Page 32 of Caged Bliss

“Not too long. I wanted to talk to you about the job, but—” He hesitates, which surprises me. He doesn’t want to discuss business after I just had a big emotional meltdown.

“Let’s talk,” I say and this is exactly what I need. A mission to keep my mind off what Serena said. This job I’m doing with him, it has an end game, it has a purpose, and if I can get her away and help her sober up, maybe we can work on her issues, or at least I can get her into therapy and rehab and all that stuff, and kick her life back onto a better track.

He takes a deep breath and blows it out, clearly reluctant, but he talks anyway. “I need you to find out if Tommy’s been in touch with a guy named Vito, a guy named Roc, or anyone with a Serbian name.”

My eyebrows raise. “How am I supposed to do that?”

“You’re smart. Be creative.”

“He doesn’t exactly leave his date book out.”

“Date book?” He laughs and touches my hair with his injured hand. “How old are you again?”

“You know what I mean.” I blush, smiling back. “But fine, I’ll see what I can do. No promises.”

“Do it soon if you can. Sooner the better.”

“Does this have anything to do with that messed-up arm of yours?”

“Yes.” His smile fades and he doesn’t elaborate.

I put my hand on his thigh. He shifts closer, and my heart does one of those spasms before falling into a rhythm again. “Can you do something for me in return?”

“If you’re inviting me into your bed, I’ll do that for free.”

I swat lightly at his leg. “No, you arrogant dick. There’s this girl at Cage, her name’s Kayla. Can you get her fired?”

He considers for a beat, and I feel so stinking guilty and petty, right up until he nods. “Tommy’s technically still running the place, but I’m also technically still his boss. It’s complicated, but I’m pretty sure I can make that happen. What did she do to you?”

“She just sucks, that’s all.” I don’t want to tell him too much. Angelo scares me, and I’m worried he’ll go too far with her. “I just want her gone, that’s all.”

“I’ll make it happen.”

The negotiation is over. Our business is concluded. I finish my wine, and he does the same, but we don’t move. My hand remains on his thigh, and his fingers still twirl through my hair, and it’s strangely intimate. I barely know him, but for the first time in my life, I feel totally at ease, like we’ve been sleeping in the same bed together for a decade and we know everything there is to know about each other’s bodies.

“Do you ever worry about all this?” I ask him, my fingers stroking along his leg. “Do you worry the revenge stuff is going to make you bitter?”

“Not at all. I’m already bitter. I spent five years in prison, and Tommy’s a part of that.”

I chew my lip. “I’m surprised. I mean, you’re a Bianco, right? Couldn’t you just, like, buy your way out of trouble?”

He leans and moves closer. “I did, actually. I could’ve gone down for much longer.”

“Five years is a while.”

“Beats life for murder.”

My mouth opens. He’s smirking at my reaction like he thinks it’s cute. “You killed people?”

“More than a few, baby.” He leans closer and his mouth is inches from mine. “Still want to work together?”

Yes. No. Definitely. I can’t think straight with him looking at me like he’s going to kiss me.

“Only if you do all that killing for a good cause.”

“I’m not sure revenge is normally considered good.”

“If it means I get Serena away from Tommy, I’ll say it evens out.”

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