Looking up from the files, I ran through the rest of my day and what needed to happen before I dropped a bomb in their laps. “Let’s say eight.”
“All right, I’ll step out and make a few calls if that’s okay?” he asked, looking right at me for confirmation. I smiled and nodded then went back to the files.
Cherry Pie, whose real name was Amanda Smith, was one of the people who chose this life. She started working for us five years ago right after she turned eighteen. Once she got her feet under her, she became a fan favorite to many but quickly sought out those who would make her the real money. Cherry didn’t start taking private clients until two years ago, but the woman charges two hundred and fifty dollars an hour.
Alfie’s story wasn’t quite so simple. He’d been forced into working to pay off his father’s gambling debt at the age of sixteen, working in the clubs as a busboy and barback. Once he hit the legal age, he started his dancing and immediately began taking clients. He paid off what was owed by the time he turned nineteen with what he was pulling in. Now twenty-three, he was charging three hundred and would only take on three clients at a time while still dancing at the Tropical Martini.
Out of the two of them, my thought on who was spilling secrets was Cherry. She was power hungry, and there were many complaints from other girls how she ruined outfits or broke heels so they couldn’t dance. She’d even stolen a client or two from others. Cherry was a lioness out hunting for herself, and she wasn’t going to let anyone steal her limelight.
“Astin,” Ryker interrupted after I’d had the chance to read over everything.
“Yes?” I asked, not looking up as I made a few notes on a scratch pad.
“Tin-Tin, am I ever going to do this right?” he asked, sadness coating his words. “Every time I think there’s a chance for us to at least be friends again, I fuck it up.”
Setting the pen down, I met his gaze. “Is that what you’re trying to do, be friends?”
“Are you telling me that there’s a chance for more than that?” he questioned, his brows raised in surprise.
Not answering right away, I studied my once best friend’s face. He was the first man I’d loved, my first of everything if I were being honest. I’d loved to tease him, leading other guys on just to ruffle his feathers and make him stake his claim by my side. Then, in a blink, everything changed. Now knowing what Daddy told me about giving him an order not to talk to me made sense why he didn’t. Yet it also bothered me he wouldn’t ensure I knew what was going on instead of trusting Daddy to tell me.
“He never told me,” I said. “Daddy let me believe you abandoned me because he was jealous you got so much more time with me.”
“What?” Ryker blurted.
“I assume you were expecting my father to tell me he recruited you and told you not to speak to me anymore. He never did,” I explained further.
Ryker let out a growl and dropped into one of the chairs opposite me. “He was jealous?”
“You got to spend every day with me until I was eighteen. That’s far more than he ever got, and he apparently decided your punishment was cutting off communication and me being pissed at you,” I continued.
“None of this makes sense,” Ryker muttered. “He knows how I feel about you, and it was the one reason he picked me to be the head of security. The boss was counting on my love for you to push me to do whatever it takes to keep you safe.”
“Did you just say you love me?” I blurted.
As if the universe was against us, Braxton entered the office with a stunning woman behind him. Cherry was luscious—I’m not sure there’s another way to describe her. She wasn’t stick skinny with blonde hair, but instead, she was curvy, bronze-skinned, with thick curly brunette hair and chocolate-brown eyes. Her lips had the perfect pout, her makeup was done tastefully, and she wore simple skinny jeans and a crop top.
Ryker stood and moved to stand behind me, the picture of the faithful sentry watching over me. I was so tempted to look up at him to see if he was drooling over this woman like so many men have before.
“Lady Astin, this is Cherry Pie,” Braxton introduced. “Cherry, this is Astin Caprioni, the underboss to the Caprioni Family.”
I rose from my seat and reached out to shake her hand. “Thank you so much for coming in early to meet with me. I appreciate it.”
“No, it’s my pleasure. I’m happy to help since the Family has always taken good care of me,” she responded, grasping my hand firmly, a little too firmly. “Braxy said you were looking to interview some of the top earners?”
“Yes, see, the thing is, we are having some trouble with our high-roller clients abusing their privileges, and I wanted to check in with each of you to get your feedback. It’s our job to make sure you’re safe to do your work and that we vet the men before they earn the privilege of time with someone of your caliber,” I explained, laying on her importance thick, knowing that if I played to her ego, she’d sing like a canary.
“Oh my, it’s awful that some people are having trouble. I’m pretty fortunate my clients are some of the best,” she shared. “Who were you having trouble with?”
“Actually, one of them is Harrison,” I said, leaving it at that to see what she’d volunteer.
She gasped, and a hand shot up to cover her mouth as her eyes went wide with shock. “No.”
Shifting, she looked over at Braxton. “She can’t be talking about my Harry, can she?”
“Yes, that’s the reason you’re here, Cherry,” Brax responded, his tone sounding bored. “If there’s something we need to know about him, now is the time to speak up. We have two others he spends time with coming in to talk with us as well.”
Her face clouded over in a mask of rage. “What others?” she demanded. “I’m the only one he sees. He promised me he wasn’t seeing anyone else. I told him that was the rule if he wanted to fuck me without a condom.”