I suppressed a wince, thanking my lucky stars it’d been Ryker who’d spotted me. It wasn’t like I’d expected them to be there. I knew Ryker owned a few clubs in various cities around the world, but, really, what were the chances? I felt like Rick Blaine in Casablanca. Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, he walks into mine.
I hit back. “But it’s okay for all those other women who work there, and in your other clubs, to ‘degrade’ themselves, but not me, huh? Why not me? What’s so special about me?”
“You’re my best friend’s kid sister, that’s what’s fucking special,” he roared, showing an unusual fit of temper.
If he calls me a kid one more time… “I am not a child.”
He scraped a hand over his face and muttered, “No, you most certainly are not.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
He ignored my question, staring me down. Neither of us was willing to give an inch, nor to show weakness of any kind. We were both as stubborn as the other in our own way, although I was well aware my stubbornness often presented itself as irascibility whereas Ryker’s came across as commanding.
Pfft. Being a woman sucks sometimes.
“I need to go back to my place and get some clothes.”
Ryker slid his eyes over to me. “You’re going nowhere. I’m not letting you out of my sight until we’re back in the US. Where are you staying?”
Ignoring the flush of heat through my core at the intensity of his gaze, I reluctantly gave him the address. He took out his phone and made a call to… someone, instructing them to clear out my hotel room and fetch my clothes to this location. I waited for him to end his conversation.
“I’m not going back to America, Ryker. I’m staying in Japan.”
“The hell you are.”
I tightened my jaw, clenched my hands into fists. “You can’t force me to do anything.”
His lips curled at the edges, so subtle, almost evil. “Oh, darling, we both know that’s a lie.”
I hated it when he called me darling because my idiotic heart always skipped a beat. The stupid thing couldn’t tell the difference between a term of endearment and a sarcastic put-down.
“Oh yeah?” I snorted. “Good luck muscling me onto a flight. I think one of the airline staff might notice I’m being coerced.”
“That’s what private planes are for.”
“I’ll fight you every step of the way.”
He scratched behind his ear. “I believe you. Which is why you either capitulate, or I’ll walk down the hall and fetch Elliot. Your choice, Athena. Me or your brother.” He released a glimmer of a smile and tapped his watch. “Ticktock, little bird.”
Bastard. He’d cornered me. Cut off my options. Presented me with Hobson’s choice.
“I hate you.”
He rose from the couch, crossing over to where I sat. He rested his fine ass on the arm of the chair.
“I should put you over my knee and give you the hiding of your life for this,” he murmured, tucking a lock of hair behind my ear.
I broke out into goose bumps both at his words and the tenderness of his caress. Closing my eyes, I breathed him in, and the faint scent of cologne mingled with Ryker’s own scent—one I’d memorized until it was indelibly inked on my senses—made my fingertips itch to explore.
An ache spread through my chest. Ryker always managed to tip me off-kilter. Even when he pissed me off, when he behaved unreasonably, when he made me hate him, I still wanted him. But when he showed kindness, I couldn’t resist. Like an addict craving their fix, I leaned in, desperate for contact. He stroked my cheek with the back of his hand, the touch of his skin so gentle that a glimmer of hope sparked within me. Maybe there was still something there, a flicker of attraction, one I could nurture and turn into a flame and then a blazing inferno.
“Hiroto was blackmailing me.”
Ryker’s eyebrows shot up, almost disappearing into his hairline. “Excuse me?”
I heaved a deep sigh. “He caught me stealing his wallet.”
It had been as a result of a game of truth or dare with a bunch of backpackers I’d met on my travels. I’d been asked to describe my first sexual experience. I chose dare because the thought of sharing the best and worst night of my life with a bunch of virtual strangers brought me out in hives. Of course, I wasn’t really going to steal the wallet. I’d intended to return it as soon as I proved I’d achieved the dare. When Hiroto caught me, I told him the truth, but he refused to believe me.
