Kieran offered Archer a coffee before taking a seat. “Should we know that name?”
“Maybe not, but I suspect you won’t forget her.”
“Consider me intrigued,” said Kieran, leaning back in his seat and crossing his ankle over his knee. “Who is this mysterious Elise?”
“She’s Zoey’s roommate,” Archer explained, taking the lid off his paper cup and sending steam rising. “She’s also the private investigator who got past my security and hacked into Phoenix’s system.”
Hunt took a seat in the other wing-back chair and whistled. “I’m guessing that explains your mood.”
Archer set his coffee down on the table in front of him and scrubbed his face. “I don’t know how she fucking did that. All night, I’ve been on with my best hacker, and he can’t see how she got in. She didn’t leave a single fucking trace.”
Rhys nodded his thanks to Kieran for the coffee and opened the lid to take a small sip, tasting the rich hazelnuts in the brew. He didn’t want to suggest that perhaps Elise had a better hacker in her pocket, or she was that hacker, but… “You should talk to her. If there is someone better out there, getting into places you thought were impenetrable, let’s get them on our payroll.”
Archer agreed with a nod. “I’d like to dig a bit deeper here to see what comes up. If that doesn’t bring anything more to light, I’ll get in contact with her.”
“Good,” said Rhys, trusting Archer to handle that. A security breach was inexcusable, but Archer would get to the bottom of it; Rhys didn’t doubt that. “What have you found out so far?”
“That she’s better at my job than I am,” Archer mused.
Hunt chuckled. “Ah, so that’s what is getting under your skin.”
Archer’s jaw set, and his eyebrow lifted in Hunt’s direction. “Wouldn’t it, yours?”
“Yes,” Kieran answered for Hunt. “He’d already be at her house, knocking down her door, demanding to find out how she outsmarted him.”
“Damn right, I would,” Hunt said without remorse.
Rhys chuckled.
Archer wasn’t amused. He snorted, shaking his head, and slid his gaze to Rhys, gesturing at the file. “Elise worked as a private investigator right out of high school, mentoring under Luke Hicks. Three years ago, she went out on her own.”
“Who’s Luke Hicks?” Hunt asked.
“The best PI in New York City.”
“Ah,” Kieran said. “Explains why she’s so good, then.”
“Yeah, it does,” Archer hedged, the corners of his eyes tightening. “Beyond that, nothing I discovered links Elise to any current members. A past member used her once to gather evidence against her cheating husband, but it doesn’t look like she uncovered anything about the club in that investigation.”
Rhys pondered this, knowing they had to look at this from every angle to ensure the Phoenix members were safe. They paid him to keep their sexual kinks out of the public eye. The breach couldn’t happen again. “Do you believe the story Zoey told me?”
Archer considered it and gave a quick nod. “Her other roommate, Hazel Rose, is a reporter, so that is another truth to her story. Everything she said lines up.”
Kieran asked, “Does Hazel have any connections to any members, current or past?”
“Not that I could find,” Archer reported, a hard frown marring his face. “From the outside, I’m leaning toward believing them. They’re a group of determined women that used their skill set to fight against an injustice.”
“Sexy,” Hunt said.
All heads nodded in agreement. Even Rhys found himself enamored by the wit and strength of these women. What they’d pulled off was impressive, considering Archer’s background in security. But Rhys already knew there was nothing to fear more than a scorned woman. He believed Zoey.
His cell phone beeped on his desk, indicating a text message. He set his coffee down, rose, grabbed his cell, and swiped the screen. He couldn’t hide his grin at the single word from Zoey.
Yes.
“Now, that looks like good news,” Kieran called at whatever showed on Rhys’ face.
“Depends,” he said, returning to his seat and reaching for his coffee again. Of Archer, he asked, “How much of a risk is it if I invite Zoey back to the club tonight?”
Archer’s gaze held Rhys’ for a beat, his mouth twitching. “When do we ever invite women who are not members back?”
Rhys returned the hard stare. “That’s not the question I asked.”
Hunt broke out into laughter. “I’ve got to get a look at this one. She must be something special if she’s got Rhys breaking rules.”
Rhys didn’t look Hunt’s way. He didn’t have the words to explain what had caught him up in Zoey. He only knew he wanted more of those sweet, innocent eyes looking up at him. That lush body, bending to his will.
Archer cocked his head and said to Rhys, “A higher risk now that she’s already been dishonest. How can we trust what she’s telling us as the truth?”
Rhys inclined his head at that statement. He never took risks. It kept his members safe. But when it came to Zoey, he couldn’t help himself. “Call it a gut feeling,” Rhys offered.
“The risk is still there, nonetheless,” Archer countered firmly. “While I tend to agree that whatever Zoey wanted to do, whatever point she wanted to make, she did that the other night. As your head of security, I would caution you to proceed slowly. Zoey is not a member, which means the rules do not apply to her. She could out our members.”
Rhys sat back. He knew Zoey wouldn’t say a word about Phoenix if he asked her not to. “All right. Caution noted.” He turned his attention back on to his phone and fired off a text to Zoey: Go to the café rouge on E 79th street. 8 pm. Give them your name. He took another sip of his coffee as he shoved his cell into his pocket and addressed the group again. “Anything else to discuss today?”
“Nothing here to report,” Hunt said.
“All good here.” Kieran rose. “What’s the show tonight?”
Archer stood and grinned at Hunt. “Hampton”—a famous actor—“wants a bondage, blow-job show with your favorite.”
“Aw, I do love that gorgeous brunette,” said Hunt, heat flaring in his eyes over the twenty-six-year-old brunette he knew nothing about. Neither Rhys nor Archer would break confidentiality, even though Hunt was as close as a brother to them. Hunt had set his sights on Lottie Harlow the night of her first show. He’d been lusting after the well-known regular at Phoenix who many members specifically requested. Lottie had originally gained membership through another member who she was engaged to, and her fiancé paid for her membership. Her fiancé enjoyed watching her with other men. When they broke up, Rhys intervened. Lottie could barely pay rent, let alone the steep membership fee, so she asked to become a permanent star. Rhys had never let a star come back more than once, but since Lottie was a previous member, and since other members had requested her participation in their shows, he agreed. Now, because of her popularity, she made an income higher than most doctors, and the work was definitely far more satisfying. To Rhys, Hunt added, “When are you ever going to throw me a bone and get me in a show with her?”