Page 71 of Fixate

My ex-wife attempting to kill me was proof of that.

CHAPTER 25

Ricardo

A few daysafter my call with Pharrell, I decided it was time to investigate more about my idea for the sex shop.

I told Pharrell that I needed to go check on some things in the casino and sent him off to work alone.

We had already been spending most of our time apart, and though I didn't really need to tell him where I was going, I felt it would be better if he heard it from me.

With his access to the cameras, I knew he would spot me easily if he happened to look. No reason to make him think I was trying to sneak around.

There was no one who held my attention like him, no one I was even remotely interested in.

I smiled, nodding at a few familiar faces as I made my way through the main floor of the casino. I had been here long enough for them to recognize me.

At this point, they had put a name to a face. Plus, I'm pretty sure that Pharrell's email to the entire company stating that I was his second-in-command also made me easier to spot.

When I questioned him about why he sent that email, he said it was a security blanket. Something that people would understand better when they saw me around.

Their curiosity had already been growing, the email was just the final nail in the coffin.

As I rounded the corner to the shop, I took a deep breath.

I could do this.

It might not have been the grueling work that came with family business, but it was still worth my time.

Pharrell's call about the funds going missing thanks to the man who was in debt to the Bratva got me thinking. The more avenues he had for money coming in, the better. And if the shop was like the other one I had visited, then there was definitely a need for someone to step in and help people out.

It didn't have to be a grand affair. All it had to do was inform people properly. You could even offer it virtually. I suspected that would not be as popular as going in person, but introverts existed.

And there were people who wanted to be kinky, but didn't want to leave the house.

I knew because technically, I was one of them.

No one knew about what I wanted or how I behaved, other than Pharrell, of course.

My curiosity created this urge to learn as much as I could. Despite my need to stay close to home, I still wanted to feel like I was part of something.

This was my way of making it happen.

Inside the shop, a young girl worked behind the counter. She smiled brightly when she saw me.

"Mr. Ricardo," she said cheerfully.

I leaned on the counter and took note of her name tag. "Hey there, Candice. How are you doing today?"

Her smile remained wide. “As delightful as ever. Not too busy, but not too slow. Is there something you need me for? Or maybe…”

She stopped and looked around the space.

“There's something here you want? I don't mean to be forward, of course.”

I chuckled. "No, I'm all good there."

Shit.