“Maybe they thought I was someone else.” Her eyes flicker.
Dammit. Her lies dredge up second thoughts about taking her money. “Have you had any other close calls recently?”
She bites her lower lip and shakes her head, yet another lie. “I… uh. I think, under the circumstances, I should hire you as my bodyguard. You do offer those services, right?”
Wheels grins, the bastard, because he knows this woman is serious trouble.
Smiling politely, I try to think of a nice way to turn her down. “We’re pretty booked and-”
“This should cover it, no?” She opens her purse, writes another check, and pushes a shitload of zeros across the table.
“Ms. Bright, as much as I’d like to help you out, I can’t accept your generous-”
“I’ll double it.”
Huh. Her deep pockets could pay a whole lot of bills, but easy money usually comes from doing something illegal which I’m not prepared to do.
“First, I need to know. Have there been any other attempts on your life?”
She taps those long red nails on the glass. “Someone shoved me off the sidewalk and into a busy street last week. If not for turning my ankle, I would’ve been hit. Then, in DC, I called an Uber and the wrong vehicle showed up, so I ran.”
I share a glance with my pal. Each of those instances, by themselves, would not be a cause for concern. But those, coupled with the drive by, seem suspicious. I don’t bother asking if she told the police. They’d have filed a report and that would’ve been the end of it.
“Before I take you on as a client, I need to ask. What exactly, is your occupation?”
“I’m a sex worker.” She says it like you might say day-trader or office temp.
I give Wheels credit for not dropping his jaw. Me? I clear my throat and scratch at the stubble on my face. Hell, I ain’t no prude but this is a first. Judging from her outfit, she must be pretty damn good at her profession.
Regardless, no one should be trying to take her out. Thinking, I tap the check on the table.
“I promise to make it worth your while.” She rolls her chair close, clamps my upper thigh, and leans forward.
To avoid a clear view down her shirt, I roll my eyes to the ceiling, pull her claws off my leg, and place them topside. “Sex is not included in the contract, ma’am.”
She chuckles. “It could be fun.”
“You’ll excuse me for a moment? I need to speak with my wife.” After standing, I walk into the foyer, but first call Patten Securities.
“Yeah?” Having known Slate for years, I translate this to mean, hello and what can I do for you.
“I was lookin’ for a trade.” I grin, hoping this will force him to use more words than usual.
“Trade what?” His tone indicates I captured his interest.
“Well, perhaps you have a guy who could guard my client and I take on one of yours.”
“Why?”
“Mebbe you could find a single man?”
He chuckles. “Some woman putting the moves on you?”
“She nearly punctured my balls with her nails when she grabbed my leg. I may need to file a harassment suit.”
“Sam know?”
“Not yet and I’d kindly appreciate you not sayin’ nothin’.”
