A Wicked Game

by Evie Knight

  Damn him.

  The man helped her out the handcuffs and rubbed the red marks on her wrists. Tori nodded a silent thank you to the woman when she handed her a blanket. She sat up on the bed, covering her body with the safety of the blanket. “Who are you?” Tori asked.

  “I’m Lady Deveraux.”

  “I’m Chris.”

  Tori held the woman’s gray gaze. “Lady Deveraux, what are you doing here? Do you own this place?”

  “Call me Lady D,” she said. “Chris and I are the founders of Elite Classified.”

  Great. Now Tori could tell them to their face their exclusive online service sucked. “Well, Lady D, saying I’m disappointed at your service doesn’t even begin to desc—”

  “You brought this on to yourself,” Chris interjected.

  She raised a brow. “How did I? You set this up. You made the arrangements.” Tori looked at him, catching his foreign accent.

  “You used your friend’s invitation,” Lady D explained.

  Tori dragged her gaze to Lady D. “How did you know?”

  “We didn’t until a few hours ago.” Chris leaned on the wall and curled his fingers in his pockets, crossing one booted foot over the other.

  She blinked. “Well, you’re a little too late if you came to rescue me. Where the hell are you from?”

  He laughed. “We find you naked and cuffed to the headboard and all you do is ask me where I’m from?”

  “He’s Scottish,” Lady D said, giving him a side-glance. “You and your friends are breaking our system. None of this would be happening if your friend Vivienne would’ve used the invitation meant for her.”

  Ugh, Tori should’ve stood her ground and never listened to Vivienne. “So, now what?”

  “Nothing.” Chris shrugged. “You go on with your life and hope you don’t end up with a hell ever after. It’s simple.”

  “A hell ever after is what that jackass deserves,” Tori said through clenched teeth.

  “Be nice. You don’t mean it,” Chris warned.

  Tori held her blanket tight and stood, looking from Chris to Lady D and back. “I don’t want to be nice. I do wish Jack a hell ever after.” She paused. “Better yet, I’d give anything to find him so I can give him hell for what he did to me. I’d make him sorry he messed with me.”

  Lady D glanced around the room. “Our job here is done.” She walked to the door.

  Chris angled his head, locking his gaze with Tori’s. “Revenge can bring you heartbreak. Are you willing to risk it all?”

  Tori stared back, a crease formed between her brows.

  Chris didn’t wait for her reply. He spun on his heel and stopped by the door. Turning his head, he patted the chair where Jack’s jacket still laid. He winked at her and then left.

  Chapter Three

  “He did what?” Vivienne asked.

  Tori leaned over the proof sheets positioned in a perfectly straight line on the standing desk. She moved her lens from thumbnail to thumbnail, looking for errors. “You know this all happened to me because of you.” She straightened and pulled out the keyboard below the desktop. Tori hit the enter key, which brought up the images on the computer monitors to her right.

  “What’s your plan to get even?” Claire bent over the proofs.

  Tori put up her hand. “Don’t touch those.”

  Claire snapped her head up and stepped away from the table. “You’re the boss,” she murmured.

  “What do you want to do?” Scarlett asked.

  “Nothing. It’s better if she lets it go.” Ariana sat on one of the visitors’ chairs.

  “Whoa, whoa, whoa. She cannot not do something. Sheesh, didn’t you hear what the jackass did to her?” Vivienne crossed her arms, staring down at Ariana.

  Tori glanced around her large office, which seemed a lot smaller now since it was crowded by all four of her friends. She’d skipped on her girls’ night out with them, so they’d crashed her office at the magazine instead. Tori didn’t have to relate every little detail of her date night to them. Understanding dawned on them the moment she mentioned handcuffs and Jack Bloomberg. She didn’t know whether to feel relieved or embarrassed they’d figured out what happened to her without her giving them anymore details.

  “Oh, shut up, Vivienne. If you recall, the same thing happened to me with Fernando.” Ariana crossed her legs.

  “What? He handcuffed you, too?” Vivienne arched a brow.

  Ariana blushed. “No. Not that.”

