Page 203 of Caught in the Crossfire

Phase 1 was complete. Phase 2 was about to commence.

We said nothing to one another, but all of us girls exchanged careful looks of support while Brian and the other guard escorted us to numbered rooms. The other guard grabbed my upper arm hard enough to bruise while he yanked me down the hallway. I wanted to punch this asshole in the face, but I doubted we could trust him, so I let him manhandle me until he shoved me inside the room marked 2.

When the door closed behind me, I scoped it out. It looked like the rest of the club—expensive and luxurious. There was a bed in the center of the room, with matching end tables on each side. Paintings of naked Renaissance people in compromising positions covered the walls, along with hanging shelves laden with plants and fake books. A dark wood table sat in the corner, with two chairs, and a bottle of wine waited on top. A small en-suite bathroom attached to the side of the room with a small toilet, sink, and shower. The entire room was styled like a fancy hotel room, and it made my stomach turn to think of the horrors that happened here wrapped up in this pretty packaging.

I didn’t have time to think about it. I kicked off my heels and got to work setting up my camera. The best placement was on one of the hanging shelves. I could angle the video to capture almost everything—from the bed to the table with the wine. I pulled over one of the chairs and set it up before activating the button on the back, which Ciel said would start the recording and ping the connection back to him in his tech van parked a block away. I blew it a little kiss, knowing he was watching,before I hopped down off the chair and dragged it back to the table.

I was just getting everything back in order when I heard voices in the hallway and the door opened. My eyes went wide when the MTA director came inside—not Arion Vokshi.

Shit. Arion was supposed to be my mark. Brian was supposed to make sure he came to my room. Where the fuck was he?

The director sauntered closer, a possessive grin on his face. I swallowed, my fingers twitching toward my knives.

“There you are, sweetheart,” the director said as he circled me. I stood ramrod straight while he paused at my back, and his fingers drew my hair over my neck. “I had to outbid many people to buy you for the night. You were very expensive.”

I wanted to grab his hands and break each bone, but I stayed still. If the plan was already going wrong—if Arion wasn’t here, but elsewhere—I couldn’t draw any attention to this room. I had to slip out and find him before he hurt one of my girls or escaped.

“Hi,” I said breathlessly, trying to play into this entire farce of being a scared girl at his service. “What can I do for you, sir?”

He chuckled, pulling his tie loose. “I like the ‘sir.’ Why don’t you get on the bed and lie back?”

His hand clamped on my hip, just like it had upstairs, and pulled me back forcefully. Fear coated my throat. Memories from the ship threatened to claw their way inside my head. The backs of my knees hit the edge of the bed. I didn’t want him touching me. I didn’t want anyone touching me, and instead of fighting back, every muscle in my body went paralyzed.

Until my eye caught on the camera I’d hidden.

Ciel was watching.

I could feel him. I could feel his calmness. I could feel his silent encouragement. My men werehere, with me, waiting for me to finish this.

I cleared my throat and turned on my charm. My handgrabbed the director’s and gently removed it from my hip, but I kept my fingers curled around his. His eyes narrowed questioningly until I plastered myself against his chest.

It made me want to hurl, but he relaxed.

“Why don’t we have a drink first?” When he hesitated, I pouted and pressed my boobs even harder against him. “Please?” I let my eyes fall before glancing up at him from beneath my lashes. “It’s my first time doing this, so I’m a little nervous. I think…I think what they gave me might be wearing off a little bit.”

His smile split his face while his eyes turned heated. “Of course, sweetheart. I can help with that.”

The sour taste in my mouth grew worse, but I couldn’t have him raising any alarms. We needed to knock these buyers out, and then I needed to find Vokshi. Immediately.

I stepped back from him and walked to the bottle of wine and the single glass. Discreetly, I pulled the sedative pill from my dress and dropped it into the glass before I poured the wine on top of it. These would dissolve fast, but I swirled the glass around a few times before I turned back to him.

“Here,” I said, letting my steps falter and my words slur a little when I walked back to him. I was trying to keep up the lighthearted high facade I’d started on the second floor. “I hope you like it.”

“Where’s your glass?” he said playfully.

My smile faltered before I recovered. “Our hosts don’t like the girls to drink very much.”

“But you said you were feeling nervous.”

“I thought we could share,” I said as I brought the glass to my lips. I let the liquid slosh against my lips, but I didn’t drink any. “I’m so glad you could help me. I’m feeling better already. Your turn now, sir.”

I handed him back the glass, and he took a heaping gulp. Good. It would only take a minute or two to kick in.

“I like you a lot better than my last time here,” he said as he finished the rest of the glass and tossed it to the wall. The glass shattered. What a dick. “Did they stop drugging the girls as much?”

I smiled, but it was all teeth. “We just want to make our customers happy. You especially, sir.”

He leaned forward, trying to catch my lips in a kiss, but I dodged and then tried to cover it up with a giggle while I stepped backward. Only a bit longer. He should pass out shortly.