Carmine

––––––––

“What did you take from the table, Eva?” I ask, snaking my hand over her thigh before I snatch the item out. “Oh, a knife in your stockings. That’s sexy...Unfortunately for you, there goes your supposed leverage. I have a gun; you have – excuse me, had a knife.” I stash it in the inside pocket of my jacket while she tries to break free, but I keep my knees firmly against hers. “I suggest you stop struggling, because this is turning me on,” I tell her and Eva goes still, summoning up a stoic conduct.

Nevertheless, her chest heaves with irregular breaths, and I find an unholy delight in tormenting her like this. I didn’t see Eva at breakfast and lunch, and after a restless night, I sought out my prey as soon as it was time for the party. She stands out in a close-fitting blue floor-length dress with a thigh-high split, her jet-black hair combed over one shoulder. And damn it, if she isn’t a vixen with her curves on display.

When everyone’s seated, a man at the head of the table explains, “Gentlemen, welcome. On the back of your name card, please write your lady of choice and your bid amount for a night alone with her.”

Glancing at Eva, I catch a hint of sadness clouding her behavior – she’s apparently surprised to hear that this is a silent auction.

I lower my mouth to her ear. “Why are you shocked to discover that your boyfriend wants to share you?”

She curses under her breath, professing, “I’m not.”

This thief is lying, but for some reason, her peculiar ways only increase my interest in her more and more by the minute. 

I don’t believe Eva is Roman’s girlfriend, and on top of that, she seems to be more on edge each time I see her. Also, I wonder why I was placed in the seat farthest away from her. It’s almost as if Roman doesn’t want me near her, even though she’s being offered to the highest bidder.

Reaching forward, I take the card and a pen lying on the table, writing Eva and a ridiculously high amount because I need to get her alone.

Meanwhile, Eva pushes her chair back, creating distance while she disregards me.

After five minutes, a few escorts gather all the place cards. As they begin pairing couples, drinks are served, and I request water, not wanting to consume any alcohol.

When one of the escorts stops behind me, I screech my chair back as she smiles at me and then glimpses at Eva.

Victoriously, I address Eva, “Looks like I get you.”

Eva grits her teeth, evidently pissed off, and her eyes cut to the other woman for confirmation.

“Eva, please chaperone Carmine to his room,” she instructs Eva, whose glower deepens as I take my glass of water in hand.

Eva chews on the inside of her cheek and looks past me. On instinct, I check behind me just as Roman strolls into the living room, conversing with some of his guests.

Then, out of the blue, a warm hand entwines with mine, and my gaze shoots back to Eva as she leaps up and tugs my arm, urging me to go with her. Disconcerted by the gesture since I never hold hands with any woman, I rise and follow her out, heading down the hallway to my room.

Once we’re inside, I immediately release her as if she’s burned me and take a sip of water to mask my uneasiness about how damn unpredictable she is.

Before she can speak, I fire my questions at her, “Now that I have you alone. First, I want my watch back, and then I want to know what the hell is going on between you and Roman?”

She angles her chin up rebelliously as we glare at one another in bristling silence, and when I reach inside my jacket, fishing out the table knife, her eyes widen. But I toss it on the nightstand and it skids over the surface, hitting the wall.

Realizing I need to check her for other weapons because she’s proven how sly she can be, I comment, “Since you refuse to answer, let’s take care of business first.”

“What do you mean?”

I loosen my tie, flinging it off as I sit on the edge of the bed with my glass still in hand, and I order, “Come here. Stand in front of me.” When she refuses to obey, I roll my neck. “You’d better do as I say.”

“Why? You don’t even want me.”

“Ah, smart girl! But I paid a shitload of money for you just now,” I taunt, provoked, “so come here and remove your clothes so that I can check you for weapons.”

She doesn’t move as we stare at each other in a battle of wills, but what Eva doesn’t know is that I emerge the victor in any battle that lies before me.

“Eva,” I add in a calm tone, “you have two options. Undress yourself or I’ll frisk you. See, I’m a fair man. I’ll always give you choices.”

Her fist clenches and unclenches as our gazes lock. Seconds pass and still, no movement while I rotate the glass in my hand and wait. And wait.

Eventually, I set the drink on the nightstand and surge upward. “Frisking it is then.”

