Chapter 5
Elise
E nzo doesn’t give me any time to myself after I agree to his deal. He takes me to my apartment—which is my temporary housing while I’m on this assignment—and lets me pack a bag before he takes me to his house. Or should I say mansion? It’s the biggest house I’ve ever seen. A colossal waste of materials and labor, considering he lives here alone.
The inside is classic, but cold. There’s white marble everywhere, a gorgeous, sparkling chandelier hanging in the foyer, and a huge wooden staircase winding up to the second floor. But there isn’t any artwork or live flowers or anything else that would bring the house to life. It makes me sad to think that anyone could live in a place like this—even someone like Enzo. There’s no joy, as far as I can tell.
The room he gives me to live in is the same way. The bed is large and soft with expensive sheets. There’s a sitting area, a desk, and a bookcase, but the books are all leather-bound classics that have probably never been opened. The attached bathroom is bigger than the kitchen in my real apartment and has a bath that looks like an in-ground swimming pool. The shelves are stocked with plush towels and expensive products. Basically, it’s the most luxurious prison cell I could’ve imagined.
He drops me off for the night and then leaves me to my own devices. Rather than push my luck—I’m sensing he’s still very willing to kill me if he thinks it’s necessary—I take a long bath and tuck myself into the bed that must be made of clouds. It’s not fair that being a criminal is so lucrative while being, for example, a teacher leaves you basically poverty-stricken.
The next morning, I wake up to find a tray on my desk with several breakfast options to choose from. I’d tested the boundaries of my prison by locking the bedroom door before I fell asleep, so I guess that answers that question. I have no freedom and no privacy, which is about what I expected.
I eat an apple and part of a muffin, drink some coffee, and then hop into the shower to finish waking myself up. As I’m standing in the oversized, walk-in closet, wondering if I’ll be able to get more of my stuff from my apartment, a knock sounds at my door. I wasn’t expecting Enzo to ever knock, so it doesn’t surprise me when I open the door to find a maid waiting for me.
“Good morning, miss. I was told to have you ready for a meeting this morning at 10:30.”
“Oh, okay. That’s no problem. I was just about to get dressed.”
“He has selected this for you to wear.” She hands me a box from a department store. “I’ll come to collect you at 10:15.” Without waiting for a response, she walks away. A glance at the clock on my nightstand lets me know that it’s already 9:30, so I quickly dry my hair and apply some light makeup before I open the box.
I shouldn’t be surprised, but I am. He really expects me to wear lingerie to a meeting? That’s when it really hits me. To everyone else, I’m not part of the team. I’m just a warm body for Enzo to use as he pleases. It won’t be until we’re alone that we have an opportunity to share notes and ideas and strategize about how we’re going to bust the trafficking ring.
Bracing myself for what I’m going to have to do for the duration of this meeting, I maneuver myself into the lacy contraption and analyze myself in the mirror. I know I look hot in lingerie; it’s part of why I was selected as the agent to go undercover. I’m also not afraid to do absolutely anything to maintain my cover, including fucking the entire criminal underworld. And I honestly feel like I might’ve done that already. Starting with my audition and ending with my new job as Enzo’s whore.
At exactly 10:15, the door to my room opens. Instead of the maid I was expecting, Enzo himself is standing there. He lets his eyes slowly travel up and down my body a few times before stepping in and closing the door.
“I wanted to discuss a few rules before the meeting. I’d hate for you to violate our agreement before we even get started here.”
“What rules?”
“First, I know every detail of your audition, so I know you’ve already fucked my three best men. Plus however many have used you at the club. But from now on, I’m the only person who touches you. As long as you live here, you belong to me. And I don’t share what’s mine.”
I nod and wait silently for the rest of the rules, but he stops speaking and looks at me expectantly. “Okay.”
His stare turns to a glare. “Second, you will address me as ‘sir’ in any meeting, formal or informal. If there are soldiers nearby, I am ‘sir.’”
“Yes, sir ,” I reply, intentionally putting a sarcastic emphasis on his favorite word so he knows exactly how I feel about it.
“We’ll talk about your attitude later. Right now, it’s time to go. Come on.” He turns on his heel and walks out, obviously expecting me to follow him. Since I value my life and still don’t know him well enough to feel comfortable pushing my luck, I do as I’m told.
As we’re walking down the stairs to the dining room, it occurs to me that I might not be allowed to leave even after we accomplish our goal and put an end to this trafficking ring. What will I do then? Will he kill me? Do I just continue to be his whore? What about my job? I know these are all questions I need to answer, but I have time. First, I need to get through this meeting and survive whatever Enzo has in store for me.