“I have things to do. I need to find a new job and a way to pay my rent.” I begin to cry again and he wraps his arms around me and shushes me gently.
“We’ll sort that. Don’t cry.”
I turn in his arms and go to lay against his chest. I feel him tense and I look up into his uncomfortable face. That look has returned full force. He doesn’t want me to touch him. That hurts me more than any words he can say to me.
I step back. “I’ll make my own way to the club,” I mutter, backing further away. He steps forwards and my hands slam against his chest. “NO!” I yell and he freezes. “No,” I repeat, softer this time. He lets me walk away, staring at me with a lost look in his eyes. I’m relieved. I need to clear my head and I can’t do that around his intense aura.
I take a seat on the grass in a nearby park, pull out my cell, and call Anna. “Eva, I’ve been worried. Are you okay?”
“Why does Riggs want to see me?”
“Didn’t Cree tell you?” she asks. “Esther’s here too.”
“My mum’s there? What’s going on? Cree and I aren’t exactly speaking right now,” I mutter. I fill her in on last night’s events and she listens silently. “He’s mad I lied.”
“Oh sweety.” She sighs. “They’re worried something will happen to you now that you’ve given Callum the impression you’re interested.”
“I’ll tell him that I’m not.”
“I don’t think it’ll be that simple. Riggs didn’t tell me everything, but he wouldn’t worry for no reason. Come and stay for a few days. I’ll help you find a job.”
I reluctantly agree. Next, I put a call in to Callum. I know Anna said not to, but he needs to know he can’t fuck with my life. As soon as he answers, I feel the blood pump through my veins at speed. “Your wife fired me!” I snap.
“She’s not usually bothered about my subs, but with you, she sees something. She doesn’t like you, Eva,” he says, and I hear the amusement in his voice.
“I’m not interested in your little offer. Stay the fuck away from me or I’ll call the cops,” I snap.
He laughs. “Pity,” he starts, then sighs. “I was getting hard thinking about training you. I even had a special buyer. I showed him your photograph and he requested you right away.”
“How the hell did you get a photograph of me?” I demand. “You know what, forget it. I hear from you again and I’ll call the cops and tell them you’re stalking me.”
“It’s a lovely idea, Eva, but the cops won’t help you. Who do you think was top of my list to buy you? I’ll be seeing you soon, Eva,” he says, and the line disconnects.
I stare at my cell. My heart is racing and I feel too hot. He has to be lying. Cops are the good guys—aren’t they?
When I arrive at the club, Cree is standing outside chatting with Chains. They both look up and that familiar ache in my chest appears. “Hey, sweetness.” Chains smiles, but Cree avoids eye contact. I nod a greeting and head inside. I can’t even muster a smile right now. I never thought I’d miss the way Cree would intercept me, like when he’d grab my wrist or throw me over his shoulder and make me listen to him.
Riggs spots me and shouts me into his office. I sit down and he smiles sadly. “You look just as lost as Cree,” he mutters. “He’s big on truths,” he adds unhelpfully.
I pinch the bridge of my nose and take a deep, calming breath. “Why am I here, Riggs?”
“Because you fucked up, Eva,” he says. “You’ve put yourself on Callum’s radar. Cree discovered that Callum hand picks girls for his club.”
“I called him and told him I’m not interested. I told him to stay away from me.”
Riggs smirks and leans back in his chair. “And you think that’s all sorted now? When in fact all you’ve done is set the game in motion. He’ll effectively hunt you down and reel you in.”
“He can’t force me to go there. He can’t make me join his stupid sex club,” I snap.
“You’re so naïve, it’s almost cute,” comes Cree’s voice from behind me. I stare at Riggs even as I feel him approach. “I told you to stay the hell away from him and that house.”
“Can I just point out something while we’re talking truths? I asked you if you were seeing Michelle the other night and you said no. Then you turned up at a club with her. So, you lied too.”
“You directly went behind my back and then lied to my face when I asked you about it!” he yells.
“A lie is a lie. You lied to stop me being pissed at you, and I lied because I wanted to help.”
“Typical fuckin’ woman. Always believes she was the one in the right,” he mutters.
“Riggs, I don’t want him in here,” I snap, but Riggs shrugs, his face displaying the awkwardness he’s feeling. “Maybe I’ll come back later.”
Riggs sighs and holds his hand up. “Eva, we need to talk properly. Cree is my VP, he needs to be here too. You’re both gonna have to shut the fuck up and listen.” I sigh and signal with my hand for him to continue. He looks at Cree, who also sighs, then begins to explain. “You’ll have to stay here. Callum will find a way to manipulate you to join the club. When he finds the woman he wants, he forces her to join.”
“She called him and told him she wasn’t interested,” Riggs tells Cree.
“Brilliant. Now, you’ve really got him excited to play the game,” mutters Cree.
“How the fuck was I supposed to know he was some fucked-up, kinky bastard? In my world, when
