The Private Club 3 by J. S. Cooper, Helen Cooper

you’re hot.”
    “Thanks.” I rolled my eyes , trying not to shudder. I couldn’t believe he was so cocky as to think I would actually want to be with him. That I would ever choose him over Greyson. Never in a million years. They didn’t even compare to each other.
    “She told me to leave you out of it. I told her it was the best way to get back at Greyson.”
    “How would that be getting back at Greyson?”
    David laughed. “He loves you.”
    “No, he doesn’t.” My heart skipped a beat. “I don’t even know him.”
    “Trust me, he loves you. Maybe he doesn’t even know it yet. But you forget, I’ve been here for two years. Greyson doesn’t even interact with the girls once they start. He hasn’t been able to keep his hands or his eyes away from you.”
    “It’s just sexual attraction.”
    “Who knows? How does it feel to be the devil’s mistress ?”
    “He’s not the devil ,” I whispered.
    “He’s going to burn in hell.” David’s eyes flashed. “I’m going to make him pay for what happened to Maria.”
    “Shouldn’t we find out where Nancy is first?”
    “I could take you right now and it would kill him.” He grabbed my wrists and pushed me up against the wall. “He’d never be able to look at you the same way again, knowing I made you come and scream my name.” He laughed as he kissed my neck. “I know you see. I know what it’s like to lose someone I love and know she’s fucked another man.”
    “It’s not Greyson’s fault that Maria left you, Ryan.”
    “He started this fucking club. He uses women for his own gain. If it w eren’t for him, she never would have met Brandon. Brandon didn’t even love her. I loved her. I still love her!” He banged his fist against the wall. “I wanted to marry her. Do you understand that? I wanted to marry her and start a family. I loved her so much. I just let her go to New York to try and make it. I always thought she would come back to me. Instead, she came back with a coke habit and a new man.”
    “Coke habit?” I frowned. “She was a drug addict?”
    “Not when she left!” he shouted, and his hand gripped my neck. “When she left, she was my beautiful, innocent Maria. When she came back, she was a different person.”
    “Please, David —I mean Ryan—you’re hurting me!” I gasped and tried to push him off of me.
    “Do you think I haven’t been hurt?” His eyes were red as they looked into mine. “They killed her, Meg. I need to get my revenge.”
    “But what about Nancy?” I squeaked, barely able to breathe. “If you kill me, we may never find her.”
    “Why did she have to go and disappear?” He groaned and released his hold for a second. I kneed him in the groin and pushed him back hard. “What the fuck ?”
    “Leave me alone !” I screamed. “Leave me alone and I will help you find Nancy!”
    Ryan looked at me then with a contemplative look. “I want to hurt you.” His voice sounded pained. “I want to hurt Greyson. I want to make him pay.”
    “Brandon is the one who dated her, Ryan,” I said softly.
    “But Greyson is the reason for all of this.” He clenched his fists.
    “You can still take down Greyson,” I mumbled, ignoring the hole in my heart. “Let’s try and find Nancy first.”
    “How?”
    “Let me go and see Greyson. Let me try and find out what happened to Nancy.”
    “I don’t trust you.” He shook his head. “You’ll tell him.”
    “Nancy is my friend.” I shook my head. “Her safety is my number one concern.”
    He looked at me thoughtfully then. “Okay.” He nodded. “We can still fuck if you want.”
    I looked away from him then and bit my lower lip to stop myself from screaming again and crying. “Let me go and find Greyson now.”
    “Don’t take too long.” His voice issued a warning. “I’ll be here waiting.”
    “Okay.” I exited the room quickly, my heart beating fast.
    I didn’t know what to think or to feel. I walked numbly and made a side trip to the