"Naturally. I can have her employment records deleted, and it will be as if she was never here.Poof." He wiggles hisfingers dramatically. "Though I'm curious what you're offering in exchange for my silence."
There it is.
I can't blame him. It's a family trait to play the game. None of us keep secrets for free. And if I don't want Wren to let this one slip, I'll need to make it good.
"What do you want?" I counter, keeping my voice even.
A small smile tics up the corner of his lips. "I want to open another club."
I match his posture, leaning back casually as I take in his words. Another club? Haven is successful; Wren's even taking in a decent paycheck these days. But another club will lose money until he has it up and running. Plus, he's competing with himself in this city…
"Why would you open a second location?"
"No, not a second location." He leans forward with a grin, placing his elbows on his desk. "Think, uber-discreet parties where everything is on the table. All of your darkest fantasies come to life. Only for the elitest of the elite."
I snort. "What happened to safety and boundaries?" I learned about proper BDSM practice from Wren and Nolan. The names of my kinks, aftercare, how to go about all the dirty things I want to do without harming the other person.
"That's Nolan's thing." Wren brushes me off.
"So you're gonna ditch keeping people safe?"
"No." Wren shakes his head. "I'll have security. Guests will sign agreements. There will be wristbands for what people are and aren't willing to do. But…" He shrugs. "Other than that, the rules will be… looser."
"Seems like a bad idea."
Wren chuckles. "Well, you're about to be an investor, so I would put a smile on your face and pretend that you like it."
I scrub a hand over my jaw.Well played.
"Okay." I nod, releasing a sigh. "How much?"
"Five mil."
"Three," I counter.
"Three doesn't keep your secret."
Motherfucker.
"Three point five."
"It's five." Wren’s enjoying the fact that he has something to hold over me.
"Fine. Five."
"Nice doing business with you." He extends his hand, and we shake on it, a deal between gentlemen, just like our father taught us when we were kids fighting over things like candy bars and who got to sit in the front seat.
His expression softens almost imperceptibly. "You know, Brother, I'm almost impressed. You've always played by their rules, and now you're bending them to your advantage."
I stand, buttoning my suit jacket. "We all do what's necessary."
"Indeed." He rises as well. "Well, as long as you hold up your end of the bargain, your secret is safe with me."
NEW STORY IDEAS
We meet the heroine in her tragically boring life. Maybe she’s broke?
