Page 10 of Phantom Mine

“I’m a stripper looking for a job.”

My gaze hardens on her. “Tell me your name or this audition ends now.”

Her tongue plays in her cheek as she considers me for a moment. “I’m Misty.”

“Misty,” I deadpan.

“That’s right.”

“I didn’t mean your stage name. Give me your real name.”

“How do you know that’s not my real name?”

“Unless the plan was always for you to be a stripper, I highly doubt your mother gave you that name at birth.”

“Maybe she did,” she quips back. “Maybe stripping is the family business. Maybe I’m a third generation stripper and you just insulted my entire family.”

I chuckle darkly. My hands clutch the ends of the armrests as I lean back and get comfortable, the tension easing out of my body.

With a wave, I indicate the stage.

“Then show me.”

The first hint of indecision shadows her eyes. I’ve watched enough dancers walk through these doors to recognize the real from the fake.

That’s the confirmation I was looking for.

“Excuse me?”

I know two things for sure.

One, this girl isn’t a fucking stripper. In fact, she may not even be a dancer.

“Show me how good you are at the family business, Misty.” A rumble rolls lazily up my chest and I tip my chin at the stage with a growl. “Strip.”

And, two.

She doesn’tfuckingremember me.

Chapter Three

Valentina

Heat pools in my core at the way his mouth curls around that one word command. He smiles, sending a devastating shiver shooting down my spine.

I’ve been on the back foot since he followed me intoFirenze. My plan was so clear going into this. I’d spent weeks setting it in motion, starting with cozying up to a Mafia foot soldier and eventually getting him to recommend me as a dancer to Guido.

From there I’d endlessly rehearsed everything I was going to say, everything I was going todo. The plan was bulletproof, guaranteed to end with me getting the dancing gig so I could infiltrate the Mafia’s inner sanctum.

This job was going to give me, if not unrestricted access, then at leastmoreaccess to the highest ranking members of the Leone family, the people I know to be responsible for Adriana’s murder.

There wasn't a specific plan once I was undercover. I’d stay as long as it took to get confirmation of which Leone killed her and I’d get revenge from there.

Nothing has gone right so far, and the very existence of my plan feels in serious jeopardy if I don't find a way to salvage it.Fast.

This annoying, perfectly-facedassholeeasily dismissed both the host and Guido, then took charge of my audition like he had every authority to do so. Based on the host’s reaction to him, he must be someone of some consequence within the organization, which means there’s a high likelihood that he’s related to the Leones. That puts me instantly on guard.

Whoever he is, he’s been nothing short of unpredictable at every turn. I can’t get a read on him and tailor myself to what he wants in response. More worrisome is the fact that I can’t seem to resist the clapbacks that materialize on my tongue the second he speaks to me. Shutting the fuck up seems to be entirely beyond my ability at this point.

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