Page 69 of Victorious Vice

“So how was she?” Raven asks.

“What?”

“Your hot little wife. What kind of a fuck is she, Vinnie? How does it feel to grab her long hair in your hands and yank on it as you sink yourself inside her?”

“I don’t know,” I say. “I told you it’s business only. I haven’t slept with her.”

She rolls her eyes. “Right. Because I’m justthatgullible.”

“I don’t believe you’re gullible at all. I believe you have an incredible zest for life that most people don’t.” I run my hand up and down her arm. “You see things that most people don’t. That’s the opposite of gullible, Raven.”

She slaps my hand away. “You really expect me to believe you didn’t take that beautiful woman to bed?”

“I don’t expect you to believe anything.” I run my hands through my hair. “I can only tell you the truth. The truth is that I have not slept with Daniela, and I have no plans to. I’ve told youthat it’s a business arrangement. She understands it as well as I do.”

She sighs. “I wish I could believe you.”

I cup her cheeks, stare into her beautiful brown eyes. “Youcanbelieve me, Raven. I haven’t slept with her, and I won’t. But that changes nothing between us.”

“Then what was this about then?” She gestures around the room. “You dragging me into this dark conference room? Fucking me? Kissing me?”

I let out a humorless chuckle. “I don’t seem to have any self-control when you’re around.”

“I suppose I don’t either.” Her lips twitch.

I close in on her. “Do you regret it?”

She presses her lips together. “Of course not,” she mutters. “I’ll never regret any of it, Vinnie.”

I want to tell her that I won’t either. Because in most ways I won’t, except for one.

I just hope this little tryst didn’t put her in any further danger.

I grab her by the shoulders and lean in, my voice lowered. “I need you to listen to me, Raven. Listen good. There’s a man at the gala tonight. A man who wants you dead.”

She gasps, darting her gaze around the room. “My father is here. Jared is here. My three brothers are here. Do you really think anyone will get near me? He’d have to go through all of them.”

“Those people can’t protect you if they don’t know who the threat is.”

“Then tell me who it is,” she says.

“I wish I could.” I frown. “The truth of the matter is that I don’t know for sure. I only know that a very bad man who I met in Colombia made a huge donation to your charity and asubsequent smaller payment to someone who I think might try to hurt you.”

She widens her eyes. “How much was the donation? I’ve been taking checks all night.”

“He didn’t make the donation tonight. He made it the day I left for Colombia. Fifty million.”

She slaps her hand over her mouth. “Oh, my God.”

I narrow my eyes at her. “So you’re aware.”

“That fifty million was sent to my attorney, Emily,” she says. “It was made anonymously, but then I got a call a week or so later from someone claiming to be the person who sent it. But I had no idea he might be in Colombia, or that he would have anything to do with you. He didn’t have an accent or anything.” She eyes me uneasily. “What was his name? The man who made the donation?”

“Daniela’s father. Jacinto Agudelo.”

She lets out a sigh of relief. “Oh, thank God. The call was from a Mr. Smith.”

I grit my teeth. “A Mr. J. Smith?”

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