What’s Vaughn hiding?
Ford’s face gives nothing away as he shrugs. “I told you before. There are areas out of bounds to you—”
“So, they’re thesecretsex club, right?”
He’s saved from answering when we step out onto the staff quarters to find Vaughn and Lucia at each other’s throats.
“It’smyclub, Miss Romano.” Vaughn takes a foreboding step closer to a furious Lucia, even as she tilts her chin tauntingly. “Know. Your. Place.”
He pivots to leave, only to halt suddenly when Lucia hisses with quiet venom, “You don’t deserve it.”
His shoulders rise and fall several times as he tries to rein himself in before continuing his march upstairs. The sound of his office door slamming echoes through the whole floor.
Ford sighs before looking down at me. “I’ll be away on business for a little while today, but if you need me, remember your pager.”
I narrow my eyes. “Last time you said that, you senthimto answer.”
Laughter dances in the cowboy’s big blue eyes. “Stay out of his way, and you’ll be just fine and dandy, Miss Caputo. I’ll be back by curfew.”
Then he moves off toward Vaughn’s office just as Lucia breezes past me, barking orders at unsuspecting staff members who jump to do her bidding. Her expression lightens when her eyes land on me, a bright smile softening her face.
“Oh, Wren.” She tugs me into a quick embrace before pulling back and grasping my hands in hers. “Just the person I wanted to speak to. Come on in here.”
I follow her when she ducks into her office just off the main floor, closing the door softly behind me. She takes a seat on a massive red sofa, gesturing for me to sit by her. “There’s an auction taking place this evening to raise funds for a foster home charity uptown. I’m not sure if you’re aware, but it’s cause very dear to Vaughn’s heart.”
She winks exaggeratedly. “He does have one, despite popular opinion.”
We chuckle together before I sit forward, interest painted clearly on my features. I have no doubt that Vaughn’s own experience of almost being dropped into the system would be the driving factor for wanting to help out.
“What kind of auction, Lucia?”
She taps her chin with her index finger thoughtfully. “A…dateauction. Bidders will have paddles allowing them to bid for aspecialdate with the man or woman on stage. It’sallentirely above board and in good, wholesome fun.”
A wide smile graces her pretty features. “Who knows? Maybe your presence on stage will entice Vaughn to bid.”
My cheeks flush bright pink as I shake my head. “I highly doubt—”
Lucia’s hand lands on my knee, cutting me off when she squeezes lightly. “I’m not blind, Wren. I can see the way he looks at you.”
Her eyes are brimming with sincerity as I smile sadly. “He’s not interested. In fact, he made a point of not onlytellingme yesterday, but he arranged for some hot model-type to come to his office right at the time heknowsI leave my studio, so…”
My friend shakes her head with a knowing smile. “I have it on good authority that he’s not beenwithanyone since you arrived—”
