Tantalizing His Obsession

Chapter 4 Under His Watch

Lazarus

Phoebe steps out of my SUV, and I watch as she walks into that filth of an apartment. It makes me cringe knowing she lives there. It’s not safe. I turn to my driver, Eric. "I want men watching Phoebe’s apartment from now on. I don’t like her living there."

Eric replies, "Yes, sir. I’ll have some men stationed nearby."

As we drive, I see a sign in the apartment complex that says "For Rent." I tell Eric, "I want one of the men to rent out the available apartment in that unit so we have someone stationed there at all times."

Eric nods, "Yes, sir. I’ll get someone on this now."

Then, an image of one of the men trying to hit on Phoebe flashes through my mind, making my blood boil. "Also, Eric, no man is allowed to hit on her, or I will kill them."

Eric just smiles. "Yes, sir."

I watch as Eric makes the phone call to organize some of my men.

As we drive back to my house, I call Angel’s Wings Assistive Care. Ashley answers, "Hi, Mr. Yates. How may I help you? Is everything okay with your mother?"

"Yes, Ashley, everything is fine. But if you want to keep the Yates account, I only want Phoebe Daniels to take care of my mother and no one else. My mother adores her and will not tolerate anyone else. I will also pay your company triple the price for her to take care of my mother. I want this to be Phoebe’s main account at all times."

Ashley replies, "Yes, Mr. Yates. I will let Phoebe know on Monday. She will work with your mother only."

We arrive at my house, but my mind is consumed with thoughts of Phoebe. An idea suddenly strikes me—I can use the resources at my disposal as an Order Member. The Order is more than just a mafia; it’s the ruling body above all mafia families. We make the laws, enforce them, and serve as judge, jury, and executioner for anyone who dares disobey.

I head to my office and sign into The Order’s database and software. I look up Phoebe Daniels to see if I can find anything out about her. I find her birth certificate; it looks like she is 20 years old but somehow got into my club. The bouncer probably thought she was hot, which is true. I keep looking and notice her mother’s name is Amy Daniels, and it says her father is unknown. I look up Amy Daniels; it says she died 6 months ago, leaving just Phoebe. So Phoebe has no siblings, and her only parent died.

I then access her bank account. She literally has little to no money. Her bank transactions are nothing crazy—food, Uber, and a gym membership at Goddess Fitness Studio. It looks like she barely gets paid anything, no wonder she doesn’t have a car. I then access her credit. She has one credit card and no loans. Her credit is good; it looks like she’s smart with money. I then access her social media account. She had a boyfriend but changed her status to single last night before she even went to the club. So it looks like our s*x was revenge s*x. I laugh to myself.

I see pictures of the same girl over and over. She’s tagged as Bria Parker; this must be her best friend. As I’m looking at her profile, my brother taps me on the shoulder, making me jump. I didn’t even see him come into my office.

Donovan smirks, "So you’re spying on the girl now?"

I slam the laptop shut. "Donovan, what do you want?"

He raises an eyebrow. "So, you have the hots for this girl, don’t you?"

I turn to him. "Well, last night I f****d her."

Donovan’s mouth drops. "Are you serious? She always acted like she wasn’t interested in you."

I laugh. "Yeah, that must have been an act because last night she was all over me."

Donovan grins. "Do you like this girl, or is she just another f**k?"

I sigh. "I don’t know. Just leave and go check on Mother."

Donovan laughs and leaves my office, and I’m left wondering what the hell I’m going to do about Phoebe Daniels.

I sit in my office, staring at the closed laptop. Thoughts of Phoebe swirl in my mind, her fierce spirit, her defiant eyes, and the way she looked at me this morning. It’s unsettling how much she’s already under my skin.

Determined to clear my head, I get up and pour myself a drink. As I take a sip, my phone buzzes. It's a text from Eric: “Men are in place. Apartment rented. No one will approach her.”

Good. At least that's taken care of. But there's more I need to do. I can't just let things be. I down the rest of my drink and grab my keys. There's one place I need to go.

I arrive at the gym Phoebe frequents—Goddess Fitness Studio. I’m not entirely sure why I’m here, but I need to know more about her, understand her world better.

The building itself is sleek and modern, with large windows that allow sunlight to flood the spacious interior. The exterior is adorned with a tasteful sign that reads "Goddess Fitness Studio" in elegant, flowing script, and the logo features a silhouette of a woman in a powerful pose.

