Page 50 of Rise of Temptation

“An armed guard?” Sal suggests.

“Guards can be bought,” Frankie says, and I nod in agreement. “It has to be one of us. We just need to make sure she’s never alone.”

“If you’re alone with her, will you kill her?” I ask.

It’s Frankie’s turn to glare at me. “I might ask her some questions. If she’s as trustworthy as you say she is, she won’t mind answering them.”

“Fine. So one of us will be in this house with her at all times.” I smirk when I realize how much she’s going to hate that. “But I’m not going to tell her. If she knows, she’ll do everything she can to make us leave her alone.”

“She’s going to figure it out,” Joey says. “Don’t you think it would be better to tell her?”

“I don’t want her to be worried, but I also don’t want her to get mad and try to leave. That would be the perfect opportunity for something to happen to her.”

None of us say it, but I think we’re all thinking about what theworst possible outcomes would be. Anyone could take Elise and kill, torture, or rape her, which would already be bad enough for me to burn the world down. But they could also use her as bait to lure one or more of us into danger. And while we’re criminals, the fact of the matter is that we are the best option to run this city. Without us, the unforgivable crimes that we try our best to eliminate would run rampant. No one would be safe.

Chapter 38

Joey

Idon’t think my dick has ever been softer. Especially with hot women hanging all over me. The escorts at Club X are used to all of us coming in to check up on things, but that usually includes taking one of them into a private room to make sure they’re still performing the way our clients expect. It’s not unusual for them to flirt with us in hopes that we’ll pick them; they know they’ll be treated relatively well and paid handsomely.

Ever since Elise came into the picture, I haven’t had the desire—or ability, if I’m being honest—to be with anyone else. Tonight, a small group of the escorts have been hanging around our table ever since we sat down. They’re pulling out all the stops to get our attention, but I just can’t bring myself to care. A quick glance over at Frankie and Enzo tells me that they’re over it too. Sal is on babysitting duty at Enzo’s house, and I’ve never been more jealous of him.

When the hot brunette that’s been shaking her tits at me for the last five minutes finally gives up, I turn to the other two. “Sitting out here isn’t even fun anymore,” I complain. “What’s the point of owning a sex club if you can’t even muster enoughinterest to sample the product?”

“Fuck if I know,” Frankie grumbles. “The only two people I want touching me are probably making out on Enzo’s couch like a couple of horny teenagers.”

“Let’s go upstairs,” Enzo suggests, standing abruptly and taking off for the office before either of us have even registered what he said.

“I don’t think he liked your ‘making out’ comment,” I observe. “We probably shouldn’t keep poking the bear.”

When Frankie looks at me in surprise, I smirk to let him know I’m planning to do much more than just poke the bear. I’m going to throw darts at it and make it snap. Maybe not today, but the time is coming. At some point, we have to either force him to admit that he’s not down with sharing or get him to see that fully sharing is in everyone’s best interest.

By the time we get upstairs, Enzo is sitting stoically behind the desk and looking far too serious for what was supposed to be a relaxing check-in night at the club. We already checked in with Karissa, and she still doesn’t have anything for us.

“What crawled up your ass and died?” I ask as Frankie and I drop into two of the chairs across from him.

“Do you think we have a rat?”

I glance nervously at the floor. “Why? Did you find little pieces of rat shit or something?”

Frankie smacks me in the arm. “You dumbass. He means a rat in the Family.”

“Oh!” My happiness that there isn’t a little rodent scurrying around is dampened when I realize that the other kind of rat is much worse. “Oh. Shit. You think Elise was right?”

“I was already considering it before she brought it up, but I think we need to give it some serious thought.”

“Do you have anyone in mind?” Frankie asks. “I’d been wondering the same thing but can’t pinpoint who I think it is.”

“Who are our options?” I think through why someone would betray the Lombardi Family and risk certain death if they were discovered. As the possibilities occur to me, I tick them off on my fingers. “The old timers who are still butthurt about your dad being gone. Some pissed-off friend of one of the guys you’ve killed recently. Or someone with unknown ties to whichever organization is doing the trafficking.” Glancing at the other two, I see them both nodding while looking deep in thought. “Is that everyone?”

“That is literally everyone,” Enzo says with a sigh. “It could be absolutely anyone. Besides the four of us and Elise.”

“It could be Elise,” Frankie argues.

“No, it couldn’t be.” Enzo’s voice is firm and brokers no argument. “The whole reason why she went undercover is to bust the trafficking ring. She’s not helping them.”

“No,” Frankie corrects him. “Shetoldyou that was the reason she went undercover. And you believed her because your dick told you she was trustworthy.”

---