‘The senator and I were … inconveniently interrupted.’
Nina blew out a breath. Her heart was still pounding loud enough that she could hear it.
The senator. Gunderson. She pinched the bridge of her nose. He wasn’t one of her favourite people. All show and no substance. He spent more time working on his appearance than on his platforms, but the three-hundred-dollar haircut and hours in the gym had gotten him elected now, hadn’t they?
But wait … He was up for election again, she remembered and winced silently. A scandal involving a candidate and one of her escorts was not good. His money spent just as well as anyone’s, but in her business politicians came with more risk.
‘Where were you caught, and by whom?’ she asked.
‘At the hotel by paparazzi.’
The press was involved. A bit more worry started to niggle at her. ‘You two have been seen together at events. He’s single.’
How bad could it be? They’d been very careful with the story they’d created for the pair.
‘I’m not talking in the lobby, Nina. They broke into our hotel room with cameras running. Again, at a very inconvenient time.’
Nina went still. Not much surprised her any more, but that did. ‘My God. That’s horrible. What were they thinking?’
An uncomfortable shudder went through her. Overheated or not, she pulled the covers over her legs and looked from her clinging negligée to the door. It made her want to check her security system. Genieve must have been terrified … and horrified. She couldn’t imagine Josh letting anyone do that and get away standing.
If she didn’t get to his gun first …
The blue glass butterfly on her bedstand almost seemed to flutter, and Nina closed her eyes. What was she thinking? The man wasn’t her lover and never would be. She was still too close to that steamy dream.
She shook it off and tried to concentrate.
‘I can’t believe this happened at the Emissary.’ She was surprised Henri hadn’t called her already to beg her forgiveness. He knew his four-star rating would be in jeopardy now.
She’d make sure of it.
‘Samuel went after them. He managed to push them out of the room, but not before they got video of the two of us.’
‘How bad was it?’
‘Nothing kinky, but bad.’
Nina rubbed her temple. The magnitude of the situation was starting to press down upon her. ‘Why would they do that?’ she asked. ‘What led them to you? Why be so brazen?’
‘They’re from a website. I don’t think they knew the press’s limitations or the law.’
That was one of the first things Nina trained her new employees on.
‘Nina, they knew I was an escort.’
Nina went still. ‘What? How?’
‘Somebody called in a tip. They were trying to get the scoop.’
As tired as she was, Nina’s thoughts finally became razor-sharp. She’d known the risks she was taking when she’d entered this field. She’d planned for this contingency since Day One, and she had precautions in place. Whatever the press had, it couldn’t be solid evidence. Only those escorts under exclusive contracts knew just how far Luxxor went to please its clients.
‘What’s the name of this news organisation?’ she asked, her words clipped. She had contacts. She had influence. She might be able to plug this leak, whatever it was. ‘Where is that video now?’
Genieve let out a puff of air. ‘Well … the good news and the bad news are the same on that. The police have it.’
The police?
Oh, good Lord. Was Genieve calling from the police station? Did she need bail money? Nina threw back the covers and swung her legs over the side of the bed.
‘Were you arrested?’ What could the police possibly have on her other than some thugs’ purported intel?
‘No, but the reporters were. The senator and I just gave statements.’
Nina stopped and dragged a hand through her hair. It was damp, too. This just kept getting better and better.
She stared at her slippers on the floor as her thoughts turned inward, calculating fast. The police had the video. At least it wouldn’t be going viral. But the police had it.
Had the reporters told them what they thought they’d captured? Of course they had. Yet Genieve and the senator’s relationship had been established. The police didn’t know there was a contract behind it. That contract was locked up and secure.
At least Luxxor’s copy of it was.
She’d need to get on that.
‘Where are you?’ she asked. ‘Are you safe? I’ll have Mr Howard come pick you up. What do you need, Genieve? Just tell me.’
‘I’m OK. I’m with … Brody.’
Nina’s chin popped up. Brody Haynes was a fixer. He cleaned up politicians’ messes and made problems go away. The man was a behind-the-scenes force, and not someone you wanted to get on the wrong side of. For all his pretty-boy looks, he had the instincts of a rattlesnake. He knew things about people. He collected it for use at a later time. She’d done her best to steer clear of him or align herself with him, when she could.
That better be paying off now.
‘Did he get you out of the hotel?’
‘Yes. He wants me to lie low for a while. He said he’d handle things.’
Oh, did he now? Nina’s lips flattened. ‘What do you think, Genieve? Forget Haynes. Don’t worry about me or Luxxor. What do you want to do? Tell me, and I’ll make it happen.’
The escort paused. ‘I think he may be right.’
Nina thought through the options. ‘Is he there now?’
‘Yes.’
‘Let me talk to him.’
She glanced at the alarm clock beside her bed. It was nearly three o’clock in the morning. She’d been jolted out of a dead sleep – although a very active dream. Adrenalin was pumping through her system, and it honed her thoughts. She needed to think strategically.
‘Nina.’
Two syllables was all it took for her to measure the man’s mood. Scary.
‘Brody. What’s the situation?’
‘Not good. The reporters were pretty loud with their accusations, but the police knew they didn’t have anything solid. The detective on the scene seemed suspicious, though. You have to destroy that contract.’
She shook her head. As much as she wanted to, she couldn’t. ‘I need to hear it from one of the parties involved.’
‘Are you serious?’ There were sounds of footsteps. ‘Jenny, tell her to burn the thing.’
Genieve’s voice came on the line. For as upbeat as she usually was, she sounded worried and tired. ‘Nina, you’ve got to get rid of it.’
‘Does the senator know?’
Brody was back on the line. ‘He will. He’ll do whatever I tell him if he wants to keep his job.’
‘He won’t be happy.’
‘I’ll deal with it.’
It