Illicit

Chapter Nine

By noon, I was two-thirds of the way through the contemporary romance Reed gave me to read, and halfway through a box of tissues I’d found in–then promptly swiped from–the library. I’d been completely taken by the story within the first few pages and had very little feedback to provide outside of absolute gushing. This was an incredibly talented author, whoever they were. The manuscript was simply titled This One, handwritten in red pen,and there was no author name to be found.

My heart ached with emotion. The story had me so gripped that I’d long ago lost interest in hating Cabot Reed and instead wanted to hug him for giving me the opportunity to read something so utterly beautiful.

I looked up at the sound of familiar laughter, smiling as my new work friends stepped off the elevator. Though my heart pinched at the prospect of breaking for lunch when all I wanted to do was continue reading, my stomach growled loudly and, as if on cue, my bladder throbbed painfully.

“Hey, girl, hey!” Marisa grinned when she reached me. She looked down at my little nook at the base of the tree. “You look like one of the school kids that come here in the afternoon. You ready to go eat?”

I slid the manuscript and my tablet into my purse and rose to my feet, stretching my body after being tucked into the base of the tree structure for so long.

“Is that a manuscript?” Hector’s voice held a hint of indignance.

I raised my eyebrows. “Yes?”

He scoffed. “Is it yours?”

“No, I’m not a writer.”

“Where did you get it?” he asked incredulously.

“Jeez,” Eloise said, “What’s with the interrogation?”

Hector looked from me to Eloise, then back. “Did he give it to you?”

He? “Reed?” I asked as I narrowed my eyes. This was the strangest line of questioning I’d ever been a part of.

“Yes, Reed, new girl.” Hector huffed, as if I was the one behaving strangely. “Who else?”

“Yes?”

“No way.” He reached for my bag. “Let me see it–”

“Hector, what’s with you?” Marisa growled. “You’re always so grabby.”

Marcus placed his hand on Hector’s shoulder. “Seriously, what’s the big deal?”

“The big deal?” Hector gave an abrupt laugh, then opened the door to the street and stepped aside so the rest of us could exit the building. Once the five of us were on the sidewalk, he slipped his hand into my purse and yanked the manuscript out.

“Hey!” I lunged for the manuscript but he held it up, just out of reach.

“Not so fast, new girl.” He shook his head, a mischievous smile pulling at his lips. “The old man refused to let me near any manuscripts for my entire internship.”

I frowned. “What? Really?” That seemed odd. What was the point of learning about the ins and outs of publishing if you weren’t allowed to learn about the ins and outs of publishing? “Why wouldn’t you be able to read manuscripts at a publishing internship?”

“Right?” Hector scoffed. “Blanca had to sneak them to me to get an idea of what kind of eye I have.” He beamed. “That’s why I got hired. Obviously.” He pointed to his eyes. “I have a great eye for this stuff.” He raised the manuscript and read the front cover aloud. “This One? That’s it?” He rolled his eyes and handed me the manuscript, then started down the street. “What did he ask for, anyway? What kind of feedback would the head of RP need from an intern? No offense.”

“None taken.”

But Hector had a point. Reed Publishing had an entire acquisitions department, an editorial department, a board… all of these people who were specifically suited for this type of thing. What would he need from me? “He didn’t say anything, actually. I’m sure it’s just a test, you know? He just wants to see if I agree with him, I’m sure.”

Or he’s passing his work off onto me because he may be taking over for his father, but maybe he didn’t really care to do the actual job?

“He just gave you a manuscript and didn't tell you what he’s looking for?” Marisa asked as she fell into step beside me.

“Basically. He told me to finish reading it by the end of the day.” I grinned. “I’m already halfway through it. I barely even wanted to stop for lunch.”

“So it’s good?”

I side-eyed Marisa, widening my eyes. “It’s beyond good. It’s…” I shook my head. “I’m not even sure there’s a word for this.”

Marcus laughed. “Speechless? Must be pretty damn special.”

“It is.” I sighed. “It’s the most epic love story I think I’ve ever read.”

“Wow,” Eloise said as we turned the corner and the restaurant came into sight. “I’m jealous. I’ve been in such a reading slump.”

“Maybe you need to stop reading about crabs and start reading about big Ds.”

“Hector!” Eloise’s eyes widened.

“Crabs?” I asked as my brain conjured up an image of Sebastian from The Little Mermaid.

Eloise rolled her eyes. “Where the Crawdads Sing,” she explained with a shake of her head. “And I loved that book, by the way. Been hungover ever since.”

Hector opened the door to the restaurant. “You know what cures a hangover? Spicy food.”

“Hector,” Eloise warned.

“I’m just saying… spice things up a bit. Take a page out of Rylan’s book and dive into some Simona Steele.”

“Fantastic idea,” I agreed.

Eloise’s cheeks had turned bright red, and not from the sun.

“Everyone loves a little kink, Elle, even uptight bookworms like you.” Hector dodged her playful swing as she stepped into the restaurant.

“You’re a bookworm, too, Hector. And I’m not uptight.” She tilted her nose to the sky, feigning indignation.

“I’m pretty sure it's the uptight ones you have to worry about anyway.” Hector laughed as he sidled up to Eloise and draped his arm around her shoulders.

The hostess greeted us, grabbed five menus, then led us to the same round table in the back corner where we ate yesterday. “Enjoy your meal,” she said as she left us alone.

Once we were settled, Marisa leaned forward, lowering her voice conspiratorily as she said, “Ellie’s not the one who just got a new job at a sex club.”

My mouth dropped open. I hadn’t told Marisa anything about the Rabbit Hole, just that I got a job at the lingerie store, so she obviously already knew about the underground club. Was I the last person in on the secret?

“Who works at a sex club?” Hector whispered excitedly, looking at them all in turn. “Wait. I’ve got this. It’s not me, because I’d remember something that exciting. It’s not Marcus, because he’d obviously tell me so I could visit him at work.” He looked at Eloise. “And we know it’s not Ellie.”

She rolled her eyes.

Swiveling his head toward me slowly, Hector tilted it. “That leaves only two guesses, and my money’s on the new girl.”

“Yes! It’s Rylan!” Marisa covered her mouth to muffle the volume of her voice. “Sorry.”

“Oooh, do tell,” Hector said, leaning over to nudge my shoulder with his own.

“There’s nothing to tell.” What could I say? Mina had been very clear that I couldn’t speak of anything I saw.

“What’s going on?” Eloise asked.

“Rylan got a job at White Rabbit.”

“The lingerie store?” Eloise frowned. “That’s not the same thing as a sex club.” She eyed Marisa wearily. “You know that, right?”

Laughing, Marisa explained, “It is when the lingerie store leads to the Rabbit Hole.”

“What do you mean, ‘the rabbit hole’?”

“The Rabbit Hole is the most exclusive kink sanctuary on the entire East Coast,” Hector explained.

“How do you know about it?” Marcus cocked one eyebrow as he turned in his seat to face his boyfriend more fully.

“I know people.” Hector shrugged. “Hold up.” He raised his hand. “I’m still completely floored that any of you know about the Hole.”

Marisa rolled her eyes. “Doesn’t everyone know about the Rabbit Hole?”

“I didn’t,” Eloise admitted.

“Same,” I added.