She nodded. “You’re right. I better get back to him before he worries.”
“Nice meeting you,” she said to the girl. Graciella stood up straight. “You should be careful about being so predictable, Boss. It could be your downfall.” She winked and sauntered off like a fucking queen. He watched the sway of her hips, the confidence and grace in the way she carried herself. She was a true professional, and any mark would be helpless under her wiles. No doubt she’d be pissed with him tomorrow.
“Who was that?”
“Nobody.”
How was he supposed to eat now? His appetite had vanished the moment he noticed her in the restaurant. He went through the motions, ordered, and picked at the food. All the while, keeping tabs on Graciella. She kept laughing at the man’s jokes, touching his arm, and making sure to look over at him once in a while with those evil eyes.
Never in his life had he felt jealousy for a woman—until tonight.
****
She had Killian’s car followed. Boss usually used him for transport. And she knew he’d come here.
What she didn’t expect was the blonde drooling all over him.
Graciella touched up her makeup in the bathroom. She wasn’t sure why she liked fucking with Boss. Maybe because he’d surprised her the other day, so she wanted to give him a taste of his own medicine. And, somehow, he made her feel safe.
Tomorrow, she had a face-to-face with Viko Fedorov. It wasn’t something she looked forward to. He’d never touched her. The man was like a machine—no emotion, no bullshit. He’d insisted she do him a quick favor before the meet. Saying no wasn’t an option. She had to fuck her date and provide pics so Viko could frame the married man for something.
The Circle of Monsters wasn’t like Killer of Kings. Boss ran his business without a hiccup, and he had his own strict code of ethics. The Circle of Monsters were violent assassins of the underworld. They were vicious and cut-throat. And she owed Viko a major debt from years ago. He wasn’t pushing her to pay up just yet, as he loved having her in his debt. She’d contacted him because she needed him to help her sort out the shit she’d started back in Colombia. Viko knew where she came from. He’d funded her little project, the one now completely out of control.
The tainted drugs were only supposed to take out the cartels who’d ruined her life. They always used their own product. But it didn’t stop there. And it had mutated, getting mixed with other chemicals along the way to the US.
“Who’s the suit?” Boss grabbed her arm as soon as she left the bathroom.
She gasped.
“None of your damn business,” she said. “Your plaything is waiting for you. Hurry up, it’s almost past her bedtime.”
“I don’t care about her. Who’s your date?”
She rolled her eyes. “Business.”
“What kind of business?”
Even with her four-inch heels, he still towered over her. He made her feel fragile and feminine, which wasn’t an easy task. “The kind that pays very well.”
His features were set hard. “Want me to kill him for you?”
“I’m not killing him, just fucking him.”
Boss had her pressed against the wall in the hallway within seconds, his body trapping her in place. “You have skills, Graciella. Why would you sell your body for a contract?”
“It’s just a body,” she whispered.
They were so close. The scent of his cologne, the heat of his words, the fire in his eyes.
“I know where you come from—every detail. You deserve better than this bullshit. Cut the suit loose.”
She tried to jerk out of his grip, but he was like a brick house. “You know nothing,” she said. “And you don’t get a say in my life.”
“You can’t even let your own brother into your life. You going to die a miserable, spiteful bitch?”
Graciella smacked him hard across the face.
He stared at her without reacting. Without budging.
The next moment, his lips were on hers, his hand in her hair. She closed her eyes, completely taken by the rush of passion. They kissed long and hard. The entire world went away as they devoured each other, unable to get enough. All the sexual tension between them came rushing to the surface and couldn’t be contained.
She lifted her leg against his side, the slit in her dress giving her full range of motion. He grabbed her hip, grinding against her. She was completely breathless, unable to get enough of this man.
When he pulled away, she was left wanton, her entire body quaking with need. She touched her lips. Her red lipstick had to be a disaster.
“I should freshen up,” she said dismissively. Graciella didn’t like how much Boss affected her. He brought out too much vulnerability, in her opinion.
He caged her in with an arm to each side of her head. She wanted to feel those thick muscles for herself but fought for composure.
“Am I your prisoner now?” she asked.
Boss just stared, his jaw clenched.
“Our dates are waiting.” The intimacy was more than she could handle—the look in his eyes, the fact he knew about her fucked-up childhood.
“I don’t want you in his bed tonight,” he said. “I want you in mine.”
When Viko asked her to do something, she had to do it. Until her debt was paid in full, she had little choice in the matter. Luckily, she trusted him not to abuse her.
“I can’t…”
“Why not? How much is the contract? I’ll pay you,” he said. “Cut him loose.”
“You don’t understand. I said I can’t.” She ducked away and disappeared into the bathroom. Emotions bubbled up because the truth was she’d much rather be in Boss’s bed. A job was a job, and if she started feeling sorry for herself, it wouldn’t turn out well.
He appeared in the reflection of the mirror.
“This is the ladies’ room, Boss. Get out.”
“Tell me why you won’t let this go. You like him?”
She smirked, turning around as she leaned on the counter. “It’s blackmail. My contact needs pics of him screwing a woman who’s not his wife.”
“Then we swap. My girl’s begging to get laid. We hook them up.”
“It’ll be a sad night for you then. I don’t have sex for pleasure. Only for business.”
“Call it whatever you want.” He cupped her face, using his thumb to wipe at some of the smeared lipstick. “You’re so fucking beautiful, Graciella.”
Tears pricked at her eyes. God, how perfect would it be to be wanted, loved, and protected by Boss. But she’d never trust a man. Never. She could take care of herself.
“You can get any woman you want,” she said.
“I can say the same thing about you. Every head turns in your direction when you enter a room.”
“It’s not real,” she said. “This body is a guise. There’s nothing under this skin.” It wasn’t a lie. Her confidence, her sexuality—it was all a game, all part of being the perfect assassin. The real woman was hollow, a little girl shattered into a million pieces.
“Give me one night.”
She swallowed hard, tempted to take his offer, to feel like Cinderella for one night.