“He threatened to call the police, said he knew people high up in the Japanese police force, that he’d have my ass thrown in jail for years if I didn’t do what he wanted. I believed him. He told me I had to complete a full month working in the club and then my debt would be paid. I’ve only been there a few days, Ryker, I promise. No one touched me. Not like that. Never like that.”
Ryker got to his feet, scraped a hand through his hair. “Why, Athena? Why would you steal? You have enough money to buy Japan, for fuck’s sake.”
“Wrong,” I replied flatly. “Elliot has enough money to buy Japan. I have nothing. I am nothing. I’m no one. I don’t matter.”
Ryker’s face twisted, but before he could patronize me with empty platitudes, I stood and walked briskly into the bedroom, closing the door firmly behind me. I climbed under the covers and held my breath, waiting for Ryker to follow.
He didn’t.
5
Ryker
I tossed and turned all night. Athena’s parting salvo kept running through my head. I have nothing. I am nothing. I don’t matter.
Those statements couldn’t be further from the truth, and yet they’d come from the heart. She really, truly believed every word.
So many questions…
What did she mean when she referred to having nothing, being nothing?
She was everything.
And why did Athena think those things about herself? What was going on in that gorgeous head of hers that made her truly believe she didn’t matter? She had two parents who loved her unconditionally, a brother who assumed the role of genie when it came to her. Whatever she wanted, he fell over himself to give her. Elliot would move mountains if it brought Athena an extra hour of happiness.
And me. She had me.
Except she didn’t know that, did she? And even worse, I couldn’t tell her. If I did, she’d harbor false hope of something more. Yet it could never be, not in the way she deserved. Sure, we could fuck each other raw… but we didn’t have a future. Elliot would never accept a relationship between me and Athena.
How did I know this? Because once, a few years ago, he caught me checking Athena out after one too many glasses of champagne. He sidled up to me and stood there, saying nothing, his eyes sparkling like cut glass. When I’d asked him what the fuck he was looking at, he’d said, “A dead man if you ever lay a finger on my sister.”
What’s more, I believed him.
But for Athena to think she somehow had little value to those who loved her… I couldn’t let that slide. I needed to find a way to ground her, to give her something to strive for, to work for. I’d never considered how difficult it must be for her since ROGUES had taken off. How rudderless Elliot’s endless riches made her feel. Most people spent hours dreaming of hitting the jackpot, winning the lottery, having more money than they could ever hope to spend, but unless you had goals, that stuff got old real quick.
For the six of us, the founding members of ROGUES, we’d stumbled upon our passion and turned it into a diverse global business that kept us all busy, and we enjoyed every second. Sure, we all could have sat back and done fuck all for the rest of our lives, but where was the fun in that? But Athena had become collateral damage, cast adrift on a stormy sea she hadn’t worked out how to navigate.
The stealing she’d admitted to had to be an outward sign of an internal struggle, a cry for help, a way of rebelling against the world.
And Tanaka had taken advantage of her.
>
Cold fury surged through me, eliminating any possibility of sleep. Throwing back the covers, I showered, then paced the living room, planning what form my retribution on Tanaka would take, because one thing was certain: that bastard wouldn’t get away scot-free.
My revenge might not come today, or tomorrow, but it would eventually. I’d been blessed with an abundance of patience, the ability to stay calm in the most challenging of circumstances, as well as having access to limitless resources.
I opened my briefcase and took out the file on Tanaka. There wasn’t much information, but that was because I’d asked for the bare minimum. I hadn’t needed a full background check—then. Things had changed.
I snatched my cell phone off the table and sent a text to Scott Daniels, a damned fine investigator and one I kept on the payroll, ensuring my needs always came first.
Priority one. Full sweep on Hiroto Tanaka.
He replied instantly. Timeline?
Yesterday.
He sent a row of laughing emojis.
I replied with a ticking clock meme.
