by Anthology
“This is me. It’s not much and I still have to decorate,” I explained to Victor as he took in the bare walls. He stepped in behind me and there wasn’t a lot of space for the two of us. I was increasingly aware of his scent, like cloves and some other spices, as well as his size. Knowing his history, I should have been intimidated, but he had been nothing but gentle and generous.
“I want to see you again. How about dinner tomorrow night?” he asked, taking a step closer. I stepped back and was stopped by the desk against my ass.
“Sure…yes, dinner sounds good.” I licked my lips and his heavy gaze dropped to them. Suddenly his hands were buried in my hair and his mouth was on mine. I gasped and grabbed onto his black t-shirt, gripping the soft cotton in my fists. His piercing pressed against my bottom lip and I gently nibbled on it. His tongue slipped between my lips and he deepened the kiss. Victor stepped forward again and I was trapped between his hard body and the desk. I felt drugged and electrified at the same time. My nipples hardened in response and I shifted so he fit between my legs, causing a reaction to erupt deeper and lower. I forgot about my assignment, my cover, and everything else at that moment. All I thought about was having Victor take me right there, bent over my desk. Fortunately he had some self-control left and broke the kiss. My lips felt hot and swollen, and my pulse was all over the place. We were both breathing heavy and when Victor stepped away, his dark eyes were hooded and full of promises of more to come.
“I’ll call you tomorrow to make plans,” he said and snagged a business card off my desk. All I could do was nod, and this made him smile. “Until then, sweetheart.” He left and I stared after him, unable to move since my legs were shaky and it felt like I had melted and become glued to the desk.
Seconds later my cell phone chimed, prompting me to move. The text message was from my boss.
Boss: How did it go?
Me: Good. Dinner date tomorrow.
Boss: Excellent work. Keep it up.
I slipped the phone back in my bag and sat down. My endorphins were still fired up from the amazing kiss. I’d had boyfriends before, but this was the first time my whole body felt consumed by a man’s touch. This is an assignment, so don’t fuck it up. With a deep sigh, I focused on the agenda for my upcoming conference call, putting thoughts of Victor aside.
Victor
I was on my way back to the shop when my cell phone rang. This was the latest burner and not my personal phone.
“This is Victor.”
“Hey, it’s Jimmy. Gio needs to see us.”
“On my way.”
It was a good forty-five minute drive to Gio’s estate and I spent those minutes thinking about Lauren. Her hair was so soft, but her lips, fuck, I wanted to devour them and every inch of her. As I turned onto Mulholland Drive, carefully avoiding a pothole on the corner which could’ve fucked up the tire on my bike, I passed a florist. Sudden inspiration caused me to turn around.
An older woman with graying hair stood behind the counter when I walked in. She was working on a large bouquet. She looked up to greet me and her automatic smile faded when she took in my appearance. Facial piercings and sleeves of tattoos, plus my large size, tended to get that reaction from strangers.
“Can I help you?” she asked, placing both her hands on the counter as if bracing herself for a robbery.
“Yeah, I’d like to send flowers to a friend.”
“Okay,” she said.
I pulled a wad of cash from my pocket and this got her attention. “I want something big. Can it be delivered tomorrow?” After that she warmed up to me and I had her laughing at the end. She wrote down Lauren’s address from her business card and guaranteed the arrangement would be delivered by ten the next morning.
As I left, I scanned the parking lot out of habit, and when I saw Jimmy leaning against his Jeep, I grinned and shook my head.
“What are you doing here?”
“I saw your bike. Flowers, Drago? Who died?”
“Not for a funeral, they’re for a chick.”
Jimmy raised his eyebrows, but only one lifted as the other side of his face was a twisted mess of scar tissue from being burned. “You’re buying flowers for a chick? You feeling all right?”
“Fuck off.” This made him laugh and I sat down on my Harley, fastening the chin strap on my helmet.
“Seriously, who is she?”
“Someone I just met.”
