**CAITLIN**
I must have gone mad.
"Thank you," Dominic muttered after taking the last sip of his tea. Cute.
The two men screamed power and money, yet they made themselves at home in my tiny apartment. Yurik was lying on the couch with his head on the armrest, lounging lazily as he watched the television. He had finished his tea and took it to the kitchen himself.
Both of their guns were on the glass table, right next to my weed. I would smoke but sativa made me way too horny to be around Dominic when I knew I couldn't have him.
"You're welcome," I said and took the empty cup from Dominic's hands, stopping him from getting up. My fingers just barely brushing over his but I could feel the slight warmth he was radiating.
If Yurik wasn't here...
They explained everything to me in detail, but before that, I had already concluded that I wanted to do it. I might have had too much self-confidence but the thought of it excited me in ways I couldn't explain.
Five thousand dollars would cover three months of rent and put a decent dent in my student loans. My landlord had been breathing down my neck about late payments and I was tired of eating instant noodles for dinner. This was my way out, at least for now.
It made me feel good that Dominic and Yurik had faith in me, well, Yurik more than Dominic I could tell. He was a bit hesitant and he had a sceptical look in his eye that only fuelled the need for me to show him otherwise.
They went into detail about how I would need to act, talk...seduce. That was a topic that really got Dominic clenching his jaw, and I couldn't help but smirk at the jealousy he was very obviously trying to hide, but no doubt failing.
Little did he know that no one else came close to him anymore.
"Wait, what does this guy look like?" I asked sitting down on the couch and facing my body towards him. I didn't know what I was expecting but when Dominic opened the laptop and showed me a mug shot, my eyes widened.
He looked to be in his late twenties, sporting a dark buzz cut and a neatly trimmed beard. He had a black eyebrow piercing, and I could see the tattoos sneaking up his neck, stopping just below his jawline. Lucas was smirking with his head tilted up slightly, almost mockingly and that alone told me the man feared no one.
"Holy shit, he's fine." I blurted without thinking. The laptop was slammed closed and I jumped.
Yurik let out a loud laugh and shook his head. "Be careful, sweetheart. This one is about to go all woof woof snarl grr on your ass."
I looked at Dominic and he was glaring, not at Yurik or me but at the laptop. "This won't work if you're attracted to him." He said, but something in his tone was harder, and I narrowed my eyes at him. Yurik was watching with his mouth formed in an 'O.
"I never said I was attracted to him. There's a difference." I defended.
"It's written all over your face, Caitlin," Dominic said, still avoiding my gaze, and I looked at him, appalled.
"You should know what my face looks like when I'm attracted to someone and that was not it." I snapped and this made his eyes finally meet mine. Wait, I shouldn't be defending myself.
"Should I?" He teased.
I opened my mouth to speak but a loud ringing through the silent living room stopped me. It was Yuri's phone on the table and a picture of...Micah popped up. I frowned, the little fucker doesn't even call me.
Yurik's eyes lit up and he hurriedly picked it up. "I need to take this. We leave in twenty minutes." He said pointedly before stepping out into the hallway and closing the door behind him.
Twenty minutes. My stomach flipped.
Dominic was still sitting there, jaw tight, fingers drumming against his thigh. The air felt heavier without Yurik's chaos to cut through it. I did the first thing that came to mind. I sighed and threw one leg over his lap, straddling him. His eyes widened the slightest bit and his hands went straight to my ass.
"You're cute when you're upset," I whispered, leaning closer to him, and his face turned cold. I guess the big mafia boss didn't like being called cute.
"I'm not upset." He snapped through gritted teeth, and I smiled, biting my lower lip, unmoved. You're not as good at hiding your feelings as you think you are.
"Oh, yeah? Relax your jaw," I trailed my fingertips along his jawline. He listened.
"Good. Get rid of this frown." I moved toward his forehead and I watched the wrinkles disappear.
"Finally, loosen these tense shoulders," I said softly, and placed my hands on his broad shoulders, and I felt them sag beneath my touch. I grinned at him, and Dominic sighed in relief.
"Better?" I asked him to massage his hard muscles. Suddenly, it was like a switch was flipped, and a menacing look formed in his eyes. Dominic's hand flew up gripping my cheeks so hard I thought the bone would break. He squeezed my lips into a pout, and it hurt, but it did something to me, something I couldn't quite describe.
"Do you like teasing me, angel?" Dominic asked leaning his head to the side and keeping his eyes on my mouth.
"Yes," I admitted to gulping hard. His grip tightened, and I gasped, trying to pull away, but he held me in place, glaring at me hard.
"Tease me again and I'm fucking that pussy raw." He muttered before his mouth crashed onto mine. His tongue pushed past my lips and I moaned into him, my hands fisting his shirt. The grip on my face loosened slightly as his other hand slid up my thigh, rough and demanding. I was drowning in him, forgetting where I was, forgetting everything except the heat of his body against mine.
His fingers brushed the inside of my thigh, higher, and I arched into him. The couch creaked beneath us. His other hand left my face to grip my hip, pulling me harder against the obvious bulge in his slacks. I rolled my hips and he groaned into my mouth, the sound vibrating through my chest.
"Dominic," I breathed when he broke the kiss to trail his lips down my neck. His teeth grazed my pulse point and I shuddered.
"Say it again," he growled against my skin.
"Dominic."
He bit down, not hard enough to hurt but enough to make me gasp. His hand slipped under my shirt, palm hot against my ribs, thumb brushing the underside of my breast. I was unraveling, every nerve ending on fire. Twenty minutes. We had twenty minutes and I wanted to use every single one of them.
The door handle rattled.
