Playing Dirty: Windy City Kink, Book 3 Read Online Free

apparently owns the building I was looking at today.” She hesitated. “Have you ever met him?”
    “Yeah.” Kevin squinted. “I met him once at a conference. Couple of years ago. Again…why?”
    She could tell that she wasn’t going to get away with the “just curious” response again. She’d screwed herself by asking one too many questions. “I met him. He was at the building when I looked at the space. Just wondered what you thought of him.”
    “Probably not the same as you do,” Kevin said with a grin. “I was impressed with how he’s grown his business. Apparently he started with nothing, came from some shit background. Started flipping houses and ended up running what’s probably the top real estate development company in Chicago.”
    She nodded.
    “He has a reputation as a ruthless bastard,” Kevin continued.
    She flinched a little at that.
    “Apparently he’s tough and strong-willed. Doesn’t tolerate screw-ups. On the other hand…” Kevin shrugged, “…he has a loyal team working for him. You don’t get loyalty by stomping all over people. That only goes so far. He’s also a player when it comes to women.” She felt Kevin’s gaze on her. She didn’t look up from her food.
    “He asked me out,” she blurted.
    Silence. “Uh…whoa,” Kevin said. “So that’s what this is about.”
    “I said no.”
    “Ooookay.”
    “And what you’ve told me confirms that was the right answer. I do not want to get involved with a man like that. Everything you just told me could have described my ex-husband.” She slid off the stool and carried her half-eaten pasta to dump it into a plastic container. She’d eat it for lunch tomorrow.
    “Your ex is an asshole,” Kevin said, his fork clinking against his plate as he dropped it. “Also, he’s not legally your ex yet.”
    “Whatever. Sounds like Rafferty Lauden is an asshole too.”
    Kevin laughed. “Well. You could be right about that. Not that nice guys always finish last, but you don’t get where he is by being a wuss.”
    She turned and smiled at Kevin. “True. Whatever.” She held up her hands. “I’ll never see him again, I’m sure. Now. I’m off to go search for another spot to move my business. Thanks for dinner, it was awesome.”
    “No problem. I’m going out in a while, meeting Beamer and Joe and Jack for beers.”
    “Okay. Have fun.”
    Up in her room, she sat at the small desk in front of her laptop. As it powered up, her fingers went to the rubber band on her wrist. She gave a tug and released it. Heat flashed on her skin. She did it again. And again. She slowed her breathing like the sting reminded her to, trying to dispel the anxiety tightening her body.
    Then she tried to stop herself, but, dammit, she couldn’t, and she ended up looking at the website for Challenger Development Group. And hating herself for it.

Chapter Three
    Raff looked out his office window as he spoke to Brad Jaworski on the phone. From the fifty-first floor of the Challenger Building on East Randolph Street, he gazed out over Lake Michigan stretching endlessly blue to the horizon. “What’ve you got?” he demanded.
    “Couple possibilities. Are you online?”
    “Can be. Two secs.” Raff threw himself into the chair behind his desk and put the cell phone onto speaker. Then he tapped on his keyboard.
    “I emailed you links,” Brad said. “Check them out.”
    In seconds Raff was looking at properties. “Yeah,” he said, clicking with his mouse. “This first one looks good.”
    “It’s prime real estate, Mr. Lauden. Can’t do better.”
    Raff checked out the other one too, but went back to the first. “Okay. That’s the one. On East Huron.”
    “Got it. But it needs some work to make it what she needs.”
    “How fast can it be done?”
    “I’ll make some calls.”
    “A week?”
    “Doubtful.”
    “Make it happen.”
    He heard the brief pause and knew Brad was confused.
    “Okay,” Brad said. “A week.”
    “Same price as the