Chapter 23 | Leo
Leo
Ientered the Gilded Cage around eleven p.m., noting it was still busy even though the hour was late. The bouncer at the front had recognized me, but the second bouncer I met as I walked inside was new.
“Did Julio let you in?” he asked skeptically.
I nodded. “Leo Stabler. I’m here for a private dance.”
The bouncer’s eyebrows lifted. “Oh, yes. The boss told me you were coming. Follow me.”
He led me through the club to a back hallway that had several rooms on each side. We walked toward the room at the end, and he pushed the door open.
“She’ll be right in.”
Nodding, I entered and sat on the couch, releasing a deep breath. I absolutely hated pretending to pay Katia for private dances, knowing she didn’t strip anymore, but it was the best way to get messages to Michael when other methods were unreliable.
“Well, hello, officer,” Katia said, entering and closing the door behind her. She wore leggings with some sort of animal print above stiletto heels and a corset that pushed her breasts high. Reminding myself not to stare at her like a creep, I kept my gaze on hers.
“Technically, it’s Agent.”
A sultry smile curved her red painted lips. “Agent,” she said, the word all but dripping with sex. “Hello, Agent Stabler. How can I help you?”
“Well, first, you could sit down.” I patted the cushion beside me.
“Thank God, because my feet are killing me.” She sauntered toward me and lowered to the cushion.
“But the leggings are cute, right? I can’t do the uber-skimpy shit anymore, but you were coming in and I had to look like I was going to give a private dance.
Since I’m forty now, I figured cougar pants were appropriate. ”
I allowed my gaze to rove over her perfect legs in the skin-tight material before lifting them to hers. “You don’t look forty.”
“Oh, lord, do I look older?” she asked, grimacing.
I breathed a laugh. “No. You look much younger. Guess that’s good. I turned forty-two last week and probably look like I’m eighty. Being an FBI agent mob informant will do that to you.”
“Well, you still have all your hair,” she said, contemplating me as she tapped her chin. “And that stubble is killer. The eyes do have a few wrinkles, but that’s kind of hot in the George Clooney/Pedro Pascal era. I think you’re doing just fine.”
My dick twitched in my pants under her assessment, and I acknowledged there was one part of my body that was spry as fuck...especially around her.
“Thanks,” I said, pulling my phone from my pocket. “I contacted you because Michael’s phone is compromised.”
Concern entered her pale green eyes as her eyebrows drew together. “How so?”
“I feed false intel to Michael every few weeks to make sure no one is spying on our texts. We communicate on burner phones, and I know his is encrypted, but technology is so good in today’s world.
” I shook the phone. “I texted him three days ago that one of my fellow agents knew about the drugs coming into Bayonne tomorrow. And then, yesterday, a task force was created to show up at the Bayonne docks and bust him.”
“Shit, that’s not good,” Katia said, biting her lip.
“Definitely not. Especially since the shipment is actually coming into Elizabeth. Someone has tapped Michael’s phone and is feeding info to the feds.”
“I didn’t even know you could do that,” she said, removing her phone from between her breasts and tapping the screen. “I can’t even remember my passcode half the time. How in the hell do you hack a cell phone?”
“Oh, it can be done. I assure you.” Taking her phone, I pulled up her settings and turned off a few that I considered invasive. “There. I disabled geolocation tracking and AI training on your data. You definitely want those turned off.”
“My hero,” she said, her fingers grazing mine as she took the phone and stuffed it back between her breasts. “I think this is the most technical erotic dance I’ve ever given.”
Laughing, I awkwardly rubbed my neck. “I’m sorry you have to pretend you still dance so we can meet like this. It’s just the most secure place.”
Tilting her head, she studied me, her eyes glowing in the dim reddish light under her long crimson hair. “I don’t mind. I was never ashamed of dancing. It helped me save enough money to go to school, although Michael insisted on paying.”
A muscle ticked in my jaw at the reminder that she and Michael had dated for several years. Jealousy at the thought of anyone else’s hands on her snaked down my spine, and I pushed it away. Katia and I were worlds apart, and I’d always done well to remember that.
“Anyway, being an accountant is great,” she continued, “and having a legitimate job has its perks.” Relaxing back against the cushioned wall, she shrugged. “I enjoy keeping the books at Michael’s clubs, but I never minded dancing. Not in any of his clubs, at least.”
“I’m glad to hear it.”
“And sometimes I get to do clandestine missions like this.” Grinning, she assessed me. “You’d never be caught dead in here if you didn’t need to pass intel through me, would you?”
I hesitated, not wanting to offend her. “I’m just not much of a stripper guy,” I said, lifting a shoulder.
“Ah, a good Catholic boy. I can spot you all a mile away.” Leaning forward, she arched an eyebrow, sending blood straight to my cock. “You’re the ones who need dances most of all.”
Clearing my throat, I nodded. “Maybe so. Anyway, back to the phones. I got a new burner and encrypted the shit out of it. Michael should do the same. Does he know anyone with the technical skills to do that?”
She squinted one eye. “I bet Alexis could do it for him. She’s been doing a lot of technical stuff for him since she turned over the flash drive.”
“Good. Have her do that and text me his new number once you have it.”
“Yes, sir,” she said with a mock salute. “Anything else?”
Rising, I shook my head. “That’s it for now.” I began to head for the door but her fingers encircled my arm.
“Wait. If you leave now, people are going to think you blew your load way too fast. You need to stay a few more minutes at least, to make it look believable.”
Rubbing the back of my neck, I expelled a breath. “Honestly, I don’t give a shit what people think, Katia.”
