Page 46 of Tell Me Your Desires

Chapter Twenty-Four

“Well, well, well. Look who decided to grace us with her presence.”

Lady A rolled her eyes. “I could turn around and go back home, Frank.” She’d taken an extra day off, so what?

It was a perfectly normal thing to do for someone who had just lost someone close to them.

At least, that was the excuse she had given Frank.

That had been a fun conversation. He’d reminded her that it had been over a week since Maisie’s death, and that Lady A had been to work since, and that things should be back to normal by now.

Lady A had barely refrained from calling him every derogatory name she could muster up.

Instead, she calmly explained to him that she had tried to pretend as though things were fine, but they weren’t, and she was doing her best.

The reality was that Anya needed a little more time before committing to Jaime’s plan.

And as much as she trusted Jaime, she wanted to speak with Max and confirm he was truly on board.

Well, that and use the opportunity to ask him about the other cases.

It wasn’t the same as having the files in front of her, but Anya had seen how sure Max was that the cases were connected somehow.

The M.O.s didn’t match, but that didn’t mean the unsub hadn’t escalated.

Max’s certainty made Anya’s decision to participate in this insane undercover operation a little easier.

“You go home, and I’ll fire you,” Frank growled.

“If I go home, that would be me quitting, Frank.” She laughed in his face and raised a defiant brow when he took a step towards her. He meant to intimidate her, but there were too many people around for Frank to be stupid enough to actually hurt her.

“That mouth of yours is going to get you in trouble one day, woman.”

“I’ve been told.” Anya winked. “So far, it’s only made me a ton of money.”

“Yeah, well, no more excuses, Lady A. You’re putting out for the next client who wants it. And don’t give me that bullshit about”—Frank leaned in and lowered his voice—“woman problems. Sapphyre told me you don’t even get that shit anymore.”

Anya’s eyes snapped to Sapphyre, who was standing at the bar. Sapphyre smiled and raised her glass of champagne in a salute. Bitch. Anya muttered, “Well, she would know.”

“What?”

She brought her attention back to Frank. “I said, as usual, that it depends on the client. I’ll be in my chambers.” With that, Lady A turned her back on Frank and walked away.

“Your cop is back.”

Anya looked into the mirror and saw Sapphyre standing behind her. “Excuse me?”

“The hot cop that only shows up when you’re here. She’s back. She’s never here when you’re not. I thought I’d warn you.”

To an untrained eye, the smile on Sapphyre’s face was pleasant. Almost friendly. To Anya, there was something sinister behind it. She and Sapphyre had never been friends or even friendly in the four years she’d been here. Why the impromptu chat now?

“Warn me? Why would I need to be warned about the cop?”

“She seems to be watching you.” Sapphyre shrugged and sipped from her drink. “Look, A, we all know you had your little thing with Maisie off the books.”

Hold up! What? “It wasn’t off the books. She paid for a session. Everything about that night was legitimate.”

“Right, right. It was just after hours.” Sapphyre snickered. “Which also means you were the last one to see her alive.” Was Sapphyre accusing Lady A here? It sure felt like it. “I’m just saying maybe that’s why Detective Hottie keeps showing up to see you.”

Lady A turned in her chair. “But she already questioned me about that. Do you really think she still suspects me?” Concern and fear colored Lady A’s voice as she looked up at Sapphyre innocently as though she were confiding in a best friend.

Again, Sapphyre shrugged. “She’s coming here for a reason, A. It’s either to get you to confess, or she really wants to fuck you, and you’re just not giving it up. If that’s the case, could you take one for the team, please? It’s bad for business having a cop hanging around all the time.”

“She has to buy a full package,” Lady A said to Sapphyre’s retreating figure. “I can’t just have sex with a client who hasn’t paid for it.”

“That’s the difference between you and me, A. You’re always a Lady.” Sapphyre winked and sashayed down the corridor as she called out, “Send her to me if she needs someone a little less proper.”

Lady A had to remember she was being watched.

Therefore, she couldn’t run after Sapphyre and throat punch her.

Oh, she could imagine it—that very scene was currently playing on a loop in her head—but her demeanor had to remain unbothered.

So, she casually went back to getting ready for her night as though she didn’t know what was in store.

“It seems Lady A has a stalker.”

