Total pages in book: 235
Estimated words: 227851 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1139(@200wpm)___ 911(@250wpm)___ 760(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 227851 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1139(@200wpm)___ 911(@250wpm)___ 760(@300wpm)
“Dan,” Ava says, moving away from me. Oh no. I pull her straight back. She is not pacifying this fuckhead.
“I think you should come back to my office,” I say, pointing back.
“No, thanks.” He snorts, his full attention on Kate. I silently will him not to turn this into something nasty. “You’re whoring it up at a brothel?”
“What the fuck?” Sam yells. “Who the fuck do you think you’re talking to?”
“This is no brothel,” Kate says, pulling Sam back. “And I’m no whore.”
Enough. Has this prick forgotten I’ve just saved his skin? Would be a shame if I had to kill him ten minutes later. I go to Dan, my lip definitely curled, and move in close, placing a firm palm on his neck, applying just enough pressure to make him wonder if I could snap it. “Get your sorry, pathetic arse in my office,” I whisper in his ear, feeling him stiffen. “Or I’ll call the sharks myself and let them know where the fishes are swimming.”
I step back, head tilted, and Dan wisely walks away, me following. I stall when I hear the telltale signs of Ava’s heels on the marble. “Wait for me in the bar, baby,” I say, pointing her in the right direction.
“I’d like to come,” she says, but I can tell from her tone she knows she’s trying her luck.
“You’ll stay put.” I pick her up, take her to the bar, and place her on a stool, pressing a pacifying kiss on her cheek before leaving her, fucking fuming as I pace to my office. Like I need Dan and his fucking dramas at my door. “Sit,” I order, when I stride into my office, finding Dan in the middle of the room.
“I can’t be—”
“It’s not your turn to talk, Dan,” I say, pulling my tails out aggressively and dumping my arse down, my hands on the desk. “This is The Manor, the most elite sex sanctuary in the country. There are over one and half thousand members, from all walks of life, but with one thing in common. They’re loaded. Have to be to afford the forty-five-grand-a-year membership fee.” He can’t contain his shock. “Add the bar takings and restaurant, I have myself quite the tidy business here.” A business that’s paying off your colossal debts. “Throw in the building, my penthouse on St. Katherine Docks, and my villa in Spain, your sister and your soon-to-be-born nieces or nephews are going to be well looked after. But my money and how I’ve made it is fucking irrelevant, because what’s most important to me is your sister’s health and happiness. Don’t fuck with her happiness, Dan, I’m warning you.” He blinks, a little stunned, a little indignant. “And I’m sure you’ll agree, this doesn’t need to be mentioned to Elizabeth and Joseph. It would be a shame if the sharks turned up, jaws snapping.”
“I think you’ve made your point.”
“Good. I’ll get the money transferred to the relevant accounts.”
Ava flies into the room, and I sink into my chair. “Why are you taking money from Jesse?” she demands, furious, as Dan stares at me across the desk. I make sure he sees the message in my cool expression. “Are you going to answer me?”
“Ava, I told you to stay put.” I sigh.
“I’m not talking to you.”
I snort, as Dan’s eyebrows fly up. “Well, I’m talking to you.”
“Shut up,” she hisses, nudging Dan in the back. “You’re keeping quiet. Have you nothing to say?”
“See what I have to deal with?” I mutter, absorbing the impact of her fierce scowl.
“Speak,” she orders, smacking Dan’s shoulder. “What’s going on?”
I don’t know why he’s looking at me. I can’t save him, and after his obnoxious performance out there, I don’t want to. Have at him, baby. “I’m broke,” he grates, jaw rolling, his pride taking another hit. “Jesse’s agreed to help me out.”
“You asked?”
“No, he offered,” he says, eyes still on me. That’s a slight stretch of the truth, but I expect he’d happily share the fact that I told him to fuck off back to Australia and never come back—making this money more of a bribe—so I let him have it. “And there were no strings attached. Until ten minutes ago.”
“You’re bribing my brother?” Ava gasps. “You’ve paid him to keep quiet?”
“No,” I breathe. “I’ve lent him some money and added a little clause to the contract at a later date.”
“What about the surf school?” she asks, making Dan shrink and me laugh under my breath. “And why haven’t you asked Mum and Dad? They would’ve lent you some money.”
I look at my wife, sympathetic. I like Joseph a lot, respect him, but we all know the level of Dan’s fuck-ups are way past his ability to fix.
“We’re not talking a few quid, Ava.” Dan drops his gaze, shame creeping up. “I’m up to my eyeballs. I’ve got myself a massive loan to fund my share of the business and my partner did a runner with it. I’m fucked.”