Page 34 of Spice and Revenge

A lump form in my throat when he finally breaks our stare by turning back to his phone, which he had been tapping on.

For the rest of the flight, I try my best to ignore him. It’s a long flight and he is sitting directly opposite me, so that is nearly impossible. At some point, I get tempted to switch to another seat. But I don’t want to give him the satisfaction of knowing that he made me uncomfortable, so I simply stay put.

I scroll mindlessly on my phone, but it’s impossible to be distracted from him when his deep voice rings out again, speaking angry Sicilian to whoever he’s talking to.

After what seems like hours, we finally land in New York. As we step down from the private jet, a chauffeur rushes up and takes our bags from the cabin crew. As he leads us to a sleek, black car that is waiting patiently for us, I can’t help but marvel at how wealthy Leonardo Vitale truly is.

I hide my admiration as our overnight bags are stowed away in the trunk. I enter the car first, and my body shivers as I feelthe heat of Leo’s body behind me. Sitting on the chair, I slide farthest away from him, keeping as much space between us.

The car glides through New York's bustling streets, offering views of towering skyscrapers that leave me in awe. We pull up in front of a towering glass building. Stepping out, I release a shaky exhale as we enter the lobby. Shiny marble floors, glass walls and dark wood paneling greet us.

Silently trailing Leo, I follow him to the penthouse suite where we will be staying. Once the elevator doors are opened, we are met by two guards dressed in black.

“Good morning, boss,” they both greet in their thick accents. They grab our bags from our hands and step out of the way.

I take in the expansive space of the penthouse suite as we step in. A living room is on the left side with a kitchen to the right. It’s a mixture of white and silver, giving it a minimalist and clean look. To my right, there is an open-plan room. The desk and shelves make me assume it is Leo’s office area.

I don’t have time to admire the apartment because, in no time, different men begin to trickle into the space. They all look tall and dangerous, with bald heads and tattoos all over their bodies. A part of me wonders what kind of business Leo could possibly have with men who look like this. Another part of me knows it’s none of my business.

I’m about to walk away when I spot a very familiar tattoo. It is a cobra with a red head and long fangs. I can’t remember exactly where I saw it, but if it relates to my past, then it’s nothing good.

Shaking it off, I head over to the kitchen and quickly get to work. Nina had provided me with a menu of Leo’s meal plan for the duration of the business trip, which is only for one day. I still feel he wanted me to come with him just to spite me. But then I wonder if he can be that dramatic. I get my answer as he greets his men and steps into his office, ignoring me like I’m not even present.

I exhale a shaky breath before looking away. With the food ingredients already provided in the kitchen, I get straight to work. Due to the limited ingredients I can get while on a business trip, I’m making a simple lunch.

I can hear more voices coming from the office now, all loud and deep, booming across the room. The tattoo still haunts my thoughts, and now I can’t deny I don’t want to know what they are discussing. I try to strain my ear, but I can’t make out their exact words through the thick wall. The only thing I know is that they have switched to speaking English.

The curious gossip Josie has managed to turn me to wonders what they are talking about. But I have a feeling that I would get caught if I tried to eavesdrop on them.

As the minutes pass by in a blur, I continue to work in silence, missing Josie’s chitter-chatter, and Blanco’s and Hilda’s arguments. The oven pings at that instant, bringing me back to reality. From the schedule I was given, I know Leo should be done with his meeting anytime soon. I set his covered dish on the dining table next to the kitchen before I begin to clean up. In a few minutes, I’m done cleaning up. Yet, I don’t move from my spot in the kitchen.

Just then, loud voices fill the room as the men step out of the office. I turn around, pretending to wipe the sparkling counter with a cloth. When I sense that no one pays me any attention, I slightly turn to look into the open living room, just in time to see the man with the tattoo again.

I quickly glance at his face to see if I’ll recognize him. I don’t.

Looking away, I conclude that it’s probably not what I think it is.

My phone beeps in the pocket of my apron. I slip it out and see that it’s a text from Maximo. I open the message and a smile appears on my lips.

Maximo- Are you free now?

I’d texted him last night after Leo had given me the best orgasm of my life. It sounds messy, but the only way I could keep Leo out of my mind was by texting my fuck buddy, the one who is actually my friend and treats me like a fucking human being.

He’s probably asking if I’m free because I told him I was going on a trip with my boss.

Me- Why’d you ask? Do you have something naughty in store for me?

I would add a smirking emoji, but I’m texting with my burner phone, which limits me to ugly emojis I would rather not use.

Maximo- I’d send you a picture of my dick, but we are using burner phones.

A snort escapes my lips. Sometimes, the way our minds sync makes me question if we are destined to be with each other.

Me- True, but let's forget about the phones for a moment. What would you do if you were here with me?

I bite my lower lip. Sexting while on duty is something I’ve never tried. My veins thrum with excitement as I type as fast as my phone will let me.

My heart races as I await his reply, imagining the possibilities.

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