Page 43 of Rise of Temptation

When he faces me again, I can tell he’s frustrated, but he can hardly argue with me. “We’re going to meet Ivan Petrov,” he begrudgingly shares.

“Ivan Petrov? As in the Bratva leader?” I ask in disbelief.

“Yes.”

Before I can ask any more questions, Enzo leaves. He didn’t tell me when we have to leave, so I rush to get myself ready. I know enough about Ivan Petrov to know he has certain expectations about the people he is seen with. And he isn’t seen often; he’s a very private man, even as far as the other major players in the criminal world are concerned.

Despite only being invited as “arm candy,” I’m excited to be included in this meeting and for an excuse to get out of the house. Being cooped up all day every day is starting to wear on me.

Enzo is waiting downstairs when I’m finally ready to go, and we walk out to the waiting car in silence. The drive is short, and I’m surprised when we pull up to Club X.

“We’re not meeting him somewhere neutral?” I ask. I expected to end up out in the middle of nowhere, or at least in an abandoned warehouse, but maybe I’ve seen too many gang movies lately. I really haven’t been utilizing my time well, and I vow to work on that starting tomorrow.

Enzo shakes his head and turns to look at me. “I calledthe meeting, so I chose the location. He could’ve said no or proposed an alternate option. The fact that he didn’t tells me they either don’t know everything that we know or they’re not the ones responsible for the trafficking. I’m hoping to find out which one during this meeting.”

The driver opens my door, and Enzo leads me inside and up to his office. I recognize a few of the girls when we first walk in, but none of them dare to acknowledge me with him present.

“What exactly is my role during this meeting?” I ask. He knows Ivan better than I do, and I don’t want to be the one responsible for ruining the meeting.

“You’ll sit on my lap and follow my lead,” he says, not elaborating any farther than that.

His office has windows that look out over the rest of the club, so we’re aware of Ivan’s arrival the second he walks through the front door. He has a bodyguard with him but no one else. To my surprise, Sal greets him and leads him towards the stairs.

I take my seat in Enzo’s lap and try to keep my face pleasantly neutral, although I jump slightly and a thrill shoots through me when Enzo places his large hand possessively on my hip. For what feels like the hundredth time, I acknowledge that it’s a good thing my natural reactions fit so well with what people expect of the character I’m playing. Because in reality, I’m not playing. Thankfully, no one seems to see through me.

When Ivan walks in, his bodyguard and Sal stand on either side of the door with their arms crossed in front of them. They look fucking intimidating, but I know Sal is at least capable of being sweet; whether that’s his default setting or not, I couldn’t say, but I think it is.

“Petrov,” Enzo says, his voice casual and his body relaxed.

“Lombardi,” Ivan returns with a respectful nod. He turns his attention to me, and my skin crawls. “Who is she? She looks like higher quality stock than the girls that are usually downstairs.”

Enzo tenses underneath me but doesn’t say anything. I know he would like nothing more than to teach Mr. Petrov some manners, but he keeps his cool and bides his time.

Ivan looks me over again, his eyes pausing on my chest, and then shrugs and turns his attention back to Enzo. “A little old for my taste,” he says. I can’t tell if that’s a subtle dig about the girls being trafficked or if he’s one of those powerful old men who likes having a twenty-year-old model on his arm at all times.

“If you’re finished, I called you here to ask why your men aren’t staying in your territory.”

“I’m sure I don’t know what you mean.”

“I’m sure you know exactly what I mean. Multiple businesses on my side of town have been approached by your little minions. This is your one and only warning. My territory is loyal to me, and my business owners don’t appreciate being threatened.”

The day-to-day business of the criminal underworld can be interesting at times, but I find myself tuning them out and my attention straying to Sal, who looks positively delicious in his expensive, perfectly tailored suit. He winks at me, and I resist the urge to smile.

Instead, I lean into Enzo and relish the quick squeeze he gives my hip. I let the conversation fall to the background of my mind and start peppering slow kisses on his neck and face. It’s easier for me to act like I’m not listening when I have something to distract me, and the slight scratch of Enzo’s neatly trimmed facial hair on my lips does the trick.

In fact, it does the trick a little too well. Several long minutes pass while I let my hands explore Enzo’s torso before I realize that I haven’t been listening at all.

Get it together, I tell myself.You’re here to gather information. Quit wasting the few opportunities you have.

Fortunately, when I tune back in, I realize that the conversation has essentially turned into a dick-measuringcontest. Ivan’s voice has grown more heated, but Enzo is deathly calm.

“If you can’t control us anymore and keep your territory in line, maybe you’re not as strong as you think you are,” Ivan sneers. “I guess it wasn’t time for Daddy to go after all.”

Enzo smirks. “If you can’t control your own men, I don’t even want to know how little control you have over the rest of your territory. Maybe it’s time for an expansion for us.”

I’m surprised smoke isn’t coming out of Ivan’s ears. The Russian leader is more of a hothead than Enzo, but I can tell that Enzo is just as pissed from the tension in his body under and behind me.

“I’m not sure you have enough men left for an expansion.”

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