“Oh shit, Drago’s in love,” he said with a knowing grin as he climbed into his Jeep. I flipped him off before firing up the engine and twisted the throttle causing the chrome exhaust pipes to rumble and pop. I wouldn’t say I was in love, but I’d never bought a chick flowers before. Usually it was dinner and a fuck, then I’d never see the woman again. Sometimes I didn’t even have to worry about the dinner part. Something about Lauren made me want to do more. I wanted to impress her. What the fuck was that all about? Maybe I’d talk to Jimmy about it. He was a new father and had settled down with his girlfriend. I thought about my friend Natalie. She was recently back together with Dominic, the boss of the Philly mob. She’d be able to provide a female perspective at least. If I still had feelings for Lauren after our date, then I’d make a call. In the meantime, I had to keep my head attached. We had a big transaction going down in a few weeks and I couldn’t afford to be distracted.
The next day I called in a favor with a local restaurateur who got his start with a little help from Gio. His latest, a farm to table venture, required three months advance notice for reservations, but he immediately made arrangements for me to have a table for two that night at seven-thirty. After hanging up with him, I called Lauren’s extension.
“Good morning, this is Lauren Michaels.”
“Good morning, sweetheart.” I heard a sharp intake of breath on the other line before she spoke.
“Thank you for the flowers, Victor. They’re gorgeous.”
“I’m glad you like them. Just a little something to brighten up your office.”
“They do.”
I filled her in on the dinner plans and she gave me the address for her apartment. She also gave me her cell phone number and I gave her mine. We hung up soon after that and I realized I couldn’t wait to see her.
Lauren
My boss, Gary Winston, sat across from my desk, rattling off instructions.
“Daniels, are you listening?”
“Huh? Yes.”
He scowled. The wrinkles on his forehead exaggerated his receding hairline. He glared at me over bifocals that hung on the end of his long nose. I was half-listening. Gary wanted me to wear a wire, which I refused. If I got caught on the first date, I’d be dead and the mission screwed. That wasn’t an option. My thoughts were focused on the “what if” scenarios of the date. What if I was made? The idea of deceiving Victor was bad enough, but actually getting caught was terrifying.
“Daniels, we’ve had lots of agents work undercover. Some of them for years and they thoroughly infiltrated gangs. Sometimes this meant they had to take on alternate lives, do drugs, have relationships. I need to know you’re thoroughly invested in your assignment.”
“Of course I am.”
“Good. I need to know you’ll do what it takes for Victor Drago to confide in you, bring you into his inner circle.”
I knew what he was asking. Could I go all in and have a relationship with Victor, a sexual relationship if necessary? The way I felt after just one kiss, I knew that wouldn’t be an issue. “Yes, I’ll do what it takes.”
“Good girl.” It was my turn to scowl. This wasn’t the first time my boss made misogynistic comments. I tried to brush it off. He was older, close to retirement, and had that good old boy mentality. It still pissed me off that he was so condescending, but I kept my mouth shut. The successful completion of this assignment would earn me respect and bragging rights.
We went over a few more details before he left my office. It was rush hour when I left and it took me close to an hour to get back to my apart
ment. I rushed around getting ready for my date. After a quick shower, I spent a good thirty minutes deciding what to wear. I acted like it really was a date, nervous jitters and all. Deciding on a simple black dress and nude heels, I slipped these on, putting the rest of the clothes that had been scattered to the four corners of my apartment away.
I lived in a studio, so my bedroom and living room were basically the same space. A small kitchen with breakfast bar was tucked away toward the back of the apartment. A giant picture window at the front was the big selling point for me. It let in a lot of natural light and faced west so the sunset views were amazing. I wasn’t in the best of neighborhoods, but that was part of my disguise. I had been trained in self-defense, receiving top marks in hand to hand combat, so I could handle the typical street criminal. After putting on some light makeup and brushing my hair so it was soft and tangle-free, I spent the last few minutes before Victor arrived straightening up my apartment. There really wasn’t any clutter, but it kept my mind preoccupied. When the buzzer rang, announcing Victor, my pulse quickened and my palms went sweaty.
