Page 69 of Sin & Secrets

I’ve done intense shopping trips before. Hell, my mom and I even visited the Mall of America when I was a kid.

But nothing compared to what Rocco just made me do. Somehow, they measured me for this dresswhilea gentleman named Hugo descended on my hair with foils. The soft highlights now frame my face, amplifying my new layers.

I’m still unsure how and when someone got to my nails, but their dark maroon color perfectly matches my near-black outfit.

The material hugs every one of my curves as it falls in sleek waves to my heeled feet. The long slit down the side comes scandalously close to my upper thigh. But that has nothing on the deep plunge of my neckline.

It’s almost as if the fabric has been stitched into my skin—it leaves nothing to the imagination.

My appearance would be distracting if Rocco wasn’t standing behind me.

His own suit is tailored to perfection, as always. But it’s his shirt, a dark red match to my dress, that’s unbuttoned farenough to reveal the tattoos beneath that makes my mouth water.

“You’re perfect,” he whispers in my ear. His eyes rove over my body hungrily.

I’m about two seconds away from demanding we stay home and entertain ourselves another way.

But…our newfound alliance still feels somewhat tentative. It’s the same as before, except somehow it isn’t. I don’t think I realized the implications of calling Rocco my ”friend” before he returned the sentiment.

I shake my head to try and clear it of distractions. I have a job to do.

The plan is simple. Go into theCandelabra,pretend to be Rocco’s doting mistress, and slip away to confront Claudio.

“Remember, get him to talk about how he acquired the loan,” Rocco reiterates as he tucks a hidden mic into the strap of my dress. “Anything else is a bonus. But leave at the first sign of trouble.”

He goes over this at least five more times on our way over to the club.

There’s something almost heartbreakingly familiar about standing in front of theCandelabraonce more. Everything in my world has been flipped upside down, but there it is, standing tall and proud, exactly the same as the day I left it.

“Shall we?”

I turn to see Rocco offering me his arm. I reach out and take it, finding no small amount of reassurance from his touch.

“Remember,” he whispers in my ear as he reaches out to push open the door. “Tonight, you’remytrophy. Act like it.”

We step through those doors together, only to be greeted with resolute silence.

As my eyes adjust to the mood lighting, I wonder if it’s because the place is entirely empty. But to my dismay, I findinstead that every one of the club’s patrons has turned to look at us.

Even Danny, standing on the stage, has faltered in her song. She coughs quickly and tries to recover.

“Rocco,” I hiss nervously, glancing wildly around us.

His arm wraps around my waist as he turns to nuzzle my ear. “Relax. Now, giggle as if I’ve said something funny.”

The sound I make doesn’t feel entirely natural, but it seems to satisfy his request. He leads us both toward the VIP table at the very end of the stage.

I almost wish we could sit at the back of the room. At least that way, Danny wouldn’t be able to glare down at me so much.

Rocco pulls a seat out for me. “Angioletta.”

I sit down awkwardly. “Remind me why this is all necessary?”

Rocco chuckles as he pulls his own chair next to mine, draping a protective, arrogant arm over my shoulder.

Again, he nuzzles into my ear. “My men are under the assumption that I bought you from Lazzaro for a particular purpose,” he purrs. “I’d like to keep up that appearance as much as possible.”

His mouth grazes on my jaw, and my eyes flutter closed.

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