“Giving me your number now?” she asks.
“Yeah, I am. And I’m not doing it because I think you’re gorgeous and have a great ass. I seriously think I can help you recover faster.”
She bites her lip and then that smile comes back. “Great ass, huh? What else do you like?”
I give her the card and she takes it. “Text me and I’ll tell you.”
She stares up into my eyes then shakes her head. “We’ll see.”
“Good.”
She turns and starts to hobble back to the front. I go to help her but she shakes me off. “I got it, okay?”
“Okay. I hope I hear from you soon.”
She glances at me but just shakes her head and keeps limping away. I watch her go until she leaves the gym and disappears down the front hall.
Fucking hell, that did not go well. But her reaction didn’t put me at ease, not even a little bit. In fact, her reaction was suspicious as hell.
She got mad. Really, really mad. Before that, she was enjoying our little flirting game, but as soon as I asked about the accident, she just got livid. But not just angry.
I think she was afraid.
I don’t know what happened to her. But I’m almost sure she wasn’t in a car accident. I’m starting to suspect something worse happened to her, and I need to find out what it was. If something bad happened and she’s still in danger… I can help.
I will help.
She has my interest. Fucking hell, she has all my interest. I wasn’t kidding when I said she has a nice ass. She has nice tits, great lips, a good smile, an amazing laugh.
She’s hiding something. And I need to find out what it is.
As I head back to my office, my phone buzzes. I take it out. The text says, You have a nice ass too.
I grin and save her number.Me: Yeah? Tell me more.
Amber: No thanks. Maybe later, if you’re nice.I’m smiling as I close my office door.
Something’s going on there, and I have to find out what. I’m afraid there isn’t anyone else that’s going to do it.
And besides, she’s got my interest.
If I want her, I’m going to have her.3AmberI put my hand outside of the truck’s window and let the air move it up and down in waves. I keep thinking about Brent, about his smile and his body, all muscular and fit. Our last appointment was three days ago and we haven’t texted since, but I keep taking out my phone and thinking about it.
“Close that damn window,” Dad snaps. “We’re almost there.”
I push the button and let it go up. We’re out in ranch land, out in the middle of nowhere basically. Texas has a ton of land, it’s one enormous state, practically bigger than a lot of countries. This little ranch is on the edge of my father’s business land, the land where he found his oil and made his money.
We’re on a business trip.
I think about Brent’s question about the car accident. He saw the truth in my file, but I’m not sure he even realizes it yet. I glance at my dad then back out the window. Brent’s the first person to actually ask me what really happened.
I should’ve told him. I wanted to at least. But I couldn’t bring myself to say the words. Instead, I pretended to be angry, all because I’m actually terrified.
“Listen,” Dad says as we pull down a side road and drive up toward the main ranch house ahead. “You’d better be on your best behavior. We talked about this before, but we’re talking about it again. You’re going to smile, play nice, act right. You’re going to do as you’re told, and if you pull this off, we’re all going to be filthy rich. You hear me?”
“I hear you,” I say.
“I don’t think you do. We’ll be so rich, my grandkids won’t ever have to worry about money.”
“Assuming I have kids,” I say.
“Don’t talk like that. This boy might want them.” He shakes his head. “Come on, Amber. Get your shit together. This is for real.”
I don’t say anything. I just watch the fencing flash by and stare at the horses roaming the fields.
We park out front and climb out. I follow my dad up the steps onto the large front porch. It’s a nice house, well made and probably on the newer side. Dad knocks and a man answers, reed-thin with a big mustache and a completely bald head.
“Dave?” Dad asks.
“The one and only. You must be Samuel.”
“Good to finally meet you.” The men shake hands and it strikes me that they’ve never met in person before. After all that’s happened, all the negotiating, the back and forth, the fights, they’d never met in person.
“And this must be Amber.” Dave gives me a sidelong look. “Pretty girl. I think Michael will be pleased.”