Page 92 of Reveal

“I’ll handle it. I’ll call him the minute we hang up.”

The quickest way for a girl to turn on you is if you mess with her ability to make money. My lack of response to Noah did just that.

“Thanks, Vee. He’s willing to pay. He just needs to show up.”

“I hear you. Like I said, I’ll get on it right now.”

I end the call and click on my computer to get his contact information. In less than a few minutes, I have a meeting set up with Noah and have offered numerous reassurances to him.

The rest of the day flies by, and as I do my weekly check-ins with my girls, I’m not surprised to find a few of them have heard the same gist from either the senator himself or another girl asking about it.

My first line of defense is to give the same explanation I gave to Ivy.

My second is to worry how Carter was able to get in touch with so many of my girls. One is too many.

The safety net I thought I’d built around this business seems not to be as secure as I once thought it was. Either that or he’s digging through my electronic footprint somehow so that he knows how to contact them.

All of it is troubling.

Then I think of my day planner on my desk. Of my thoughts a few weeks before that someone had been going through my office.

You’re drawing conclusions out of fear, Vaughn. Get a grip.

With my head in my hands and a deep sigh, I look up when I get a new email.

“It’s almost as if she knew,” I murmur to myself when I look at the message I just received from Ella. Yet another check-in to see if I’m ready and willing to discuss selling my book of business to her.

I stare at the screen until my eyes blur. Tell her yes. Tell her no. Financial security versus insecurity. Keeping myself vulnerable to the illegalities of this business versus stepping away from the constant worry of being caught.

I sigh with a shake of my head. The offer to sell is so tempting, but the price she’d pay for my book of clients isn’t nearly enough to cover my outlying debts. The plan was to sell in a year’s time. To build and bolster and grow my reputation so this is all worth more.

If I sell now, I won’t completely pay off my debts. Will paying off a large chunk be enough for Priscilla? Because the tips at Apropos simply aren’t enough to live off while repaying the remaining balances.

But selling it would make you safer. It would give you a chance to have a future where you’re not constantly looking over your shoulder.

For the first time since she began contacting me, I reply back with a message other than no.

Hi Ella,

Thank you for your message and persistence. I think I’m closer to talking than I’ve ever been. I need to figure out a few details and have a bit of time to wrap my head around it all, though. I’ll be in touch in the next few weeks to set up a meeting with you.

Thank you.

Vee

I stare at my response for the longest time and then hit send before I lose the courage.

CHAPTER THIRTY

Ryker

I eye the man who walks into my office. His eyes never stop glancing around—judging, measuring, assessing—until they land on me.

“Can I help you, Officer?” I ask.

He’s in plain clothes. Light hair. Dark eyes. And he more than takes his time responding.

“You having a good day?”