  “Then, you should be thanking me. It worked out, didn’t it?” Vivienne replied.

  A sly smile formed on Ariana’s face. “Well, yes, it did. Still, you shouldn’t be passing on invitations meant for you.”

  “So, wait.” Tori furrowed her brow. “Did you meet Lady D and Chris?”

  Ariana eased back in her chair. “I met Lady D. I don’t know who Chris is. Why?”

  “Who are those two?” Claire sat next to Ariana.

  Tori exchanged a look with Ariana.

  “It doesn’t matter who they are. What matters is what Tori’s going to do. Are you going to try to find Jack?” Scarlett placed her designer bag on the table next to the proof sheets.

  Her friends’ expectant gazes were on her. “I already did.” Her lips twitched into a smile. Holding up a finger, Tori pulled open a drawer on her desk. “Voilà.” She flashed his wallet.

  Ariana and Scarlett sucked in their breaths.

  “Oh shit.” Claire covered her mouth.

  Vivienne narrowed her eyes at her. “What are you planning to do?”

  Tori’s smile grew into a wide grin. She extracted his driver’s license and credit cards from the wallet. “Let’s just say payback’s a bitch. His words, not mine.”

  Chapter Four

  “I didn’t know you had issues.” Ethan pushed the black gift wrap to the side and stared at the contents inside a small box.

  Jack’s head came up, a crease between his brows. He zeroed his gaze on his friend, who was sitting on the other side of his desk. “Problems with what?”

  Ethan pressed his lips together. “Dude, if some people here in the office see this, they may end up having nightmares or going straight to HR to complain that their Chief of Staff is a naughty man.”

  Jack reached for the box. “What the fuck?” A penis pump lay in the middle of the box. “Who the fuck sent this?”

  “Isn’t there a note or something in there?” Ethan gestured.

  “No,” Jack replied.

  Ethan reached for the gift wrap and found a small envelope attached to it. He opened it and removed the note. “To Jack,” he read. “Drive yourself wild pumping a longer erection with your new best friend. From, Jack.” Ethan grinned, glancing up at him. “It even has a kiss.”

  Jack sprang to his feet. “You’re shitting me.” He snatched the note from his friend. He reread it several times, trying to make sense of it.

  “Are you okay, dude?” Ethan studied him. “Hey, listen. I didn’t know you played for the other team. It’s all right. You know my lips are sealed until you’re ready to come out.”

  Jack shook his head, staring at his friend. “Fuck. I’m not gay.”

  “Okay, who is Jack?”

  “How the fuck should I know?” He threw the note inside the box and closed it as Ethan tossed the black gift wrap in the trashcan under Jack’s desk.

  Jack had left his wallet in his jacket at the beach house. He’d gone to retrieve it only to be informed by the cleaning lady there was nothing there. She’d taken him to the room to show him. Even the handcuffs were gone.

  He made a sound. This had Tori’s name written all over it.

  A knock sounded from the door and his assistant walked in. “Jack, this just came for you.” She placed an arrangement of chocolate-dipped fruit on his desk. She cast a glance at the box and slid her gaze to the wrap in the trash can. “I know today isn’t your birthday. Is there a special occasion you need my help with?”

  Ethan let out a loud laug
h.

  Jack glared at him and then turned to his assistant. “No. Thanks, Brandy.”

  She nodded.

  Two consecutive knocks sounded from the door and a security guard barged in. “Brandy, I didn’t see you at your desk.” He stood by the door, holding an arrangement of red roses along with the biggest teddy bear Jack had ever seen.

  “Oh, this is rich.” Ethan looked from Jack to Brandy to the guard.

  “This just came for you, sir.” The guard took a couple of steps toward Jack. “Where would you like me to put this?”

  Dammit. “Nowhere. Why don’t you give it to your daughter?” he said, raking a hand through his hair.

  The man shrugged. “I don’t have a daughter.”

  “Give it to your girlfriend,” Jack said.

  “Don’t have one of those either,” the guard said through a tight-lip smile.

  Jack let out a heavy sigh. “Throw it away. Do with it whatever you want, just get it out of my sight.”

