by Raven Dark
A phone lay where I’d just stepped, the screen off. It wasn’t mine. “Heh. You have to be kidding me.” I bent and picked up the phone, turning it on. David came in just as the screen lit up. Lit up nice and bright with all of Anika’s contacts.
“Sir? What is it?” David handed me a large mug of the expensive espresso he’d made from the machine in the hotel kitchen.
I took the mug, flashed him a grin, and showed him the lit up phone.
“Her phone?”
“Yep. Looks like we’ll be making a few stops today.”
“Yes, sir. Shall I set things up?” He held out his hand for the phone and I slapped it into his palm.
On the way down in the elevator a short time later, he scrolled through her list without batting an eye at the invasion into her privacy. Fondness for him made me smile.
“It looks like she works at Mount Sinai Hospital, sir.”
I was about to respond when Kelly, my personal assistant, sashayed up, bright smile turning too seductive as usual. If she weren’t so valuable to me, I would have fired her, but no one did her job half as well.
“You have an appointment with the investors in an hour, Mr. Davros.” She handed me an updated itinerary for the day.
“Tell them to wait. I have something I need to do first.” I pushed through the doors to the Lion’s Head, hardly noticing the attendants rushing to open it for me. Owning the hotel meant people reacted quick to me. David went ahead to the limo and took the keys from the valet.
“Yes sir.” Kelly took the tablet and adjusted the meeting time. “Shall I—”
I had a chance to see a blur of motion out of the corner of my eye, a man coming at me, and then Kelly cut off when a fist slammed into my face. Pain blazed through my head, and I was half aware of David pulling his gun and ordering someone to freeze as I staggered sideways on the sidewalk. I shook off the pain and straightened, meeting my attacker’s livid, angry eyes.
“Davros, you ham-fisted son of a bitch.”
“I know you, friend?” With his cheap suit and pale hair, I didn’t recognize him. I put him at early twenties. He looked strong, and as David caught his arms to stop him from coming at me again, he fought like he could have gotten free if David had been anyone else. Blood dripped into my one eye, obscuring my vision. He’s hit my face in such a way that he’d caught what felt like just above my eyebrow. I wiped at the blood and flicked it off, while Kelly tried to dab at it with a handkerchief.
“You attacked my father, you piece of shit. He has a concussion, thanks to you.”
I tamped down the sympathy for Mr. Paris’s son and shrugged casually. “I would never attack a man without just cause, boy. Stealing from others has a way of making enemies.”
“You and your father have put him in dire straits. He didn’t know what else to do.”
I straightened my blazer and headed for the limo, but stopped with my hand on the open door to the car and turned to him. “Attacking a man as high profile as me in public wasn’t smart, Mr. Paris.” His face paled, and I shook my head. “I won’t do anything about it. You’re under a lot of stress, on the verge of losing a business and dealing with an injured father. But attack me again, and you’ll regret it.”
Getting in the car, I watched his face change as he visibly tried to understand why I wasn’t preparing to kill him, like my father would have. A certain dark triumph filled me, watching the fear in his eyes mingle with confusion. My head pounded from his attack, and that fear was a fitting salve. It would keep him in line, and would be far more effective in getting my dad’s money back than a bullet.
Paris junior turned and stalked away, muttering something that sounded obscene and I shook my head, sliding across the seat to let Kelly in. David got in the driver’s seat and both of them fussed over my eye.
“You need a hospital, sir?” David.
“I think you need stitches.” Kelly, as her long hands took my face and she brought hers closer than necessary, lovingly dabbing at my brow.
I was about to say no, but a crooked smile pulled at my mouth. I shoed Kelly’s hands away and nodded to David. “Yeah. Take me to Mount Sinai.”
“Sir, that one’s across town. There’s a closer hospital.”
I grinned. “I know.”
David’s eyes sparkled with understanding. “Got it, sir.”
As soon as the words were out, I knew I should have phrased my answer to Fran’s question differently. I needed to know who I’d slept with. God, could I sound any sluttier?
