When I pull up at the club, I’m more certain than ever that I’m making the right decision, if only for one reason—I need answers.

Who the hell he is. What he does. Why he was in my neighborhood. If and how he’s connected to Mount. If he truly bought my artwork, and what he did with it.

Finally, I want to know if I have to decide to never see him again because he’s involved with something awful and horrible, and my life isn’t going down the criminal path. Except, of course, guilt by association with my boss and her husband . . . and whatever the hell my brother is doing.

Nothing’s black and white.

With my mask tied on and a vintage black dress from Dirty Dog covering my new hot-red bra and panties, I climb up the stairs behind the masked man to whom I gave my card. He hands it back to me as soon as he opens the front door for me.

Tonight, it’s louder inside. More chatter is coming from upstairs, like the guests aren’t afraid of being overheard. That’s new and different.

What isn’t new and different? The fact that Magnolia is just inside the foyer and her eyes lock on me.

“I wondered if you’d show tonight. He didn’t think you would.”

There’s no question about who he is.

“Where is he?” I ask.

Something flashes over her face before I can read it. “Come on up with me.”

Magnolia leads me up to the second floor, to the door where the light spills out from underneath along with the strains of jazz. The only time I’ve been inside that room is when she took me on a tour, but I know it’s the public area of the club.

As soon as she opens the door and my gaze sweeps the room, I know he’s not here.

“Is he late?”

Magnolia leads me to the bar. “You need a drink, I think. You look like you’ve had a long day.”

I reach out to put a hand on her arm. “Don’t bullshit me, Mags. Is he late or not coming?”

“What makes you think he’s not coming?”

“I just need a straight answer. If he’s not here, then I wasted my trip and I have the answer I needed—that I should’ve followed my first instincts and never come back.”

“Don’t be so hasty now, girl. Maybe there are forces at work here that you can’t understand.” When she glances over her shoulder, I pin her gaze with my own.

“Is he here or not?”

She shakes her head. “No. He’s not. Something came up. He called and asked if I’d give you his regrets. He’ll be in touch.”

What could have come up? Is he okay? Did something happen with the guy at the café? Did it have something to do with the five hundred grand someone paid him that Ariel tracked on the dark web?

A dozen possibilities pop into my brain, and I have no idea what’s right or wrong. None of them are good possibilities.

“I have to go,” I tell Magnolia. “This was a mistake.”

I turn on my heel and head for the door. However, instead of executing a graceful exit, I run smack into the chest of a man—and it’s not the man I want to see. It’s another stranger, and this one I don’t care to know.

“Who is this delightful little creature, Magnolia? And where have you been hiding her? You afraid of some competition?” His voice is smooth and cultured, and immediately puts me on edge with its smug, condescending tone.

“She’s just leaving,” Magnolia tells him, her voice coming from right behind me.

“Not until I get a chance to talk with her.”

“So sorry, sir. She’s intent on leaving, so I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t stand in her way.”

He holds out his hand to me, completely ignoring Magnolia. “It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance . . .” He pauses, clearly expecting me to give him my name, but this isn’t my first time here and I’m not about to offer it.

“I have to go.”

I take another step but his hand closes around my arm, just above my elbow.

“But the night is young, and I’ve been out of town for months. Who knows when I’ll have a chance to get back here. My work so often keeps me away.” His gaze drifts back to Magnolia. “Much to my regret.”

Magnolia’s eyes narrow on him. “Giles, let her go.”

“Sorry, sir,” I tell him. “I’m not a member. Good luck with the rest of your night.”

I really want to tell him that acting so overbearing makes me assume he has a tiny dick, but I don’t. Maybe it’s his overbearing nature that makes Magnolia look like she wants to slice and dice him, but I truly have no idea. The guy could just be another person out looking for a thrill, like me. But then again, he wouldn’t carry the creeper vibe so strongly if he wasn’t one. For the first time, I truly feel uncomfortable in a way that makes me feel unsafe here.

This is why Rafe told me not to come here. I should have listened to my brother.

When I tug free of Giles, I hurry out of the room, leaving Magnolia behind to do damage control. Maybe it’s rude, but I don’t know him and she does.

That’s when it occurs to me—she said his name.

I pause at the top step, taking in the shiny wooden banister that leads down the stairs to the front door. The front door I’ve run out like the devil was on my heels once before.

I’m tempted to do it again right now, but instead, I walk out calmly.

I shouldn’t care that I finally decided to come and he’s not here, but some creepy guy was and Magnolia broke the rules. I shouldn’t care that I don’t have any way to track down my stranger to get my answers to a hell of a lot of questions I have.

I shouldn’t care about any of it . . .

But I do.