She nodded slowly.
“I was being honest when I said I never sleep with any of the girls. So, if I tell them you’re mine, they’ll know I mean it.” He held up his hands as if in surrender before he shrugged. “I can try to keep you safe.”
“Okay,” she agreed, suddenly more afraid for her heart than her safety.
Chapter 6
Gretchen entered the old warehouse and took the stairs to the third floor where they housed her special team of agents. She’d be facing them for the first time since she’d confirmed Finn and Jay Finley were one in the same. Time to see if her acting skills were as good as she thought.
“Hey, Chris. I was wondering if you’d be in today. How’d last night go?”
She turned to face Neil. Last night had been a dream. She’d made love to Finn on the couch and then again in his bed before she’d fallen asleep wrapped around him. But she couldn’t tell Neil that.
“I think I found an in,” she finally answered. “And I got some things for you to look up.”
There was no one better than Neil when it came to finding information. If there was a secret out there, he uncovered it.
She handed over a piece of paper with different names and dates she’d heard at the club. Reluctantly, she’d added a few things about Jay Finley. “Can you let me know what you find? Send the information to my phone, and I’ll check when I can, unless it’s major.”
Neil nodded and scanned the list before a low whistle escaped him.
“What?” She looked up cautiously, afraid he’d say she had to bring Jay Finley in immediately. If that were the case, she’d probably be searching for a new job.
“Ronnie Sinclair,” Neil answered.
She nodded. “Yeah, I’ve heard a few things about him. Sounds like he’s a pretty hardcore pimp.”
Neil failed to conceal his grin. “She, Gretchen. Ronnie Sinclair’s a woman, and she’s a ruthless bitch. She’d probably eat her own young if God were evil enough to allow her to procreate.”
A woman? Part of Gretchen gave an imaginary high-five to Ronnie Sinclair. From the way she’d heard men talk about her, she was as powerful as Raymond or any of the other men she’d been sent after. Not an easy task in a business where female flesh was often used as currency. But the thought of a woman victimizing other women left Gretchen disgusted.
“What do we have on her?” she asked.
Neil shook his head. “Nothing concrete. Her name’s only recently popped up. Are you sure she runs with Carlisle’s group?”
“From the bits and pieces I gathered.” Truth be told, she’d been too interested in information about Jay Finley to pay much attention to what was said about Ronnie Sinclair.Dammit.
“I’ll see what I can get for you.” Neil held up the list. “You back on tonight?”
She nodded and checked the watch on her wrist. “I better get out of here, so I can go to Lilah’s apartment and get ready.”
“How long could it possibly take to make yourself look easy?” Neil grinned.
“You’d be surprised.” She sighed and watched as he disappeared behind the wall of his cubicle before she made her way back out to her car.
~ ~ ~
Finn sat in the curved booth across from Carlisle, looking over the dance floor and sipping from the glass of Coke in front of him. He rarely drank at the club, it was difficult enough to navigate a world where he had to pretend to be someone else, doing so drunk was a risk he didn’t need, especially with Gretchen involved.
“Your girl should be up shortly.” Carlisle snickered beside him. “I trust the two of you had a nice time last night.”
It took Finn a moment to rein in his anger and muzzle the part of him that wanted to bite off Carlisle’s fucking head. He needed to remember both he and Gretchen had a job to do, and he had to play his part to keep her safe until he could find a way to get her out.
“Idid.” Finn shrugged, as if he didn’t care whether Gretchen had enjoyed every orgasm he’d given her.
Carlisle smiled, his fat cheeks jiggling with the movement. “Was she more willing once you got her to your place?”
Finn smiled, though the action sickened him. “I can be persuasive.”