Page 113 of Nails

Chen leaned back in his chair, eyes fixed on Riley as she walked out of the suite.

She moved like she was born to draw attention—confident, smooth, utterly unaware of just how dangerous she’d look to the wrong kind of man.Or maybe she was aware.That would make her even more interesting.

Her figure was undeniable.She had curves in all the right places, but it was the way she carried herself that caught his attention most.There was strength beneath the surface.Control.Not the hollow polish of someone trained to entertain, but the quiet poise of someone playing a deeper game.

She’s not like the others,he thought to himself.

He watched the line of her spine, the way she didn’t stumble, didn’t look back for approval or permission.She didn’t need it.

“Huh,” he murmured, eyes narrowing.He turned slightly toward Adam, who sat with his usual relaxed posture and smug little smile.

“Where did you find her?”Chen asked.

Adam chuckled, clearly expecting the question.“I didn’t find her.She found me.She’s in Hong Kong interning for some cybersecurity firm.She wanted another job to make some extra cash.”He lifted his glass and swirled it idly.“But the second I laid eyes on her, I knew she was going to turn heads.”

Chen gave a slow, approving nod.“With those looks, you could make a fortune.”

Adam smiled, but this time it didn’t reach his eyes.“True.But for now, she’s off the market.”

Chen raised a brow, genuinely amused.“Is that so?”

Adam met his gaze, his tone quieter now.“I’m staking a claim.”

That surprised Chen.Adam didn’t usually talk like that.Not about women.He treated most of them like assets—expensive, replaceable, profitable.But this one?He sounded possessive.

Dangerous territory,Chen thought.Men make mistakes when they get attached.

Still, he kept his expression neutral and sipped his drink.“Careful,” he said mildly.“Things that shine too bright tend to draw attention.”He let the words hang in the air.“You wouldn’t want someone else to snatch her up.”

Someone like me.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Nails sat on the edge of the worn leather couch in the living room.His fists were clenched on his thighs, and his jaw was tight enough to crack molars.His eyes were locked on the flat screen mounted on the wall, watching as the camera that Riley had attached to her bounced around the suite, giving them a view of everyone in attendance.

But his focus was on Riley.The moment Adam kissed her.Nails had nearly launched himself through the screen.He had never wanted to kill someone so badly in his life.It had taken Playboy’s gentle reminder that Riley was undercover to prevent him from storming in there and ripping the fucker’s throat out.

The room had been tense ever since Riley walked into that suite.Knowing now that Adam’s “mystery guests” were high-level sex traffickers made everything worse.Bear had listed off the names after running quick intel: Chen.Ronan.Santino.Tomas.Raphael.Umar.Each one with a dossier of nightmares attached.And they were all watching Riley like she was the next piece on their auction block.

Then came Anya.When he saw that crazy woman launch herself at Riley, all claws and fury.Nails had shot halfway out of his seat until he saw Riley move like lightning, and flip Anya over a barstool and pinned her down in a brutal hold.The room erupted with laughter and low whistles.Even some comments were made about never wanting to piss her off, and with moves like she had, she didn’t need rescuing.

Even Nails had to crack a small smile.His heart was still pounding, but pride seeped in with it.“That’s my girl,”he muttered under his breath.

Just then, Duke leaned forward and narrowed his eyes at the screen.“Wait, what’s going on over there?Riley’s near the bar, and it looks like she’s listening in.Who’s that she’s creeping on?”

Bear adjusted the volume on the speaker.“That’s Adam and Chen.They’re talking low, but I can’t make any of it out.What language is that?”

“Mandarin,” Snow answered from his laptop.“Doesn’t Riley speak that?”

“Yeah, she does,” Bear answered.“Someone pull a translation app and run what was being said through it.”

“On it,” Playboy said, his fingers flying across his laptop.

About a minute later, Nails’ phone rang, and Riley’s name flashed across it.He stood up and walked toward the window as he answered.

“Riley…”

Her voice came low but clear.“Anna’s alive.”