Which prompts her into action. “Okay. I’ll undress,” she acquiesces as I stride to her and drag her body flush to mine.

“Too late.” I grope down her behind, easing to the insides of her thighs, and she’s surprisingly feisty, struggling and twisting against me.

“I don’t have any,” she protests, yet I wrap one hand around her neck and the other around one thigh, throwing her off balance as I shove her back against the wall.

In reaction, she shrieks into my ear, so I shout, “Calmare!” Calm down! “I told you, I’m only checking you for weapons!”

Leaning in toward her face while I have her spread wide, my front pushes into hers to keep her immobile and I find no other items hidden inside her dress. Unluckily, one of Eva’s hands is trapped between us so that I feel its sweltering heat through my trousers, and when she hikes her leg on my hip to gain her footing, my cock hardens. Especially since she’s blessed with those delectable curves.

Then, thank fucking god, she goes slack and ceases rubbing against me. Yet when she sighs, the warmth tickles my cheek as she rests a palm on my shoulder.

A need to leave surges inside me, but I have to get information, so I state, “I’ll ask you one more time, and I’m not letting go until you answer me. Where’s my watch?”

She drops her head back, uttering, “Home. I don’t have it here.”

“Why did you steal it?”

“I didn’t. I saw you forgot it and was planning to give it back, but you were such an ass to me that I kept it.”

“You bring it out in me,” I grind out. “I want it back.”

“I can get it later and give it to you tonight. I don’t need or want your watch.”

For a moment, I study her before instructing, “I’ll give you until midnight, Eva. Meet me here then and not a minute later.”

“Fine. Okay.” She attempts to move to no avail.

I continue my interrogation with questions regarding Roman, “Are you Roman’s girlfriend?”

Her chest deflates as she admits, “No, I’m not his girlfriend. I think he said that to confuse you.”

Instead of drilling her more about Roman, I demand, “Now tell me, why are you so reluctant to undress if you were hired as an escort and knew what kind of party this was?”

Her brows knit together and her voice drops to a sad whisper, “Just because I’m a whore, I should love to undress in front of men?”

“No, that’s not what I meant at all. You’re too reluctant, not like the other girls who walk around here.”

“I’ve been an escort for a few months, and I’ve only worked at Club 7.” She looks away, biting her lip, and I wonder why she chose to become an escort.

Changing topics because I don’t need to know any additional personal information about her, I ask, “Did you really meet Roman on New Year’s Eve or has he devised a plan? I believe he has a strategy and you’re a part of it somehow.”

She regards me in the most unnerving manner. “I did meet him then. He offered me a job for this weekend but never really explained what the job entailed, and since I’d just been fired, I took it. I don’t know him or anything about him, except that he hired escorts for this party.”

“I don’t believe you,” I say, and she arcs a brow.

“I do know he doesn’t like you and he’s ordered me to stay away from you.”

This could be true, because how could I have not seen her all morning unless he made sure we weren’t in the same room together? But why is Roman screwing with me? And she’s betrayed she’s part of his plan, because why else would he not want her around me, but what’s her role in all of this? It seems that the more I talk to her, the more confusing the situation becomes.

“If he finds us together, I’ll be in trouble and you’ll never get your watch. Please, just let me go. I’ll get your watch and we’ll be done – we won’t have to see each other again,” she implores.

I mutter against her lips, “Something tells me we won’t be done. Furthermore, I’m taking a huge risk trusting you to honor our appointment tonight, because the past has proved you have a tendency to run away.” Then I release her before she notices the stiffening bulge in my pants, and while my blood is rushing back up north, she just stands there next to the door, staring at me.

Calmly, I lean into her but reach sideways to open the door, motioning outside to dismiss her. “You may go.”

After sneering at me, Eva bursts out of the room as I count to ten, dispelling the lustful emotions she brings out in me. But it’s in my best interest to trail her, so within seconds, I storm out as well. Going to the end of the hallway, I stop when I see her about to cross the threshold into the garden until a high-pitched female voice makes her freeze and look over her shoulder.

I retreat rapidly and peek around the corner as Gwen speaks to Eva, “Why were you with Carmine?”

A deep crease forms in Eva’s forehead while my blood boils at Gwen’s interference.