Page 9 of A Virgin for the Mafia Daddy

“I will not cry,” I say out loud. “I won’t cry. Not for him. Not for me. I’m doing this for Olivia.”

But… maybe if I can find Olivia now while he’s not here, we can both get out of here with our cherries intact.

I yank my jeans up over my hips and tug my shirt back on overhead, pausing as the pink gems adorning my wrist catch the low-lit amber light.

I almost take them off and leave them in Cain’s room, but I have a feeling that walking around with no bracelet is more suspicious than wearing the virgin pink one.

My heart pounds as I crack the door open and peek both ways down the hall.

It’s empty.

Which feels… wrong.

Didn’t Cain say this place is crawling with security?

Don’t kick a gift horse in the freaking mouth, Bianca. Go!

I silently shut the door behind me and sneak down the hall. How in the hell am I going to find whatever room Cole is in? There’s like eight doors on this floor alone and God only knows how many more levels this building has.

Crap. This plan was stupid. So freaking stupid!

I dart around and try to go back into Cain’s room. I jiggle the handle, but it’s locked. Of freaking course it is.

Now what, genius?

Okay. Think, Bianca. What would Olivia do in this situation?

Cain said he has four brothers. And if this is his room, chances are his brother’s rooms are one of the other doors on this hallway.

I sneak to the door across the hall and press my ear to it, hoping to hear something. Anything.

But Cain wasn’t joking. This place is soundproof.

"Looking for someone, miss?" A gruff voice behind me asks.

Squeaking in surprise, I spin around, pressing my back against the door. The man standing before me is tall and wide. Built for power and fighting. My eyes scan over his simple but crisp navy blue security outfit and the earpiece tucked into his ear.

Though he’s addressing me formally, the security guard is anything but friendly.

I clear my throat. “Yes, actually. I’m, um, I’m looking for Cole.”

The security guard’s eyes narrow, unconvinced. Then, his gaze drops to my bracelet. “You’re his virgin for the auction?”

I gulp, swallowing the nervous laugh that threatens to bubble out of me. Something tells me that giggling right now in front of this man wouldn’t be the best idea.

“Yes,” I say. Based on the way the guard’s eyes bore into me, I think he sees right through my lie.

But if I can only get to the same room as Olivia, we stand a better chance of making it out of here.

The guard studies me for a long moment, his eyes searching mine for any sign of deception.

I can’t quite hide how nervous I am, but I lean into that feeling. After all, wouldn’t any girl about to be auctioned seem nervous?

"Very well," he says finally. "Follow me."

I breathe a quiet sigh of relief as I fall into step behind the burly guard. He leads me through a maze of richly decorated hallways, past numerous closed doors until we reach an elevator. He swipes his card and the light turns green before the doors slide open and take us up a few flights.

The club has more levels than I ever imagined. The deeper we go into the massive estate, the more my nerves begin to fray. How stupid could I be to leave the safety of Cain’s room, especially having no idea how big this place actually is?

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