The Temptation Read online

  Georgina

  With latte in hand, Georgina Donatella made her way through the coffee shop. The place was crowded which was a benefit because she had a good excuse to ask the two female targets if she could join them.

  Her long hair was loose around her shoulders and she wore a tasteful black cocktail dress with diamonds at her ears and throat. When she was undercover many times she had dressed like a hooker. It was a nice change of pace to play the role of a high-priced escort.

  However, her earpiece didn’t seem to be working. She wasn’t hearing anything from Ryan or the rest of the team.

  “Mind if I sit here?” Georgina asked when she reached the round table.

  The blonde shrugged and the brunette gave a slight smile. “If you can find a chair to pull up, you’re welcome to join us.”

  “Thank you.” Georgina asked the man at the neighboring table if the empty chair beside him was taken. He shook his head and she took the chair and returned to the two women’s table.

  When she was sitting, she held out her hand to the brunette and noticed that the woman had a big bruise on her arm. “I’m Bella and I’m new to this area,” Georgina said as she gave her undercover name.

  “My name is Jessica,” the brunette said as she squeezed Georgina’s hand. She gestured to her tablemate. “This is Chelsea.”

  “It’s great to meet you both.” Georgina took a drink of her latte. “Being new in this part of town makes things a little lonely sometimes. At least I have work to keep me busy.”

  Jessica rubbed condensation off of her plastic cup of iced coffee with her thumb. “What do you do?”

  “Well…” Georgina paused. “I’m an escort. I attend parties and such with men who need a date.”

  Chelsea and Jessica looked at one another before Jessica said, “What a coincidence. That’s what we do, too.”

  “That’s wonderful.” Georgina gave them each a winning smile then sobered. “Maybe you can help me out.” She bit her lower lip. “Do you work for an agency?”

  Chelsea frowned. “Why do you ask?”

  Georgina sighed. “I’m a freelancer, you could say. But I’m tired of being on my own and tired of not being protected. I’ve ended up in some bad situations.”

  Jessica nodded. “Been there, done that.”

  Chelsea just studied Georgina. She had the feeling that Chelsea didn’t trust many people.

  Georgina gripped her latte cup. “What kind of clientele do you get?”

  “We get in with high class men and we’re paid well.” Jessica seemed to subconsciously put her hand over the bruise on her arm. No doubt either a John or her employer had abused her.

  “Is your agency looking for new talent?” Georgina added a hopeful but casual note to her voice.

  Jessica looked Georgina over like she was taking inventory then she nodded. “You’d fit right in. Are you sure that’s what you want, Bella?”

  “Definitely.” Georgina nodded.

  Chelsea and Jessica exchanged looks.

  “Let’s finish our coffee first.” Jessica raised her cup of iced coffee. “Then we’ll introduce you to the guy who handles us and gives us our assignments. It’s almost time for us to go see him and get to work.”

  Georgina gave a clear sigh of relief. “That would be wonderful.”

  Chelsea only finished half of her macchiato. She seemed bothered about something. Jessica, on the other hand, was enthusiastic. Maybe too enthusiastic.

  They headed out of the coffee shop and down the street to the hotel. Georgina caught sight of the van across the street but didn’t look at it directly. Did Ryan see her now with the women? Damn but she wished her earpiece were working. She needed to let her team know that she was close to getting “in”.

  When they walked into the hotel, Georgina and her companions turned heads. It was obvious that people couldn’t help but notice three model-beautiful women together, dressed to kill. It just so happened that they were all tall with long legs and dresses that stopped close to mid-thigh.

  Chelsea wore a pale gold dress that complemented her fair features and hair while Jessica was dressed in a figure-hugging blue sequined outfit. Georgina knew she was as beautiful as her companions, but it wasn’t conceit. It was merely a fact and something she used to her advantage in her career.

  As they passed the lobby bar, Georgina let her gaze sweep over it, hoping that Zane, Nick, or Lexi saw her.

