Chapter 10
CHAPTER TEN
Anton
M y feet thudded against the revolving belt of the treadmill, propelling me through the final mile in my home gym. Beads of sweat dripped down my face, mingling with the salty traces already staining my skin. I welcomed the burning sensation in my muscles and the steady rhythm of my breath. A good cardio workout was exactly what I needed to clear my head—especially after the shock I’d experienced after I woke up.
She was gone. Really gone.
I wasn’t sure why it had bothered me so much. Perhaps because she’d left without so much as a goodbye. Her suitcases had vanished, and if it weren’t for the lingering traces of her perfume, it was as if she hadn’t been there at all.
But even as I pushed myself to run faster and harder, my mind couldn’t escape the memories of Serena Martinelli. They had plagued my sleep and every waking thought since our first meeting. The fitful dreams during the night had left me feeling like I’d barely slept at all, igniting a wildfire within me and exposing just how mundane my life had become.
Before meeting her, I’d been content. I had money and could do whatever I wanted, yet now everything seemed dull. Finding the Brutus Denarius was important to me, but the idea of obtaining the coin was suddenly far less important than uncovering the truth about Serena. She was extraordinary, and I wanted to know more about her.
As I reached the end of my run, exhaustion burned in my muscles. I hit the kill switch on the treadmill and slowed my pace until the belt came to a stop. I pulled the sound buds from my ears and set them on the bench press, silencing the Imagine Dragons album that I’d been listening to. My chest heaved as I caught my breath, sweat dripping down my face and neck. Grabbing a nearby hand towel, I closed my eyes and wiped it away. Behind my lids, Serena’s piercing blue gaze invaded my mind, an alluring vision searing into me.
I couldn't help but imagine what she would look like with her lashes lowered in submission. I liked to indulge my Dominant side when the mood struck, and Serena had hit every pressure point. She’d be an unlikely sub. She had too much fire and strength in her to follow a command without question. But that didn’t mean I wasn’t up for the challenge. I wanted her naked body kneeling before me. The image was both tantalizing and maddening, sending an electric jolt of desire straight to my groin.
Get a grip.
Shaking off these thoughts, I chided myself for being so consumed by a woman I barely knew. But try as I might, I couldn’t deny the intense pull she had over me.
Tossing the towel onto the ground, I left the gym and made my way to the master suite.
As I entered my bedroom, I tried not to look at my bed—the place she’d slept for two days. Even that was now a reminder of her. Striding past it, I grabbed a change of clothes from the closet and headed toward the bathroom. Pushing the heavy door closed, I heard the satisfying click of the latch—the very same one that had failed Serena, leaving her exposed and naked in front of me.
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 residence made 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
Approximate Weight : 135 lbs.
Hair: dark brown
Eyes: blue
ADDRESS:
Current address: unlisted/unknown (*possible apt. rental in Rome, Italy)
Previous address: Via Guglielmo Marconi, 11, 55022 Bagni di Lucca LU, Italy
PHONE: +39 0583-953857 (*disconnected 2 months ago, updated number not found)
CITIZENSHIP: Dual: United States and Italy
PARENTS:
Carlo Martinelli (father, October 2, 1962 – November 15, 2022)
Sylvia Martinelli (mother, March 30, 1964 – )
SIBLINGS: None
RELATIONSHIP STATUS: None found
EDUCATION:
School (gr. K) - Mesa, Arizona: Desert Bloom Academy
School (gr. 1-4) - Pompeii, Italy: Vesuvio Primary School
School (gr. 5-6) - Athens, Greece: Acropolis Intermediate Academy
School (gr. 7-8) - Phoenix, Arizona: Copper Canyon Middle School
School (gr. 9-10) - Phoenix, Arizona: Saguaro Vista Preparatory Academy
School (gr. 11-12) - Lucca, Italy: Lucchese Classical Lyceum
College: Arizona State University
College: Sapienza University of Rome
College: Università degli Studi di Firenze, Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Archaeology
OCCUPATION:
Professor of Archaeology, RPA, American University of Rome
Roman Discovery, Fieldwork, Dig Director
SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS: Facebook Only
CLUBS & ORGANIZATIONS: Archaeological Institute of America
CRIMINAL BACKGROUND: None
BANK & CREDIT INFORMATION:
Banca Intesa Sanpaolo: checking account balance: 1731,42 €
No savings found
No U.S. bank accounts found
Credit Debt: 39,393 €
Loan Debt: 226,569 €
VEHICLE MAKE AND MODEL: Fiat Panda
I read through the document once more, although I already knew there wasn’t anything hiding in the text. Dr. Serena Amara Martinelli lived a very normal—very boring—life. She had little money and high debt. Based on the way she’d jumped schools, it looked like she’d moved around a lot too. But since she was a minor, it was most likely due to her parents .