Tossing my phone on the couch, I ordered room service and a copy of the Wall Street Journal. I could read it online, but there was something retro about holding an actual newspaper—even if it did leave ink on your fingers—that appealed to me.
The food and, more importantly, a pot of coffee, arrived within twenty minutes. I poured myself a cup and sat at the table to drink it and read the paper. Whether Athena smelled the food, or she was just an early riser, I watched as her door opened, and she padded out, still swaddled in the robe. She’d covered herself properly this time, thank Christ. I didn’t need any more temptations placed in my way.
“Coffee?” I asked, picking up the pot.
She nodded and sat adjacent to me. Placing one foot on the chair, she hugged her knee to her chest.
I poured her a cup, added a dash of cream, and placed it down in front of her, then removed the covers from the plates. “There’s eggs, bacon, toast, and pastries. If you want anything different, let me know and I’ll have it brought up.”
She reached out and picked up a croissant, taking a delicate nibble. A crumb stuck to her lips. I had to draw on every single reserve to stop myself from leaning over and licking it off.
“This is fine. I’m not that hungry.”
Needing to keep my hands busy, I picked up the Wall Street Journal and opened it. “How’d you sleep?” I asked breezily.
“Okay. You?”
“Fine,” I lied.
She sipped her coffee, staring out of the window. I peered at her over the top of my newspaper. I’d never known her to be so quiet. Athena didn’t do quiet.
I folded the paper and set it on the table “Talk to me.”
She shrugged. “Nothing to say.”
“I disagree. Given your parting shot a few hours ago, I’d say there’s plenty to discuss.”
She blinked slowly, then glanced my way. “Don’t sweat it, Ryker. My life’s a fuckup. So what?”
I raised my eyebrows. “So what?”
She bit into the pastry, then cast it aside while chewing slowly. “I’ve accepted I’m going home, okay? Let’s just leave it at that.”
“Let’s not,” I said, my tone crisp and direct.
Her flat gaze worried me, her ever-present sharp tongue dulled to an alarming level.
She blew out a breath through pursed lips, the action puffing up her cheeks. “Why do you care? Oh, wait. That’s right. You don’t.”
She got to her feet and stepped over to the window. She folded her arms over her chest, one hip jutted slightly forward as she transferred her weight to her left foot.
“I do care, actually.”
She snorted but remained with her back to me. “Sure, Ryker. Sure you do.”
I was about to continue the argument when there was a knock at the door. Athena spun around.
“Who’s that?”
I pulled my lips to one side. “Probably Elliot,” I said nonchalantly.
She shot me a horrified stare, blood rushing to her cheeks. “Shit,” she hissed. “He can’t know I’m here.”
“Then you’d better hide, hadn’t you?” I stated.
She dashed into the bedroom and closed the door with a quiet snick.
I dabbed a napkin to my mouth and rose from my chair, crossing the room to answer the door. Sure enough, Elliot lounged outside, his shoulder propped against the wall.
“What took you so long?” he asked with a grin, sauntering inside. His sharp gaze immediately fell on the two plates, two cups scenario, and Athena’s half-finished croissant discarded in her rush to hide.
He spun around, a broad smile almost cracking his face. “Jesus, you’re a fast worker. We only got back to the hotel a few hours ago.”
Ignoring him, I retook my seat. “Coffee’s still warm if you want one.”
“As warm as the pussy you’ve spent the night buried inside?” He glanced around. “Where is she? Do I get to meet her?”
A small part of me reveled in his questions, knowing Athena would have her ear pressed right up to the door, squirming in case Elliot discovered her hiding out in my suite. I wanted to light a fire underneath her, and if worrying she might be discovered at any second achieved that, I’d take it.
“What time are you flying home?”
He grinned. “Your diversionary tactics won’t work with me. You’ve set my mind at rest, actually. I was worried your dick would shrivel up to the size of your pinky if you didn’t get some action soon.”
I gave him a blank stare. “Finished?”
“I haven’t even started.”