Fran’s eyes danced with surprise and amusement. “You didn’t know his name?”
I cocked my head, irritation biting at me. “Fran.”
“Sorry.” She became serious and went to get her laptop. In a few minutes, the computer was on and she sat beside me with it on her lap. “Okay, fire away.”
“I suck at this research thing and I hate computers. What do I tell you?”
“Anything you know about him.”
“Not much. He was…gorgeous.” I hated the bitterness in my voice. “Rich.”
She snapped her eyes to me, interest peaked. “Wait, how rich?”
“I dunno. Really rich. He said he made enough that nothing is off limits.”
She whistled. “So, Donald Trump rich. And he’s not local, or you would have recognized him.”
“No, he’s not local. He said he was in town on business.”
She nodded. “Now we’re getting somewhere. Where did you stay?”
“At The Lion’s Head.”
She stared. “Jesus.” Looking back at the computer, she scrunched her brows. “I wish I was a hacker. If I was, and you told me what room you stayed in, I could hack the hotel’s database and find out who he was. What did he have you call him?”
“I—” Crap. My face burned hot. I couldn’t tell her that. The idea of her knowing the things I let him do to me mortified me. “He didn’t. No names, no personal stuff. God, this is sounding sluttier by the minute.”
“I think it sounds hot.” She looked at me when I glared. “Or it would if you didn’t look like you saw a ghost. What happened?”
I put my head back, rubbing my temples. “Just, let’s just find out who he is first.”
She nodded and typed a few keys. “Okay. Did he have any tats? Scars? Missing fingers? Extra fingers?”
“Nope. Skin smooth as a baby’s ass.”
She raised a brow and my cheeks flamed. “Anything that stood out you can remember?”
“No. He…wait.” I sat up slowly. “Yes. He had a ring.” My muscles tightened with adrenaline. “It looked expensive, with a letter on it, like a signet ring, or a family heirloom.”
“What did the insignia look like?”
I grabbed a piece of paper off a pad on the table and scribbled my best imitation of the fancy gold “D” I remember only half recognizing from somewhere. Then I handed her the paper.
As soon as Fran looked at the insignia, her eyes widened and her face lost all color. “Shit. I know this. Hang on.”
An icy chill filled my veins as she typed swiftly. I leaned over and saw pages load and then close, others open. When she settled on one, even more of the color left her face. “Jesus. Look.”
“What is it, the symbol of some crime family?”
“No, but it’s almost as bad.” She turned the laptop around.
I looked at the screen and my stomach turned over. “Oh my God.”
The webpage that filled the screen showed the same insignia, but instead of on a ring, it was the header that displayed the last name I ever wanted to see. Davros Inc, the company owned by the man who’d betrayed my father, and whose name was synonymous with corruption.
I’d slept with one of the richest—and most notoriously dangerous—men in the world.
All the way to the hospital for our shift, Fran and I talked. I told her about the blood I’d found on his sleeve, the fact that he’d been out so late when I’d woken up, about the gun in his drawer that had scared me
so much. So far, I’d managed to avoid telling her about the men after my father and I, or who we really were. Dread at the idea of scaring her so much filled me every time I thought about telling her that.
It terrified me to think about what I’d done last night, but it also felt good to finally tell my best friend about what should have been, and in some ways still was, the best night of my life. First times weren’t supposed to be scary. They were supposed to be romantic and hot, and leave you flying high for a week. Instead, thinking about last night reminded me of the crap my father and I had been through, of being on the run and dealing with the mob, and that filled me with a sickening feeling that settled in my gut like a stone.
Fran listened to the whole thing with her arm around me, interrupting only with the occasional question. I love that she didn’t judge me for what I’d done. But I’d left out what upset me more than anything.
“At least I know he’s not a hitman,” I said, getting off the bus with her at the hospital.
“What? Why would you think he was a hitman?”
I shook my head, a silent dismissal.
