Page 107 of Cruel Love

Bile bubbles in the back of my throat. When I first volunteered to do this, I didn’t exactly picture what it would be like to make fuck-me eyes at a damn Zappia. I swallow it down, forcing it all the way into the pits. The others are counting on me. There’s no way I can back out now.

I flex my arms and tighten my core as I lift off the podium and slowly spin on the pole. I ignore the twinge in my right knee again as I lock my legs and lean with an arched back.

Gio tilts forward slightly as we make eye contact. I soften my gaze, blocking out every other foreign obscenity being lobbed at me from all angles. It’s just me and Gio. He’s my audience. He’s the only one I have to convince.

I loosen my grip, letting gravity slowly sink me down to the floor. As I reach it, I take the opportunity to switch my legs. I’m not as used to this side, but I should be able to finish this way. All I have to do is make him stand up or wave to the bouncer. Have them escort me into a back room so he and I can be alone with Mr. Needle.

I think of Dante. I think of the way he looked at me earlier. The way he touched me. The way only he can make me moan. I picture him sitting in that chair down there instead. I let the overwhelming urge influence my movements as I give in to my own seductive dance.

Gio raises a hand and waves sharply in my direction. The bouncer marches out of the shadows again with an outstretched arm, making the rest of the men groan in disappointment. Even the group of drunk girls whine as he grabs my hand and guides me down onto the main floor.

“Idti v spinu!” he shouts at me.

I let out a laugh. “What?” I ask.

He points over my shoulder and I see Gio disappearing behind the black curtain in the corner. I gesture at it to be sure before the now impatient bouncer flexes his jaw.

“All right,” I say, holding up my hands. “Through the curtain. Got it.”

I start walking. The crowd parts for me like royalty, smiling and nodding their heads as if they know something I don’t.

I reach the curtain and a man standing guard grabs the edge and holds it open for me. Like royalty, indeed…

I walk in, taking slow strides into the darkness. It’s nothing but a dark hallway with a string of old Christmas lights traveling down the center of the ceiling. The farther I walk, the louder my heels clack against the concrete floor. The music fades off behind me with the return of the fast techno bass rocking the walls, making the line of Christmas lights shake slightly above my head.

I turn the corner to look down another long hallway, this one with seven doors, three on each side with one at the very end. The only one open is the last one, because of course it is.

I take a deep breath, forcing one foot in front of the other until I make it the end.

Chapter 31

Fox

“Fifteen minutes,” Dante says as he checks his watch again.

I do another quick sweep of the surrounding streets through the scope of my rifle. Cars passing through the intersection on the left. A couple getting it on in the alleyway a few blocks over. Just your standard night in Moscow, with the slight exception of Luka and Markov’s car lingering across the street from the club.

I return to the back door of the Chernyy Obuvi. One lone bouncer stands there. He spends a little too much time on his phone than watching for suspicious activity. He’ll be easy to subdue when the time comes.

“Fifteen minutes,” I repeat, keeping a steady tone.

Dante shifts on his feet. If he’s trying to hide how nervous he is, he’s failing.

I chuckle. “Never thought I’d see the day.”

“For what?” he asks.

“When Dante Hart would be more nervous on a job than I am.”

He stares at me for a moment. “If it were Dani in there, wouldn’t you be nervous?”

I nod. “Sure. But you gotta trust in them, you know? If my adult life has taught me anything, it’s that women are way tougher than they get credit for.”

Dante scoffs. “You didn’t grow up with Lilah.”

I laugh. “I can’t even begin to imagine what that was like.”

“Humbling, to say the least.”

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