I didn’t know what kind of skeletons I’d been expecting, but I’d thought there might be a clue that would explain why her hotel room had been tossed. Perhaps it really was just a random break in.
I leaned over the side of the chair, reaching into my messenger bag to retrieve the leather-bound journal that I’d swiped from Serena’s motel room. Placing it in front of me, I ran my hand over the soft cover, worn from years of use. I opened it, the pages crackling softly under my fingers.
The first few pages were filled with neat handwriting with tight loops and sharp angles. I wasn’t sure if it was Serena’s or someone else’s. The more I flipped, the stranger it got. Folded maps lay between the pages, old and frayed, sketched with symbols I couldn’t make sense of. Some were detailed, with tiny notations in the margins, while others looked like half-finished rough outlines of places I didn’t recognize.
My eyes caught on a particular symbol sketched within the journal. It seemed to carry significant meaning, as the pattern was repeated on several pages. It reminded me of a coiled snake with loops spiraling unevenly. The snake’s eye was out of proportion, its oversized pupil irregular.
While not quite exact, it was eerily similar to the spray-painted design on the back of the Midtown motel room door. The more I looked at it, the more I was convinced there was a connection—another riddle without a key.
There were references to Cleopatra and Mark Antony throughout the book as well. I was vaguely familiar with the stories, or at least the version everyone else knew about their tumultuous love affair. But my knowledge was limited. Whoever had written in this journal wrote about them as if they’d known them personally. They seemed to be chasing something deeper, in search of more than just history.
I flipped back to a map page that had one corner folded down. There were small marks drawn across the map connecting cities and ruins. It was like a treasure hunt—except it provided no clues to what I was looking for.
Seeing so many ancient references was like viewing a time warp to another place. It reminded me of my coin collection. My eyes settled on the framed watercolor painting across the room. Behind the canvas, a hidden safe was nestled in the wall. It held my collection of ancient coins. I didn’t have to leave my chair to picture the glass case and empty velvet slot where the Brutus Denarius should have been. But the coin was out of my reach, much like the answers I sought to find about Serena.
I sat back in the chair and breathed deeply, allowing her face to fill my mind. The lack of information in the background check and the journal was nothing short of irritating. Neither told me where to find her. Even her current address was unknown. If she was living in Rome as suspected, trying to locate her in the densely populated city would be like trying to find a needle in a haystack.
Frustrated to have learned almost nothing of substance, I returned the leather journal to my bag, slipping Serena’s background check in alongside it. Needing a distraction, I opened the manilla envelope Myla had given me with the new hire information.
I began to sign in the required spots, trusting that Zeke had fully vetted each and every person. Once that was done, I shot off an email to Josh at J&D requesting a call time, and then began reading and sorting the invoices that needed my attention.
The rest of the day was spent analyzing market trends and making portfolio adjustments where necessary. Before I knew it, over ten hours had passed. The only break I’d taken was to meet Alexander Stone for a working lunch. The real estate tycoon had presented several investment opportunities to me, ones I was eager to look more into. Crypto had made my fortune, but I had concerns about its environmental impact. The sooner I got out of the digital currency market, the better .
The idea made me think about a meeting I’d had last week with a potential club member. He had also made his fortune through digital assets on the blockchain, making him a very recognizable member of society. He’d wanted my personal assurances that his membership at Club O would remain a secret. Of course, that was never a guarantee, but we had plenty of safeguards in place. I gave him the rundown of the ways we protect our members and explained the vested interest every member had in maintaining privacy. Satisfied, he readily wrote me a hefty check for an annual membership.
Club O’s fees weren’t cheap, and his membership alone paid the salary of every service employee in the place. I may have made my fortune on crypto, but club revenue was a sizable source of my income. I could sell my crypto portfolio tomorrow and have more than enough money to last a lifetime.
So why don’t I?
I pressed my lips in a tight line, knowing the answer. I needed security before I sold—a guarantee that I would never again be without money. That’s where Alexander Stone came in. He understood my situation better than most and knew ways I could diversify my income.
Leaning back, I rubbed my hand over the back of my neck, massaging the tight muscles. I was exhausted, but my workday was far from over. Club O needed my attention. With all the recent hiring, I wanted to see for myself how the staff changes were working out.
Pulling out my phone, I sent Zeke a text.
Today 3:31 PM: Me
7:31 PM, Me: I’m headed to the club. Are you there?
His reply came almost instantly.
7:31 PM: Zeke
Yep. I’ll come get you.
7:32 PM: Me
Don’t waste your time. I took the Aston Martin this morning. I’ll be at the club in less than 15 minutes.
