Christian had been at him to figure out what was happening to the profits of the hotel and Roger could feel that the excuses he had given weren’t going to satisfy his nephew much longer.
But … He could solve two problems with one stone.
The idea came to him in a flash. He could get his nephew off his back and and teach that bitch a lesson she wouldn’t forget. No one messed with Roger Del Mar.
It had been easy dipping his hands into the hotel earnings. He had simply ordered the supply manager to have several more supply companies added to the records. Shell companies that he had registered overseas and of which he was the secret owner.
Every month those companies submitted invoices for goods that were never delivered, and every month Roger found himself a little richer.
Roger had been patient, he hadn’t been taking much, content to build his wealth over time. But now he was tiring of that too. Why should he have to wait when he had done all the work and it was his ass on the line if anything happened. One of the supply managers had gotten concerned though, and gone to Roger with his suspicion that something was not quite right.
Like him, the supply manager liked to gamble, though his chosen game was poker. A thin, unassuming, sniveling man, the moment Roger had hired him he had known that he had found a weakling who could help him carry out his plans.
Roger thought hard. If he could have the records altered so that the bank account money being deposited into an account he could tie back to Raina, she would be done. Christian would come down on her like a ton of bricks and have her behind bars in no time. He smiled with a good deal of satisfaction at the neatness of this idea.
Who would be laughing then? She would wish over and over again that she had not played those stupid games with Roger Del Mar. Well, he imagined with a smirk, she would have 10-20 years to think about her mistake.
He thought back with longing at the missed opportunity of burying himself between her curvy thighs and of gripping that perfectly rounded ass. Well, there were plenty more whores in Palm Beach though, Roger told himself. That other little tart, Kelly, might be just the ticket, or perhaps that kitchen helper with the huge tits.
Still, he felt a sense of failure, a feeling that he was not familiar with. His pride was wounded and felt like lashing out some more, but where to turn?
Planning Raina’s fall had not entirely given him the satisfaction he had expected, and he paced up and down the office, agitated. He took calming breaths. Kelly. There was a girl who would be willing to do as he asked. She smiled at him demurely every time they were together and her eyes spoke volumes about her feelings for him.
She was too slim for his liking with thighs hardly bigger than his own forearm, but still, he would enjoy a romp with her. He wondered if she would be hot in the sack, holding nothing back. Or if she would enjoy his wild side, not complaining when he bit too hard or brought his whip down harder than was the agreement.
Despite her slimness, she did have curves in all the right places. She was not Raina, but she would do. Who knew? Kelly might even hold her own grudge against her boss, Raina, who behaved as though she ruled an entire kingdom. Feeling much better, Roger went to the table and poured himself a glass of water.
He winced when the glass touched his lip. Wanting to get his revenge over and done with immediately, Roger left his office intending to go to the Human Resources department where Horace had an office. He stopped midway down the hall when he heard Kelly on the phone. Wanting to confirm his suspicions that she was indeed a good little whore, he pushed the door open.
She wasn’t on the phone. Sitting across her desk was the same maintenance man that Roger had seen Raina with a few days earlier. They were going over a work order.
Kelly looked up at him, while the maintenance man pulled his cap lower and bowed his head at Roger.
“Don’t let me disturb you.” Roger said his voice loaded with sarcasm.
Employees had this ridiculous idea that without them, the hotel would not function. He looked at Kelly now and then at the man, knowing how important they imagined themselves to be. He gave a sneering smile. To his surprise, the man he had barely glanced, jumped to his feet and shuffled out the door, his back half turned to Roger. There, that’s what Roger described as respect, that was a man who knew his betters. The man knew where his money came from and he was quick to show it.
On Kelly’s face he thought he saw a fleeting expression of irritation which quickly changed to reverence. From his games in the casinos, Roger had learned to read faces. He could tell what someone was thinking just by observing their mouths and the tilt of their heads.
“How can I help you, sir?” Her voice dripped kindness.
“No, no, Kelly, it is I who can help you.” Roger said. “Do you know? You’re my favorite person in this place, and I thought I would give you a little warning. As a friend, you see.” Her expression changed and he saw real fear in her eyes. Roger liked that. It would make his work much easier if she was frightened of him. Usually, he enjoyed a chase but was now tired of it. He wanted a quick lay and soon—no playing around this time.
“I hear that there wil
l be some major changes soon. And, I’ll tell you what, and this is between us, the manager’s job might be up for grabs. I think you would make a good fit.”
“What about Raina?” she squeaked, irritating Roger to no end.
“What about her? I told you this is between us, so you’re not to go blubbering to everybody. Raina, like everybody else makes their own bed and she’ll have to lie in it.”
“Is she getting promoted?”
Roger laughed harshly. “You think you know people, but what do you really know about her, Kelly? The top management has stuff on her that would shock you, I promise. I suggest—and this is from someone looking out for you—that you stay as far away from her as you can.” He trailed his dirty fingers slowly over her jawline and bent to whisper, “You don’t want to go down with her too, do you? There are ways you can avoid that, and be very well rewarded at the same time.…” He left the insinuation hanging between them like the sword of Damocles.
She shook her head slowly. Before leaving, Roger closed the space between them and grabbed her abruptly, planting a fevered kiss on her lips. He winced in pain, rubbing his thumb over his lip and turned away. Kelly seemed numb with shock as he shut the door.
He felt a sense of smug satisfaction at what he had achieved. It was likely that Kelly would tell Raina what had transpired, but he counted on that.