  When they reached the elevator that went exclusively to the top floors, Jessica pulled out a keycard from the small purse she carried. Once they had stepped inside, she inserted the card then pressed the PH button for the penthouse.

  Georgina turned to Jessica as the elevator went up. “Who are we meeting?”

  Chelsea bit her lower lip.

  Jessica smiled. “Mr. Dawson. He gives us our assignments and makes sure we’re safe.”

  Dawson. Likely the man Lexi had pointed out in the surveillance recordings.

  The elevator door opened on the top floor and the three of them stepped onto thick, luxurious carpet into a semi-circular area. In the center was an enormous bouquet of fresh cut flowers on a large table and beyond that was a set of double doors.

  Georgina casually looked over the area and noticed the door to the stairwell was ever so slightly open. She doubted that most people would notice, but with her trained eye she did. Could a member of her team be watching now?

  Jessica pressed a doorbell and Georgina heard the faint answering chime from within. It only took moments before the door swung open. They stepped into a magnificent sitting area, the furniture cushioned in slate gray and gold. The door shut hard behind them.

  A man with a pockmarked face and a mustache and goatee stood in front of them with his hands behind his back. It was Eric Dawson, the same man from the surveillance recordings.

  Another man was now behind them. Georgina glanced over her shoulder and saw that it was Hans Johansen.

  Was Rori Steele somewhere behind one of the closed doors that led from the sitting room?

  Georgina turned back to Dawson. His dark eyes narrowed as he looked at her.

  “Who is this?” He cut his gaze to Jessica.

  She smiled. “Fresh meat.”

  Georgina didn’t even blink as it dawned on her what was happening. Jessica had probably taken Georgina in to gain favor with this man or because she would benefit in some way. Well that was perfectly fine with Georgina. She was on the inside now, exactly where she needed to be. Now to make sure Dawson took her in.

  “She’s been freelancing in our territory,” Jessica added.

  The man walked up to Georgina and stared down at her. “I am Mr. Dawson. Tell me your name.”

  She tilted her chin. “Bella.”

  The man’s slap against her face came so hard and sudden that it startled Georgina into crying out. She held her fingers to her stinging cheek as she did her best to look wide-eyed and afraid. She wasn’t really afraid. She was pissed.

  “We do not allow any freelancers in our territory,” he said in a hard, cruel voice. “How long have you been working this area?”

  Georgina swallowed hard enough that she knew he could see her throat work. She made herself hesitate. “A—a couple of months.”

  “Then you owe this agency quite a bit.” Dawson’s expression twisted into something that could have made her believe he was the devil himself. “You will work it off on your back until I say you have paid your dues.”

  Georgina opened her mouth to say something but snapped it shut when she saw that he was prepared to strike her again.

  “You will move in with Jessica and Chelsea and your basic needs will be taken care of,” he continued.

  Georgina straightened. “What if I say no?”

  His hand snapped up and he slapped her even harder than before, so hard that her tooth cut the inside of her lip and she tasted blood.

  “If you don’t agree or if you tell anyone about our deal,” he said as he stepped closer. “Then I w
ill kill you.”

  She let horror fill her expression when what she wanted to do was kill the bastard and be done with it. No doubt this was what Lexi had been talking about when she said it was a high-class prostitution ring and that it was suspected the women weren’t necessarily willing participants.

  “Is that understood?” Dawson asked.

  She swallowed again and nodded.

  His smile was not attractive in any way, shape, or form, as he took a step back. “Now I have your assignments.”

  From an end table he shuffled through a large stack of cream-colored envelopes then withdrew three. He gave one to Jessica and another to Chelsea.

  “You may go now.” He motioned to the door to the two women. When the door had shut behind them, he turned to Georgina and handed her the third envelope. “This is your first assignment.” The envelope was thick and weighty.