7:32 PM: Zeke
We need to get you a Volvo.
7:33 PM: Me
I’ll leave the bulletproof beast to you. I like my car. See you soon.
Pocketing the phone, I secured my office and turned off the lights. As I made my way to the parking garage, thoughts of Serena were not far from my mind.
I walked through the main vestibule of Club O, passing the mosaic wall and rock garden, appreciating the calming sound the built-in waterfall provided. I’d already introduced myself to the new staff and spent time watching them in action. I approved of Zeke’s hiring choices and thought they were going to work out well. They understood that it was a privilege to be inside these walls, and they were paid handsomely to keep its secrets.
Normally I enjoyed a hands-on approach to the club. I loved the control, and was involved in every facet of the business. But my heart wasn’t in it today. Tonight, all I could think about was Serena. I had to find her. My obsession went beyond physical attraction. It ran deeper in ways I couldn’t explain. Perhaps it was because I knew she’d be a challenge—the biggest one I’d ever face—and I never shied away from a challenge.
As I moved through the halls of sin, I decided to grab a quick nightcap at the bar before heading back to the penthouse. I passed through the throngs of people in the common area on my way to the lounge. The door leading down to The Dungeon opened, and music by Dua Lipa filtered up, amplifying the monthly Blinded By Lust party in the sub club. The blindfold play night was always popular, and the place was packed. When the door closed, the atmosphere of quiet seduction returned.
“Pappy Van Winkle, neat,” I said to Brock, one of the more seasoned bartenders.
“Busting out the expensive bourbon tonight, boss? What’s the occasion?”
“No occasion. It’s just been a long day.”
Three long days, but who’s counting?
Glancing down the polished mahogany bar, I noticed Amber Hawthorne on the prowl. She was dressed in a tight black dress with her long, dark locks secured in a braid. Just as beautiful and as sultry as always, she stood out in any crowd. She wore a green wristband again today, and I found myself seriously thinking about breaking my cardinal rule.
When she looked my way, her eyes immediately lowered like an obedient submissive, her chin angling down. Amber was a well-trained sub. If I gave her the signal, she’d drop to her knees without question. I’d be able to wrap my hand around the braid that trailed down her back with confidence, knowing she’d do everything she could to please me.
Taking a step toward her, I put a finger under her chin and tilted her head up to look at me. Hazel eyes met mine—not the deep ocean blues that I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about.
It was then that I realized how much I’d been obsessing over Serena. Since the moment I’d seen her, I wanted her legs wrapped around my waist and craved her cries for more. No woman had commanded my desire the way she did. And when I looked at Amber, I felt nothing.
There was only one woman I wanted underneath me, but I had no idea where she was .
Lowering my hand, I gave Amber a small smile to soften the rejection I was about to deliver.
“Boss.” I glanced to my left to see Zeke approaching. “Sorry to interrupt, but I thought you’d want to know right away.”
“What is it?”
He glanced at Amber, then back at me before seeming to carefully choose his words. “News about the good doctor.”
Any thought of letting Amber down easy disappeared.
Turning back to her, I gave her a pointed stare. “You know the rules, darling. I don’t get involved with club members. Now, move along.”
Undeterred, she slid her hand up my forearm and over my bicep.
“We’d be good together, you know,” she said. Another time, perhaps we would have. But now was not it.
“I said no. Walk away, Amber,” I barked, ignoring her pouty response to my command. I turned my attention back to Zeke. “What have you got?”
“A few things. Luckily, the security system at the Midtown motel was weak, and they don’t have any CCTV cameras. And it was by pure happenstance that the street cams in that area were down for maintenance. As far as anyone knows, we were never at the motel.”
“Good. Any news on Serena’s whereabouts?”
A corner of Zeke’s mouth turned up in a smirk. “Yep. I found her.”
I raised an eyebrow. “And you didn’t feel the need to tell me that first?”
“Come on. You know me. I like to save the best for last. She’s right outside the gates to the club. I spotted her on one of the perimeter cameras while I was training a new hire on the security system.”
“She’s here?” I asked incredulously.
“Not here per se, but nearby. As soon as I saw her, I came to tell you. If you want to catch her, she should still be on the block.”
My mind began to race. A person didn’t accidentally loiter beyond the gates. To the outside world, the people within these walls were freaks. Although experience taught me that the most judgmental voices were the ones who often harbored the filthiest desires.
Be that as it may, sex clubs were not part of civilized conversations, so I couldn’t think of a single way she could have found out about Club O.
“How in the hell did she find this place?”
“Not sure if she did, boss. Looked like she was just out for a walk.”
“Well, I’m about to find out.”