“I know. You never have, and I like that about you.” She tugged me toward the couch and we both sat down again. “But I also don’t want any onlookers to think we’re doing business here. It needs to look plausible that you’re actually attracted to me and want to watch me take my clothes off.”
I had to struggle to keep my eyes from popping out of my head. Plausible? Hell, I’d wanted Katia since the first second I saw her, all those years ago when she was still dancing for Michael on the stage outside this very room.
It was during the time when I was just starting to inform for him and we were still testing each other out.
I’d entered the club and my eyes had landed on the most gorgeous woman I’d ever seen.
Her long red hair had flowed around her pale skin as she circled the pole, and Michael had appeared beside me, gazing at her while I struggled to breathe.
“Gorgeous, right?” Michael asked. “I prefer dark-haired women. Probably an obsession with someone from my past, but I think I could make an exception for Katia.”
I’d known the moment he spoke the words that he’d staked his claim and she was off limits. My fists had clenched at my sides as I realized I’d never touch her soft, glowing skin. Taking something that Michael Caruso had claimed was a death wish, and everybody in the tri-state area knew it.
“Leo?” Katia asked, pulling me back into the moment.
“Sure. I’ll stay five more minutes. I don’t want to put up any red flags.”
She gnawed her lip as she studied me. “You know, we’ve met like this several times over the years and you’re always so serious—and so anxious to leave.
Is it me? If you’d rather communicate with one of the other women, I can talk to Michael and see if we can do that, although I think he only trusts me to be a liaison with you. ”
“No,” I said, sliding my hand over her thigh. The silken material was warm underneath my palm, and I had visions of gliding my hand up higher and burying them in the deep, wet place between her gorgeous legs. “I’m sorry. I’m just not the most sociable person and I have a lot on my mind.”
“Turning forty-two will do that to you,” she teased, leaning back on the cushioned wall. “How did you celebrate?”
“My dad and I had steaks and drank a few beers. Nothing crazy. And then I watched the Jets at the local bar with my buddies on Sunday.”
“And your mom?”
“She passed away a long time ago.”
“I’m so sorry,” she whispered, sliding her hand over mine atop her thigh as I realized I never removed it. “Losing someone that close is devastating.”
“It was, for a while. Now, it’s just a dull ache that my dad and I both share.”
Her throat bobbed as intense sadness clouded her eyes. Her irises were almost transparent, with flecks of green and gold, and they appeared limitless as tears gathered there. “My sister died before I could save her, and I’ll never forgive myself.”
I knew some of the story on how Katia’s sister had passed. She’d been trafficked by one of the Eastern European smuggling rings, and Katia had come to America to try and save her. Unfortunately, she’d been too late, and I couldn’t imagine the pain she must’ve experienced.
“It wasn’t your fault,” I said softly, squeezing her thigh. “Those fuckers are assholes, and that’s why Michael is trying to eradicate them. He’s making good progress, and hopefully, we’ll get to the point where another young girl never has to suffer.”
“Thank you,” she whispered, sniffling as she gazed at me. “And what about the drugs? You seem surprisingly okay with that for a serious federal agent.”
Happy that she was teasing me instead of focusing on her sister’s tragedy, I breathed a laugh.
“I don’t love it, believe me. But Michael is good at keeping fentanyl out of the ports.
Like the shipment to Elizabeth tomorrow, for example.
He’s getting there at five a.m. with a slew of his men to inspect it before it’s distributed.
I know he won’t let one gram of fentanyl off that boat and will toss any he finds into the ocean. ”
“And the cocaine and heroin?”
I scowled. “I fucking hate them, but it’s better to fight one battle at a time and align with the enemy you know instead of losing multiple battles to the enemy who will defeat you.”
“So, Michael’s your enemy?” she teased.
“A friendly enemy,” I said with a nod. “And that’s exactly what I need in my line of work.”
“Fascinating,” she said, her eyes locked with mine as I struggled to breathe. She smelled so fucking good, and I had the strange urge to pull her close and bury my face against her neck to breathe in her scent.
“Okay,” she said after several silent moments passed between us. “I think you can officially leave now. People will just think I gave you the dance of the century and you couldn’t control yourself.”
If she only knew.
“I can stay longer if you think it’s wise—”
“No, we’re good.” She squeezed my hand and rose, and my palm instantly tingled at the loss of her warm thigh against it.
Standing, I cupped her arm. “If you ever want to talk about your sister, I’m happy to listen.” I glanced around the room. “But not here. Somewhere else more...”
“Appropriate for a good Catholic boy?” she asked. “The purple sex cushions aren’t doing it for you?”
Chuckling at her teasing, I shook my head. “It’s not really my color.”
“I’ll remember that.”
We walked to the door, and she rested her hand on the knob before gazing up at me. “And thank you, Leo. That’s a very kind offer. I haven’t talked to anyone about Elena in years. Maybe I’ll take you up on it one day.”
“You have my number. Use it anytime.”
Her eyes darted between mine, filled with sentiment I couldn’t decipher. Then, she pulled open the door.
“Thanks for the dance.”
I strode through the club, giving a salute to several of Michael’s men on the way out. Once outside, I pumped up the heat in my Audi and began the twenty-minute drive to my sleepy Long Island town.
After arriving home, I crawled into bed in my quiet house—so different from the blaring music of the packed nightclub. It was a visible representation of the vast differences between my world and Katia’s, and I reminded myself for the millionth time that she was not the right woman for me.
But as I lay in bed, stroking myself to visions of her stunning eyes and beautiful lips as she’d smiled at me, I couldn’t find the will to think of any woman but her.