  “Inside you will find a keycard for a suite named inside,” he continued. “The card will also work for the elevator. On the enclosed sheet of paper are specific instructions on what your assignment entails, which is whatever the client has requested.” Dawson’s smile hinted at something, as if this was a special test. “You had better make sure the client is satisfied and that he thinks you’re having an equally good time.” He grasped Georgina’s arm tight enough to bruise it. “Or you will regret it. Do you understand?”

  “Yes,” she said with just the right amount of fear in her voice.

  “Yes, Mr. Dawson,” he said with an angry expression.

  She nodded. “Yes, Mr. Dawson.”

  And then suddenly he looked almost pleasant, as if he had two faces and the evil one was now facing behind him.

  “Good.” He gave a little wave toward the door. “Report back here when you have completed your assignment.”

  She nodded again. “Yes, Mr. Dawson.”

  When she made it outside of the penthouse’s sitting room and she again stood by the vase of flowers, she took a deep breath. She was in.

  Out of the corner of her eye she noticed that the stairwell door was closed.

  She slid her finger under the envelope’s flap and opened it then drew out the piece of paper, leaving the keycard inside the envelope. The instructions were handwritten, starting with a room number on top of the page. It then went through a list of things the client had requested.

  Inwardly she groaned. She’d done enough tricks in an undercover role that what was on the paper wasn’t anything more than what she’d been exposed to before. Bondage, humiliation, forced sex. Nothing new.

  The one wildcard was the last sentence. “You will do anything the client asks of you.”

  There might be cameras watching her outside of the penthouse so she didn’t dare take too long. She shoved the folded note back inside of the envelope and drew out the keycard. No doubt there would be cameras in the hotel room, too, recording everything that happened inside. Good blackmail material.

  She waited for the elevator to arrive then stepped inside the car and pressed the button for one of the lower floors. When she reached that level she started to round the corner—she came to an abrupt stop as she saw a familiar figure walking down the hallway with Chelsea hanging on his arm. She’d recognize the man’s bald spot and swagger anywhere.

  As she stepped back to the elevator lobby, she dug in her purse for a dental mirror then brought it out. She held it up to the corner of the wall to the hallway and adjusted it to see the couple. The man and Chelsea stopped in front of a door. Chelsea handed the man a keycard and he turned to face the door and Georgina got a good look at him.

  It was exactly who she’d thought it was.

  Charles Carter, RED’s Special Agent in Charge.

  Chapter 16

  Surveillance can be a bitch

  A door thumped shut. Hard. I jerked awake and realized I had drifted off and the lipstick tube had slipped from where it had been keeping the stairwell door from closing. I held my breath for a moment, hoping no one had heard the door close. I let my breath out in a slow rush. Damn. I never fell asleep on the job and today was not a good time to start.

  Especially with my sister missing and potentially being inside the penthouse.

  My head and heart ached as I thought about my sister. If anything happened to her, I would never forgive myself. Never.

  I reached in my bra for the lock pick set and started in on the lock again when I heard the sound of a door opening and then closing on the other side. Damn, damn, damn. I couldn’t pick the lock while someone was out there, and I might be missing something important.

  The elevator dinged and I assumed whoever it had been was stepping into it now. I waited several more heartbeats before I went after the lock. I had it open in moments and looked back out into the semicircular area then rubbed my temples, trying to massage the headache away.

  I heard the stairwell door open from below and my heart jumped into my throat. I let the door slip back into place and silently scrambled to my feet. As footsteps started up the stairs, I scooped up the tube of lipstick and shoved it into my purse, grabbed my shoes, and started up the stairs to the roof.

  “It’s me, Steele.” Nick’s voice came over the earpiece and from below in stereo.

  “Don’t do that,” I grumbled as I came to a stop on the stairs. “You scared the crap out of me.”

  He appeared from below. He looked so damned hot and sexy that it was criminal. No man should look that good, especially when I was this tired and disheveled. So not fair.

  When he reached me, he brought me into his arms and brushed his lips across my forehead. I wanted to relax against him, feed on his power and strength to renew my own.

  He pressed me closer to him and I did just that. I let his presence fill me and complete me.

