Three Dirty Secrets (Blindfold Club #4) by Nikki Sloane Page B

be aggressive. I like the two-handed approach so I could establish dominance, but this wasn’t the right situation for that.
    “Regan.”
    He clasped my hand too long and it made my skin crawl, but I was sure none of it showed. Steering the conversation the way I wanted it to go wouldn’t be a cakewalk, but his attraction to me would definitely make it easier.
    “Just Regan?” His tone was coy.
    I eased my lips into a seductive smile. “Just Regan.”
    Step one in building the mystery. The goal was to leave him with so many questions he’d go running to the club for answers.
    “Are your parents big Republicans?” he teased.
    “No, they’re fans of The Exorcist .”
    Roland hesitated. “Really?”
    “No, not really. They’re just Irish.” I began to move forward to the next painting, subtly getting him to follow. I was in control, leading him, both physically and mentally. “Did you see anything you liked for the congressman?”
    “A few. I think this one here is the winner.”
    The square canvas hung at a forty-five-degree angle, so it was shaped like a diamond. The bottom point was the dark city skyline, and the moon rose high in the sky above. Green fog glowed behind the buildings. With this collection, it fit in as ominous, but on its own . . . it was hauntingly beautiful.
    “It’s stunning, and it definitely says Chicago.” The unmistakable spires of the Hancock building were visible.
    “So, I guess I need to find the owner and ask how much it is.” Roland made an attempt to look for Silas, but his attention seemed fixed on me. “You know him. Is he a reasonable guy?”
    Was he fishing for information on my relationship with Silas? “I don’t know him well, but he seems fair.”
    “Oh? I thought you two were—”
    “No. He’d just done a tattoo for me.”
    Roland leaned subtly closer, his hands going behind his back. I clenched my teeth together so tightly I was sure I was going to crack my jaw, but my fake smile remained in place. Could he be any more obvious? I’d bet a million dollars he was tugging his wedding ring off so he could slip it in his pocket.
    Too late, cheating bastard. I don’t miss much.
    “I didn’t know he did tattoos.” Roland grimaced like he thought less of Silas, which was ridiculous. I had half the mind to take him upstairs and show him the beautiful photo of the tattoo hanging in Silas’s kitchen, but I couldn’t imagine either man would like that. Plus, I didn’t want to be alone with Roland, even if it would help my audio recording.
    “Yeah, a friend recommended him,” I said. “How’d you hear about Silas’s gallery?”
    “One of his paintings is in the federal building, a few floors down from my office. Turns out his sister’s a U.S. Marshal, and she gave me his name.” He finished the glass of wine in his hand. “So, Miss Regan No-last-name, what do you do for a living?”
    “I’m a sales assistant at an exclusive night club.”
    I gauged his reaction carefully. The hesitation that appeared was quickly replaced with intrigue. “Exclusive?”
    He hit on the keyword just as I hoped he would. Appealing to his pride and status was a surefire way to get him hooked. “Yes. We have to be selective about who can become a member.”
    His eyebrows tugged together. “Why?”
    “For a lot of reasons, one of which is our clients prefer discretion.” I let out a breath and leaned close, setting my hand lightly on his arm. “It’s so they can enjoy safely, without consequences or judgement.”
    His voice was hushed. “Enjoy what?”
    I made a show of glancing around, hinting I was letting him in on a big secret. “An experience you can’t get anywhere else and pleasure like you—” I drew back and pretended to be embarrassed. “What am I doing? I shouldn’t talk about it. We’ve got a lot of powerful members, but you work for a congressman.”
    I weighted my words, acting as if I was impressed with Bennett’s office. There was a spark of