“Oh, boy. What did I do now?”
She followed me back to Rule’s office and stopped in the doorway.
He was skimming my computer screen and looked up when he heard us. “I need you to get everything, and I meaneverythingon Laikyn’s kidnapping.”
“I thought we had everything.”
“According to Laikyn, the guy I killed wasn’t the man in charge.”
“Right.” Rhyan glanced between us. “But we’ve been over this. I can’t find proof that there was anyone else.”
“Try again,” Rule barked. “Find a connection between Monica Quinn and JavierWhoeverthefuck.”
Rhyan frowned, standing tall. “Javierwho?”
“That’s what I want you to find out. Laikyn mentioned her captor thought I was Javier when I rescued her that day. I can only assume it was Diggy’s partner or someone Diggy worked for.”
Rhyan nodded. “Okay. When do you need this by?”
“As soon as fucking possible,” he snarled.
Rhyan turned to leave, but Rule called her name.
“Everything, Rhyan. Don’t leave anything out.”
She nodded, concern glittering in her eyes. “I will. I’ve never let you down before, boss.”
She was right. She hadn’t. But I didn’t think Rhyan realized that she’d never had a task quite this important.
23
Laikyn
If I never had to go toanother one of these fundraisers, it would be too soon.
When I was younger, I didn’t mind getting dressed up for the cameras even if I was left to trail behind my mother because heaven forbid she get photographed with her kid. She absolutely wanted the world tothink of heras the strong, stoic single mom who took Hollywood by storm despite having the hardest job in the world. However, the last thing Monica wanted was for the world tosee heras a mother. She feared if they did, she would stop being seen as a sex symbol and end up cast in parts that she insisted she was far too young to play.
It never really bothered me because I preferred to remain on the fringes, out of the limelight. At times, I’d even enjoyed being pampered and getting dolled up and planted in a limousine, being catered to all night long.
That was before my kidnapping. The last one. The one that had altered my life.
I skipped several public events in the year that followed my return from captivity. My mother used my absence for her gain, letting the media know that we (notme, but the two of us because if it were only me, she wouldn’t be a part of it) were having a difficult time. She assured everyone thatwewould eventually get over the trauma the incident caused and be better than ever.
Yeah. Uh-huh. She would, no doubt. Especially since she staged the whole freaking thing.
I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. I refused to get worked up about it now. Tonight wasn’t about me or my mother. It was about a worthy charity that didn’t deserve the drama that would no doubt accompany Monica’s presence. If there were any good to be had, hopefully, it would draw enough attention to get the charity the funds it needed to continue doing its good work.
Of course, Monica was already ahead of the game because she had publicly announced this morning that she had some exciting news to share at the fundraiser. For the life of me, I couldn’t figure out how her marriage—a cis female and a cis male—could have anything to do with mental health awareness for LGBTQIA+ youth. I was sure there was no correlation, but, as usual, it was a ploy to get all eyes on Monica. That was what she did.
Ever the dutiful daughter, here I was, standing in front of the mirror, going through all the routines my mother had ingrained in me throughout my life. Ensuring there were no visible blemishes on my skin, no marks that needed to be covered, that the gown was hanging correctly from all angles, that my breasts were accentuated but not the focal point, that my hips didn’t look too wide or too narrow, that my shoes didn’t have scuffs, that the diamonds in my ears and at my throat glittered appropriately in the light, and last but not least, that there would be no nipple slippage should I lean over or turn too quickly.
Again, if I never went to another one of these—
“Are you ready?”
I heard Rule’s voice a second before I saw him in the doorway. I was looking in the mirror, so I noticed how his eyes lit up when he saw me for the first time. I turned slowly, giving him the full effect of the dress at once.
His breath escaped in a small gasp as his eyes raked over me from head to toe.
