"Stop it." He growled, grabbing her chin between his fingers and making her look at him. "You act so innocent, yet you have to be aware of what it was doing to me," he added.
"But I can’t do this," she whispered, hoping that he had at least one decent bone. Itwashardtoeventhink straight anymore,andshehadtofigureouta goodliethatwouldgetheroutofthis situation. There was a small voice at the back of her head that suggested telling the truth. But she wouldn’t get out alive in that case. And praying for someone to interrupt them again didn’t seem like something that would yield much success. Miracles didn’t repeat themselves.
Gastone’s expression tightened. Then came the realization, followed by even more eagerness. "You’re a virgin, aren’t you?"
And that conclusion could have been her salvation if not for the flash of excitement that had awakened in him. It seemed that would add to her overall appeal, so she had to deny it while she still could. She forcefully shook her head.
"Then what?"
"I prefer to get to know someone better before," she said.
Thatwastheonlyideathat had come to her in that short time. And itwasn’tevenabadoneif the man would understand her point and agree.
Maybe he would tell her more about himself. Finally, reveal what she desperately needed.
But the Capodecinalooked at her and laughed loudly. "That’s such bullshit, sweetheart," he started. "Wasn’t it true that Noah Falcone was interested in you? Somehow, I doubt you said ’no’ to him. No one ever does."
Her heart sped up. "That’s ridiculous. We didn’t even talk to each other. Your sons just introduced me to him and that was it."
If Gastone linked her to Noah in any way, it could be the end for her. The piercing sound of theCapodecina’s phone ringing saved her. He groaned but answered as the Underboss’ name appeared on the screen.
Inéz made a mental note to thank Flavio for that. She still couldn’t move because the man was tightly holding her in his embrace.
"Yes?"
The tone of his voice changed immediately. While his face showed exasperation, he sounded polite and composed. If Inéz was braver, she would wipe that annoyance off his face. She wished she had more useful information for her Capo.
After a minute of intense conversation, Gastone rose from his seat and quickly walked out of the room, looking as if his house had caught on fire.
"Gracias a Dios," she breathed out and followed her boss, wanting to leave that place as soon as possible.
"Had fun?" she heard a male voice that made her jump.
Everyone was startling her today as if their ultimate goal was to give her a heart attack.
Nicodemo was leaning against the wall just outside the VIP room. His arms were crossed against his chest, and he was smirking. It was dangerous to talk to him in public. With many Made Men attending this club, someone could see them and jump to the wrong conclusions.
She looked around, checking whether anyone was watching.
"Don’t worry. Everybody is occupied for now. Come," he said, extending his hand.
Inéz took it and he started to lead her towards the back entrance. It looked like he wanted to get her out of the club, and although she would love nothing more, she still had a few hours of work left.
"Wait," she stopped. "I can’t leave. They will get suspicious."
The Enforcer studied her face, trying to figure out whether she was being serious. "Somehow, I think Noah will want you out of this place the second he hears about the VIP room," he assured her.
"No, he won’t. He knew from the start what this task could entail. Yes, I was terrified when those men left me alone with Gastone, but today I finally made some progress with this goddamn thing. I cannot surrender now when I am just a bit closer," she firmly stated.
As much as she hated doing this, she felt a dire need to go on. Of course, she would need to figure out a new way to stop the Capodecinafrom going too far, but it was her duty to see it through.
Nicodemo’s eyes flashed with respect. "Why are you here anyway?" she asked.
"Noah wanted me to keep you safe."
"Then do it from a distance, but I need to try again," she remarked, and walked away from the man before he could see her fear. Her words hadn’t been what she longed to say, but rather what was needed in order to be able to continue trying to fulfill her duty. Now her next step would be to find out who Ivan was, and what kind of business he had that involved an investment in the petrol industry.
CHAPTER 36
Anticipation had been slowly killing her throughout the rest of the night. She kept dancing, hoping it would all be over soon, and cursing herself for not leaving with Nicodemo. She had so many things to tell Noah, and so many questions to ask that the mere thought of doing it was making her jumpier by the minute.
She tried calling him, but with no success. And as she had been told not to send messages, there was no way of getting in touch with him. So by the time she was done working, her anxiety had reached its peak.
What if something bad had happened?
The realization that this would become an everyday feeling sank in, hitting her hard.
She left the club at four-thirty that night with the intention of hailing a cab and going to Noah’s place. She was worried sick and couldn’t stand not knowing what was going on. But surprisingly, a black Mercedes was parked on the other side of the lot, the engine running. There was no doubt that it belonged to Noah himself.
Inèz froze, feeling that it couldn’t be a coincidence. Her steps lost some of their confidence but got a little closer nonetheless. It wasn’t safe for him to be there, so close to her.
