Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 69330 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 347(@200wpm)___ 277(@250wpm)___ 231(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69330 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 347(@200wpm)___ 277(@250wpm)___ 231(@300wpm)
The poor dog. It had to be agony to breathe. “She’s tied too tightly.”
Diamond growled and snapped her teeth at Sky.
Reaching around, Doumar slapped the dog against the side of her head. “Shut up, you stupid animal.”
Sky flinched. “You’re hurting her.”
He grinned. “That’s the point. It’s the only way she’ll learn to obey.”
With her cropped ears and amputated tail, she looked both vicious and damaged. Fresh flesh wounds marred her sides and rump.
“You made her fight again.”
Doumar started the engine and steered into the traffic. “She won.”
“That’s cruel.”
Strung up, Diamond couldn’t lay down. She had no choice but to keep her chin lifted if she wanted to breathe. It didn’t stop her from growling.
“Shut up, both of you.” He slapped the dog on the snout, inviting a yelp. “I can’t drive with you two bitches yapping in my ear.”
At that, both Diamond and Sky remained silent.
Thirty minutes later, they pulled up at the club. Doumar left the dog in the car, but he did loosen the leash so she could lie down on the seat.
The doorman gave them a nervous nod. “He’s in your office, Doumar.”
“Who the fuck let him into my office?”
“He was insistent, if you know what I mean.”
Doumar cocked his head, motioning for her to lead the way. “Go on.”
Godfrey sat in Doumar’s chair, his fingers steeped together, and Doumar’s prized whiskey and an empty glass in front of him.
From the way Doumar clenched his fists as his eyes landed on the liquor, he wasn’t happy that Godfrey had broken the seal of the bottle, but he plastered a smile on his face and extended a hand. “Sorry we kept you waiting.”
The South African leaned back in the chair. “Do you think I have time to waste?”
“I had to fetch Sky.” He dropped his arm when Godfrey made no attempt to shake his hand. “You said you needed us both, didn’t you?”
“Do you need me to repeat everything? Do you have a problem with English, or are you a dimwitted cheese head?”
Doumar stiffened. “Of course I understand. It’s a manner of speaking.”
Godfrey wheeled the chair back and stretched out his legs. “I used the time to go through the books.” He motioned at the laptop on Doumar’s desk. “Wasn’t hard to crack your password.”
Doumar’s eyes widened fractionally. He licked his lips. It was a gesture Sky knew well. She’d studied every single one of Doumar’s non-verbal reactions. She’d learned to read him like the palms she read for a living. Right now, he was both annoyed and worried that Godfrey had discovered the money he was taking from clients under the table and hiding in an offshore account.
“Our profit is diminishing,” Godfrey continued.
“It was a slow month.”
Godfrey drawled in a lazy tone, “Was it now?”
“It’ll pick up.”
Godfrey’s gaze moved to her. “She’s been reading palms every day.”
She chilled under the heat of his stare.
“Not at full price,” Doumar replied. “We’ve been running specials.”
“Mm.” Godfrey’s smile was slow to come. “Never mind. I have a different mission for her.”
She held her breath, certain she wasn’t going to like what was coming.
Godfrey refilled his glass with Doumar’s display whiskey. “Sit, Miss Val, and tell me about Mr. Black.”
Her palms turned clammy. She moved to the visitor’s chair and sat down on the edge. “Aren’t you rather interested in Joss? He’s the boss.”
Godfrey twirled the liquor in his glass, watching the amber liquid as if it held all the answers to his questions. “He’s not the one whose eye you’ve caught. From the photos Doumar supplied, Mr. Black seemed rather taken.”
That was why Doumar had pictures taken. She glanced at her keeper. Backstabbing coward. Doumar treated her like dirt, but he’d always been open about his actions and the reasons for them, however depraved they might be. From the way his jaw flexed, he didn’t like that Godfrey had betrayed him. Let him swallow some of his own medicine.
“Not as taken as you think,” she said. “He hasn’t been back.”
“You need to lure him.”
“What?” Doumar said. “You said she only had to test the waters, to see if that one-eyed pirate would spill the beans or not.”
“Joss and his team are here, in Amsterdam.” Ignoring Doumar, Godfrey addressed her. “I need you to find out where, Miss Val, and what they’re up to. I want to know their plan of action.”
“You want me to spy on them?”
“Yes.” Godfrey took a sip of the alcohol. “Get close to the pilot, and find out everything.”
This wasn’t good. “Why will he tell me anything?”
“For the same reason all men tell women their secrets. You’re going to make him fall in love with you.”
“What?” she exclaimed.
Next to her, Doumar bristled, obviously battling to keep his jealousy in check.
“Isn’t that what you women are good at?” Godfrey asked with a sinister sneer. “Isn’t your cunt your most dangerous weapon?”