Rolling my eyes, I picked up the paper. “Dow took a hit yesterday.”
“Boring,” Elliot singsonged. “No wonder you struggle to get a date. I hope last night’s fuck buddy doesn’t speak English—for her sake.”
“Is this what a lack of sleep does to you? If so, I’m going to slip a tranquilizer into your evening cocoa.”
Elliot laughed, adding cream and sugar to his coffee. “I’m leaving shortly. Michael has logged a departure time of ten this morning.”
Michael was the pilot of the company’s private plane. “You can’t have the jet. You’ll need to book commercial.”
I needed the privacy it offered. Athena might appear to have accepted her return to America, but I didn’t trust her not to kick up a fuss just for the sake of it if we flew commercial. I could imagine her screaming bloody murder as we entered the security area, yelling she’d been kidnapped if only for the sheer entertainment value of watching me being led away in handcuffs.
“Why can’t you fly commercial?”
I shook my head. “Because. I need the jet.”
“What for? You’re sticking around here for a few days. I can send it back for you if you’re that snobbish about flying commercial.”
“It’s got nothing to do with snobbery, as you well know. I’m not sticking around as long as I originally thought. I’m going to review the plans for the club with the project manager, ensure he knows the standards I expect, and then I’m heading to Paris.”
I wasn’t heading to Paris, but I had to find a way for Elliot to relinquish the jet and agree to fly commercial. Once I’d taken Athena back to America, I’d hole up in my apartment for a couple of days. He’d never know the difference.
“Paris?” His forehead wrinkled. “You never said.”
I arched an eyebrow. “I wasn’t aware I had to report all my movements to you, Elliot.”
“You’re a tight-lipped bastard, Ryker. Always have been.”
“I’ll have Patricia book you a first-class seat,” I said, sending a text instructing my Executive Assistant to do just that.
“Fine,” Elliot said in his usual amiable manner. “If it means that much to you, jackass, you can have the goddamned plane.”
Elliot’s happy-go-lucky nature—unless riled—was one the many things I loved about my best friend. That wasn’t to say he was easy to
push around—he wasn’t—but he chose his battles.
One fight he’d never back away from? The one that involved his baby sister.
My phone dinged with a text. I swiped the screen. “Email with booking details is on its way. You’d better get a move on. Your flight leaves in two hours.”
“Jesus, Ryker.” Elliot swigged the rest of his coffee, spilling a little. He dragged the back of his hand across his mouth. “A little leeway would have been appreciated. I haven’t even packed yet.”
“Then you won’t want to hang around here chatting with me, will you?”
He rolled his eyes. “Call me.”
“Yes, honey,” I replied.
He flipped me off, then left. I refilled my coffee cup, waiting for Athena to make an appearance.
Right on cue, a door creaked behind me.
“You can come out now. He’s gone.”
She sidled over, taking the same seat she’d vacated in a hurry. “Thank god he didn’t know I was here.”
“He knew someone was here.” I pointed my chin at the plates. “He assumed I’d scored last night.”
A faint flush of pink dusted her cheeks. “Oh.” She fiddled with the belt on her robe. Her eyes took on a faraway look, her gaze focused on a fixed spot out the window where the only view was the bright-blue sky and a few fluffy white clouds. “When are we flying back to the US?”
“Soon. I have some business to finish here first.”
“And what will I do while you’re attending to this business?”
I stroked my chin. “As I don’t trust you, you’re tagging along.”
She glowered, clapping her hands in sarcastic fashion. “Oh, goody. Lucky me.”
I picked up the newspaper once more, hiding a smile behind it, relieved her acid tongue had made a comeback. “Your suitcases arrived after you went to bed. I had them placed in the third bedroom. Dress appropriately. We’ll be leaving in thirty minutes.” Another reason I’d told Patricia to book Elliot on the earlier flight. He’d be long gone by the time we were ready to leave.
Entranced (The ROGUES Billionaire Series Book 1) Page 5
