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“Why did she want to come to Sirena?” I brace myself for information I don’t want to hear.
“I don’t know. Getting the girls to go out was Misha’s job.”
Misha. The Romanian who’s confined at the back of the building.
“What were you planning to do with the Brit after you had Francesca Russo?”
When he doesn’t reply, I stick my knife into the back of his thigh. He shrieks and pisses himself.
“There’s a lot of room for my blade to sink deeper,” I coo. “You might not know much about how the ring operates, but you do know what you were going to do with the British woman.” I slide the knife a bit deeper.
“No more,” he begs. “I’ll tell you.”
“I haven’t got all fucking night.”
“They would have taken the extra girl,” he squeals. “We could have sold them both.”
My blood runs cold at the admission—although it’s not a surprise. Son of a bitch.
“Where were you planning to take them?”
“The docks. Someone was going to find us.”
No surprise there either. I don’t need to ask, Then what? because I know what happens to women in the clutches of flesh traders.
“See what else our friend can be encouraged to remember,” I mumble to Zé, before going to find Misha.
Lexie brought them to Sirena. Maybe Misha can shed some light on why.
9
ALEXIS
After I’m examined by Dr. Arruda, who is indeed very nice, and given a clean bill of health, I pour myself some water and curl up on the sofa with a book I found on Valentina’s desk.
Giana and Sabio are in the kitchen, but they have a clear view of me—or at least Giana does. Aside from the bedrooms, the apartment has an open floor plan, perfect for invading my privacy. I don’t mean to grouse. They shared their meat pies with me and a slice of pound cake Sabio’s mother made. They’re not pushovers, but they’re good people.
I try to read, but I’m too distracted with the smoking-hot guy who saved my ass tonight—and Francesca’s. I knew he would.
Sure, he saved me, but it means nothing. Once he’s had a chance to pick my brain, he’ll vanish—like before. At least this time I won’t have just begged him to fuck me.
I feel the book drop from my hands as I drift off, wrapped in the erotic haze of that evening, with its vibrant scent of lush grapes. There’s a slow, jazzy song playing. The melody wafts in the sultry breeze.
I’d watched Rafael all day—for years, really—and now, after too many toasts celebrating Valentina and Marco, a long cocktail hour, and dinner with wine and Port, I couldn’t even be bothered to pretend that I didn’t want to climb all over him.
After he disappeared into the vineyard, I slipped off my heels and followed him. I had no idea where he was going, because this had been Valentina’s grandparents’ home, and I hadn’t spent much time here.
I stayed a good distance behind him, being as quiet as a tipsy woman can be. I was confident that he hadn’t noticed me—until he turned the corner and lay in wait. I didn’t see him, but I felt his presence as he covered my mouth to muffle the scream.
“Are you following me, Lexie?”
When Rafael dropped his hand, he was smirking, and I wasn’t anywhere near as embarrassed as I should have been.
He’d lost his tie, jacket, and cuff links hours before, but he looked delicious, with his dark hair combed back and his startling blue eyes flickering with something that felt—forbidden. Tempting me beyond anything I could resist.
But I didn’t want to resist. I wanted to surrender.
“I thought maybe you were going somewhere fun,” I teased. “Are you?”