I froze. Dominic cursed under his breath, pulling back just enough to look at me. His pupils were blown wide, lips swollen, hair messed from my fingers. He looked wrecked and it made me want to wreck him more.
"To be continued," he said roughly, setting me back on the couch like I weighed nothing. He adjusted himself, jaw clenched, and I couldn't help the smirk that pulled at my lips.
Yurik walked in, phone still pressed to his ear, and stopped mid-sentence when he saw us. His eyes flicked between Dominic's flushed face and my rumpled shirt. A slow grin spread across his face.
"Am I interrupting?" He asked innocently.
"No," Dominic bit out.
"Yes," I said at the same time.
Yurik laughed. "Right. Well, the car's ready. Time to get our girl suited up."
*
Dominic pulled a small blade from his pocket once Yurik disappeared into the bathroom. The handle was black, sleek, beautiful in a dangerous sort of way. Yurik had taught me the basics over the past few days. How to flip it, conceal it, and where to aim if I needed to. I wasn't an expert but I was confident enough.
"Lift your dress," Dominic said, dropping to his knees in front of me.
I obeyed without hesitation, gathering the fabric in my fists and pulling it up past my thighs. His breath caught when he saw the red lace thong. I hadn't worn it for him. Or maybe I had. I wasn't sure anymore.
"Trying to kill me, angel?" He muttered, pulling a thin strap from his other pocket. His fingers were warm as they wrapped around my thigh, positioning the holster just high enough to stay hidden. He secured the blade inside, testing the fit, making sure it wouldn't slip.
His hands lingered. Slid higher.
"Dominic," I warned, but my voice came out breathy.
"Just making sure it's secure," he said, smirking up at me. Liar.
He stood slowly, deliberately, his body brushing against mine as he rose. "You remember everything I told you?"
"Yes."
"Words, Caitlin."
"Yes, I remember."
"Good." He cupped my face, gentler this time, and pressed his forehead to mine. "You got this, angel. And if anything feels wrong, you get the fuck out. I don't care about the job. Understand?"
I nodded.
"Words."
"I understand."
*
The Mercedes was sleek, black, and probably worth more than my entire existence. Yurik handed me the keys with a fake ID and explicit instructions not to speed, run any red lights, or do anything that would get me pulled over.
When I parked outside the club, I sat in the driver's seat for a long moment, fingers drumming against the steering wheel. The bass from inside vibrated through the pavement. My pulse matched it, quick and insistent.
Three months of rent. I repeated it like a mantra. Three months of not dodging calls. Three months of breathing room.
I flipped down the visor, checked my lipstick in the mirror, and let my face shift. The nervous journalism student disappeared. Sophia slid into place, confident, unbothered, looking for a good time. It was the same mask I wore when I interviewed people who didn't want to talk. Friendly but detached. Interested but not desperate.
I could do this.
I stepped out of the car, locked it, and started toward the entrance. A group of men near the door whistled as I passed. I ignored them. Any other night, I would've told them to fuck off, but tonight I was Sophia, and Sophia didn't waste energy on nobodies.
The club was massive, open, and bathed in low red lighting. A circular stage dominated the center, two poles occupied by women who moved like they were born on them. I made my way to the bar, sliding onto a stool and catching the bartender's attention immediately.
"Double whiskey with ice, please."
He nodded and I settled in, pulling out my phone. I frowned at the screen like I'd just been stood up. Annoyed but not surprised. The bartender set my drink down and I thanked him, taking the smallest sip.
I didn't look up at the VIP section. I knew he was watching. I could feel it.
Fifteen minutes passed. I nursed my drink, watched the dancers, and checked my phone twice more for effect.
"Whoever stood you up is a fucking idiot."
I glanced up slowly, like I hadn't been expecting him. Lucas stood beside my stool, arms crossed, smirk firmly in place. He was exactly like his photo. Buzz cut, neat beard, eyebrow piercing, tattoos crawling up his neck. Attractive in an obvious, calculated way.
"I'm used to it," I said with a shrug, taking another sip.
He slid onto the stool next to me, close enough that I could smell his cologne. Expensive. Overpowering. "You shouldn't be. I'd never do that to you."
I turned to face him fully, let my eyes drag over him like I was considering it. His gaze dropped immediately to my cleavage. Predictable.
"I highly doubt that," I said.
"Lucas." He extended his hand.
I eyed it for a beat too long, then placed mine in his. He brought it to his lips, holding eye contact the entire time.
My stomach rolled. His hand was clammy, rough in places it shouldn't be. The kiss lingered too long. I wanted to yank my hand back and wipe it on my dress but instead I smiled, soft and flattered.
"Sophia."
His cologne was suffocating up close, something trying too hard to smell rich. It clung to the air between us and made my throat tighten. I kept my smile in place.
"Nice to meet you, Sophia. Care to join me?" He gestured toward the VIP section. Two guards flanked the stairs behind him, hands clasped, eyes scanning.
My pulse kicked up but I kept my expression easy. "I don't know about that, Lucas." I tilted my head, playing coy.
"Come on, you can't sit here on this uncomfortable chair." He grinned wider, leaning in slightly.
I hesitated just long enough to seem uncertain, then let my smile turn playful. "Okay, sure. Why not?"
I reached for my purse to pay but Lucas put his hand over mine, stopping me. He gestured to the bartender who nodded without a word.
"Don't worry about that. Just come with me."
He offered his palm and I took it.
His hand was warm, possessive, already assuming I'd follow. There was something off about him beyond the obvious. He wasn't bad looking. He probably didn't have trouble finding women. But the way he looked at me, like I was already a done deal, like the outcome was inevitable, made my skin crawl.
I buried it. Smiled wider. Followed him up the stairs.
"Thank you," I said sweetly.
Just like that, I walked into the deserted VIP section.