With more force than I intended, I yank Caroline’s head back. She gasps. “If you knew what was good for you, you should’ve kept your mouth shut about my wife.”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
I twist my hand in her hair and she cries out. “Lie to me again and see what it gets you.”
Ugly red blotches her face, but she glares up at me. “Try it and see what happens. I’m going to tell Madame you assaulted me.”
“Oh? Are you still going to call this ‘assault’ if I throw a few hundred bucks at you?”
She hesitates.
So predictable. “It’s always about money, isn’t it?”
“If you know, why did you ask? Yeah, I need money, and I’m going to get it any way I can. I told Annabelle what would happen if she ignored me.”
I narrow my eyes. “You tried to blackmail my wife?”
“It’s called bargaining. I never threatened her.”
“Caroline.” I keep my voice deliberately low. “If you needed more money, you should’ve gotten busy sucking more dicks.”
She breathes roughly. “You fucking asshole. It’s only fair that I get something. Without me, she would’ve never met you.”
“Yes, I wonder about that. How did you get her to go into that damn cake?” I give her a long stare. “You weren’t really sick, were you?”
“My parents showed up unexpectedly. They won some kind of sweepstakes trip to L.A. I couldn’t ditch them and work. They don’t know what I do. So I had no choice. Madame G. didn’t have any other girls to sub for me that night.”
I study her face for a sign of deception, but I can’t find anything. Besides, she has no reason to lie about this. “All right. Now listen carefully. This is a courtesy warning. It’s the only one you’re going to get. Next time you interfere with me or my wife, I will fucking ruin you.”
“No, you can’t.”
“Oh yes I can.” I let out a dark chuckle for her benefit even though I feel like breaking a few things right now. “It’ll be easier than stomping on a snail. As a matter of fact, why should I even wait for a next time when I can do it right now?”
A shiver runs through her. She tries to hide it, but I can still feel it through the hand buried in her hair. “I didn’t fuck with you or Annabelle. Jesus. Don’t jump to conclusions.”
“Then how did all that stuff get published? I’m pretty certain it wasn’t my wife who leaked it.”
“Well…I could sell you that information…”
I laugh, the sound ugly and grating even to my own ears. “I’m not playing a game of ‘let’s pay Caroline to see what she knows’.” I tilt her head back further. “If you know, say it. If not, then shut your mouth.”
“It wasn’t me! I swear it!”
I snort, then let go, shoving her away from me. I’ve suffered enough of her toxic presence. “You’ve wasted enough of my time. You have exactly four hours to get the fuck out of the city or else…” I give her my most menacing look.
She sprawls on her ass, but keeps talking. “You can’t hurt me!”
“Just watch. Watch as your life goes down the toilet. A man like me…with power…money…influence…” I give her time to think about it. “…can get away with anything. And you know it better than anyone.” I pull out my phone. “First call will be to Madame G. I do believe you’ll be needing to look for a new job tomorrow…”
Sweat dots the skin above her lips. “It’s this chick.”
This chick. “Is that the best you can do?” I make a big deal of entering my code and swiping the screen.
“Her name’s Annabelle, too.”
I go still.
“This brunette. Really pretty, high maintenance looking.”