Adam shoved the veggies into the trash.
“Hey, weren’t you going to use those?”
“I was,” he agreed as he washed his hands. “I was going to make a lovely pasta primavera the way my friend back home taught me. It’s one of Jake’s favorites, but he’s likely eating pie as we speak. Sweet, sweet, creamy pie. Yeah. He’ll likely steal my slice of pie, too, because he can be a greedy bastard. So he gets no dinner tonight.”
She was deeply confused about the whole pie thing. “I think he might get full if he eats too much pie.”
“Oh, he never gets enough of this pie. This is a forever pie. He’ll just keep eating on that pie as long as it takes. Fucker.” He gave her a brilliant smile. “But you and I are going shopping, and we’ll end our makeover session with a brilliant meal. I am going to prove to you just how gorgeous you can be. Come on, Avery. Do you trust me?”
He held a hand out.
New clothes? Maybe makeup? It wouldn’t mean a thing if she didn’t really want a new life.
“Yes. I will go with you.” She felt a smile steal over her face. Maybe Lee wouldn’t talk to her again, but the way he’d kissed her made her think he really was interested. It was crazy to think, but she had to give it a shot.
He was the most interesting thing that had happened to her in years. She’d made the decision when she’d taken the job with Thomas that she would try new things. At the time that had meant museums and tourist sights and job-related things.
But she wanted to try sex. Sex with a beautiful man who could make her feel again. It wouldn’t be forever. It wouldn’t even be for long, but just for a little while she could feel wanted and loved.
Just for a little while.
“I’m ready to go if you are, sweetheart. Let’s take the town.” Adam seemed ready to throw himself into a little fun.
And so was she. She’d screwed up royally, but she had a plan. She would face Lee, and she would know one way or another. No more hiding.
She was going to owe Adam. Maybe she would make him a pie. He seemed to really like pie.
She followed Adam out into the night, ready to start again.
* * * *
Liam walked for hours, ignoring the impulse to go right back to Avery’s flat and get her on her knees at his feet, begging for his forgiveness. He would eventually give in, but not before she’d begged a little. Then he would show her just how forgiving he could be. He would start with a spanking. A sub should always be disciplined, but that wasn’t the point of this spanking. It would be to get her hot and needy. Only when she begged him would he break down and give her his cock, thrusting inside what had to be a tight, hot pussy and bringing them both some fucking relief.
Yeah, he wasn’t going to do any of that.
After making certain he wasn’t being tailed, he made his way back to The Garden. He needed to file a report. What the fuck would he write down? Caught subject before she caused a national incident. Forced subject to eat fish and chips. Nearly fucked subject on the street. Yeah, that would go over really well. Ian would love that one.
Damon stood at the front desk, talking to a couple of men. A Dom and his male sub from the looks of it. The thinner man had a leash trailing from the collar around his throat. Damon nodded them in when he caught Liam’s eye. A broad grin bloomed over the bugger’s face, and Liam had the sudden revelation that Damon had been brought up to speed on everything that had gone on today. The tiny wire he’d been wearing had captured everything he and Avery had said, and he’d had backup on him at all times.
Fucking Alex, who probably couldn’t wait to tell everyone what had happened.
“I am in the presence of a real-life fancy man,” Damon said in that oh so upper-crust accent. “Is Ian not paying you enough?”
He gave the wanker his happy middle finger. “Fuck off. Where’s Eve?”
She was the only one who wouldn’t give him hell.
“Li,” Ian called out as he opened the door that led back to the locker room. “Nice to see you’ve decided to join us. I was worried for a minute that you had found another career. How’s tricks?”
“Fuck you, too, Ian.” He’d screwed up. He wasn’t sure how because she’d seemed so happy right up until he’d tried to get an invitation inside. He’d been so sure she was wriggling on his hook and he could reel her in.
Fuck all. What if she wouldn’t see him again? What if he’d blown his shot to get into her bed? Would Ian send Alex in? Would he go in himself? The thought wasn’t a pleasant one. A vision of Avery in bed with someone else assaulted him. The man in that bed was going to be him.
“I know I fucked up.”
“You moved way too fast for her,” Ian said, sobering a little.
He was used to fast women. He fucked most of the women he dated before he knew their last names. And suddenly that seemed empty. Cold and lonely. “She seemed to be responding.”
Ian sighed and started walking toward the lifts. “Come on upstairs. Eve said she was expecting you. Damon, if you don’t mind taking a look at those files I sent you?”
The big Dom nodded. “Not a problem. I’ll let you know if I see anything out of the ordinary.”
Liam followed Ian, his brain scrambling as he tried to put together a decent argument that might keep him in the game.
“I have Damon looking into all the files Adam managed to pull on the United One Fund employees,” Ian explained, pushing the button for the lift. “He’s got a good eye. He might find something I missed. It’s just Alex and Eve staying upstairs on the fifth floor. I rented a place here in Chelsea in case you need to produce your friend’s place.”
It was all part of the elaborate setup to make Avery believe he was just another tourist.
“Yeah, I don’t think I’ll need that now. How long did it take him to tell you just how badly I’d fucked up? Did he send you the tape immediately or just give you a rundown?” Bitterness welled inside him.
Ian turned, a surprised look on his face. “Are you talking about Alex? Alex hasn’t told me shit. He hasn’t submitted the tape or the report yet. Jake, on the other hand, called from Serena’s and had a great time telling us how Avery thought you were in the flesh trade.”
“Fucker.” Jake was supposed to be his friend. Of course, Liam probably would have done the same damn thing.