Page 25 of Twisted Games of Revenge

“You didn’t fail, you went back to the penthouse of Sinners’ Paradise with him. To Enzo, it could still look like you played your part. And I wouldn’t discount Alessandro being on board. He’s had time to think about it all and cool off. He knows where you stand, and we both know he’s an overbearing controlling ass. I reckon you won’t have to wait long, and he will come to you again. He won’t be able to help himself.” She raises a brow. “Fuck, girl, you two messing around down at the bar had me all hot and bothered, and I could only hear what was going on. He was there and he’s obsessed with you. Right now, he will be working out how to see you again, I know it.”

My cheeks glow with heat, imagining what she must have heard. “Did Malachi hear everything as well?” I bury my head in my hands, embarrassed.

“Yeah, girl, it was hella awkward.”

“Oh my God. I don’t know what the fuck is wrong with me, but when he’s around, I just lose my mind.”

She laughs. “Yeah, and your panties.”

“Fuck, don’t remind me.” I bury my head in my hands again, my face burning with shame.

“I guess that’s what love feels like?”

I glance back at her, not sure if it’s love or more just lust mixed with stupidity. “I hope you’re right about him coming around on his own. My only other option is to get involved in this auction Valentina is running. She said something about them needing models for the designer gowns. Least that way I will still be close enough to both of them that I can work out who is in their inner circle and start working on how to stop the awful things they have been doing.”

Her face turns serious. “Fuck, Viv, we don’t sign up for shit like that with the Morettis.” She leans in closer even though there isn’t anyone else around us. “That auction isn’t about the designer gown, it’s about the girl in it.”

My eyes widen in astonishment when she connects the dots for me, and I finally see the bigger picture. “They’re auctioning off people and calling it charity? What the actual fuck.”

Her nod is barely noticeable, but it speaks volumes.

“Is this how so many girls go missing? They’re sold off to creeps the Morettis invite to the auction, never to be seen again.” A shudder runs through me at the thought. This is proper horrifying.

“I don’t know anything for sure, most of the girls who participate in their events are willing participants, in it for the extra cash and a bit of fun. They come back to work with stories to tell, but I do have a hunch the Morettis are also using them to run their own type of sex trafficking. That’s why I tell my girls not to get involved.”

I’m running out of time before he does this to other unsuspecting girls. “Fucking hell. I want to start pinning shit on Enzo. I know most of the cops are corrupt, but there must be some that are good. Someone has to be able to lock him up, right?”

“Did you hear all the people she was introducing you to? The police commissioner, two top detectives, the chief medical officer, all powerful influential people in this town. They hold all the authority, that’s how they have gotten away with their crimes for so long.”

A knock sounds at her office door. “Sloane, there’s a massive fucking delivery out here on the bar for Viv,” comes Myriah’s voice from the other side of the door.

Sloane stands, and I follow her out of her office and into the bar, the faint hum of conversation and clinking glasses buzzing in the air. The bar is relatively quiet at this time of the afternoon, only a few small groups enjoying a quiet drink.

The overexaggerated grin on her face when she sees the delivery is priceless. It’s the largest bunch of red long-stem rosesI have ever seen. Their petals are so soft they almost look like velvet. “They’re beautiful,” I gasp.

“What did I tell you. He’s had time to think and now he’s coming to you.” She smirks. “Poor boy’s probably had a motherfucking hard-on since last night. He’s gonna have blue balls by now.”

Giving her a look likeshut the fuck up, I take the card and open the envelope, smirking at her when I see his words. I’m not really able to believe she’s right, but maybe after the shit show last night, he’s decided to play a different approach.

Vivian,

Last night was fun, let’s do it again sometime soon.

Alex xx

That’s all the card reads. On the other side of the card is a phone number.

“He wants to see you again?” She beams, reading over my shoulder, and I think it’s mostly because she was right.

“Yeah.” I sigh, knowing this is exactly what I need, but I’m not sure if it’s what I want. Fake-dating Alessandro even if it’s to get to Enzo is all sorts of insane. But it’s a better option than signing up for that auction, and right now, I have to take whatever I can. Dating his son will get me close to the family and give me all sorts of opportunities to find out specific information that could destroy him, and that’s what I need and fast. He can’t keep getting away with what he’s doing. “Can I use the bar phone to call him? I’m not giving him my number.”

“You are learning.” She smirks. “Use my office.”

“Thank you. You can keep the flowers for your troubles. They add a bit of romance to the place.”

“I just might do that.” She grins back at me, plucking one from its vase and inhaling.

I vanish back into her office and settle into her desk chair. Picking up the phone, I inhale deeply, trying to quell the nervousflutter in my stomach. I type in Alessandro’s phone number, ready to play the part of whoever I need to be to get this job done.

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