Not that I would mind fucking that little Dani senseless. But there just was no way I’d pull shit like that in the office. I’d worked too hard and wasn’t about to blow it on some pussy. There was enough of it around I didn’t need to look for it at work.
Which brought Saffi right back into my thoughts. And I was about to meet with her dad.
Christ.
As if on cue, my admin stuck her head back in my office. “You’re ten a.m. is here, Varden.”
“Thanks. Be right there.”
I entered the crowded conference room and headed right for Hugh Bartlett. Saffi Bartlett’s dad.
He shook my hand warmly.
“Hi, everyone,” I said to the room. “Thanks for gathering this morning. Welcome to the office, Hugh. Good to see you.”
“You, too, Varden.”
The meeting came off without a hitch, and the analyses of some new potential investments were looking good. Very good.
After the room had cleared, I walked Hugh to the door. “Thanks for coming by this morning, Hugh.”
“My pleasure,” he said, smiling.
He should smile. He made a small fortune every time the firm made a new investment.
“Say,” I asked, “how is your lovely daughter? What was her name? Saffi?”
Like I could forget the name of the woman I finger banged the night before…
Hugh’s face lit up. “Oh, thanks for asking. She’s doing great. Working on some big story, she tells me. Top secret.” He patted me on the shoulder.
That didn’t sound like Little League bullshit.
“Well, good for her.”
Hugh nodded. “Yeah, hopefully this will help her move up the ladder, make a little more money. She’s banking on her new story to be her break-out. Something about a club. A private country club or some such.”
Fuck.
My stomach dropped and I leaned against the wall for support.
Breathe…
“What was that, Hugh?” I had to work to steady my voice. “Your daughter’s doing a story about a club?”
He nodded proudly. “Yeah, sounds interesting, doesn’t it? I can’t wait to read it. The kid can write. Just like her mom.”
He extended his hand. “Listen man, gotta run. Let’s do dinner again soon, okay?”
“’Course.”
As soon as he was gone, I rushed back to my office, slammed the door, and locked it.
“Varden?” My admin’s voice rang from the other side of the door. “You okay?”
“Yup. Just a little headache.”
Shit, shit, shit.
She wasn’t doing a story on a country club. She was doing a story on a fucking sex club! How did I not figure that out? And I was probably going to be part of it.
I fell into my desk chair and buried my head in my hands.
I was pissed. Pissed at myself for doing anything that put me—and the firm—in harm’s way.
I paced the office. Miss M had been right to be suspicious. Jesus, her instincts were good. I could learn a thing or two from her.
This is what happened when I let my dick lead me around.
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
’Course I couldn’t be too furious. After all, wasn’t I doing some deceiving, myself?
I had to get in touch with Saffi. If she knew who I was, she’d never reveal my identity.
Right?