I sit through four mind-numbingly boring interviews, my thoughts mostly elsewhere. Interviews are kind of my thing, typically. I love making people squirm under my stare. I love trying to read them and then comparing notes with other people who were present. But even the sight of my desk is too distracting. A pile of papers reminds me of when I removed everything from it, just to place Alex’s soft and pliant body on top of it. Every time I get up to shake hands, I’m reminded of the way she dropped to her knees before me and took my cock to the back of her throat.
Johnny asks what I assume are appropriate questions to the candidates while I scowl in my seat, equally aroused and pissed off by my stream of thoughts.
“Well, thank you for coming. We will let you know what we decide.” Johnny’s words are my cue to stand up and shake hands, but when the fourth candidate leaves, my casino manager drops into the seat in front of me. “So… what do you think?” He eyes me with suspicion.
“They’re suitable candidates.” He lifts his eyebrows. “Sorry, I’m a little distracted today. Which one did you like best?”
“Oh, I already had a favorite. But I wanted you to sniff them out.”
Tough luck. “Which one is your favorite?”
“Candidate number three.” He drops a file onto my desk, showing me a face I faintly recognize, even though the man was in my office half an hour ago. He goes off on a tangent, telling me all the reasons Candidate Number Three, also known as Rick Weston, should be the guy I hire.
My focus turns to the screen, but it only reminds me of spending my hours in the same place, staring at the security feed. Eventually, I realize Johnny has stopped talking, and he’s waiting for me to jump in. “I trust you. If you think he’s the best candidate, then offer him a job.”
“Sure thing. What about his employment package?”
“The usual. But make sure it’s significantly lower than yours. He should work his way up the ladder.” Johnny nods in agreement. “And make a plan of how you’ll monitor him.”
“Of course. I already have a system in place. I’m just happy to stay on one coast for the foreseeable future.”
“You deserve it.”
“Thanks, boss.” His mouth curls into a smile beneath his goatee before he leaves my office.
As soon as I’m left alone, I make my way to my downstairs office. Even though there’s nothing here to remind me of her, I can’t escape my mind and the thoughts that beg to resurface.
CHAPTER 23
Alex
Isulk in Sophie’s apartment for three days, splitting my time between her bed and her couch. The skin of my face has dried up from my tears, a feeling that is unfortunately familiar to me. I slump into the bathroom to pee, but my reflection in the mirror while I wash my hands makes me wince.
My face is red and splotchy; my eyes bloody. My hair has divided itself into greasy, tear-stained clumps. The sight fills me with dread. I’ve let a man do this to me once. Turn me into an empty shell of a person. I thought I was better now.
I inhale a deep breath into my lungs, filling my head with determination. With frantic speed, I pull the clothes off me, desperate to wash away the evidence of my pitifulness. In the shower, I scrub my hair and skin, like I’m trying to scrub away the hurt I’m feeling. My plan doesn’t work, but the scent of the floral shampoo invading my nostrils fills my chest with something akin to hope.I can get through this.
I wrap myself in the biggest towel I can find and order a salad over my phone. My diet of ice cream and chocolate is hardly sustainable, and I need to get some nutrients in me, STAT. Getting myself dressed still feels like doing too much, so I grab the food in my towel and eat the salad on the couch. I crunch on thelettuce and chicken while contemplating the same thoughts I’ve mulled over a million times for the last three days.
Leon found out my real name before I could tell him myself. He sees that as a horrible betrayal because I somehow kidnapped his brother? And Sophie was involved?
Him finding out my real name is the only thing that is even slightly plausible. He is a powerful man, after all. I don’t doubt that he can hire an investigator. A ball of disappointment lodges itself in my throat knowing he had so little faith in me, but I ignore it.
Still, the other part? The kidnapping of his brother? Sophie? It doesn’t make sense.
My brain receiving some actual food, a pretty obvious idea forms in my mind. I grab my phone and type Leon Petrovic into the search bar. First thing that pops out are photos of Leon in a tux, attending different social events. Tears form in the corners of my tortured eyes. Even though he’s devastatingly handsome, all I see is his face while he was spewing hate at me. Just to torment myself further, I click through the photos, searching for female companions. I find none, and a relieved breath that has no business escaping me — escapes me. I scroll down past the pictures, clicking on different articles. Most of them boast about his casinos and his business skills, sharing his recent acquisitions. If the articles are to be believed, he’s one of the most influential business owners in the city. There’s a picture of him with other notable entrepreneurs, as well as the mayor. I stumble upon an article announcing the death of his father. My skin prickles, remembering the night he talked about losing both of his parents. There are three men in the picture, and the caption states, “Matej Petrovic will be deeply missed by his two sons, Leon and Luka.”
The brother. There’s no mistaking that the men are family. The three of them are all very attractive, with sharp jawlines, thick hair and dark eyes. Leon’s brother looks like a more rugged version of him, his suit not fitting him fully.
Using the advanced Google skills all womenpossess; I do a deep dive into Luka Petrovic. There are far fewer photos of Luka than there are of Leon, and he poses in none of them. Unlike Leon, who is always perfectly styled, Luka dresses mostly in black combat gear. It’s obvious the two brothers are different, both in style and personality. I wish I asked Leon more about their relationship when I had the chance.
Eventually, I find an article mentioning Luka starting in his brother’s footsteps and buying a club. A sex club, to be exact. My cheeks heat. What the hell is a sex club?
My next search happens in incognito mode and shows me there’s an entire world I’ve been missing. Not that I’m particularly interested in visiting a sex club, but it’s still weird to know there are places out there where you can have sex in front of everybody, and I had no idea they existed.
Luka’s sex club is here in the city, maybe a twenty-minute ride from here. I couldn’t tell you the time of day if you threatened me, so I check the time on my phone, realizing it’s eight pm on a Friday.
In the span of a second, I make my decision. With newfound purpose, I dig through my suitcase, looking for an outfit.