  Zane cleared his throat and I heard it over the earpiece. “It’s awfully quiet up there.”

  I tried to step back but Nick had a good hold on me and he was smiling down at me.

  “Just doing our jobs,” I managed to get out. “How about you?”

  “No luck picking up any call girls.” Zane sounded frustrated. “I must be losing my touch.”

  “You’re probably projecting that married vibe and the fact that Willow might kill you if she knew what kind of assignment you’re on.” I smirked to myself. “We should have let Ryan take the inside job after all.”

  “Trade you,” Ryan said.

  Zane gave a low laugh. “In your dreams.”

  “How’s Georgina?” I asked.

  “Saw her go in a while ago,” Ryan said. “Her mic still isn’t working. Zane and Nick didn’t see her enter the lobby, so not sure where she is.”

  “She must have come in when I hit the men’s restroom,” Nick said.

  “I was probably talking to the waitress,” Zane said. “I couldn’t get a call girl to give me the time of day, but the waitress was all over me.”

  “I’ll take over from here.” Nick took my hand and squeezed it.

  I didn’t intend to go anywhere. “I’ll keep you company.”

  “Suit yourself.”

  “I always do.” I slipped off my necklace with the camera pendant and handed it to him.

  This time he picked the lock and we settled in and made it through the night. Consistent traffic came and went from the penthouse but we didn’t see any sign of someone who might be Bachmann. The men were either too tall or too short or their faces too wide or too narrow.

  No more politicians went in and out after Mackie and Jones, but a lot of beautiful women did along with what appeared to be wealthy businessmen. I did think I recognized a judge from an article in a newspaper, but despite my gift for remembering faces I wasn’t certain, and Nick hadn’t recognized him. Of course I could have missed more politicians coming and going when I fell asleep.

  I could even have missed Georgina if she’d been brought up here. Damn it. I hoped she was all right, too.

  Nick and I finally headed to our hotel room in the wee hours of the mor
ning when all comings and goings from the penthouse appeared to have come to a stop. Fortunately the hotel was pretty dead at that time in the morning so I didn’t have to worry about being seen in the condition I was in. Even though he helped me straighten my hair and dress, I knew I looked like hell. At that moment in time I frankly didn’t give a damn.

  When we reached our room, I kicked off my heels and stripped down to my panties, leaving a trail of clothing behind me. I tumbled into bed. I was vaguely aware of Nick climbing in with me. He hooked his arm around my belly and pulled me close to him so that we were spooned together. I felt his warm bare chest rubbing my naked back, his hips pressed to my ass, and his thighs against mine.

  I felt more secure than I had in a long time. And then I was gone.

  Chapter 17

  Bachmann

  Karl narrowed his eyes as he listened to one of his key men on the other end of the phone line.

  “We just played back tapes from our bugs in his office,” Hans said. “They’re plotting to murder you. Do you want me to take care of them?”

  A slow burn traveled through Karl from his scalp to his chest. Yes, that was exactly what he would take pleasure in—having John and Charles taken care of in a brutal and painful way. However, it would not be a good business decision. Right now he needed John and that sniveling dickhead, Charles. He had more dirty work for them to do.

  “I’ll handle it,” Karl said to Hans. “Just keep me informed and if necessary I’ll turn it over to you. I don’t think that will be the case.”

  Karl disconnected the call. Heat burned at his collar. So they wanted to kill him. Not an altogether surprising development but of course one he’d have to deal with.

  Despite the fact that it was three AM, Karl dialed John’s number.

  “Hello?” John sounded both sleepy and wary. Karl was certain that John knew that all of Karl’s calls were blocked so the call could be from him.

  “So, you are plotting to kill me.” Karl said the words slowly with enough malice in them that John should be sitting up straight in bed right now.

  “Of—of course not.” John sounded wide-awake as he said the words in a loud whisper, obviously not wanting to wake his wife. “Just a minute. Let me go to my study.”