"I like you too."
"Awesome. I'm going to visit you every chance I get, okay?"
I nodded. "I'd like that."
"But just remember that it all depends on my father and what he has me do to learn how to run the trafficking side."
I turned onto my side and faced him. "I don't understand. We haven't had any new girls come."
"There's a warehouse full of them, Zell. He sells them for money."
My eyes widened. "Really?"
Frankie sighed. "Yeah. It's disgusting."
"I hope you come up with a plan soon."
"Me too." We stared at each other for a few seconds. "Now, we need to pretend for the cameras."
"Oh, I thought we were." We were naked in bed. I thought that was enough since he said we weren't going to have sex.
"Nope, but she doesn't know what she can't see."
I furrowed my brow. "What do you mean?"
Frankie grinned and pulled the covers over our heads. "She can't see through the covers."
"True." I beamed. "You're so smart."
"No, I just know how to work around shit." He kept his gaze on my face, not looking at my naked body under the covers.
The more Frankie and I talked, the more I was starting to really trust him. I wasn't sure if that was a good or bad idea. "Please don't hurt me."
He arched a brow. "I would never. You can trust me. I promise." He stuck out his pinky.
"What are you doing?"
"Making a pinky promise."
"What's that?"
"The ultimate promise between two people. You hook your pinkies together and kiss your thumb."
"What happens if the promise gets broken?" I questioned.
"Death."
"Death?" I gasped.
Frankie chuckled. "I'm kidding, but breaking a pinky promise ends friendships."
"You're my friend?" I considered him my friend, but I wanted to know if he thought we were too.
"Of course I am."
"Good."
We stared at each other again, and Frankie's gaze moved to my lips and then back up to my blue eyes. In that split second, I realized that I wanted him to be my first kiss. I wanted to feel those butterflies in my stomach that I'd read about. I wanted to know what it was like to feel his lips against mine, his tongue swirling with mine. My gaze lowered to his lips, and then back up.
"You want to kiss me, Zell?"
I nodded, and then without hesitation, Frankie leaned in, and I had my first kiss. It was everything I'd hoped it would be.
When I’d gone to the penthouse, I didn't think Zell and I would be naked in a bed kissing. To be fair, I didn't know there were cameras in the rooms—my dad had failed to mention that—but then again, I could believe that there were cameras. I didn't know who frequented the brothel, but knowing my father, he'd want dirt on everyone in New York City. So, I had to come up with an idea on the fly because I didn't want some bitch watching me.
Our lips broke apart, and Zell slowly opened her eyes. "How was that?" I asked, the sheet still pulled over our heads so the cameras couldn't see us. Hopefully, the sheet was moving as though we were doing stuff.
"I liked it."
"You want to do it again?" I smirked.
She nodded with a huge grin, and I didn't hesitate as I brought my lips down upon hers once more. The entire time we made out, I had to make sure I didn't get too close so she didn't feel how hard I was. If she was any girl from school, we wouldn't have only kissed. I would have gotten laid or a blowjob, but Zell was different—obviously. Not only was she new to all of this, but she was also so naïve. It was what drew me to her. I wanted to show her the world—literally. I wanted to be her first in every aspect of the word: kissing, sex, friendship.
We broke apart again. "More?" I asked.
"Yeah, I like kissing."
"Me too." I really enjoyed only kissing Zell and not going further. So, we kissed until it was time for me to leave. My balls were literally aching, and I had to do something about it before I exploded on my sweet, innocent princess.
"I have to go," I announced as I broke our lips apart.
"When will you be back?"
I sighed and rolled out of the bed, trying to hide my erection before grabbing my boxers. "I hope soon. It all depends on my father and what he has planned."
"I hope it's soon too."
I got dressed and kissed her goodbye, not worrying about the cameras. "I'll be back," I reassured her.
"Okay."
I exited the room. There was no one waiting for me. I'd expected Madam would want a verbal confirmation on how Zell did like last time, but she was nowhere in sight as I made my way to the elevator. I gave a quick nod to the guy standing outside of the elevator doors. He was a different guard than the one I'd seen last time. I decided to introduce myself since I'd become his boss eventually.
I stuck out my hand. "Frankie Russo."
He took it. "Marcus."
"How long have you been working for my father?" I took in his appearance, noting that he was a bigger guy. Not necessarily stronger than I was, but he definitely had more fat. The other guard that I had seen was slim and could probably take me in a fight. I had to find out what the others looked like, so I could determine my best chance of getting Zell out when I had the opportunity.
"Six, maybe seven years."
I nodded slightly. "Nice. You'll be seeing more of me."
He grinned. "Because of Zell?"
"No, because I'm taking over." Though I did plan to come back as much as I could to see Zell. I had to pretend it was all business, just like my father.
"You are?"
"Yep."
Without another word, I pressed the button for the elevator and the doors opened. I wished I could take Zell with me as I got in and left, but I was confident that one day, I would. I didn't know how or when, but I would make it happen. The entire time I was with her, I’d felt as though it was my first time with a girl because we only kissed. I knew it was her first time, so I was taking things slow with her, especially since I didn't think anything would happen. I'd only gone back to check on her and to get a lay of the land, so to speak.
There was one guard by the elevator, and that was it, but now that I knew about the cameras, I realized I couldn't get in and out undetected.
I needed a solid plan.
The next morning, my father wasn't home from his so-called business trip, so I took the opportunity to go through his desk drawer. I wasn't sure what I was looking for, but I felt as though I would find something—anything—that would give me a leg up. Though, as I looked in drawer after drawer, I realized that a criminal operation like his wouldn't leave a paper trail. I wasn't even sure why he had a home office.
Taking my cell phone out of my pocket, I pulled up the locator app that told me where my father was so I would know how much time I had left to snoop in his office. To my surprise, it couldn't locate his phone. I'd never known him to ever turn off his cell, and it made me suspicious. What was he up to?