She patted the left side of her bra, where she’d tucked the wireless USB reader. “All set.”
Bishop descended the stairs and got into his SUV. When his taillights disappeared down the street, Roman got out of the car. When Everly didn’t move, he cut a look her way.
“I’m going to let you open my door.” She batted her lashes at him. “Like the gentleman bringing his girl to a brothel for a three-way naturally would.”
“Naturally.”
He rounded the car to open Everly’s door. She slipped her arm through his and leaned into him as they crossed the street. “We’re going in.”
“Roger that,” Sam responded from his warm, cushy office in Whitefish. “Fingers warm and ready.”
Everly and Roman cut a look at each other, grinned, and shook their heads.
“Oblivious,” she said, earning a wider smile from Roman.
“Truly,” he agreed.
“What are you talking about?” Sam asked.
At the front steps, they greeted the guards, who nodded a welcome to Roman. He opened his arms while one guard patted him down. Another guard instructed Everly to do the same.
“Well”—she gave her guard a sassy grin—“this is unexpected foreplay.”
He didn’t find her amusing and did a half-assed search before ushering them in the front door.
“I was hoping you’d come back.” The woman who stood from the lounge was incredibly young and even more beautiful. She approached them a little too quickly, drawing the disapproving gazes of two other women in the foyer. She slid her hands down Roman’s chest and glanced at Everly. “How nice, you brought a friend.” She returned her gaze to Roman. “That’ll cost extra.”
“Of course it will,” Roman said.
One of the other women sauntered up to Everly and took her hand, but her glare was narrowed in on Brandy. “It’s not your turn, sister.”
A spark of desperation flared in Brandy’s dark eyes.
“Sorry, sugar,” Everly said, drawing the woman’s gaze. “My man has a thing for Brandy.” She grinned and cupped the woman’s cheek. “But you can bet I’ll be angling for you next time.”
Mollified, the woman stepped back and let Brandy lead them upstairs. But the girl was acting nervous and squirrely, showing all the signs of panic. When they reached the landing between stairs, Roman grabbed Brandy’s arm and stopped her.
“Slow. Down,” he told her. “Remember what we talked about.”
The girl’s dark eyes darted between Roman and Everly.
“Take a breath,” Everly told her. “And focus.”
Brandy nodded and continued up the stairs at a slower pace. At the top of the stairs, another guard eyed them before Brandy led them into her bedroom. When she closed the door, she leaned back against it and whispered, “I don’t know if I can do this.”
Everly reached around her and locked the door.
“You can do this,” Roman encouraged her. “It’s almost done.”
“We’re in,” Everly told Sam and pulled the USB reader from her bra. Then she looked at Brandy. “Where’s the bracelet?”
She darted a look at Roman.
Everly turned to the dresser and started searching. This was why she didn’t do kids. They were so damned tedious, always needing reassurance and coddling. Making such stupid, impulsive decisions, all based on emotion. She simply didn’t have the patience for it.
“What’s she doing?” Brandy whined. That was another thing Everly hated—whining. “She’s messing things up.”
While Roman was trying to charm and cajole the bracelet’s location out of her, Everly pulled open the bottom drawer of the jewelry box on the dresser and pulled the USB bracelet from the velvet. “Got it.”