Eva

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“Isn’t this adorable...” Roman says, wandering into the room and pinning his stare on me.

“Who’s that?” Brandon asks.

Roman stops in front of me, plowing a hand through his dirty blond hair that’s slicked back with a massive amount of gel, and without looking at Brandon, he answers, “I’m a friend.”

When Kayley edges backward, Roman barks, “Don’t move.” And she immediately stands as still as a statue.

Brandon yanks at the skirt of my dress to demand my attention.

Loosening his hold, I implore Roman, “Let Kayley take Brandon, please. He doesn’t need to hear this.”

He casts Brandon a look and motions to the door. “Fine. Take the boy.”

Kayley tugs Brandon up and to keep him distracted, she explains they’re going to visit his friend as she ushers him out.

As soon as Roman and I are alone, he unbuttons his brown jacket, giving me a glimpse of his gun that’s tucked in the side of his waistband as he strolls around the bed to the window with the drapes hanging open, peering outside. “Now I finally understand why you work as an escort. Why you need so much money. To pay for your brother.” He pivots around. “But first things first. How surprised do you think I was when I heard Carmine won you in the silent auction?”

“That was a mistake,” I defend and lie, “I informed him, and nothing happened between us. He’s with Gwen.”

A slow smile spreads across his sharp features. “That seems to be true. My sister was entertaining him right before I left to chase you down. See, I’ve discovered that you can be much more useful to me, so you will spy on Carmine for me – since he seems to be very interested in you. I want you to steal his phone for me, without him noticing.”

Hell no. “Why me? Why not one of the other escorts?”

“Because, evidently, he isn’t one bit interested in the other ladies. Plus, you’re the easiest to blackmail.”

“So you want me to stay away from him but steal his phone?” I sum up, puzzled.

“Don’t play dumb with me. Obviously, you don’t have to avoid him anymore if I want you to steal his phone.”

“But am I still your girlfriend?” I ask, not revealing that Carmine already knows that I’m not.

“Yes. I said that because I needed to see if he’d want what he couldn’t have. Now I’m trying to confuse him further. He’s too arrogant not to play. I want to know more about the wheelings and dealings of the Syndicate’s daily business; that’s it. You’re still my escort, but your main goal is getting his phone to me for a couple of minutes without him noticing so that I can copy the data. You have until Monday, and I’ll pay you an extra thousand to not double-cross me.”

No, no. I wanted out. “What if I refuse?”

“Do you believe you’re in a position to refuse? You need to pay the boy’s bills. Also, if you betray my plans to Carmine, I’ll kill your brother.”

He says it so casually while choking terror swiftly builds inside me, and without waiting for an answer, he paces out, expecting me to follow.

Oh, my god. All these men think about is how they can use people to their own advantage. I’m an unwilling pawn caught between Roman and Carmine.

“We leave now. There’s no time to say goodbye. One of my guards will ride with you – don’t even think about doing anything funny,” he informs me with a cruel grin as we move through the revolving doors to return to the mansion at Lincoln Park, where only trouble awaits.

***

When I’m back at Roman’s house, I’m, of course, seated across from Carmine with Roman beside me. Carmine’s unrelenting stare is aimed at me while he takes a drag of his smoke, and I shake my head once, hoping he understands my warning.

For the love of god, I need to learn to focus! In all the commotion, I forgot to take Carmine’s watch from Brandon’s desk drawer where I had it stashed.

Carmine’s expression remains stoic as he leans back, his unfastened suit jacket, made of luxurious navy blue fabric, hanging open at the sides to reveal a tailored white dress shirt that doesn’t hide the hard lines of his chest. Casually, he tips his cigarette in the silver ashtray that’s set before him on the table, and then he dips his chin to Roman in greeting, every movement controlled.

“Carmine,” Roman says with no indication of malice. “I apologize for missing dinner. Are you enjoying yourself?”

He glances at Gwen. “I am.”

I see Roman clenching his fist under the table, but his pleasant smile doesn’t change. Neither does Carmine’s unreadable mask, for that matter.

Then Gwen addresses Carmine, and I’m ignored while Roman mutters into my ear, “Get his damn phone for me. And get him away from Gwen or your brother will pay. When you have it, come to my room. My main guard will be there if I’m not. Now I’m going to fuck a plump brunette, but don’t worry, my guards will watch you.” Standing up, he approaches one of the escorts.

In the meantime, my brain is attempting to form a plan with the information Roman’s provided. I’m already in this mess anyway, but I still want to get out with everything intact. I just need to steal Carmine’s phone, and hopefully, I’ll get paid and then I can run like hell from all of these people. Unfortunately, in the process, I’ll have to be around Carmine a lot; I don’t want him to lose interest in me.