Taking a deep breath and wiping my hands on my dress, I opened the door and waited for Victor. He stepped off the elevator at the end of the hall and then strode purposefully toward me. His long dark hair was combed and pulled back into a ponytail. He wore black dress pants and a dark blue button down shirt. The biker chain for his wallet and his black boots displayed the Victor flair I was becoming familiar with. He had a bouquet of sunflowers in his hand and he gave these to me after placing a kiss on my cheek.
“You’re more gorgeous than ever, sweetheart,” he said.
“Thanks, you’re looking good yourself.”
He grinned and I stepped aside, giving him access to my apartment. I watched as he took in the red suede loveseat and the bright patterned chair in the living room area. A folding divider, the same deep red as the loveseat, separated my bed and dresser, but they were still visible from the breakfast bar, which is where Victor sat as I placed the flowers in a vase.
“I love sunflowers,” I told him. “They remind me of summers in Ohio. There are fields of them, some of the stalks reaching twelve feet. They’d tower over me, the flowers as big around as a frying pan.”
“I like sunflower seeds,” he contributed, and I smiled at him.
“They’re good too. My mom taught me how to roast them, but I haven’t done that since…” I sighed and filled the vase with water.
“Since they died?”
I nodded and arranged the sunflowers so they were evenly distributed. It was a colorful display of yellow, green, and brown.
“My parents are alive, but I could be considered an orphan,” Victor said suddenly and I looked up at him. Of course I knew his story. His dad was in prison for murder and had been sent away when Victor was sixteen. Victor’s mom left town with his two sisters and he stayed behind, loyal to his father and his father’s best friend, Gio Bianchi. When he gave me a brief history, I sympathized with him when appropriate. When I’d done the research, I didn’t think our childhoods would be something we had in common, but in a way they were. We both lost our parents when we were teenagers.
I brought the vase over to the coffee table in the living room and set the arrangement down. Like the flowers did to my office, these brightened up the room.
“Thank you,” I said to Victor and leaned in to give him a kiss. He placed his hands on my hips and pulled me flush with his body.
“You’re welcome.” His lips found mine, which parted for him. His tongue slipped inside my mouth and began to move in soft strokes. I moaned and wrapped my arms around his neck, holding him close. One of his hands moved up my back, across the skin not covered by my dress and I shivered at the contact. This encouraged him and he unzipped my dress, sliding his hand down the opening until he stopped and cupped my ass. Surprised, I gasped and broke off the kiss to look at him. His olive skin was flushed, like he had a fever and his lips glistened from our contact. His eyes, dark like molasses, locked onto mine and we silently regarded each other as our heart rates returned to normal. “Sorry, was that too fast?”
“Uh, yes, I mean no, well…maybe?” I stopped and laughed. “I didn’t mind, it’s just that I am hungry and you promised me dinner.”
“Right, let’s go, we’ll pick this up later.” Victor zipped up my dress before reaching for my hand and then we left.
He held the passenger door to his black Audi open and I slid inside, noticing Victor watching my legs with interest. Thank God we had natural chemistry, otherwise this assignment would suck. I honestly couldn’t complain about spending time with a hot, funny, successful man. Criminal. He’s a criminal. He’s killed people. I had to remind myself of that.
We arrived at the restaurant and Victor handed his keys to the valet while another employee opened the door for me. Upon exiting the vehicle, Victor held my hand and we walked in together.
The name of the restaurant was called Earth and walking inside was like stepping into a forest. Rich greens and brown with deep russet reds and sunshine yellows as accent colors filled the room. The table and chairs were all unfinished wood, and large beeswax candles made up the centerpieces. The hostess marked Victor’s name off the reservation sheet, grabbed two menus, and led us to a table for two. Wine was ordered, poured, and less than twenty minutes later our entrees appeared. Everything was simple, straight farm to table, and delicious. I ordered duck breast with chestnut stuffing and a side of sautéed greens. Victor had pork chops with grilled apples and oven roasted squash. We chatted while we ate and got to know each other better.
