Dirty Little Secret: A Billionaire Romance Duet - Mika Lane Page 0,22

made it just in time.” I ordered her a beer with seconds left in happy hour.

“I haven’t seen you in ages,” she said, getting situated on her barstool. “How’s things at the paper?”

“I’m liking it better. I mean, I think I’m going to be getting more challenging work.”

Nelle’s face brightened. “No kidding! Tell me.”

I opened my mouth to tell Nelle everything, but I stopped. No doubt she could deal with it but…way too soon. I didn’t want to answer a bunch of questions that I probably wouldn’t have answers for, anyway.

So I fibbed. “Well, there’s nothing in particular to tell yet. It’s just a feeling. I think my editor is listening to me more.”

Who wouldn’t listen to a story about a freaking sex club?

Earlier that day, Ed had called me into his office.

He’d leaned forward in his chair, hands clasped on his desk. “Saffi, what’s up with the Club Silk story?”

“Well, I visited for the first time the other night.”

Of course I glossed over the sexy details, explaining I’d not yet gathered much of substance.

“It’s going to be a good story,” I assured him. “Why do you ask?”

“I don’t know. I mean, is this something you should be doing?” He looked around the room as if there were others present, and then said in a conspiratorial whisper. “Should you”—he gestured at me—“be going to a sex club?”

“Not sure what you’re getting at, Ed.”

“Maybe next time you go, you should take me with you.”

What the fucking fuck.

I forced a small smile in the hope of wiping the tension off my face.

“I’ve got it under control.”

Did he really think she wanted to go to a sex club with him? Jesus.

“Well, all right,” he said. “But before all is said and done, someone else will have to go for fact-checking purposes.”

“I understand.”

Then he pushed back from his desk and stood like he always did when he was ready to end a meeting.

“Okay then. Keep me posted. Good work.”

Nelle was shaking my arm. “Hey. Saffi. You with me? You spaced out again.”

I realized I’d shredded my cocktail napkin. “Yeah, yeah. Sorry. I have to stop letting work get me down.”

Quick save.

“Yeah, you do. Now what about your office crush? What was his name again? Tim?”

“Tom. It was Tom. But he turned out to be a douche.”

“Oh, that’s too bad. Onward.” She raised her beer glass. “Your mom would be proud of your commitment.”

A thud landed in my stomach. Would she be proud of her daughter investigating a sex club?

“Yeah, I hope so.” I stared at the sweat ring my beer left on the bar.

Nelle nodded. “Of course she would be. She’d be proud of the life you and your dad have built. Speaking of which...how is your handsome father?” Her eyes widened.

“My dad is great. You know him. He doesn’t mind my crashing at the house. In fact, I think he likes it. And it’s nice to have some time with him after being away at school. Not that I could afford to move out, anyway...”

“Hey, don’t despair,” She said. “You’ll be making more money in no time. We’ll get a place together.”

“Easy for you to say, miss finance major. You’ve got a great job in banking. But the journalism route does not pay quite as well.”

There could be some pretty sweet perks, though. The kind only an exclusive club offered. And I was determined to enjoy them.

Chapter 13

Varden

I was still busting my ass at the office at seven thirty p.m. when a text finally arrived from Saffi.

Jesus, what was I doing, playing with fire like this?

It was early yet for Club Silk, but I steered my Audi in its direction, anyway. I could get there early, have a drink or two with Miss M, and leave my world behind. No one would need anything from me—not work, not my brother—no one.

With Beau crashing at my place, memories of the tough years with our alcoholic asshole of a father were close at hand. Most days, those fucked-up memories, were far from my consciousness.

But I’d manage to achieve enough, both personally and professionally, to have gotten some perspective on that time. Now if only I could have that same influence on Beau, who’d taken the brunt of the family shitshow.

As the first in the family to make it to college, I was out of the house when things had gotten their worst. Beau had had to face it all on his own. For that, I’d never forgive myself. He’d been paying for it ever since.

The