“Could be.” Zane couldn’t stop thinking about those damn gray eyes. “Vander called an hour ago. He has a short list and should have a name soon.”
“You’ve got everything important in your safe, right?”
Zane nodded. “And it’s unbreakable.”
“Hell, yeah.”
Liam joined them. “Having fun?”
“Nice place,” Mav said. “Can I go home now?”
“No.” Liam shook his head. “I’m going to make you have some fun. You can’t play with your gadgets all day.”
“The club’s great, Liam,” Zane said. “Business seems brisk.”
“Thanks. First week’s earnings are exceeding expectations.” Liam cocked his head. “What’s wrong?”
Mav leaned forward. “His mystery woman likely wants to steal from him. She was casing his place, not him.”
“Ouch.” Liam’s face turned serious. “You need help?”
“No.” Zane shook his head. “I have Vander tracking her down. She isn’t going to get away with anything.”
Fury bubbled through him, and some other emotions he didn’t want to analyze. He barely knew Monroe. Her betrayal shouldn’t sting so much.
“Well, drink up. Try to have some fun.” Liam nodded to a woman in a blue dress. “Tiffany asked to meet you.”
The name made Zane choke back a laugh. “I can meet women on my own, Kensington.”
“She might covet your money, but she won’t steal it.”
Zane shook his head.
Back at the railing, he peered at the throng below, and his gaze caught on a woman sporting a veil. A bachelorette party.
But his vision blurred, and it was Monroe’s face that dominated his thoughts. Her body, her scent.
Fuck. He had to get her out of his mind.
His phone rang. He looked down at the screen. No number listed. He shouldn’t answer.
Shit. He stabbed the button. “Roth.”
All he could hear was the thump of music.
“I’m sorry.”
At the sound of her voice, he gripped the phone. “About being a crap person?”
He heard her blow out a breath. “I’m not. It’s…”
“Complicated,” he responded sarcastically.
“It’s easy to judge when you’re rich, and you have everything you need and want. When you aren’t helpless and backed into a corner.” Her voice was drowning in a mix of anger and misery.
Zane stilled. “Who’s backed you into a corner, Monroe?”
“It doesn’t matter.” Her voice sounded flat and resigned. “I have no choice. But I wanted to tell you that I am sorry.”
“Let me help you.” Shit, had he really said that?
“You can’t,” she whispered harshly. “I wish things were different.” She laughed, but it sounded forced. “Anyway, you’ll forget me soon enough.”
Right then and there, Zane felt like he’d never forget that kiss. It was damn well etched into his soul. What was it about this woman that grabbed him by the throat? Lust? Was it as simple as that?
He tried to tell himself that he didn’t know her, and she didn’t matter, but it didn’t seem to lessen his desire. Or the insane need to help her.
“Monroe, tell me what’s going on.”
“I can’t, or they’ll kill him.”
This man who wasn’t her lover, but who she clearly cared about.
Zane knew he needed to walk away. He’d double up on security, find out from Vander who she was, and then hand this over to the cops.
“Who?” he demanded.
She was silent for a long time. “Look, I just wanted to say sorry. You don’t deserve any of this… So, I’m sorry, okay?”
His hand curled on the railing. He wished she was here with him, so he could see her face. So he could convince her to trust him, to let him help her.
At that moment, he realized the thumping song from the dance floor was also coming through the phone line.
He stilled. “Monroe, where are you?”
“It doesn’t matter. I have to go.”
Across the line, he heard a loud female voice, then laughter.
He scanned the floor below.
“Goodbye, Zane.”
“Monroe—”
The line went dead. He set the phone in his pocket, his gaze on the dance floor.
He scanned it, searching.
She was here.
Dream of me
Monroe
“Woo!” Sabrina clinked her lemon drop martini against mine.
“Cheers.” I managed a smile for my veil-wearing, slightly tipsy friend.
Mayfair was full of people. Our group of eight women were all laughing, drinking, and having fun. Well, except for me.
Sabrina was flushed and happy. I was glad she’d found Andrew. They were both cute as hell, and good for each other. Andrew worshipped the ground Sabrina walked on—quirks and all—just as she was.
I sipped my martini. I was wearing a fire-engine-red dress that hugged my body. Sabrina had demanded I wear it. It hugged my body like a possessive lover and had an off-the-shoulder neckline.
I really wasn’t in the mood to party.
I’d just apologized to Zane—but I didn’t feel any better. And Mag was still out there in the hands of bad people.
My life sucked.
“Monroe, you need to relax.” One of my locksmiths, Kat, appeared. The middle-aged woman was holding a bottle of beer. “This is a party. How often do you get to let your hair down?”
“Ah, never.” I had a business to run and a brother to keep out of trouble.
Kat tapped her bottle to my glass. “Live a little.”
I managed a smile. God, I wanted to share that Maguire was in danger, that I had to break every single personal value I held, and there was a guy who had me tied up in knots. I blew out a breath, feeling so damn alone, even in the middle of a crowd.
The music changed to one of Sabrina’s favorites.
“Let’s dance.” Sabrina threw her arms in the air, spilling some of her martini.
I was definitely going to have to pour her into a cab at the end of the night.
Reluctantly, I let myself be dragged onto the dance floor. Sabrina was jumping around and laughing.
The dance floor was mostly in shadow, with lights strobing across the floor every now and then. I let the music wash over me. For a second, I was going to pretend my life wasn’t a giant mess. For a second, I was going to pretend I was a normal, single woman having a fun time out. Some guys pressed closer, dancing with Sabrina’s other friends.
“I’m taken.” Sabrina flashed her engagement ring and a wide smile.
Another dancing trio pushed between me and my group.
I edged around, moving to the music, and swinging my hips. I felt the music throb through my blood.
Then a hard body pressed up behind me, and I stiffened.
A strong arm slid around my waist, warm breath on my ear.
“Having fun?”
My stomach clenched.
Zane pulled me back against him, moving in time with me to the music.
Oh, God. Oh, God. He felt so good. Smelled so good.
I was surrounded by him, and for a second, I felt protected.