Page 3 of Scarlett Thief (Criminal Underground 2)

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Scarlett

New York City, New York

Present Day…

My heels clicked against the floor as I descended the stage, my eyes scanning and assessing. This was only a small building in the Perelli family’s empire, but it was a nice one. Expensive liquor. The smell of Cuban cigars. Women who, no doubt, would charge a pretty penny to spend the evening with their escorts. A place like this merely served to remind me that the world was a dark, cold, and unforgiving place, and only the strong survived well enough to flourish. And flourish I would. This place, for all of its décor, was a playground for women like me.

Filled with marks—one in particular that I had my sights set on.

Eyes tracked my every movement, tracing my limbs from where my red dress split open at the side and revealed the expanse of my thigh up to where the single strap of my thong peeked through. I smiled as I passed and gently, but firmly continued on even when I saw several hands reach out to try and grasp both me and my attention. Those were easy enough to avoid.

All of my information on Senator Tanaka led me here—to a mafia man's personal playground: Club Champagne.

It wasn’t just a notorious strip club; it wasthe mostnotorious strip club in the northeastern United States. A place of decadence and danger so thick I could smell it in the air. When I’d walked in two hours ago to prep for this job, I’d noticed the aura of unease that seemed to pervade the building. Even as I looked around, though, there were still people lingering. As if they didn’t care or had grown immune to the feeling of danger. However, since a beautiful woman had stepped inside with a trio of tall, strapping guards at her back and greeted the owner, Jason Perelli, the tension had cooled considerably. Perelli was now, thanks to the woman, out of the way—disappeared into the back office—and my attention was back where it was supposed to be.

While all eyes were on the tanned, naked leg that peeked in and out of sight with my every stride, I was keenly aware of the fact that I had two sharp blades strapped to the other thigh as well as a smaller one between my breasts for emergencies.

I turned my head and smiled when I spotted the senator and my mark. Without hesitation, I veered toward the dark back corner of the club, thankful that he’d chosen such a place so far from the rest of the club to be alone with his mistress

My eyes lit on a single woman in front of a short, older man with graying hair and a bald spot right at the center of his skull. While he was part of this job, the real prize was the gift he’d graciously given the petite Asian woman at his side—a particularly expensive choker that had made its way across the black market before showing up in his collection. I'd had my eye on this particular necklace for far longer than it'd even been in the Senator’s possession. A dazzling array of precious gemstones set into a loose choker—each one handpicked by the finest jeweler in New York—this piece of jewelry was worth far more than I expected even the very high class escort who wore it could comprehend.

"Good evening, Senator,” I said gracefully as I paused alongside their lounge and table. “Would it be too forward of me to ask if I could join you?” Without waiting for an answer, I took a seat alongside the woman, who blinked and scooted to the side immediately to allow me room.

"Ah, the beautiful Star of the evening," Senator Tanaka said with a self-satisfied smile. It didn’t appear to shock him that I knew who he was, but then, I supposed it wouldn’t since he was often in the public eye. What wasn’t in the public eye, however, was his predilection for small, foreign women and wealth. His eyes roved up and down my body, and I forced myself not to react to the fat tongue that emerged from his mouth to lick across his lower lip. "To what do we owe this pleasure?"

I smiled and leaned gently toward his lady friend. Giggling a bit, I placed a hand on the seat next to her. "Well, I just couldn't stop myself from noticing the woman on your arm this evening," I said suggestively, pressing myself even closer to the Senator’s companion. That necklace was glittering even in this dim light.

The woman’s eyes widened in surprise, but I could practically feel the excitement from Senator Tanaka's seat across from us. Men were such easy creatures—their perverse natures were always something I could count on. Beauty was a weapon and men were so incredibly susceptible to it, that and their fantasies.

"This is my darling friend, Hina," Tanaka introduced quickly. "She's come all this way to visit me from her home in Japan."

"Do you speak English, Ms. Hina?" I asked as I let one gentle hand touch her leg. She jumped, but after cautiously looking me up and down and determining that I didn’t intend to insult her, she settled once more.

She was either curious or aware of the Senator’s interest. She was a professional after all—like myself, just in a different manner.

"Yes. I learn as a small child," she said, her accent stilting her words. “But I am not so good as natural speakers.”

I couldn't tell whether or not she was unaccustomed to the attention of a woman. It wouldn't surprise me if she'd never been touched by another female. Some women—I'd learned from experience—were even easier to seduce. Especially those on the arms of men in the places as lowly as these; all they needed was a little attention. Add in a few orgasms and boom; they went up like fire and smoke, leaving me to walk away with everything I wanted. Hina would be no different. Already, a few light touches to her soft skin and she was breathing heavier—her eyes glazing over as I slipped my fingers under the hem of her dress and stroked her inner thighs.

"You're quite beautiful," I said softly, so only she could hear. "And I heard that Senator Tanaka treats you very well."

Her small, round face turned toward me and her red painted lips parted. "Y-yes," she stumbled over her words. "He is kind to me."

"Ms. Star," Senator Tanaka interjected, using the stage name I'd fabricated for this job. "I see you enjoy the finer things this life has to offer. Perhaps, I might be so bold to ask if you'd like to join Hina and me in our suite this evening."

No,I thought. That wouldn't do at all. I needed to get the necklace here before I slipped away.

"Oh, Senator," I countered with a husky laugh as I scooted ever closer to his mistress. Forcing my eyes away from the glittering array encircling her neck, I pressed my fingers between her legs. She gasped and arched slightly. I couldn’t tell if this was truly enough to entice her or if she was just acting for the attention of her sponsor, but whatever the case, it was certainly working. I could feel Senator Tanaka's body move toward us as he watched with fascination. A quick peek told me he was just as entranced by my movements as Hina appeared to be. "What a generous offer..."

I reached up and touched the back of Hina's neck, cupping it and bringing her face to mine. I stopped just a hair's breadth away from her mouth, and when I licked my lips, my tongue brushed along hers as she opened her mouth. My fingers touched the clasp gently—oh so fucking gently.Almost there… Senator Tanaka was practically a panting mess as Hina's chest rose and fell.

Sucking in a breath, I leaned forward and did exactly what Senator Tanaka was hoping for. I pressed my lips fully to Hina's and closed my eyes. Though I wasn't necessarily attracted to women, I had to be willing to do what it took to get a job done. Women, at least, made seduction agreeable. Unlike many of the men I'd seduced in the past, Hina was soft and sweet. She didn’t smell like sweat and body odor, nor did she taste like an ashtray. Instead, she tasted like cherries and lemons.

My fingers played at the nape of her neck and as I stroked the wet, damp fabric between her legs, and just as she arched into my touch, her mouth opening to accept my tongue, the clasp came undone in my grasp. I dropped my hand to the side, letting the diamond choker slide into my palm, and ended the kiss.

"Miss…” Hina's wide eyes opened, and she gaped at me.Damn. I must have left an impression,I thought. Either that or she was a better actress than I expected. She looked dazed as she stared up at me. I gave her a gentle smile.

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