“He suspects me because I haven’t slept with anyone.” She almost choked on the explanation.
“What?” Neil sat up straighter, suddenly at attention.
Corey shook his head as he swung his gaze from her to Neil and back. “Carlisle doesn’t advertise prostitution in his clubs,” the agent explained. “But he does highlyencouragehis girls to entertain guests in the private rooms he provides for them.”
Gretchen had one such room complete with black leather couch and a bed in the corner with silk sheets. So far, she hadn’t sat on anything and she sure as hell hadn’t entertained anyone, although the bowl of condoms on the counter begged to be used.
Behind her, Neil ground his teeth.
Corey chuckled and raised his hands in mock surrender. “Don’t shoot the messenger, man. Your girl knew all this.”
Gretchen closed her eyes as if she could avoid the explosion building around her.
“Well what the hell is she supposed to do about it?” Neil demanded.
“She’ll have to sleep with someone so they think she’s legit,” Carpenter replied as if discussing whether she should have coffee or juice for breakfast.
Gretchen’s gaze snapped back to her boss. Her feelings had oscillated over the years between hate and respect for the man, at the moment, she sat firmly on the side of hate. “Uh-uh,” she protested, before Neil could bother. When she’d agreed to this assignment, her rules had been simple and clear—no nudity and no sex.
“They suspect you because you don’t strip or put out,” Corey reasoned. “If you weren’t so good with your clothes on, they would’ve already forced you out of them.”
“So, what? I just fuck one of them then?” Her stomach rolled with the possibility. It wasn’t that some of Carlisle’s men weren’t attractive, but she wouldn’t be forced to sleep with them, even for the job.
“Is that a problem?” Carpenter asked.
She fisted her hands in her lap, right now she needed to find the strength to not haul off and knock the hell out of her boss. “I’m not a prostitute. You’re not pimping me out for this case.”
Carpenter stared back at her for a moment before he smiled. Her stomach tightened. His happiness surely meant she wouldn’t like what he said next.
“Relax,” he told her. “It’s just Corey.”
“Wait.” “What?” she and Corey protested in unison.
“You’re not pimping me out,” Corey exclaimed. “No one thinksI’ma snitch.”
Carpenter chuckled before he finally shook his head. “No one’s actually sleeping with anyone. We only need you to pretend. Corey, you’re already at the club, request some private time with their best dancer. Gretchen, pretend to go along with it.” He crossed his arms over his chest and sat back.
“Pretend?” she mumbled as she considered his plan. She and Corey could sit in her room, maybe even discuss strategy, and let everyone think they were screwing each other’s brains out. Sounded good, except . . . “What happens the next night when Corey’s not there? As soon as I cross from dancer to prostitute, I’ll be expected to do it again.” And again and again. She could never go back to simply being a dancer. It didn’t matter how well she danced, once her clothes came off and her legs opened, dancing wouldn’t be enough to keep anyone’s attention.
Corey shrugged. “We can send other agents in. I’m sure Neil will volunteer as tribute.”
“Fuck you.” Neil’s chair scraped across the floor as he pushed to stand.
Gretchen grabbed his wrist, a move Corey’s mischievous gaze didn’t miss.
“I’ll let our deep cover know,” Carpenter interjected before his agents could come to blows. “We’ll make sure only our men get through.”
Gretchen released Neil’s wrist and barely refrained from rolling her eyes. For all she knew there was no deep cover. She’d never suspected even a hint of someone in Carlisle’s organization that could be on her side. Then again, she hoped no one suspected her either.
“Gretchen,” Neil spoke quietly. “What do you think?”
“I think I don’t have much choice.” She met her boss’s gaze and held it. She hadn’t thought he’d be willing to sacrifice her for this case, but now. . .
She stood and glared down at her boss. “Fair warning, I’ll cut the first man who doesn’t take no for an answer, and that body will be on you.”
After a tense moment, Carpenter nodded. “Understood.”
She returned the nod, still not comfortable with this new plan, but determined to prove to Carlisle that she wasn’t his snitch. Well, at least not hisonlysnitch.