I step inside and am immediately greeted by a cheerful receptionist behind a polished marble counter. The lobby is inviting, with soft lighting, plush seating, and tasteful decor that exudes femininity and strength. Inspirational quotes line the walls, alongside framed photographs of women in various fitness poses.

"Welcome to Goddess Fitness Studio! How can I help you today?" the receptionist asks, her smile warm and professional.

"I’m looking for some information," I say smoothly. "I have a friend who comes here often, and I was thinking of joining."

She laughs. "I’m sorry, sir. This gym is for women only."

I hand the girl $100 discreetly. Her smile widens. "Do you know your friend’s name?" she asks.

"Phoebe Daniels."

Her eyes light up. "Oh, Phoebe! She’s wonderful. She usually takes our pole dancing and yoga classes."

"Perfect. Could I see a schedule of those classes?" I hand her another $100.

"Of course!" She hands me a brochure with the class times. "If you have any other questions, feel free to ask."

"Thank you now, let's keep this conversation between us." I say, handing her another $100. She nods and grins. I then take the brochure and leave the studio.

I now have a better idea of her routine. The brochure details the classes offered at the studio: Pole Dancing, Yoga, and Zumba. Each class has detailed descriptions of the workouts and benefits. The pole dancing classes promise to build strength and confidence, the yoga classes focus on flexibility and mindfulness, and the Zumba classes are all about high-energy fun and cardio.

The studio itself is divided into several rooms, each designed specifically for different activities. The pole dancing room features sturdy poles fixed to the ceiling, with mirrored walls and soft, ambient lighting. The yoga room has a calming atmosphere with mats neatly arranged, diffused essential oils creating a serene scent, and gentle music playing in the background. The Zumba room is more vibrant, with colorful lights and a large open space for energetic dance movements.

I tuck the brochure into my pocket, feeling a strange mix of satisfaction and curiosity. Understanding her world a bit better makes me feel closer to her, even if she’s unaware of my efforts.

Phoebe

I step out of the shower, feeling a bit more human but still rattled. I dry off and pull on some comfy clothes, sinking into my couch with a sigh. My phone buzzes, and I see it’s Bria calling again.

"Hey, B," I answer, trying to sound more upbeat than I feel.

"Pheebs! How are you holding up?" she asks, concern evident in her voice.

"I’m okay, just trying to process everything."

"Want me to come over?" she offers.

"Maybe later. I think I just need some time alone right now and sleep."

"Alright, but call me if you need anything. Love you."

"Love you too," I say before hanging up.

As I sit there, my thoughts keep drifting back to last night, to Lazarus. How did I end up in this mess? My phone buzzes again, this time with a message from Angel’s Wings. I open it and see a message from Ashley: “Phoebe, call me when you get a chance. It’s urgent.”

Great. What now? I dial Ashley's number, and she picks up on the first ring.

"Phoebe, I have some great news," she starts, her tone serious. "Mr. Yates has requested that you be the exclusive caretaker for his mother. He’s offering to pay triple our usual rate."

I’m stunned. "Triple?"

"Yes, but only if you agree to be her full-time caregiver."

I feel a mix of emotions. On one hand, the money would be life-changing. On the other hand, it means being constantly around Lazarus.

"I don’t know, Ashley. I’m unsure about it."

Ashley’s voice takes on a desperate edge. "Phoebe, please. I’m begging you. We can’t lose this account. The Yates family has so many connections. If I lose this account, I’ll have to let people go, including you, because I don’t have the funds to keep everyone."

I think to myself, s**t, this is so much pressure. I sigh deeply. "Fine, I’ll do it."

She gets excited. "Thank you, Phoebe! I’ll up your pay for doing this, and I’ll owe you big time!"

I laugh weakly. "Yes, you do owe me."

"Thank you for saving the company, Phoebe. This means so much to me."

More pressure. I hate this. "Goodbye, Ashley," I say, and hang up. I bury my face in my hands. What the hell am I going to do?

I grab the pillow on my bed and scream into it. "f**k!" I then lay down on my bed. "Come on, Phoebe, just focus on Mrs. Yates and not Lazarus. Also, if you need to, you can find another job." But then I think of Ashley and Bria. I can’t do that to their family. This is their family business. I truly feel f****d!

I decide to lay down and try to sleep off this hangover. My mind is racing, and my body is exhausted. I close my eyes, hoping to drift into unconsciousness and escape my worries, even if just for a little while.