5. Isabella
five
Isabella
Two weeks passed, and I couldn’t connect the Lotus Group with a company in Italy called La Bella, like I saw on the invoice in Salvatore Catalano’s office. Everything I saw was useless.
But my gut tells me there is more than a respected CEO behind him. He fits the profile. He had a henchman with him, and I just know what J. Foster went through isn’t just from some bogus story. When I called his agent and requested to talk to him, the answer was ‘Mr. Foster is writing a new book and is unavailable for the foreseeable future,’ leaving me with nothing but my gut.
So, I did what maybe I shouldn’t have. I took the senator’s wife's story. I bribed Lisa with tickets to Disneyland for her family and gave her an easier story that wouldn’t keep her at work, researching for hours.
I needed this front to investigate the Lotus Hotel, but if I had better judgment, I wouldn’t have. I would have run far away from what was occupying my mind.
Salvatore Catalano.
Salvatore Catalano hasn’t left my mind for the past few weeks, and no matter how I want to forget his touch, his hands on my body, his penetrating gaze on mine… nothing helps.
He touched me like he knew the effect he had on my body. Like he had the right to touch me.
And I let him.
Now, I crave it.
I want something I can never have, and it needs to stay that way. Especially if he is who I think he is. And if that is the truth, I will destroy him.
I need to find out more about what is going on in that hotel. I tried to catch some personnel who worked there, ask them questions, but the man from the other night, Catalano’s henchman, saw me and escorted me out, telling me to stay away from the hotel premises.
So, I cashed in a favor and asked a friend to get me some IRS records.
I’m in the middle of research when I receive a call from reception that Ethan Caine is here to see me. He didn’t call before he came here, to my place of work. He has never done that before. Not that we had been tight before. We respect each other, mostly because of Cece.
I wait for him near the elevator, trying to figure out what he wants from me. I have my suspicions. He is here for the favor I owe him.
The elevator opens and there he is. If he wasn’t such a man whore, I would have given him a second glance.
“Ethan.” I wait for him to exit the elevator. He is grinning at me, and from the way he’s looking at me, I know he wants something.
“Isabel, how have you been?”
I smile and accept his outstretched hand. When I take it, he pulls me into an unexpected hug, kissing my cheek.
“You could have called,” I say.
“Well, I was around the corner and wanted to talk to you about something.”
“Walk with me. Let’s go to the conference room.” I take Ethan away from the curious eyes in the office. Everyone knows who he is, and most of them are probably wondering what he’s doing here.
After closing the door behind us, we take a seat at the table. “What’s going on?”
He grins. “I’m here to cash in that favor.”
I smirk. When I made a deal with him to take me to Salvatore’s fundraiser, I didn’t expect him to cash in the favor so soon.
When I say nothing, he continues. “Cece has been busy lately, always ditching me when I need her. And I have this dinner I need a date to. But I really don’t want to take a random girl. I’ve had enough of my brother and father lecturing me.” He rolls his eyes and crosses his legs.
They have the right to lecture him. His behavior has put his family in some scandalous situations.
“And I’m your best choice?” I question.
“You’re the only girl I haven’t slept with, and maybe the only one who doesn’t want my head on a platter.”
I laugh, but he doesn’t. “You serious?”
“You don’t hear me laughing.” He narrows his eyes at me, but they shine with satisfaction.
“Fine. Where do you need to go? But before you answer, I don’t agree to anything sexual.”
“I just need you to pose as my girlfriend. Hand holding, a little touching, no groping.” He shrugs.
Is he for real? “You need a fake girlfriend? Since when is that a thing for you?” I ask skeptically.
“It’s not what I want. It’s a requirement for a club. The Luxor Lounge is a gentleman’s club, and it’s required for every man there to have a woman to serve him. The man I’m meeting is a chauvinist pig, but I need to be at this meeting. And before you go all feminist on me, you could get a story out of it. Just imagine writing about another patriarchy issue.” He winks, giving me a mischievous smirk. “Look, it’s a club for those who want to be treated like that. If someone gets off on it, that’s their choice.”
Yes, if it stops at that . But I heard it’s some kind of cult, not just any gentleman’s club. I heard rumors when I was investigating different cases, and it stayed as only that. Rumors that I never found any proof for. Not that I tried.
“Fine, I’m in. When?” Maybe digging into this story will take my mind from the one I can’t find anything about.
Ethan is a pain in the ass. I have to wear what he wants. He told me that no one would believe I was with him if not wearing a tight dress.
So, I’m in a gold sequin mini dress with a plunging neckline. The dress ends a few inches below my butt, and if I bend down, everything will be exposed. It doesn’t help that I can’t wear real underwear, only some sort of excuse for a thong.
My hair is down in Hollywood locks, and my makeup is on point. I look at the gold lace-up heels that are two inches higher than I usually like. The outfit he sent, something he made it clear he would do, is actually exquisite. How he knew my size is another question.