My plan terrifies me, but I don’t get any time to wallow because someone taps his spoon against his glass, informing the men, “We’ll collect all cards now so that the couples can retreat to their private rooms.”

I haven’t walked around and given my name, so I can concentrate on Carmine, but he’s absorbed in Gwen, making me wonder if he even cares about whether I have his watch or not. Moreover, I noticed how many escorts made sure they introduced themselves to him. I’m not the only one who finds him the most handsome man attending this party. Carmine’s obviously a womanizer, and he’s bold and unapologetic about it.

He disregards me until I look away and then back, catching him peeking at me for a split-second before he smiles wickedly at Gwen. Somehow, I get the feeling that while his eyes don’t land on me once, he’s still aware of my every move.

But when he reaches forward for the pen and his card, I try to create an opportunity to get to his phone by offering, “My name is Eva, in case you forgot.”

His gaze shoots up as he leans back again in surprise and counters point blank, “Is that a proposition to fuck?”

Clearly, Roman was right; Carmine doesn’t back down from a challenge. “Maybe...”

My response causes a lazy smile to form across his features as he slouches deeper into his chair, thoughtfully taking another drag of his smoke and appearing to contemplate the invitation with considerable pleasure.

“Right here?” he asks, smirking, and I keep grinning politely, although I want to roll my eyes.

“Don’t be an ass—” I start as his smile widens, but I’m cut off by Gwen, who touches his arm.

She purrs, “I was actually hoping we would continue our talk, Carmine?” And she expertly thrusts her bosom out, her plunging neckline leaving nothing to the imagination, and the corner of his lip twitches.

What the hell is she doing?! She’s making this more difficult for me, and now I have to compete for his attention. Especially when she slithers her arm around his shoulders and murmurs something to him while he holds my stare and arcs a brow in challenge, enjoying this way too much.

“Quit smiling,” I blurt out, allowing him to trigger me.

“Oh, I will never quit smiling...” he returns, keeping his smoke between his thumb and forefinger as he takes one last drag.

Instead of arguing with Gwen over this guy, I get up from my chair, approach Carmine, and bend down to his ear. “If you want your watch, I suggest you come with me,” I whisper, trying to sound steady and seductive as I stick to my plan.

However, a tremble goes through me as Carmine’s grin eases into his characteristic glare that doesn’t bode well for any of us, and Gwen sits back just as quickly as I straighten.

Carmine stubs out his smoke calmly and is about to speak when a waiter comes up to us, saying to Gwen, “You’re needed in the kitchen for a second. There’s some confusion about when to clean up the buffet.”

So she helps her brother organize these gatherings.

Puffing out her annoyance, she sends me a dirty look before beaming at Carmine. “I’ll be right back.” Rising, she sashays away while Carmine watches her swaying hips, and this time, I do roll my eyes.

Then the waiter addresses me, “Eva, can you meet Roman in the garden for a moment?” before he tells Carmine, “She’ll be right back, sir.”

Alarm crawls up my spine as Carmine’s brows furrow, and I begrudgingly head out.

Within five minutes, I’m outside by the pool, shivering from the cold since I’m wearing only a blazer over my thin dress, and I become lost in thought as it’s the first chance I’ve had for everything to sink in. But if I think too much about the precarious situation I’m in, I’ll most likely break down, so I shake my head to clear it. I must avoid losing control at all costs for my brother’s sake.

While I stare at the moonlight rippling on the water, I suddenly feel a finger raking up my spine and I spin around, my heart plummeting to my gut. “Oh, it’s you.”

“Your greeting hasn’t gotten any better, I see,” Carmine insults, peering over his shoulder and then grabbing my upper arm to pull me with him past the bordered path and into the shadows of the trees.

I dig my heels into the ground and manage to make him stop, jerking free with a swift yank. “Where are we going? I need to meet Roman.”

He replies in a mocking tone, “I know; I was there, remember? So I suggest you move or I’ll take more drastic measures to get you alone.”

“Drastic measures? What do you mean?”

“I mean, you will go with me one way or another.” He surveys me coolly and waits a few seconds while I wonder what to do.

When I back away, he says, “That’s it. I gave you a choice!”

Then, all of a sudden, he ducks, loops his arms around my legs, and hauls me up and over his shoulder as if I weigh nothing, snarling, “Fucking mess!”

Gasping, I kick air while all the blood rushes to my head.