10

A chorus of Yes, Sir sounded around the table. Tara stayed quiet.
That goes for you as well, Tara. None shot an angry glare the woman’s way as he spoke.
Of course, Carter, Tara turned her narrowed eyes from None to me. As long as your bitch knows her place.
I tried to pull out from None’s hold, but he only tightened his arm around me. I could feel the anger rolling off of him as he nodded at Number Two. The room was now so quiet you could literally hear a pin drop.
Number Two stood and walked the three seats down to where Tara sat. He jerked her chair back and grasped her arm as she continued to glare my way. As Number Two led her away, I replayed her words in my head, as long as your bitch knows her place.
I was pulled out of my thoughts by None’s soft voice.
Lea ? He had turned me to face him. His eyes were warm and light as they searched my face.
Yes ? I asked quietly as I met his eyes, the cold, hardness once again returning.
Sit. Brunch is being served.
Carter’s P. O. V.
After brunch, I had Darrien escort Lea back to her room. She had been quiet during the meal and I knew it was because she was overthinking Tara’s words.
I clenched my fist as I made my way to the interrogation room. It was sound proof, allowing its occupant’s screams to go unheard through the rest of the house. Chains hung from steel beams at one end of the room. Thick, wide hand and ankle cuffs were attached to the opposite wall. A steel table and two chairs sat in the center. Six spot lights were angled in various directions, allowing the interrogator to be unseen by our captives if needed.
Leave, I growled out to Darrell as I slammed the door open.
He nodded once and left the room.
Tara sat at the steel table, her hands folded together on top of the cold metal as she watched me with an amused expression.
Carter, Carter, Carter, she mocked seductively as I pulled the empty seat across the concrete floor. I would have never figured you to be the one to break your own rules.
I leaned back in the chair as I looked over Tara. She was one of three baiters that I employed. Tara knew that she was my number one ; with full breasts, a flat stomach, a curvaceous backside, toned and tanned from head to toe, lush lips, hazel doe eyes with thick lashes, and long raven hair, she was sexy as hell. And she knew how to handle herself if things went south. But all that did not excuse her blatant disrespect for me, or Lea, especially in front of the rest of the members of our organization.
I didn’t say a word as I sat there and watched her grow uncomfortable under my gaze.
You can’t be serious, Carter. You’ll grow tired of the little bitch and then you’ll come crawling back to me, Tara smirked ass she crossed her arms over her chest, just like you always do.
I stood and circled the table. Standing behind Tara, I ran my hand across her cheek, earning a sensual sigh as I traced my fingers down to her jawline and back up before grabbing a handful of her dark hair and pushing her face into the cold steel. A surprised Oomph sounded from her as her cheek landed roughly against the table.
Your job is to bait, not to question me or to make my guests uncomfortable. I ground out as I leaned down next to her ear. If I know of you insulting Lea again, you will be brought back here and you will be screaming my name, not in pleasure, but begging me to spare your life. Understand ? My voice was hard and cold as I spoke, the anger and tension from the last couple of days beginning to show through.
I could feel Tara tremble under my hold and watched as she smirked. I picked her head up by her hair and slammed her face back into the table.
Do. I. Make. Myself. Clear ? I ground out as a whimper escaped Tara.
Yes.
I let go of Tara, taking note of the light trail of blood running down her now busted lip. Go get cleaned up. You have a job tonight. I turned and started to walk away but stopped as Tara spoke.
You know if anyone finds out about your feelings for her, she’s as good as dead.
It’s a good thing I don’t feel then, isn’t it ? I didn’t look back as I spoke the lie with ease.
I threw the door open and walked to my office. I needed to immerse myself into the mundane paperwork that awaited me to take my mind off of the situation at hand. I pulled my chair back and reached over, unlocking the bottom drawer. I pulled out my accounting books and picked up the month’s worth of receipts and deposits slips and started reconciling the three off shore accounts that I had. I didn’t keep these records on the computer, nor did I make transactions online, they were all done in person for one very specific reason ; other organizations had people like Tony, people that could find anything on anyone, no matter how many firewalls and pass codes protected the information.
A knock sounded on the door about four and a half hours later, Boss ? Darrell cautiously stepped inside. It’s time to review tonight’s agenda.
I closed the books and put them back into the locked drawer. Is everyone assembled ?
Yes. They are just waiting on you and I.
Lea ?
As of right now, she is sleeping, but I have made arrangements for Leon to keep an eye on her tonight.
Good. Make sure one of the guards is stationed in the garden outside her room as well. She has already been wandering the grounds.
Yes, Sir.
I stood and followed Darrell out of the office, closing the door and locking it behind me as he punched a number into his phone. He talked quietly as he made the arrangements to have one of the perimeter guards stationed outside Lea’s room.
Once the directions were given, we walked silently to the meeting room. Darrell pushed the door opened and proceeded to the head of the table as he was the lead on this particular task. I took the seat to his right and waited for him to begin.
He passed out manila folders to each of us ; Darrien, Tony, Marcus, Tara, Eva my number two baiter, and five of our best enforcers. I looked over the photo in the folder ; sandy brown hair and dark brown eyes stared back from weathered and worn skin. Robert Sanford, the man that was responsible for the assaults on one of my men’s children.
Sanford has been rotating the days he goes to Scaffolds. Based on our ongoing observation, he is expected there tonight and should be arriving around eleven p. m., not leaving until around two a. m. We have made arrangements for Moondust, his regular girl to be off. Darrel paused and gestured to our two baiters, This is where Tara and Eva come in. Eva will be posing as a the new it girl for the club, while Tara is slated to fill in for Moon. Once one of them gets Sanford to the private rooms,
I laid the folder down and only half listened to Darrell as he continued to go over the plans for tonight. I had been the one to answer the call when it came in two months ago. I was the one that had to break the news to Thomas that one of his boys would be confined to a wheelchair and the other would have to undergo multiple surgeries for crushed and broken bones. I was the one that had to reassure his ex-wife that the man responsible would pay and pay dearly.