I don’t get much time to dwell on it because Ethan is waiting for me in the car. I insisted he shouldn’t come up to my apartment.
After a short ride in the elevator, I walk out of my building and into his waiting car. His Aston Martin is double parked out front. I slide in, my legs hitting the leather seat. The smell of wood and leather fills my nostrils the second I close the door.
I say hi to Ethan, who is eating me with his eyes.
“Take a photo, it’ll last longer.” I tease before buckling myself in.
“Oh, funny one. You look exquisite. It makes me want to reconsider my decisions,” he teases.
“Dream on. You look dashing yourself.” I say, and I mean it. He is wearing all black with a golden tie to match me. This meeting must be a big deal. Which reminds me…
“You never told me who you are meeting with and what I should expect.”
“His name is Tristan Adkins. He’s looking into investing in some big businesses. Expanding into Europe. There will be two other competitors with me. He’ll pick whoever gives the best pitch. Mostly, he’s looking for someone with the same ideology as him. I’m not with his ideology per se, just taking an interest in his offer.”
I say nothing. I know who Tristan Adkins is. Everyone knows. He was on the media radar for a long time, but not mine. Cristian, my colleague, is the one investigating his big corporation. I can take notes for him, see if there is something useful and exchange it for a favor.
“Isabel.” Ethan's concerned voice draws my attention to him. “Stay out of trouble tonight.” I smile.
“Me? Oh, come on, Ethan. I’m a journalist. Trouble is in my blood. And you are the one who said I could benefit from tonight.” I smirk.
“Well, I’m fucked, then.”
Our drive is not long, and we arrive at what looks like a Victorian house; a place where only the rich have a right to be. Inside, it is even more luxurious, with a high ceiling and crystal chandeliers. The yellow lights that fill the space are a stark contrast to the all-leather furniture and dark wooden tables and wall panels. A middle-aged man leads us to our table, where Adkinson and six other people are seated. With my hand holding Ethan’s like a good girlfriend should, we walk together.
I smile at the joke Ethan makes, suppressing a giggle when, out of nowhere, the hair on the back of my neck stands. The feeling of someone’s wrath creeps over me. Before I can question it, the reason for that appears in front of me.
Salvatore Catalano.
He is sitting next to the man Ethan is meeting. Our eyes clash, and his blue eyes change in color and emotion. Blue into dark, and from a questioning look to anger, making my heart beat faster. The feeling I shouldn’t be here creeps over me, the darkening of his gaze telling me so many things. Things I can’t understand. I avert my eyes from his and focus on introductions.
I slide into the booth across from Salvatore and his beautiful blond companion. On our way here, Ethan said something that made me want to reevaluate the situation and bolt at the last moment. He told me not to speak unless someone asked me something, but I decided to stay and observe. After all, I do that best. I learned from a young age that women are not to speak unless spoken to and that we need to know what a man wants before even he knows it. But I was rebellious, and that was one of the main reasons I successfully escaped that life and used what I learned to my benefit.
Ethan leans in, whispering in my ear. “They will serve food. You are expected to cut my steak and feed me.”
To everyone else, it looks like he’s kissing my neck. He told me he would do that when needed, just to make things interesting for his host, who is a big voyeur. “I don’t know what else. Just look at what others do and do the same. And don’t get angry. I don’t like this either.”
I exhale slowly and fake a shy smile.
The men sit and talk money, numbers, and business. The one that talks most is Adkins. Ethan is very careful with what he says. He doesn’t seem like he wants to be here. The third man—I didn’t catch his name as my heart was beating at the looks and glares from Salvatore—wants so badly to be in Adkin's pocket that he agrees to everything like a good little puppet.
Salvatore is mostly glaring at Ethan with a murderous look in his eyes, disagreeing with anything he says. The blond with him takes notes and from time to time writes things for him to read.
I, however, am picking my brain and trying to find an excuse for the goosebumps on my body. I run my hand over my bare thighs, trying to control my breathing but failing. When I look across from me, Salvatore’s eyes roam over my body, and I can feel his touch all over again.
“Are you cold?” Ethan whispers in my ear. I avert my look from Salvatore and turn to Ethan.
“No, just a little chill. It will pass.”
He nods, turning his attention from me as he keeps his conversation with the men. When I look back at Salvatore, his jaw is clenched, and if looks could kill, Ethan would be a dead man.
When dinner is served, my relief doesn’t last long, remembering I need to feed Ethan, then things start to heat up. I look around at the dining area and see women feeding men; it’s so ridiculous. Every man has a woman by his side, and for those who don’t, there are women waiting by the bar to serve them.
My gaze catches with the blond across from me, cutting Salvatore's steak into small pieces. He is looking at my hands, doing the same for Ethan.
I can feel the intensity of his wrath, like we’re alone in a bubble that explodes when the woman with the third man accidentally makes a false move and a small drop of sauce falls on his pants. He growls at her, calling her names. The woman shrieks, and just as I want to stand and give him a piece of my mind, Ethan’s hand lands on my thigh in a firm grip, preventing me from doing as I want. I glare at him. He pleads with me with his eyes not to do a thing. I close my eyes and grit my teeth. His hand wraps around my waist, pulling me to him, and he whispers in my ear.
