Page 46 of Rise of Temptation

Today, for the first time in a long time, I’m questioning myself on a decision I made while sitting in my desk chair. Joey, Sal, and Frankie are on their way here at my request because I got it into my head that they need to know Elise’s real identity. But now that they should be almost here, I think I must’ve had a brief moment of insanity. What if they kill her? Or me? I’d like to think that our friendship is strong enough to withstand this betrayal, but I’m not confident enough to sit in this meeting unarmed.

I wouldn’t tell them at all, but it would be easier to get all of the information compiled and analyzed if we were all on the same page. Not that I don’t enjoy having Elise sucking my dick while we’re talking business, but she has good ideas that she needs to share with more than just me so we can discuss themtogether.

The front door of my house opens, and Joey’s laughter precedes their entrance into the office.

“What’s going on, boss?” Sal asks, immediately making himself comfortable in one of the leather chairs across from me.

The other two sit down too, and I hesitate. Is it better to ease into it or just rip the bandage off? Should I start at the beginning or throw it out there and see how they react? For the first time in my life, I can’t bring myself to make a decision. I sit there in my luxurious chair and flick my eyes between the three men that I consider family, wondering if this is the end of our friendship.

“Spit it out, man,” Joey advises. “Whatever it is, we can handle it.”

To hide my nerves, I cross my hands on top of my desk and take a deep breath. “Elise is a federal agent.”

To my immense relief, they don’t all immediately reach for their guns. Instead, I’m greeted by three blank stares and complete and utter silence. I don’t know if Joey has ever been this silent. It’s probably a bad sign.

“Did you kill her already?” Frankie looks hopeful, which could mean that he’s hoping I did. But I know Frankie well enough to know that he’s hoping I didn’t. He wants to do it himself. He looks angrier than I’ve ever seen him, which is saying something.

I shift my gaze to Sal, who looks almost as mad as Frankie. That surprises me; Sal is usually able to control his temper pretty well, as is Joey. It’s why they’re the primary faces of the club; no one wants a grump with a quick trigger finger hovering around a sex club.

Joey looks like I just killed his puppy and fed it to him for dinner. It’s worse than anger, and I almost feel bad for him.

Now that it’s out there, I have no choice but to tell the whole story. “I knew all along. Since before I fucked her at the club.”

Frankie is furious. “And you let her live in your house? And attend our meetings? Are you fucking insane?”

If looks could kill, I’d be dead three times over. Just when I’m about to explain and defend myself, Sal defuses the situation with a simple question.

“Is she working with us?”

“Yes, she is,” I say. Then I start at the beginning. “I could tell she was trying to get my attention at the club, and I knew from talking to you three that I’d enjoy her. But there was something about her that wasn’t sitting right, and I never take an unvetted girl to a private room, as you know.

“So I dug a little deeper into her and figured out she was a fed, but I didn’t know why she was there. I assumed she was after me and decided to fuck the truth out of her. Kill two birds with one stone, you know?”

They all nod in understanding—why just get answers when you can get answers while you’re balls deep in a tight pussy?—but none of them look satisfied with my explanation just yet.

“She was investigating the trafficking ring, so we came to an agreement of sorts,” I explain. “I wouldn’t kill her if she continued her investigation from here. Anything she finds out from her boss, she is supposed to tell me. And I’m supposed to tell her everything that happens on our end, but I’m a bit more selective about the information I share than she would like me to be.”

“And you trust her?” Frankie asks in disbelief. “You didn’t really give her a choice but to accept your deal. How do you know she’s telling you everything? What makes you think a single word out of her mouth has been truthful? She’s trained to lie and manipulate.”

I expected the pushback, but I still don’t like it, and I feel my own temper rising in response to his heated words. “I don’t trust anyone. Except you three, I guess. But I’ve kept a close eye onher since she’s been here, and she hasn’t done any snooping or really much of anything except for eat, sleep, workout, and play the role of my own personal whore. And we need her resources just as much as she needs ours.”

The words taste less true than they used to. My relationship with Elise has changed in a lot of ways, although I can’t put into words exactly how it’s different. But I do trust her, to an extent. And if I had to guess, I’d say the other three do too. Or they did.

“Why didn’t you tell us?” Joey wants to know. He still looks hurt and betrayed in addition to ticked off.

“I’m telling you now.”

“Why now?” he prods, not accepting my vague answers.

“We need to be able to all work together, and I’m tired of hiding it. Eliminating the need for a middle man will make our job easier, and we’ll bust this trafficking ring in no time.”

They all contemplate the information I’ve just shared, and the room is silent for a few minutes while they process. I’m sure they’re all reeling from the revelation that the girl they’ve been fantasizing about for months is an undercover federal agent, and I wonder if I’ve just put an end to their desire for her.

That question is immediately answered by Joey. “Does this mean all the rules are lifted? Now that we’re all on equal footing with her?”

I don’t know if he’s told the other two about the other night, so I don’t bring it up. One bombshell is enough for tonight.

“No,” I respond, my voice firm even though I’m not as confident in that answer as I used to be. “Everyone else has to keep thinking that she’s nothing more than a common whore.”

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