Page 6

“I heard you had a fun night.” My brother, Ivan, takes the seat beside me at the long, oblong stone table.

“I had an eventful night,” I say, sliding my phone into the breast pocket of my suit. It’s the dozenth time I’ve checked on my little captive this afternoon.

She has grit, I’ll give her that. Not one to take being a prisoner lying down, she’s tried everything to get the door open.

After she threw herself into the door, she’s going to need her shoulder looked at. The only thing she achieved was being bounced halfway across the room.

It’s been a distraction watching her all day.

“Eventful?” He drums his fingertips on the table. “From what I heard, you chased down a woman who had managed to break into Obsidian. In the middle of the night, no less. If you didn’t enjoy that, you did it wrong.”

“I didn’t say I didn’t enjoy myself.” I could have enjoyed myself more if she would have been cooperative.

I would have shown her how I reward honesty. She would have been screaming for entirely different reasons if she’d only given over.

“So, what’s the big news that we all had to crawl out of bed on a Saturday morning and get in here?” Kaz strolls into the room with a venti coffee and his sunglasses covering his eyes.

“It’s two in the afternoon,” Ivan says. “Have a good night, then?”

Kaz pulls out a chair and throws himself into it, putting his coffee down and leaning his head back against the headrest.

“Definitely worth it.” He grins, sliding his sunglasses off and tossing them on the table. “Now, what’s the problem?”

“Our brother here found a girl in his office last night. She stole the flash drive for Dexter Thompson.” Ivan brings our youngest brother up to speed.

“Dexter Thompson? Which one’s that?” He runs a hand through his short black hair.

“The zoning commissioner,” I remind him. “The one who’s going to make sure we’re able to get all the shit we need to open the casino resort up north. That guy.”

Kaz raises his brow. “Why did she want his drive? Is she trying to open a business and needs some dirt on him to make sure everything happens in a timely fashion?”

“No.” I sigh. “Can you focus?”

He drinks some of his coffee. “I’m trying, but it’s early. Some of us actually enjoy our evenings. It’s not all business, business, business.”

“Well, if you could bring yourself to focus on business for a little while this afternoon, I’d appreciate it,” I say.

He shakes his head.

“Fine. So you caught her. Got it back?”

“Yes.”

“Then what’s the problem?” He lifts a shoulder.

“The problem is we don’t know why she would want the drive in the first place.”

“Did you ask her?” He leans forward. “You know, really ask her.”

“She’s not in the pit if that’s what you mean.” I shake my head.

“That would get her to answer pretty quick, though.” Ivan acknowledges. “What do you know about her so far?”

“Nothing out of the ordinary. She’s twenty-five, lives in a shit apartment on the south side with a roommate who is out of town at the moment, and she works at Cinders Industries as an administrative assistant.”

“She could be working for someone inside the Cinders organization but on the side. There could still be a tie there somewhere,” Ivan says.

“I’m getting the staff list today, but it’s a small start-up. I doubt they’d be involved.”

“Maybe Dexter finally found his balls and hired her?” Kaz offers, sipping more of his coffee.

“I think she would have given him up if it was him.” I shake my head. “Whatever the reason she did it, she’s afraid of them.”

“More afraid of them than you?” Kaz scoffs. “You should have put her in the pit.”

“Where is she now?” Ivan asks.

“I have her.” I splay my hands on the table. “I will deal with her.”

“In the meantime, we should have all the files in that room moved,” Ivan says.

“I already ordered it done. It’s all been moved to my place,” I explain.

“Where your captive is? You sure that’s a good idea?” Kaz leans his forearms on the table.

“It’s fine. She doesn’t know anything’s there, and she wouldn’t know where to look. Plus, she’s not walking around freely anyway. I’m going to get to the bottom of all of this.” I give him a hard look.

I won’t be deterred. If she’s hiding who is behind her little heist yesterday, I have no doubt it is for a good reason.

She could be in danger.

And from the level of stubbornness she’s displayed so far, I doubt she would concede to needing help to get out of whatever trouble she’s in.

The girl’s a distraction. Yes. An annoyance? Yes.

But she’s mine for the time being.

“And if she doesn’t give information?” Ivan questions.

I bring my gaze to his.

“She will.” Now that she’s in my possession, and once I have the time to do as I please, she won’t be able to get away without giving it.

“What do you need from us?” Ivan asks.

“There’s a charity dinner tonight. Dexter is going to be there. I need one of you to go and keep an eye on him. He could be behind this, or someone else is trying to get the information we have on him for their own benefit.”

“The art gala? I was already planning on going, I’ll take care of it.” Ivan nods.

Kaz looks over his coffee cup at our brother. “You’re going to the art gala, willingly?”

Ivan frowns. “Don’t worry about what I’m doing; what are you up to?”

“Nothing good.” Kaz grins.

“Children. I’m shackled with children.” I sigh.

“Could be worse.” Kaz shrugs. “If there’s nothing else, I left a very naked woman in my bed, and she’s going to start getting upset if I’m not back soon to untie her.”

“Willingly tied?” Ivan asks.

“More or less.” Kaz laughs as he heads to the door. “Oh, I almost forgot. Last night’s auction brought in double the revenue than the last one. I’m going to plan for another one before the end of the year.”

“That’s fine.” I wave a hand.

I pull out my phone again, swiping the screen open.

“Is that her?” Ivan glances over my shoulder as he stands from his seat.

She’s standing in the middle of the room, her hands on her hips, her face turned away from the camera.

“It is.” I close the screen, shoving my chair back so I can stand.

“You’re good with me watching Dexter?” he asks as we make our way out of the room and down the wooden steps to the lower level of the manor.

“The man nearly pisses himself when I get near him; it’s probably better you do it anyway.” I have little worry he’s actually involved.

“I’ll chat him up and let you know if anything seems off.” Ivan slaps my back. “I have to get going, and you have a night of fun ahead of you.” He grins.

Standing on the top of the steps of the manor, I pull out my phone again.

I can’t help but take another glance.

This time, my little captive isn’t facing away from the camera.

She’s glaring straight at it.