Fran narrowed her eyes. “There’s more to this. What aren’t you telling me, girl?”
“Don’t call me that.” I held my stomach, but it did nothing for the queasy feeling in it that got worse when she called me girl.
“Why?”
“Because. It’s what he called me when we…” I looked at her, letting my eyes finish the sentence.
Her lips twitched. “Oh wow. That’s hot.”
“Fran. Fuck off.”
“Sorry.”
Once inside, we headed to the locker area and got ready for our shift. I slid my hospital credentials around my neck and Fran did the same.
“So, come on. What is it you’re leaving out?”
“It’s too hard to explain all of it, but let’s just put it this way. I know more about the Davros reputation for being underhanded than most.”
“Oh, I know it, too. It’s the senior one—Victor, is it?—who you have to worry about most. He’s the worst one. He’s conned and manipulated more people out of their livelihoods than any of the other Davros men.” She widened her eyes. “Oh, God, I hope you didn’t sleep with him? He’s like seventy or something.”
“No. He was older though. Thirty-five, maybe?”
“That sounds like one of the younger sons. Alphonso, or maybe Kane. Victor has something like ten sons, all hot. I wonder which one it was you…you know.”
“Can you make this sound any sleazier?”
She shrugged her apology. “You didn’t do anything wrong. It’s not a coincidence he took you to the Lion’s Head, though. They own it.”
“I know. Ugh. God, I can’t believe I did this. Sleeping with one of them, I might as well have gotten in bed with Satan.”
Fran’s let out a breath, as if she was trying to figure out how to reassure me.
“Well, don’t jump to disagree with me now.”
“Sorry. It’s just, you’re right. The Davros clan. Girl, that’s not good.”
“You have no idea.” The thought of what my dad would say if he found out I’d gone anywhere near anyone in the family that had ruined our lives, much less slept with one of them, made my blood curdle.
“Anika?” One of the hospital administrators marched over to me, her eyes narrowed in irritation behind her spectacles. Great, all I needed was to deal with Janet Speros today. She undermined both Fran and I anytime she had the chance, and criticized anyone under her for every little thing. I got the feeling she didn’t like newbies.
I put on my best winning smile. “Morning, Miss Speros.”
“You’re in triage today.” She gestured to the seats in the waiting room, all with patients waiting to be seen. I nodded. She ran her hand through her short curls, looking on edge. “What wrong?”
“It’s the asshole over in triage. He came in with a minor head wound and he’s been there two hours. He won’t see anyone but you.” She slapped the clipboard with patient’s sheet on it into my hand and nodded me toward a row of seats.
“He asked for me by name? Why?”
“I don’t know. He wouldn’t say. Every seat in triage is filled with people, and he wouldn’t see anyone but you.”
I sighed. “Sorry, Miss Speros. I’ll get to him now.” I headed for the area she’d indicated, but stopped when she called me back.
“I don’t know what you got yourself mixed up in, but no one wants to deal with someone like him. Handle it and get him out of here.” For some reason, she looked almost shaken. I stared, glanced at Fran, who looked as baffled as me, and then looked at the sheet as the administrator walked away.
“Shit. Fran, look.” For the second time today, alarm gripped me like a vise. The name that stared up at me made my heart slam against my ribs. Victor Davros. Speros’ reaction made sense now. There were a lot of people who hated that family.
“Victor Davros is here? And he wants to see you?” Fran touched my shoulder. “That’s the father. You suppose it has something to do with what happened between you and his son?”
“It can’t be a coincidence.” I pushed a hand through my hair.
“You want me to deal with him?”
“No, I’ll do it. I’m not subjecting you to him.” I forced on my most professional smile and went toward the cluster of seats against one wall. “Mr. Davros?” I called out, looking down the line of chairs.
Someone stood up and I expected to see the silver-haired head of the Davros family, an intimidating scowl planted on his weathered face. He’d no doubt start in on me, demanding to know what a slip of a girl like me was doing with his celebrity status son, how I wasn’t good enough for him.
