Page 32 of Rise of Temptation

He sighs and rubs his temples, suddenly looking exhausted. “There’s a lot more to do, but everything is fine for tonight. The situation was a little more complicated than Sal let on.”

“I thought it was just a spat between one of the girls and a client?”

“That’s what I thought. But the client was Emilio.”

“Oh, shit,” I say. Emilio is one of our biggest clients at the club. “What do we do about that?”

“I kicked him out tonight and told him to let things calm down for a few days. But I don’t see how we can let him come back.”

“He should consider himself lucky. Anyone else would’ve been killed.”

“He thinks he should be able to do whatever he wants. But there’s always a line, and he crossed it.”

Enzo fights a yawn, and I smile at the sleepy mafia boss. “Let him stew for a few days. We can figure this out later. I think you need to get some sleep.”

His eyes flick to Elise’s door.

“Not in there.”

He glares at me. “This is my house,” he argues. “And she’s my…” He looks frustrated that he can’t think of a word to describe their relationship, and I laugh before shooing him down the hall to his own room.

“Sleep on that too. You’ll figure it out.”

He flips me off over his shoulder before slamming the door to his room.

Elise

I was almost asleep when Enzo came upstairs, but his heavy steps woke me all the way back up. Once I was sure they weren’t coming in here, I got up to eavesdrop on their conversation. It’s not my fault they chose to talk right outside my door.

When it sounds like Enzo might try to come in here, I almost panic and run back to my bed. But then I hear him hesitate with a word to describe who I am to him, and I can’t leave. I’m not sure what to make of his inability to classify our relationship. I’m his employee, right? But that doesn’t feel right. Definitely not girlfriend. Prisoner? Sex slave? Okay, maybe he was right to hesitate. We’re in a unique situation.

I consider opening the door to see if one or both of them wants to come in, but I have a feeling my time as a damsel in distress will be short-lived. There will be plenty of time to make questionable choices regarding these men in the future. It’s not like I’m going anywhere.

When I hear them both leave—Enzo to his room and Joey to the room he sleeps in when he stays here—I tiptoe back to my bed and climb in, ready for sleep to claim me for the third time tonight. Hopefully it lasts this time.

Chapter 25

Frankie

It’s rare to have a night off with Sal. Usually, one or both of us has to work. But after the issues last night at the meeting and then at the club, Enzo told us to have fun tonight while he took the reins. He only steps in to personally run the club when he thinks people are getting too comfortable. Sometimes, the boss needs to be present to put fear and respect back into our regular clients.

Tonight, we’re keeping it low-key. We’re camped out on my couch with movies and whiskey. The pizza is long gone. We’ve been staying over at each other’s houses a lot lately. Especially since we accidentally became exclusive after Elise’s audition.

Fuck, even just the thought of her makes my dick stir in my sweatpants. I’m just about done giving Enzo time to process his own rules. If he doesn’t change his mind in the next day or two, I’m going to find time to feed her my cock. Sal and I have already talked about it. We’re both dying to recreate as much of her audition as we’re allowed to. Joey would definitely be in. If Enzo wants to join us, I’m sure we could find room for him too.

I adjust myself in my pants, and Sal gives me a curious look.

“Elise,” I explain.

He nods. “I get hard every time I think about her. How much longer are we giving Enzo?”

“I don’t think I’ll survive more than one more day.”

“Good. Me neither.” He gets up to go refill our glasses, and I get even harder watching him walk back to the couch with an obvious tent in his pants. He gives my erection a pointed stare in return.

When he gets back to the couch, he makes a big show of bending over to set the glasses down in front of us on the coffee table. I know he’s baiting me, but I gladly let him catch me. I grab two handfuls of his ass—which he’s shaking right in front of my face—and groan.

He turns to look at me over his shoulder. “You like that?”

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