“Emily told me you went to see her last week,” I say through a yawn.
“I had dinner there, yeah,” he says, stroking a hand up and down my arm.
“She’s lucky you helped her. You said you were following a guy. Why?” I ask.
“I hear shit about these kinda people. I try to clear the streets of them.”
“Like a one man band of justice?” I ask with a smile.
“Something like that. I see too much mixing with the kinds of people I do. I hate that shit. Women getting hurt, kids being taken—It’s not right, and Eva, you wouldn’t believe some of the shit that goes on.”
“I can help you. If you think Callum’s kinky club is full of bad people, let me be your eyes and ears.”
“I told you, no. I’m not risking you. I’ll make my security services indispensable and get in that way. How was Michelle towards you?”
“A bitch.” I sigh. “When are you seeing her next?” Cree’s hand begins to wander. He’s distracting me again, so I tap his hand away. “Cree,” I say. My tone is pleading, even though I try to hide it. He sighs and his hand drops to his side.
“Tomorrow night. I’m taking her to dinner.”
I push myself to sit up and turn to look at him. “Dinner!” I almost screech.
“It’s not a big deal. She says it’s a meeting about her security needs. When Callum doesn’t need me, she’s asked for my services.”
“Your services,” I huff.
“Trust me,” he mutters, running his hands through his hair in frustration. “You have to trust me.”
“I do,” I mumble, fiddling with my fingers. “It’s her I don’t trust.”
“It’s business,” he says. “Now, get naked.”
I chew on my lip and stare down at the text message I’m about to send. It’s Tuesday, the day Cree is meeting Michelle for dinner, and I hate the idea. I have to do something. Cree asked me not to get involved, but if I can end his contact with Callum and Michelle sooner, then I have to do this. I don’t trust her not to get her claws back into him. Besides, if it’s nothing, then I won’t tell him anything about it. He’ll never need to know. I push ‘send’ and hold my cell to my chest. My heart is thudding. It pings less than a minute later and I cautiously open the message. It’s an address with the time I need to be there and a password.
My hands shake as I bring up the address on my phone. It’s a house in central London—it must be the townhouse that Cree mentioned. I spend the rest of the day feeling sick with nerves. What the fuck have I let myself in for?
I press my cell to my ear. I called Leia for advice because I can’t trust Anna not to tell Riggs my plan. Leia, on the other hand, loves an adventure and will die before she spills other people’s secrets. She’s spent the last five minutes laughing at me. “Leia, I rang for help, not for you to laugh at me. I don’t know what the fuck to wear.”
“And you thought I’d know? A nineteen-year-old virgin ’who’s only ever seen a man’s body in a porn movie.”
“Eww, you watch porn?” I screw my face up. I’m not a prude, I just don’t bother with it.
“Doesn’t everyone?” she asks.
“I don’t think so, but then you’re the only nineteen-year-old virgin I know.”
“If I were you, I’d go casual. You’re not planning on doing anything, so no one will take any notice of you.”
I settle on a knee-length dress with ankle boots. It’s not exactly casual, but it’s not smart or sexy either.
The cab stops outside the three-story townhouse. I stare up at it for a few seconds. The door opens before I get a chance to knock, and a woman dressed in a smart pinstriped dress smiles at me. “Are you coming in?” she asks. I step forwards, nodding my head. “Password?” she asks.
“Captured,” I say, and she smiles again, opening the door wider. I’m led into a lounge that’s decorated expensively, oozing class. The woman hands me a clipboard with a form attached.
“Please fill this out and your master will be here shortly.”
“Master?” I ask, screwing up my face.
“Every girl here has a master,” she says, frowning at me. I stare down at the form and she leaves the room. It’s a consent form and a non-disclosure agreement. I’m having doubts. I thought I’d come here for a quick look around, check it out, and go home. Now, I’m signing consent forms and it doesn’t actually outline what I’m consenting to, just that my master will lead me to pleasure. I screw my nose up and shudder. Who signs this shit?
“I knew you’d change your mind,” comes Callum’s voice and I momentarily close my eyes before pasting on a smile and looking towards the door where he stands. “Is that because you know your boyfriend is fucking my wife?” I stare wide-eyed, not sure how to answer. “I know you’re fucking Elijah Cree,” he adds. “And I know my wife is fucking him also.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I mumble, not sounding at all convincing.
“I’m not stupid, Eva, so don’t treat me like I am. Why have you suddenly changed your mind?”
“I don’t know that I have,” I say, laying the clipboard on the table. “I was curious. I wanted to see what you were offering.”
He laughs. “What did you think I would be offering at a sex club? I can’t show you around unless you sign the paperwork,” he says, nodding towards the table.
“Tell me what this place is. What would I have to do?”
Callum moves closer. “It’s better if I show you what I want to do to you.”
“No,” I say firmly, taking to my feet. “I want to see this place before I sign anything. I don’t even know you,
