Surprise Bidder

I didn’t expect her to open up to me. When she did, when she poured her heart out and started crying, I couldn’t help but put my arms around her. I knew exactly how she felt- the pain of being abandoned, that feeling of having nothing, the helplessness, the loneliness. I just wanted to make it all stop.

And I didn’t expect her to let me touch her. I was almost sure she’d push me away. When she snuggled against my chest instead I was filled with a strong urge to protect her, to take care of her.

When I kissed her, she kissed me back. She surrendered her body to me willingly, and it felt better than when I tried to make her submit. I tried to be gentle, but hell, she urged me not to be. Astounding.

I can’t seem to win against her, but somehow that doesn’t bother me at all.

“Sure she’s not causing you any trouble?” Thomas asks me.

“If you’re implying that she’s anything like Nadine, she’s not,” I answer bluntly. “She knows what she’s doing, why she’s here.”

Elias nods. “That’s good to know.”

“Growing fond of her, Scotsfeld?” Thomas asks as he brings his glass to his lips.

I decide this topic has gone on long enough.

“Gentlemen, why are we here?” I ask them. “Surely we could have chatted downstairs.”

“You left the meeting I called the other week rather early,” Elias tells me.

So this is about that?

I tap my knee. “I had other things to do.”

Elias leans forward. “Are you not interested in getting a seat on the Council, Gavin? If so, it’s best that you tell us now.”

“I’m interested,” I answer.

“You don’t seem like it,” Thomas says.

“Because I’m not kissing your asses?” I shrug. “I wasn’t aware that was a requirement.”

Thomas frowns. He opens his mouth to say something, but suddenly, Elias laughs.

Thomas looks at him like he’s gone mad. “I don’t see what’s funny.”

Does he ever?

“Oh, come on.” Elias pats his friend’s arm. “You know I find honesty amusing. That’s why I’ve kept you by my side.”

Still, Thomas frowns.

“Besides, just now, Gavin reminded me of his father.”

My eyebrows arch. I didn’t know Elias knew my father.

“Yes, I knew your father,” Elias confirms. “He hated kissing ass, too. That’s why he didn’t join this Club.”

I grab my scotch because this talk of him is leaving an unpleasant taste in my mouth. “Then I’m glad I did.”

Elias chuckles. Why do I get the feeling he just called me here for amusement? In the next moment, though, his expression turns serious.

“So that’s it, then? You’re not against joining the Council?”

“I may not seem eager to join the Council,” I answer. “But I wouldn’t mind doing so.”

Thomas snorts.

Elias ignores him. “That’s a relief. Here I thought you had a grudge against me.”

“Because of what happened to Nadine?” I shake my head. “No. The Council had nothing to do with that.”

Elias lets out a deep breath. “I’m glad we’ve finally cleared the air about that.”

“Finally?” Thomas sounds puzzled. “I thought that’s long been made clear.”

Again, Elias ignores him. “So there’s no reason you think you shouldn’t be on the Council?”

“Should I think of one?” I ask.

Thomas shakes his head. “Has no one taught you how to answer a yes-or-no question?”

“Easy, Tom.” Elias gives him another pat on the arm. “Don’t mind him. He’s in a bad mood because Patsy bought another cat.”

“I am not,” Thomas argues.

“Anyway, we’re both glad to hear your answer,” Elias tells me. “To be honest, you are one of our top candidates even though you haven’t been with the Club long.”

Let me guess. Because I’m one of the biggest spenders?

“I’m honored.”

“And because of that, we’d like to tell you something,” Elias goes on. “Something few people know about.”

A secret? Then again, I shouldn’t be surprised. This Club is full of them.

“Go on.”

“Daniel Lawson was murdered,” Elias says.

My eyes grow wide. Murdered? I didn’t see that coming.

I finish the rest of my drink in one gulp, set the glass down and stroke my beard.

“Is this a fact?”

“If you’re asking if this conclusion came from the police, then the answer is no,” Thomas answers. “The police are not involved.”

Of course not.

“Rachel firmly believes it, though.”

Daniel’s wife?

“Why?”

“The doctors say he died of an overdose,” Elias explains. “But Rachel says she personally kept track of her husband’s medications. He never missed a dose, and he never took more than what was prescribed.”

“And he didn’t even have a prescription for the drug that was found in his system,” Thomas adds.

Definitely suspicious.

“You’re saying he died of an overdose of drugs his wife claims he never used before?” I ask.

Elias nods.

I scratch my beard. “Couldn’t he have been taking them in secret?”

“Rachel also said that the night he died, he came from the Club,” Elias says. “And that he reeked of alcohol.”

I shrug. “No surprise there.”

There are four bars downstairs serving just about every kind of drink on Earth.