Jaime turned away from the bar to see a massive pair of tits in her line of sight. What was this one’s name? A gem of some kind. “Sapphyre, right?”

Sapphyre smiled. “I’m surprised you know anyone else’s name. Or maybe I should say I’m flattered.” She stepped closer; those breasts now pressed up against Jaime’s side. “There may be hope for you yet.”

Jaime respectfully moved away until they were no longer touching. “I’m sure you’re great, but I have a…type.”

Sapphyre piqued Jaime’s curiosity by laughing. “So does Lady A, and she’s very particular. You know, she’s been here a few years and rarely fucks the clients. In fact, I can probably count on one hand how many she’s—”

“Do you have a point?” Jaime interrupted.

“My point is that unless you’re trying to get her to confess, you’re probably not going to get her to open her legs for you. I, on the other hand, am not particular at all. I will do anything you want.”

Jaime frowned. “You think I’m here because of the case?

” Jaime knew she had to play it cool here.

If she didn’t throw this woman off the scent, Sapphyre would open her mouth to anyone who would listen.

It had to seem as though Jaime was playing…

not working. “I can’t talk to you about an ongoing case,” she said aloud as she picked up the drink she’d ordered and leaned on the bar.

And then Jaime lowered her voice as she said, “We found no evidence that anyone here was involved. I’m not here because of the case.

” Jaime sized Sapphyre up, hoping she believed her.

Perhaps even took pity on her. “Look, if brass found out that I came here to get my rocks off with a former person of interest, they’d have my badge.

I like my job, so I’d rather it didn’t get out that I’m here.

” As she swigged her beer, Jaime sighed.

“Unfortunately, I developed a thing for Lady A. I can’t get her out of my fucking head.

The only place I get to see her is here. ”

“I don’t know what it is about her that has everyone so spellbound.” Sapphyre snorted. “But here’s a word of advice, Copper. We don’t like your kind in here. It’s bad for business. If you want to fuck her, you have to pay for it. No more playing games with her.”

Jaime’s brows rose. “Excuse me?”

“Do that on your own time and away from here. When you’re in, attendance goes down.”

“This isn’t Reno, Sapphyre. It’s not illegal, and I have no jurisdiction.” For the sex work, Jaime amended silently.

“That doesn’t matter. A badge is a badge.”

Jaime opened her jacket. “No badge. And I’d appreciate it if you’d stop calling me a cop. I’m not a cop here. I’m just here to see Lady A.”

“You think people don’t see a cop when they look at you, honey?” Sapphyre laughed as she shook her head and reached over Jaime to grab a list of services. She pointed a few out. “Those are the ones you want to pick if you really want to fuck the prudish Lady A. But I’ll remind you, I’m not picky.”

Prudish. Jaime nearly laughed out loud. Anya was the opposite of prudish. There were things she’d done to Jaime that had her blushing. “I think I’ll take my chances with Lady A, thanks. You may be a little too much for me.”

Jaime saluted Sapphyre with her drink, took the list of services, and walked away.

It had been an interesting conversation, to say the least. ‘If you let a person talk long enough, you’ll hear their true intentions.

Listen twice, speak once.’ With Tupac’s words sitting firm in her mind—words she’d used many times in her career during interrogations—Jaime mulled over Sapphyre’s conversation for a moment.

There was something about their encounter that didn’t sit right with Jaime.

She wanted to discuss it with Anya and get her take on it, but first things first. It was time to pick a full-service package with Lady A.

“Tell me your desires.”

Lady A’s heart was racing. Mentally, she understood what she needed to do tonight.

Physically, she was glad she hadn’t eaten anything because her stomach was threatening to revolt.

Obviously, that had nothing to do with being with Jaime.

Sex with Jaime was beyond amazing…when people weren’t watching and plotting a dismembering death.

How in the hell was Anya/Lady A supposed to turn on the sexiness when she was essentially putting someone she cared about in the crosshairs?

Catching killers was her job. It used to be your job!

Either way, it was time to put her skills back into action.

“You are my desire, Lady A.” Despite knowing her colleagues weren’t tapped into this feed, that didn’t mean they wouldn’t see it later on if it became evidence.

So Jaime had chosen a package that she could control.

She didn’t want to think about the other times she’d spent in here being gawked at by God knows who.

No, she needed to focus on here and now, or all of this would be for nothing.