“I would never do that.” I look up at her and shake my head. “Please, have a seat.”
She’s nervous. I used to see so many emotions in her blue-green eyes. They were like windows into her soul—still are, but now they’re beautiful. I shouldn’t even be thinking that. It’s inappropriate. So is the image of her that flashes through my head—her on the stage, naked, with curves that would tempt any man with a pulse.
“I’ll just kill the elephant in the room rather than exchange pleasantries.” She sighs. “I know you saw me last night.”
“I saw someone named Lavender Rose,” I say. “She looked an awful lot like you under that wig.”
“Yeah.” She nods, and another sigh crosses her lips. “I expected my father to come through the door five minutes after you left, and since he still hasn’t called, I have to assume you haven’t told him what you saw.”
“That’s a very difficult conversation to have.” I lean back in my chair.
“Not as difficult as walking out on that stage…” She looks down, and her eyes flash with turmoil—a hint of pain as well.
“Then why are you doing it?” I tilt my head slightly. “Surely you don’t need money. Your father would break the bank if you needed it…”
Lawson always spoiled his kids. Often to his wife’s dismay. The day we turned a profit and were able to pay ourselves a little more than the bare minimum was like Christmas at his house.
“You haven’t talked to my father in a while, have you?” Kiana’s eyes dart, and her eyebrows furrow.
“No…” I admit, and instantly feel a twinge of guilt.
“Then you have an awful lot to catch up on before you can even think about telling him what you saw last night.” She tenses up. “What I’m doing? I don’t have a choice—it’s my only option.”
“Come on, Kiana. There has to be another way, even if your father can’t bail you out like he’s always done.” I narrow my eyes, studying her, trying to read below the surface.
“There isn’t.” The look in her eyes tells me that she believes what she’s saying, which makes me wonder what exactly it is that I don’t know. “If you tell my father, he’ll react exactly how you think he will, and…”
“And what?” I tilt my head in the opposite direction.
“And people will get hurt!” She slides her chair back and immediately stands up. “Please, Bram. Forget what you saw last night.”
That’s impossible. I wish I could, but it isn’t an option. Things I should’ve never seen—never thought about—they’re burned in my thoughts.
“If you’re in trouble and you can’t go to your father, then talk to me.” I stand up and lean forward, pressing my knuckles into my desk. “You used to…”
“That was a long time ago.” She shakes her head. “None of this concerns you. Not anymore.”
Kiana tries to end the conversation by walking to the door. I’m not ready for it to be over. I close the distance between us and put my hand on the door before she can open it.
“Tell me what’s going on,” I demand with a tone that is a lot heavier than I intend.
“It’s really complicated. I didn’t come here for help. I just came to ask you not to tell my father what you saw.” She looks up at me, and tears form in the edges of her eyes.
I don’t want to see her cry. I never could stand being the guy who deduced a woman to tears—not the kind that are about to pour down Kiana’s face.
I let go of the door and take a step back.
“I won’t tell him.” I sigh. “But if you need something, anything, you know where to find me.”
“Thank you,” she squeaks out and opens the door.
I choose the coward’s way out for the second time in two days. I could’ve pressed, even forced an answer out of her. Maybe I should’ve called her father while she was trapped in my office and told him the truth.
I’m not at peace with my decision, but I can’t change it. I gave her my word, and that’s one thing I always keep. I won’t tell Lawson that I saw his daughter dancing on a stage and taking off her clothes for money, but I’m not going to ignore it.
She told me she doesn’t have a choice. That doesn’t sit well with me. I don’t know what kind of trouble she’s in, but I’m going to find out. People may still get hurt, but she won’t be one of them. I’ll make damn sure of that.
I’ll burn that fucking club to the ground if I have to.
Chapter Five
Kiana
I almost told Bram the truth about why he saw me on that stage. If he pressed a little harder, I would’ve let the secret spill along with my tears. I was prepared to do it, if that was what it took, but I’m glad that I didn’t have to.
It’s better this way. I’ve got things under control. I don’t need his help or his sympathy. He’s not going to call my father. That’s all that matters right now.
There was a time when I was close with Bram. The meaningless crush of a teenage girl who saw him as my father’s cool friend. A cool friend who was so smoldering hot he brought things to the surface I’d never felt before. But that part of me was invisible to him. He probably thought I was just an annoying kid.
Some things haven’t changed, though. Bram still does something to me. The way he stormed across the room to stop me from leaving. I knew I was safe as long as I was in his office, trapped in his enormous shadow, and it was hard not to feel that same rush I used to feel when I was younger.
But I’m not that girl anymore. I see the world differently now.
The harshest truths are the ones you wish were lies.