“So, do you see your sisters often? That must have been hard when they moved to Florida.”
Victor set his fork down and looked at me. Candlelight flickered across his face, creating fleeting shadows. The piercing in his right eyebrow glinted in the light when he moved his head.
“I fly out once or twice a year and need to make plans for another visit. It’s been almost a year since my last trip, but if they ever need me, I’m on the next flight out.”
“Do they ever come here?”
He grew silent and contemplative, chewing on his lip piercing and staring past my shoulder for a few seconds before turning his attention back to me. “No.” I thought that was the end of conversation and opened my mouth to change the subject when he continued. “Because of my pops. My mom doesn’t want them to see him in prison.”
“Oh, that makes sense. Do they have any contact with him?” I cut off another forkful of duck and popped it in my mouth.
“They write, but that’s about it. Do you have any brothers or sisters?” he asked.
“Nope. Just me. Well, after the accident, I went to live with my aunt and uncle. They have a son, my cousin Ryan, but he’s like ten years older than me. He graduated college the same year I moved in. They took me in out of obligation.”
From there we talked about our jobs. Victor told me his dad’s friend, Gio, was a successful businessman and helped him get his tattoo shop and even said Gio was like a second father to him. I tucked that nugget away to explore later. Victor completely glossed over any mention of the mafia, not that I expected him to be forthcoming.
With dinner over, he drove me back to my apartment. The drive to the restaurant was full of the first date awkwardness, but the return trip was more comfortable. Victor walked me to my door and I watched with amusement as he went in first and scanned my apartment. I don’t even think he realized he was doing it.
“All clear?” I teased and he stopped, turning to face me with a grin.
“Ah yeah, just want to make sure you’re safe, being that you’re a beautiful woman living alone.” He crossed the room and drew me into his arms. I went willingly. His dress shirt was unbuttoned at the neck, exposing part of his tattoo, making me curious about all of his ink. Did he have tattoos everywhere? I starting unbuttoning his shirt, frustrated to find a wife beater on underneath, yet another barrier to my exploration. I must have scowled or h
uffed as Victor laughed and stepped away, pulling both shirts over his head.
Holy shit! I thought to myself as I took in his body art. A giant dragon covered his chest, the tail wrapping around his hip and disappearing below the waist of his pants. His arms were complete sleeves and the pattern seamlessly blended with the scales of the dragon on one side and then on the other side with the fire being breathed in a stream of vivid reds and oranges.
“Wow, your tattoos are amazing!” The body beneath was equally spectacular. He was solid muscle and perfectly sculpted. My gaze was continually drawn to the dragon’s tail and I wondered where it stopped. Victor smirked and started to take off his pants.
“Whoa, what are you doing?”
He paused and raised his eyebrows. “Showing you the rest. What did you think I was doing?” he said with a wink and I laughed, shaking my head in embarrassment.
“I’m not sleeping with you tonight. I’m not the kind of girl who does that on a first date.”
Victor stopped unzipping his pants and we regarded each other from just a few feet away. I could feel the attraction pulse between us like electrical currents, and as much as my body wanted to ride Victor into the next day, I knew he had a reputation for one-night stands and zero relationships. I had to keep him coming back and interested in order to complete my assignment. Uncovering a major heroin deal and disrupting the pipeline was more important. It became harder to remind myself of that the moment Victor stepped forward and claimed my lips with his. His hands roamed down my back to cup my ass and my breasts were crushed against his chest. Heat radiated off his bare skin and my hands traced every ridge of muscle. I discovered his nipples were pierced when I broke off the kiss and they were practically at eye level. I drew one of the silver bars into my mouth. Victor hissed and threaded his fingers through my hair, pressing me closer, encouraging me to suck harder. He moved his hips and I felt the bulge in his pants nudge my stomach. With a pop, I released the bar and took a dizzying step backward.
