1. Shaw #2
“Did you see Nurse Laila on page eleven?” Jace held up his book and pointed at a woman in a provocative nurse outfit. It struck me as odd for an office theme, but maybe it was good for business to cater to some kinks outside of the typical business employee roles.
“I figured Secretary Dominique on page twenty-four was more your type.”
He flipped to that page, then catcalled the picture of the buxom blonde. “Damn, I can’t wait to come on her tits.”
Having decided, Jace began making suggestions for me. “What about Vice President Rodriguez on the next page?”
“She’s not my type.” None of the women were, but I didn’t want to get into that with him. The footnote that she was available for threesomes with Chief Financial Officer Sarah surprised me less than the small print warning that “additional fees apply for marking or bruising.”
I ignored Jace drumming his fingers on the table. When I reached the last page, my mouth dropped open.
“Damn, someone must have caught your eye.” Jace turned to the page in his book. “Get the fuck out! He looks just like that bastard from school. What a stupid name, though.”
Unable to comment, I stared at the man called President Dragon, who had a striking likeness to Dante Gennaro.
“Maybe it’s his older brother or a cousin?” Jace squinted at the picture. “God, I would never let that shithead live that down. Can you imagine if that was him, though? There’s no way, but come on!”
“Only one way to find out,” I said as I leaned over and pushed the intercom button.
Jace’s eyes widened in disbelief. “You’re going to spend two hours with some guy because he looks like that asshole? That’s super fucked-up, Shaw.”
“What can I say? I’m curious.”
“Once you get your answer, switch to a woman. You should reconsider the vice president. She was hot as hell.”
I said nothing about his assumption. Jace had made enough homophobic comments over the years for me to know better than to correct him.
Since moving to America after my parents died, staying in the closet was easier than losing a friend. I let Jace’s bigoted comments slide to keep the peace.
Before Jace could say anything further, a new woman walked into the room with the Japanese receptionist from earlier. “Have you reached a decision, sirs?”
“I think Secretary Dominique is the perfect birthday gift to unwrap,” Jace answered with a playful wink that made me uncomfortable.
“She’s available now. Please follow me.” The woman’s smile didn’t reach her eyes as she led Jace away.
That left me alone with the Japanese woman. Her gaze assessed me with clinical precision. “And you, sir?”
I forced the words out. “President Dragon, please.”
“He’s free to see you.” She led me to the elevator, pressing the button for the top floor.
The ride up was silent until the doors opened and revealed another opulent office hallway.
“It’s the third door on the right, sir,” she announced.
I hesitated, scanning the corridor. “Where are all the guards?” The question slipped out before I could stop it.
She smiled, the expression not quite reaching her eyes. “This floor doesn’t require them.”
The implication chilled me. I noticed the barely visible cameras recessed into the ceiling. Unlike the obvious security downstairs meant to intimidate, these were designed to be forgotten until it was too late.
I thanked her and walked toward my fate, taking a deep breath before knocking. The moment stretched before the door opened.
Dante Gennaro stood before me, his familiar smirk spreading across his face as he leaned against the doorframe. Not the look-alike I’d half expected, but the actual man who had tormented my dreams since high school.
“Huh. I should have known you’d end up here eventually,” he said, his voice carrying none of the surprise his eyes betrayed.
I bristled. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
He moved aside to let me enter, closing the door with a soft click that carried the finality of a coffin sealing shut. “Since you’re so obsessed with me, this is the only logical outcome.”
“I’m obsessed? You’re one to talk!” My voice rose despite the danger of challenging someone connected to the criminal underworld.
“You don’t deny it.” His eyes gleamed with satisfaction.
I crossed my arms over my chest, trying to appear braver than I felt. “Neither do you.”
“At least Jace’s comment earlier in class makes more sense now. As if getting fucked would somehow make him a ‘real’ man. Whatever that means.”
Trying to calm my temper, I glanced around the room.
It resembled a glorified penthouse suite at a luxurious business hotel, but subtle details betrayed its true purpose.
The bed was larger than standard, with discreet restraint points built into the frame.
The nightstands probably held items no hotel would provide.
Most alarming were the floor-to-ceiling windows that revealed the glittering city below, the lights of Manhattan like stars at our feet.
It was as though Dante wanted the world to witness whatever happened in that room.
He belonged there in his tailored suit, looking every inch the Mafia prince who commanded life and death with a single word in his criminal empire. The rumors about the Gennaro family’s brutality felt more personal and terrifying now.
“How do you explain this?” I asked, gesturing around the space.
He shrugged with calculated indifference. “What’s there to explain?”
“What are you doing here?”
“That’s none of your business.” He narrowed his eyes. When I started to address him by name, he cut me off. “Don’t call me that here.”
“Do you seriously expect me to use that ridiculous title in the book?” I challenged.
“Most call me Dragon.” His voice dropped to a purr that sent heat through my body. “After all, it’s difficult to scream the full thing when you’re coming.”
Heat rushed to my face, but I refused to show weakness. “I’m not calling you that, either.”
“As long as you don’t use my real name, I don’t care.” His fingers worked his cufflinks with practiced efficiency, the gold catching the light like brass knuckles.
I watched his nimble movements, wondering how many throats those hands had crushed. “I don’t understand.”
“You don’t understand why it’s hard to moan something as awkward as President—”
“No, why you’re here.” The blush refused to leave my face.
“Because I work here,” he responded dryly as he took off his suit jacket and let it fall to the floor.
I struggled against my rising frustration and fear. “Yes, but why are you working here?”
He stalked closer, using his height to tower over me. “What difference does it make? Why do you care what I do with my body?”
“This isn’t you.” I couldn’t understand how someone as prideful as Dante could stand to work in a brothel, even if it was owned by someone in his family.
“What would you know about that?” He loosened his tie with a flourish. “What makes you so certain this isn’t who I am?”
“I know you.” I watched as the tie slithered to the floor like a snake.
“Do you?” Dante wrapped an arm around my waist to pull me closer. “How exactly do you know me?”
The heat of his body against mine scattered my thoughts. I jerked away, putting distance between us. “Knock it off!”
He laughed, the sound cold and mocking as he unbuttoned his shirt.
Things were progressing way too fast for me. “What the hell are you doing?” I flinched at how panicked I sounded.
“I have no intention of answering your question,” he said, each button revealing more skin beneath, “so we’re moving on.”
“You don’t get to decide that!” I forced my eyes to stay on his face and not on the tempting expanse of his body being bared.
“If you want to pay someone to listen to your bullshit, you should have gone to a therapist.” His smile was razor-sharp. “I refuse to endure your self-righteous protests for the next two hours, so spare us both and shut up about it. That’s not why you’re here.”
He shrugged out of the dress shirt, revealing his toned body marked by scars that told stories of violence I couldn’t begin to imagine. It looked like a map of survival in a world where weakness meant death. When he sold his body for pleasure, it shocked me to see it in such an abused state.
My stomach lurched at the implications of what he had endured. “You don’t think I’m here for that, do you?”
“Considering how many people would fuck you for free, it surprises me you would resort to this. Even if you’re only here to babysit that worthless asshole you call a friend, you’ve already paid, so we might as well make the most of it.”
“You can’t be serious.” My mind reeled at his casual acceptance. “And stop insulting Jace!”
His smile turned predatory. “You’re not backing down from a challenge, are you?”
My nails bit into my palms as I tried not to let myself get drawn into his game. “This isn’t a challenge. There’s no victory here.”
“I would beg to differ.” Without warning, his tongue traced a hot path from my neck to my ear.