Page 31 of Off Her Game

“This will only take a few hours of your time. It’s a brunch thing. You spend an hour or two with him and then you can go back to sleep.” Emma added softly, “I love you, Tori. Please, this is important.”

Damn it.

Do not cave.

She pounded her fist into the bed. Her plan for a lazy morning vanished. “It didn’t go well yesterday.”

“I think Noah really likes you.”

Did she mean that for real or did she say it in case anyone was screening her calls?

“You should wear a pink suit today,” Emma suggested.

“Pink? Who in the world do you think you’re talking to? Since when have I ever done pink or a suit? I took your advice last night. Wearing a dress backfired. Did he tell you he brought his motorcycle?” She stumbled into the bathroom and leaned close to the mirror.

Oh my.Stubble burn trekked across her chin. Maybe that’s what Rand had been leering at last night.

“Tell me he didn’t show up on that bike,” Emma said.

Tori snickered. Noah was about to get his ass ridden all over by her sister. “Yep. Imagine me straddling that thing in a dress and heels. This time I’m wearing whatever I want.”

“You can go to my apartment and pick something out of my closet. Please choose something that isn’t black. This isn’t a dressy event, but you’re going to be with the boss. Black is for evening dates. Don’t wear those clunkers you love. Noah wanted to pick you up but I said you’d meet him at his building at ten this morning.”

“You already knew I’d agree.”

“You like him. Lickable, remember? So…” She hit three octaves on the word. “You went to his place last night?” Emma asking a leading question meant Emma didn’t know exactly what happened last night.

“We played a video game.”

“Of course, you did. What else would two gaming junkies do on a date?” Disgust lingered in her tone. “Remember—this, you participating, is important. Reallyimportant.”

Code for: expect the FBI.

A single message dinged its arrival on her phone from the Anonymous she’d relabeled as Symphis.

Get the code.

Tori chewed her lip on the elevator ride up to Noah’s penthouse. As the numbers increased her dread of another message from Symphis grew. She glared into the camera in the corner.

Outside the elevator she exhaled long and hard. False bravado aside, she’d been scared shitless the elevator would fritz again.

Her phone dinged.

Symphis:You enjoy the smooth ride up?

Her heart pounded so hard inside her chest that she felt dizzy.

Symphis:Go get what I want.

Her lungs locked. After a few wheezes she coughed. She stared at the ceiling in search of cameras. Had to be one there. How else would he know?

Symphis:Tell Tom I know he wants to recruit you. I own you.

She slapped her palm against the wall for support but instantly hated she’d shown the jerk how upset he made her.

He knew about Tom? Yet he thought her dating Noah was real?

With a glare at the closest ceiling camera, she made a show of turning off her phone and jamming it into her jacket pocket.