“Calm down. You can’t do anything.”
What kind of place is this? I take a deep breath. The poor woman is shaking.
I feed Ethan his steak, and all the while, Salvatore stares daggers toward Ethan. Ethan smirks at me the whole time. He thinks this is funny; I wish I could grab his plate and throw it in his face. He knows this is the closest he and I will ever be.
“What the….” Ethan doesn’t continue as he looks across the room.
When I follow his gaze, all the tension I felt disappears when I glimpse Cece and Logan Hall. We look at each other, confused. They seem very comfortable with each other. I knew they knew each other from when she visited me, but I didn’t know they were that close.
“There must be an explanation.”
I forget all about Salvatore Catalano, at least as much as I can. Not that his intense gaze is allowing me to. Instead, I concentrate my attention on Cece. When she makes her way to the ladies’ room, I excuse myself and follow.
I can feel the burning of Salvatore’s gaze all over me as I walk.
Closing the door behind me as I enter the black and gold room, small chandeliers light the space, reflecting on the granite countertop and golden sink. A big golden mirror hangs on the black wall behind it. I lean my shoulder on the black wall near the sink and wait for Cece to appear.
I can’t believe she would come here, and with my boss. She was secretive last week, but I was too busy in search of any dirt on Salvatore Catalano.
The door of one of two stalls opens, and she startles upon seeing me.
“Isa!” she gasps, her hand landing on her chest. “What are you doing here?”
“I could ask you the same thing. Since when are you so cozy with my boss?” I narrow my eyes at her.
She exhales, giving me an apologetic smile. Raising her finger silencing me, she turns toward the stalls and looks under the door, checking if someone else is here. When she’s sure we’re alone, she exhales deeply and leans against the wall.
“I got the case of a young woman two months ago, claiming her date forced her to do some weird things and wanted to press charges against him. I can’t tell you any details, so don’t ask. Our investigators found some things that led us here. Logan’s name came up, so I confronted him. We had a heated argument, one thing led to another, and he told me he was investigating a story.”
“But Logan doesn’t investigate or write stories. He is COO and a board member. And he makes sure to mention that at every meeting,” I say, confused.
“Yes, but someone asked him to do the story and I don’t know who because he’s protecting them. So, we came to an agreement to work together so the story doesn’t get exposed without the right evidence.”
I shake my head. She is a strong woman and can handle it. All I can do is support her.
I hug her, murmuring into her hair, “Be careful.”
“Of course. What are you doing here?” She looks at me, confused, probably remembering where we are.
“I’m here with Ethan. He cashed in his favor. He was asking about you.”
“Oh, I ignored his calls. Tell him I’m sorry, but he will survive.”
I laugh. “Yes, he will. You go out first.” I motion to the door. “I need to do my business.”
We hug one more time before she leaves me to do what I need to do. After washing and drying my hands, I leave the bathroom.
Not even a step out, I get pulled to the side by a strong hand. Only after I have been slammed against the wall do my confused eyes clash with the furious glare of Salvatore.
“What is your problem?” I hiss, trying to free myself from him, but his grip on my biceps has pinned me in place. It’s then I realize how close he is. His body is almost flush to mine. I inhale, calming myself, only to breathe in his spicy scent. All the tension present at the table comes back, this time more intense because of his hands on my skin.
“You. You are my problem,” he growls in a low voice. “I told you to stay away from my business.”
“Why would you think I’m here for you? I’m here with Ethan. I didn’t know you were going to be here.”
His nostrils flare and his square jaw is so tight it might break.
I didn’t know he would be here. That is the truth. But now I’m intrigued. If this place is being investigated by my boss and my badass lawyer friend, then there is more to it. And Salvatore conducting business here could mean various things.
“He shouldn’t have brought you here. Nor was he supposed to be here,” he mutters, shaking his head.
“Why not? You’re here, but from what I see, neither you nor he will get money from Adkins.” I grin, finding pleasure in his defeat. “The other guy is playing the cards he wants. It makes me wonder what kind of person brings people to a place like this for a business meeting, and what the hell is this place, anyway?” I raise my eyebrows at him, baiting him. I try to pull my hand away, but he pins me with his body to the wall.
There is a moment of silence. Minutes pass, not seconds, before he, like awakened from some trance, grabs my chin between his fingers. “It is none of your business. And keep it out of your business.” He places his thumb on my lower lip and pulls it down, leaving a salty taste on my lip.
“Now, you will go back to that table and sit like a good girl. After ten minutes, you will ask Ethan to leave, because as you said, there is no reason for him to stay. You will leave, and I don’t want to see you again. I don’t want to see you researching any kind of story that is within a ten-mile radius of me.”
He takes one last look at me before letting go, leaving me pressed against the wall with his spicy scent filling my nostrils.