Page 9 of Ice
Sofia turned her attention back to Dom. “How long have you been coming here?” She cursed as soon as the words were out of her mouth. She heard the accusation in her tone, and she shook her head. “Don’t answer that,” she huffed out. She knew Dom needed to keep coming here to get her the intel she needed before she came home. He’d done the job she asked of him. She needed to tamp down her jealousy.
Dom’s deep chuckle was in her ear, sending a fresh wave of goose bumps across her skin. “Retract the claws, Saffi. I’d much rather have them in my back than in a woman just doing her job.”
“Not gonna happen.” Sofia mumbled under her breath as she refocused her attention on the club. She noticed the women on the stage and how many people were in the middle of the dance floor and at the bar. This place no doubt generated money, but she wondered about the dirty money that was running through here.
From what Dom told her, this club had been rumored to house women who were sold off to prominent figures as well as gang members, bikers, you name it. He told her cops had been through here a few times but could never find anything or tie anyone to anything. Considering this was where they kept the girls and women before they were sold off to the highest bidder, there should have been a trace somewhere. Unless a dirty cop was tipping them off to clean house before they were raided.
Sofia took in the bouncers, bartenders, and the scantily clad waitress wondering if any of them were in on what happened behind closed doors. She hoped none of them were. It would mean less people she’d have to deal with.
The waitress came back with their drinks and ran off without asking if they needed anything else. Sofia didn’t bother concealing her smirk as they both grabbed their drinks.
“We’re being watched.” Dom brought his lips to his cup and just as quickly put the cup back down, making it look like he had a sip, but she knew he didn’t.
Sofia mimicked his movement knowing there was a high possibility the drinks were laced. “We have been since we walked in.” Sofia nodded her head to the left. There was the female Sofia saw when they walked in. She was flanked by two men in suits.
Dom leaned back in his seat, letting his arm rest behind her. “That’s Gianna. Her and her brother, Otto, are the managers here.”
“More like the real owners.” Sofia quipped as the woman made her way toward Sofia and Dom.
Dom shook his head. “They’re the face. Someone’s pulling the strings behind them. Just haven’t been able to figure out who, and she won’t tell me, no matter how persuasive I’ve been.”
Sofia heard the teasing tone in his voice, and it didn’t do anything but heighten the territorial feeling pumping through her body. She wanted to rip Gianna’s head off, and going by the smile on her face when she stepped into their section let Sofia know she wasn’t doing a good job concealing her emotions.
The woman with ice in her veins seemed to be on fire ever since she stepped foot off the plane.
Sofia sized her up quickly trying to shift what she was feeling and putting it on the back burner. Gianna was dressed in six-inch heels and a short little black dress. Her hair was pushed off her face in a high ponytail, and she had very little makeup on.
Gianna sized up Sofia like she was nothing more than an inconvenience before her gaze landed on Dom. “Had I known you were looking for a girlfriend, Dom, I would have taken you up on your offer a long time ago.”
“He’s not looking for a girlfriend,” Sofia snapped, and she felt Dom’s hand tighten behind her. His fingertips subtly touched her shoulder; his way of telling her to chill out.
Gianna’s smile widened. “And what about you, sweetheart? You look like you’d be a real treat. You looking for a girlfriend?”
“Only when I want to keep someone on their knees. But don’t worry, you’re not my type, sweetheart.” Sofia made a show of raking her eyes over Gianna’s body. “I like my women a little less skanky.”
Dom covered his chuckle with a cough, and this time she felt his hand on the back of her neck. It was a possessive hold, but she knew he meant it as a means to keep her from lunging at Gianna.
Sofia wasn’t going to react no matter how much she wanted to. The more they sat eyeing each other, the more she had a sense that Gianna was all bark and no bite. This was all a front, one she wore well, but Sofia was starting to see through the bullshit.
Gianna looked back at Dom. “I like this one. Let’s go upstairs so we can talk. I’m assuming that’s why you’re both here.”
Sofia stood up first and got right in Gianna’s face. She kept her voice even as she spoke. “You know who I am?”
Gianna’s face fell just slightly before nodding, which only confirmed for Sofia that she was all talk. “I wasn’t sure when you first walked in with lights and all. But considering your face has been plastered all over the news, kind of hard to not know. That and Dom don’t hang out with females—anyone, really. So you can imagine my surprise when he walked in with you on his arm.”
She tilted her head up toward her upstairs office. “Come, it’s too loud down here to talk business, Sofia Barbati.”
VINNY SAT ALONE IN HISoffice going over the leases on the properties he wanted to own. There were only three properties left that would tip the scales of power into his hands and cement his place as the head of the Barbati organization—a name he was going to change as soon as he was in full power.
His office phone rang, and he picked it up immediately. “Whatta ya got for me?”
“Dom took her to Tres Bellas. We had to grease the bouncer to get in ahead of the line, but it looks like they took her and your enforcer upstairs to the offices.”
Vinny’s hold on the phone tightened. “If you get clear, you know what to do, and that piece of shit is not my enforcer,” he gritted out before hanging up the phone.
“You sneaky son of a bitch.” Vinny cursed. It was no secret that he and Dom didn’t like each other. It made his hold on the Barbati organization that much harder to control. If your enforcer didn’t like you or respect you enough to follow orders, no one else would, and he couldn’t outright kill the bastard, either.
Every time he tried and made anaccidenthappen, it was like the dick had guardian angels watching over him. Vinny had used too many resources and lost a few good guys trying to take out someone who made death his occupation.
