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Chapter 9

Author: Alisa Selby
last update Last Updated: 2024-10-29 19:42:56

Ainsley's words were like a pesky fly buzzing around my head, but I swatted them away, refusing to let them distract me. The numbers grew clearer as I organized them, and patterns began to emerge—inconsistencies in the expenses, discrepancies in the income. The club's financial health was indeed a mess, and it was clear that Alex had been trying to manage it on his own for far too long.

The clatter of the kitchen grew louder as the morning progressed, and the scent of brewing coffee began to waft down the hallway. Despite the early hour, I was fully engaged in the task at hand. The thrill of uncovering a mystery was something I hadn't felt in a long time, and it was surprising how much I enjoyed it.

After a few hours of meticulous work, I found it—a pattern of unusually high expenses in the supply department. It didn't take a financial whiz to see that something was off. Supplies for the club should not have been costing that much, not unless someone was embezzling funds or ordering g
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    Back weary and eyes blurry, I pushed away the paperwork and stood. I couldn't do anymore at the moment as my mind felt like a squishy lump of goo. The revelation about the supply costs weighed heavily on my thoughts. Who could be behind this? Was it someone we knew? Someone who was close to Alex? The thought was unsettling, and the quiet of the club only amplified the tension. I'd made a promise to Alex, and I'd follow through with it.After going back upstairs, I grabbed something to eat and a glass of tea. I decided to explore the upper floors, which I hadn't had a chance to do yet. I wandered down the hallways, peeking into the various rooms—each one more opulent than the last. The walls were adorned with velvet and silk, the floors with intricate rugs that felt like walking on clouds.As I explored, I couldn't help but feel like an intruder in someone else's life. Each room had a story, a piece of Alex's life laid bare in the furnishings and decor. There was a library filled with

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    Half an hour later, the door to the club swung open, and I stepped inside, the scent of leather and the faint hint of sweat greeting me like an old friend. I had dressed in the outfit Alex had provided for me—a short black dress that hugged my curves and a pair of heels that made me feel both powerful and vulnerable. The contrast of the weekday silence and the night's cacophony was stark, but I was ready to embrace the role of hostess.The bar gleamed under the soft lights, and the bondage furniture that had been the center of so much drama was now shrouded in velvet covers, waiting patiently for the night's entertainment to begin. I took my place behind the counter, smoothing down my dress and checking my reflection in the mirror. The woman who stared back at me was a stranger, a mask hiding the confusion and anger that roiled within.Members began to trickle in, the low murmur of their conversations filling the space. They greeted me with nods and smiles, and I returned the gestures

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    As the light of morning began to dawn, I shot a critical eye around the club, offering a relieved sigh. I didn't know how much more of this debauchery I could take. I wasn't a prude, but the blatant disregard for any semblance of modesty was something I didn't know if I could ever become accustomed to. Yet, amidst the cleanup, my thoughts kept drifting back to Alex and Mayor Hartwell.The animosity between them was obvious, like a thick fog that no one could ignore. It hung in the air during their interactions, a silent thunderstorm that never quite broke. I knew there was history there, something deeper than the surface tension that bubbled every time their paths crossed. It was more than just the tension of two powerful men in the same room; it was personal.Their exchanges had been terse, and even though I'd tried to keep my distance as Alex had instructed, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of curiosity. What had happened between them to cause such feelings? Was it a business deal

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    The weight of Alex's gratitude was a heavy burden to carry, but I felt a strange kinship with him in that moment. We were both haunted by our pasts, trying to navigate a future fraught with danger and uncertainty.Alex followed me out into the hallway. "I'm hungry, how about you?"I nodded, the tension around us dissipating slightly. "I could eat," I admitted.Alex gave me a ghost of a smile. "Good. I know a place. It's a little dive, but they make the best beignets in the city."~~We left the mansion, the warmth of the early morning sun a stark contrast to the chill inside the club. The scent of the city woke me up as we walked the quiet streets of New Orleans. The wrought-iron balconies of the French Quarter cast intricate shadows on the cobblestone, and the distant sound of jazz floated through the air. It was a world away from the hedonistic cocoon we'd just stepped out of.As we sat in the tiny café, surrounded by the locals who were already deep into their café au lait and warm,

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    The next morning, I woke up feeling both restless and rejuvenated. I'd spent a sleepless night pondering over the conversation with Alex and the mysteries surrounding the club's finances and his tumultuous relationship with Mayor Hartwell. As I stepped into Alex's office, he looked up from his paperwork, his eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that made me swallow hard."Did you enjoy your time off?" he asked, his voice gruff."I did," I replied, sitting down across from him."Good," he said, pushing a stack of invoices towards me. "Let's go through these again. There's gotta be something we're missing."We spent hours poring over the documents, our conversation limited to the occasional question or observation about the suspicious transactions. The tension between us was a mix of professional focus and the unspoken understanding of the personal vendetta that fueled Alex's need for answers."Here," I said, pointing to a line item that had been previously overlooked. "This order f

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    ~Elysia~That evening, the club was alive with the hum of conversation and the throb of bass as the clientele descended for the night's indulgences. I was busy winding my way through the tables, after spending time in the dungeon making sure their were no issues needing dealt with, when Ainsley approached me, her eyes narrowed and her expression a clear warning."Back off, Elysia," she hissed, her voice like a whip cracking in the air. "Alex is mine. You're just a toy for him to play with when he's bored."Her words stung, but I kept my cool, refusing to give her the satisfaction of seeing me rattled. "I'm just here to do my job," I replied calmly. "And that's all it is."Her eyes searched my face, looking for a crack in my armor, but she found none. The attraction between Alex and I was there, a sizzling undercurrent that had been growing stronger with each passing day. But he kept me at a distance with a dance of flirtation and professionalism that had left me both frustrated and in

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    I suddenly found myself being propelled backward, my back hitting the brick of the wall directly behind me. Alex's lips crashed down on mine. Hungry and possessive. "You're too fucking young for me, but God you make me burn," he murmured against my skin, his teeth grazing my ear.My body responded despite the anger, my heart racing as his hand traveled up my side, his thumb brushing the side of my breast. The smell of whiskey and sweat clung to him like a second skin.He pulled away, his eyes searching my face for something, but I couldn't tell what. "Why do you make me want to lose control?" he whispered, his breath hot on my cheek.I looked up at him, my eyes filled with confusion and hurt. "Why do you keep pushing me away?""Because if I don't, I'll fuck everything up," he said, his voice strained. "You're a part of this now, whether you like it or not. And Hartwell won't stop until he has you.""But why me?" I asked, my voice shaking."Because you're the only one who's ever made m

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