Page 28 of Take Me Under

I kicked off my sneakers and stripped out of my damp workout clothes. After adjusting the shower valves to my preferred temperature, I stepped under the steaming water and braced myself against the wall tiles. I let out a sigh as the heat soothed my muscles.

But even in this peaceful moment, thoughts of Serena didn’t fade. I couldn’t recall a time in my life when a women had gotten under my skin as much as she had, and I wasn’t sure what to do about it. I wanted to know her story. The unknown was both exhilarating and dangerous for someone like me.

If she was in some sort of trouble, she could bring unwanted attention. The press was already circling me like hungry wolves scenting fresh prey. I was a shiny new penny to them. They’d have a field day if they ever found out that their newly minted crypto billionaire was also the owner of a sex club. It would open Pandora’s Box and risked exposing secrets that were long dead and buried.

What would Serena think if she knew where I came from?

I shook my head. I had to think about this rationally. I’d just met the woman mere days ago, and she’d been asleep for the better part of that time. So many things could go wrong if I divulged too much. It was better to keep my focus, and ensure finding the Brutus Denarius was my only goal. If she had it, I was confident I could get it for the right price. After all, Serena needed money, and I had plenty of it. If I happened to seduce her into my bed during the process, it would be a satisfying bonus. I’d wanted her under me, hot and submissive, since the moment I’d laid eyes on her.

The problem was, I had no idea where to find her.

An hour later,I approached the main entrance to Cornerstone Tower. A sleek ornamental spire soared high above the building, piercing the sky. It was a bold symbol of the ruthless and powerful entrepreneurs who occupied the coveted office space in the renowned skyscraper.

I pushed through the revolving doors and made my way across the vestibule to the bank of elevators. I gave a brief nod to the uniformed guard behind the polished mahogany security desk before entering my floor number into the keypad.

On the forty-second floor, the doors opened to reveal a long corridor that divided the floor into two sections. One half was occupied by the Davenport Accounting Firm, and the other half belonged to me.

My office staff was minimal, only Zeke and Myla McKinnon, my personal secretary. I didn’t need a lot of space, and I certainly didn’t need a floor the size of half a city block—but needs and wants were two different things.

My personal office at Romano LLC was spacious, and I’d made sure it had a view. The conference room was impressive, if rarely used, while Zeke and Myla had sizable offices of their own. Each was secured by a fingerprint access panel, making the waiting area the only space accessible to the public.

If truth be told, I much preferred my office at Club O, but it wasn’t a place for respectable people to conduct business. The office at Cornerstone Tower had a purpose, but it was for show more than anything else.

Myla exited her office to greet me in the reception area. Dressed in a short black skirt that hugged her hips and a tiny siren red top that left little to the imagination, Myla wasn’t what some would call a traditional assistant. She came from my world—a dark world that we’d once shared a long time ago. The former prostitute had only been sixteen when I’d saved her from wasting away in the underbelly of society. Because of that, I had her loyalty. And her discretion.

Myla was also a genius with numbers and extremely organized. Her efficiency made her a valuable asset to the empire I’d just begun to amass. While I analyzed the crypto markets and dabbled in venture capitalism by day, she and Zeke kept track of business matters at the club that required my attention by night.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Romano,” Myla said. Her voice was naturally sultry, which had worked to her advantage in her former life.

“Myla,” I replied with a nod. “Have the monthly expenses been added to the books?”

“Yes, sir. Included is the updated invoice from J&D Liquor Distribution. However, it still isn’t correct, despite my numerous attempts to get their accounting department to adjust it. You’re being taxed double by the state because of it.”

“As if we aren’t already taxed enough by New York State,” I muttered. “Don’t worry about it. I know Josh, one of the owners of J&D. I’ll call him personally to get it straightened out. What else do you have for me?”

“New additions to the payroll need your John Hancock,” she said, handing me a manilla folder. “And Zeke left an envelope on your desk. He said it was a personal matter that you wanted him to look into.”

My ears perked up. It had to be the background report on Serena.

“Thank you, Myla.”

Without another word, I went straight to my office.

Taking a seat in the black leather chair behind my desk, I set the messenger bag that I’d brought with me that morning on the floor. I pulled a letter opener from the top drawer and sliced open the envelope Zeke had left. Inside was a printout and a sticky note with Zeke’s handwriting.

Boss, she’s squeaky clean. Not even a parking ticket. Hale wasn’t able to find more than this, but admitted her foreign residencemade things harder to dig up. The only red flag is her debt load. She’s about 250k deep, but most of it is in student loans. Let me know if I should ask Hale to keep digging. – Z

This wasn’t a good sign. Hale Fulton was the best in his field. If he hadn’t found anything, there was nothing to find. Frowning, I peeled off the sticky note and began reading through the background report.

FULL NAME:Serena Amara Martinelli

DOB:August 1, 1992

PLACE OF BIRTH:Mesa, Arizona (St. John Medical Center)

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION:

Height: 5 feet 7 inches

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