  His desk phone rang and Brandy motioned the guard to the door. She picked up the handset and answered the call. “Jack Bloomberg’s office.” She glanced at Jack.

  Jack lifted his brow in question.

  “It’s your credit card company. They believe you may be a victim of fraud,” she said, concern in her voice.

  “No shit.” He pressed the button on his wireless headset. “This is Jack.”

  Brandy looked at him, then Ethan, and walked out of his office. He wouldn’t blame her if she thought him crazy. After fifteen minutes on the phone, Jack hung up and grabbed his jacket.

  “Let me get this straight. You know the thief who stole your info?” Ethan asked.

  “Unfortunately, I do.”

  “Why don’t you find her?”

  Jack slid his arms through his jacket. “It’s not that easy.”

  “Why not?”

  “I don’t even know where to start looking.” Jack paused. “On second thought, my lawyer just got busy. I’ll find her if it’s the last thing I do.”

  Chapter Five

  It’d been three weeks since he’d seen Tori at the beach house. Getting her out of his head was harder than he cared to admit. For starters, she’d lived in his mind, in his dreams of revenge, since his college days. As if it hadn’t been enough, he couldn’t get the images of her panting at his touch out of his mind. He’d licked her pussy, fingered-fucked her, tasted her, and almost made her come.

  Perhaps he wouldn’t be so pissed off if he’d fucked her this time. It would’ve been a sweeter revenge. Tori had some nerve maxing out his credit cards with all the gifts she’d sent him. He’d reported all his cards stolen and gotten the charges removed for all the naughty toys Tori sent to both his office and home.

  Nothing he did stopped her, though. Tori continued with her prank, sending him sex toys ranging from vibrating cock rings to butt plugs to a Super Sucker UR3. Obviously she didn’t mind spending her own money on her little joke.

  With all the toys she’d shipped to him, he could open a sex shop. Shit, he’d even make a profit for his troubles. Jack couldn’t connect her directly to the fraud because he needed more proof than just his gut feeling that it’d been her who’d made all the online purchases. If he ever had a chance, he’d use every single one of those toys on her. He’d make her wear the butt plug while he fucked her until she trembled against him, and he’d fuck her again until she wouldn’t be able to move.

  The loud music combined with chatter filled his ears as Jack made his way through the crowded room of the trendy bar.

  “Hey, Jack. I didn’t think you’d make it,” Ethan said, gesturing to the bartender for another beer.

  “Yeah, well. It’s Friday night and I need a drink.” Jack reached for the beer the bartender had set on the counter.

  “What was today’s toy?” Ethan asked.

  Jack choked. “Shut up.”

  Ethan laughed. “Come on. Tell me.”

  “An anal massager.” Jack took a long pull of his bottle.

  “Damn. Why can’t I find me a girl like her?” Ethan took a drink from his own beer.

  “Jack.” A man slapped him on the back.

  Jack turned and found the same guy he’d met at the beach house. “What are you doing here?”

  “You know who I am, right?”

  Taking another drink of his beer, Jack said, “Yes, I know who you are. What the fuck do you want?”

  Chris flashed a large manila envelope. “You can’t sue us.”

  “The hell I can’t. You set me up with the devil. Do you have any idea what my life has been like in the last three weeks since I crossed paths with her again?”

  “I can only imagine. You should know not to treat a woman the way you did.”

  Jack frowned. “You don’t know shit. I settled the score. She had it coming.”

  Crossing his arms, Chris said, “I bet there’s a good story there. The thing is, a smart man never gets even with a woman or all hell breaks loose.”

  “You can say that again.”

  Chris laughed. “I’ve got to give it to you, though. If there was ever a way to settle the score, your way is the way to do it.”

  Wondering where Ethan had disappeared to, Jack ordered another beer.

  “You need to drop this lawsuit.”

  Jack grabbed his new beer. “I’m not dropping shit.”

  “You can’t sue us for setting you up with someone you believe is a criminal yet has a clean record.”

