THE TEMPTRESS

||Greenlight||

•KADEN•

I exhaled a stream of smoke through my nostrils before blowing it out into the air. The cigarette was on its last legs, so I tapped it on the ashtray in front of me.

Across the table, AJ and the girls, Natalie and Lucy, were busy sifting through stacks of cash from the five empty briefcases on the floor. The money represented debts finally repaid by our business associates. Today was payday, and that meant the money owed to me by some influential people was rolling in around the clock.

The piles of cold, hard cash were growing on the table, and I watched with satisfaction as I puffed on my cigarette.

"We're still short a hundred and fifty grand," Lucy suddenly exclaimed while holding up her little notebook, where she meticulously kept our financial records.

"Who hasn't paid up yet?" I asked, and she scanned her notebook.

"Dominic Russo, the drug lord who runs the Northern gang."

I dropped the cigarette butt into the ashtray and turned to AJ.

"Give him another three hours to send the cash."

"And if he doesn't?" AJ inquired.

"Take the guys and pay him a little visit. You all know the drill."

He grinned and added more cash to the already substantial pile in front of him.

A soft knock came from the open double doors across the room. I glanced up and saw the house butler, Rico, standing there. He nodded briefly and stepped aside to let Rick in. Rick gestured toward the balcony, and I rose from my seat.

"Keep counting. I'll be back in a minute."

The girls nodded in response, and I made my way out to the balcony. Rick was already leaning against the railing, and I closed the glass double doors behind me before joining him.

"She's clean," he said firmly, which made me frown.

"You're absolutely sure?"

He raised an eyebrow and chuckled.

"Do you doubt me?"

"You know I wouldn't do that. So, what's her story then?"

He gazed out before answering.

"Her parents are no longer around. She's 25, lives with her dog, no high school records, or any close family living in the country. No criminal history, no recent relationships."

Seemed like a pretty typical background. But something felt off to me.

"Why no high school records?" Rick glanced at me briefly before looking away again.

"She was homeschooled."

Well, that was unexpected.

"When did her parents pass away?"

"Thirteen years ago."

She must've been just a kid back then. Damn.

"How was she homeschooled, and by whom?" Rick finally turned to face me.

"You know, that's the strange part. I couldn't find anything about the person who raised her or who she lived with for the past thirteen years. Her records clearly state that she grew up alone without a family, fending for herself. No support from anyone. I even checked foster care systems, but there's no trace of her. Her past is a complete blank slate."

That was the one piece of good news I was waiting for. Her background was clean, so I didn't have to worry.

Rick's response was the signal I was patiently waiting for. Once he gave the green light, I could move forward.

But hold on, something was missing.

"She mentioned she's searching for her older brother, a guy who ran away when they were kids. Did you find anything on him?"

Rick sighed and nodded slowly.

"Yeah, just a name."

"What is it then?"

"Marco Grey."

"I'll have Ben look into him."

"You didn't think I already did that?" He retorted sharply. "I already checked. He's just a name on a piece of paper, nothing more. You might be chasing someone who doesn't even exist, so don't waste your time."

I slipped my hands into my pockets and narrowed my eyes at him.

"You don't believe he's real?"

"Oh, he's real, just not living as Marco Grey anymore. He's either changed his identity or he's been living well off the grid. There's nothing you'll find on him."

I smirked and glanced at the pool below us.

"My guy will find something. There's nothing on the internet that a skilled hacker can't uncover if he knows what he's searching for."

Rick stared at me for a moment before finally smiling, although his eyes didn't reflect the same warmth.

"Good luck with that," he said, opening the double doors and stepping back inside.

I wasn't bluffing. Ben was the best hacker I knew, and he could dig up any information I needed. Marco Grey wouldn't be a challenge for him.

I might deliberately ask Ben to take his time, though. I needed more time with Stephanie; I wanted her around a little longer.

She was my kind of fun.

I enjoyed having her company. Now that Rick had given me the answers I needed, Stephanie Grey was mine.

She wasn't an orphan or a vulnerable girl I planned to exploit just because she lacked family. Stephanie knew what she was getting into, so no one could hold me accountable for my actions.

And no one was going to stop me from claiming her as mine.