Instead, the giant of a man walked over to me, and that sexy smile that had gotten me so wet the previous night pulled across his lips.
“Hello, angel.”
6
Shit.” I rolled my eyes. If his smile had gotten me hot before, now that smug, wicked look of triumph boiled my blood. All the contempt and loathing I’d felt for the Davros family for what they’d done to mine slammed into me, hard and vicious, like a shot of poison. We’d both agreed on the anonymity of the previous night, but now that anonymity made me feel manipulated and deceived.
“What—” Realizing everyone in the hospital lobby could see us, I pushed him into the triage room and shut the door. Well, no, he’d likely let me push him in, or I wouldn’t have managed it. I rounded on him. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“I missed you too, gorgeous.”
“Ugh.” I growled and slapped the clipboard with his form on it onto the table near him. “You listed yourself as your father so I wouldn’t know it was you, didn’t you?”
He shrugged, straightening one of his snowy white cuffs. “It worked, didn’t it?”
“Why are you here? Are you even hurt?”
“Hey. I resemble that remark.” He grinned, then pointed to his head as he sat in the patient’s chair.
I’d only half noticed the cut above his right eye. I sighed. I would really have to triage and then probably help treat him.
“Turn your head,” I ordered. He only smirked at me, and I scoffed, grabbing his chin, then forcing myself to turn his head gently. That looked like a nasty cut, the kind you get from being punched. He might have a head injury, which meant, if he didn’t need stitches, he might require some skin adhesive closure, and the ER attending could end up having to do a neuro check on him. He was making it hard to follow the Hippocratic oath, thou shalt do no harm. Unfortunately, he also smelled fantastic, like Old Spice and male. The scent made me reel.
“Have I done something to upset you, nurse?”
I shook my head in irritation, inspected the bloody area by his brow, then stalked to the table with the medical supplies. “So, which Davros are you?” I let as much acid for him fill my voice as I could as I snapped on a pair of latex gloves and grabbed disinfectant and wipes.
“So the secr
et’s out.” A mutter, riddled with disappointment that surprised me. His eyes softened. “I guess you had to find out sooner or later, huh?”
“You found me out, it’s only fair. So who are you?”
“Kane.”
“The youngest one. I suppose I could have done worse. I’ve heard one of your older brothers oversees a dog fighting ring.” Again, I grabbed his chin, directing his head and started cleaning his cut.
“I wouldn’t do something like that. I love dogs.”
No, you just con young women into sleeping with you.
Once I wiped the blood away, I could see the cut wasn’t as bad as it looked. The area where he’d been hit was just one of those unlucky spots that caused a lot of blood and made it look more serious than it was. “How did this happen?” I gestured to the cut. “Who did you piss off?”
He chuckled, a pleasant masculine sound that sent a shiver of delight through me. “I’m not the monster my father is, you know.”
“You’re a Davros. That whole family is poison.”
“Hey. Watch your mouth.” He reached for my wrist, the first hint of anger touching his voice.
I finished with his cut, backed up out of his reach and tossed the wipes I’d used in the garbage. “The cut isn’t even that bad. You probably won’t even need stitches.” I couldn’t keep the accusation out of my tone. “Did you hurt yourself to get me to see you?”
He snorted. “You think I’m that underhanded?”
“Aren’t you?”
“Well. I suppose I am. I’d have done anything to see you again, girl.” He reached for me, but stopped, reaching into his blazer instead. “Which reminds me. Here.” He handed me my phone.
I snatched it from him. “This is how you found me.”
“And?”
“That’s stalking.”
“I never claimed to be a good man, Anika. In fact, if I recall, I warned you I was just the opposite.”
“I don’t believe you. Get patched up and go home. Stop wasting my time, Mister Davros.” Barely taking in his blazing glare, I turned to grab the clipboard with his form off the table and leave. “I’ll get a doctor to do a neuro check on you—” I cut off and froze when his giant hands took my waist.