  Jack took a swig from his drink. The thrill of success filled his chest. Chris and Elite Classified landed right where he wanted them. “All right. Tell you what. If you want me to drop the lawsuit, tell me where to find Tori.”

  Chris breathed out. “You’re asking for something I can’t give you.”

  Jack dipped his head, raising his brows. “Okay. We have nothing to discuss.” Jack glanced around the crowded room, looking for Ethan. “You shouldn’t be talking to me without your lawyer.”

  “Hypothetically speaking, if I told you where to find her, what would you do? Try to get even again?”

  Jack hid his smile behind his beer. “Hypothetically speaking, after I’d confirmed the information you gave me was valid, I’d call my lawyer. What I’d do with it afterward is none of your damn business.”

  Chris gazed at him, then nodded. “I’ll be in touch.” He spun on his heel.

  Jack watched him make his way through the crowd and out the door. He spied Ethan at a table, in an animated conversation with a group of women.

  Making his way to the table, Jack caught sight of the blonde with her back to him. He slid his gaze down her flawless back to her feet, taking in every one of her curves. The short red dress gave him a perfect view of her toned legs, and her “fuck me” black heels made his dick twitch. He imagined leaving a trail of kisses on her back until reaching her perfect ass. His balls felt heavy with anticipation. Oh, yeah. I’m getting lucky tonight.

  He stopped in his tracks when the blonde turned around. I’ll be damned. Jack advanced on her, letting out a series of curses under his breath. All color left her face. Good. He wasn’t the only one affected. What the hell was she doing there anyway? He hadn’t needed Chris after all.

  Tori turned back around and grabbed her clutch.

  He swallowed back a chuckle, gaining confidence as he moved to the table. “Victoria.” Jack smiled. “If I’d known you frequented this place, I would’ve made it a point to come before tonight.”

  “Tori,” she corrected.

  He stood next to her, his thigh touching hers. “Hello, girls. Long time, no see.” He beamed at the other four pranksters he now remembered.

  “You know them?” Ethan asked.

  “Yes. We go way back,” Jack replied. “Let’s have a toast for old time’s sake,” he added.

  The four women exchanged looks, settling their intent gazes on Tori at last.

  “I have to go,” Tori said.

  He placed his hand on the small of
her back and stroked his thumb on her skin. Leaning forward, Jack whispered at her ear, “Not so fast. You and I have unfinished business.”

  Tori gave him a side-glance. “I don’t have anything to discuss with you.” Anxiety filled her deep-green gaze.

  He looked down at her. “You’re not getting out of this easy. We have much to discuss. For instance, we can start with all the toys you’ve sent me and how I’d like to put them to use.”

  The table occupants fell silent, watching their exchange with interest.

  Tori shifted her feet, trying to place some distance between them.

  He moved behind her, placing his hands on the table on either side of her. Trapping her in, he closed the space between their bodies, pressing his cock against her ass. Jack glanced at the other women. “By the look on your faces, I’m willing to bet you know what your sweet little friend has been up to lately, don’t you?”

  “And what are you going to do Jack?” Tori pushed him away to no avail.

  He bent forward and brushed his lips against the curve of her ear. “Let’s just say I’ve considered all the ways how I can use them on you,” he whispered.

  “Why don’t you settle this for once and for all?” Vivienne asked.

  “Stop.” Tori glanced at Vivienne.

  “No. No, let’s hear it,” Ethan said.

  Chapter Six

  What were her friends doing? When did they switch to the wrong side? “Don’t you dare,” Tori warned. Giving Jack hell by sending him all those toys had been fun because she’d planned on never seeing him again. Today’s toy was the last one on her list. In fact, she’d accepted meeting her friends at this bar because she was ready to move on and celebrate the embarrassment she hoped she’d caused him.

  “Oh, this is getting good.” Claire put her hands together.

  “Yes, I dare you.” Vivienne narrowed her eyes.

  The mischief dancing in her friend’s gaze made Tori want to flee. She should’ve never come tonight. No. She always came here. This was her bar. Her spot. It was him, Jack, who shouldn’t have been here tonight. She’d been coming to this place for years and not once had she seen him. Why now?