Athena
I checked my makeup once again in the rearview mirror of the Audi I sat in, a queasy feeling nestled in my belly. I was so anxious, it was fucking ridiculous. I had taken down powerful men by infiltrating their very lives. I had fought gangs and bad guys ever since I was taken in by Frederick at sixteen. I could fight my way through booby traps, through deathly lasers, through a fucking prison gate, and yet... Yet I was anxious.
Perhaps there were enough reasons for me to be. I wore a dress I had sworn I would never get caught in. A cream-colored body con. It clung to me like a second skin and while I admit that I looked amazing in it, I wasn't comfortable strutting through the building like that. Especially with the rather open neckline. Heck, I could see the mounds of my breasts propped against each other like two hills.
I wasn't sure what to expect. I knew Luciano liked his women bold, willing, and pliant. However, considering this was my second day as his PA, coming on to him boldly was most likely not the best choice.
"Ah crap! Seduction shouldn't be this fucking complicated now should it?"
What the hell was I going to do? Rub his arm? Blow him a kiss? Or just go all crazy and run into his arms like a crappy whore.
"Gah!" I groaned, slamming my hand on the steering wheel in frustration. Touching him was the last thing I wanted. What I wanted was him dead. I shouldn't be here trying to ferret out information by selling out my boobs. They were a nice pair and I'd rather keep them.
My phone beeped with an alarm. It was seven thirty in the morning, the streets were packed with people briskly walking to their place of work. I glanced at the large building before me. Moretti Industries. My enemy was most likely on his way now, walking with his nose in the air as if he was the most innocent man on the fucking planet. My hands fisted around the wheel in anger and I let out another haunting groan.
Taking deep breaths I grabbed the device and dialed Frederick's number.
"Kiddo?" His fatherly voice calmed me and I sighed.
"Remind me why I'm doing this again, Please," I whispered.
Frederick sighed. "Relax Thena. Breathe. You don't have to do this-"
"Too fucking late," I snapped. "There's no backing down now. I'm already stuck in this."
"You don't have to be stuck," he replied and I sure as hell could see him smile. "Just remember, if you kill him, Thena, his legacy lives on. His people will carry on his plans and desires and you will never be at peace as long as that insignia lives on. The proof that he is the mafia, just that Thena. Find it and then you can do whatever the hell you want to him."
I sniffed, closing my eyes. "You promise?"
"With my life," He said, then cleared his throat. "Now come on, I didn't raise a fucking wimp now did I?"
I chuckled at his words and nodded. "No. You didn't. And besides, I owe you this anyway. If you hadn't taken me in, I wouldn't have had this chance to take my revenge. I wouldn't have found my father's killer."
Frederick laughed. "You owe me nothing, kiddo. Take care now."
When the call ended, I locked the device in a secret compartment behind the steering wheel and grabbed another phone. If anyone laid their hands on the one in my hands, there was nothing on it to connect me to the FBI or Frederick. Stepping out of my car, I breathed in the clean cool air that whipped lightly against my loose hair.
"Let's get this over with."
****
"Gentlemen? Let us begin," Luciano announced.
We were in the boardroom on the tenth floor, meeting with the marketing team. Luciano sat at the head of the table, presiding over all affairs while the rest of the marketing team, about six of them, sat on either side of the table.
I stood beside Luciano, clutching a set of documents that the bastard had made me print, my face red from the stares I got from the men on the marketing team. They were ogling my chest! I mean I had worn it for that purpose, but only for Luciano to notice.
If the jackass did, he wasn't showing it. For the past three hours, I've had to deal with the bored look on his face as he ordered me to run his errands. Glancing down at my chest, I frowned. Was I not showing enough cleavage? It couldn't be that he didn't like the dress. One of his flings had worn it a few months ago.
"Miss Gonzalez?!" His bellow jolted me out of my thoughts and I looked down at him, surprised and annoyed as hell with myself. The blank look on his face was gone, replaced by anger. He couldn't decide what to do with me. "If you're done daydreaming, distribute the documents!"
"Yes sir," I smiled sweetly despite the anger simmering within me as well and distributed the documents. When I dropped one before him, my breasts pressed firmly against his arm. I listened in, for something. A sudden intake of breath, a glance, an awkward clearing of throat, anything. I got nothing.
Nothing at all.
Stepping back I whipped out a pen and notebook. Feeling oddly humiliated, I reviewed my actions as the meeting went on. Was I doing something wrong? It could not be that I wasn't attractive enough, now could it? I looked at the men on the marketing team. They could barely concentrate on the sheets in front of them. I felt their gazes every time they looked at me.
So why on earth was Luciano not moved?!
"Miss Gonzalez, are you taking notes? Please tell me you simply did not come here as an accessory." Luciano spat suddenly, glaring at me with blazing eyes.
"Of course I am," I lied, clutching the pen in my hand tighter. It wasn't much of a weapon, but if I stuck it in his stupid eyes, I could distract him long enough to reach for the hair clip in my clutch.
No no, Athena. You cannot kill him yet. Breathe, Breathe.
The meeting lasted all of two hours as planned and I couldn't be more grateful. Heels had to be the most uncomfortable shoes on earth! How I had managed to stand for two fucking hours without crumbling to pieces was beyond me.
"When is my next meeting?" He asked as we stepped into the elevator.
I pursed my lips, swiping through his schedule. "You have lunch with Mr. Caldwell in the next thirty minutes at Fountain restaurant. You're to discuss with him his recent investment in the bottle industry." I explained in the most cheery voice I could muster.
He nodded slowly. "Inform the security team of this. Marcus will drive me."
"Sure thing, sir," As I made the call, something dropped into my mind. Why would he need to meet with Mr. Caldwell if the man had already invested in his bottle industry? And if it's just lunch, why contact the security team?
The elevator pinged open. I remained in it as Luciano stepped out. He arched his brow and I smiled sheepishly.
"I need to get something to eat, Mr. Moretti,"
For a minute he stared broodingly at me then walked away. Slamming my hand on the first floor, I felt my heart pound wildly as the elevator slid down. I had to confirm who Mr. Caldwell was and why Marcus was chosen to drive Luciano. There was more to it. I could feel it rattling in my bones.
AthenaWhen the Elevator doors slid open on the first floor, a group of men dressed in blue shirts and black trousers in the hallway looked at me like I was a foreign object. A very interesting foreign object. Taking a deep breath and straightening my back, I walked slowly towards them, flipping my hair for effect. "Hello pretty lady," One of them grinned, rushing to meet me first. "Are you lost?" I giggled and shook my head, holding my hand out. "I'm Raven. I'm the big guy's new PA." "Really? You the one who spoke on the phone some minutes ago?" One of them grunted, joining his friend to look at me while the others kept their distance. "Boss is a fucking lucky man." "So damn lucky," his friend agreed, nodding. Dammit, I couldn't waste time talking. If I took too long, Luciano could begin to suspect me. Or even worse, he could meet me here trying to get his security men to talk. "So... I had a question that was bothering me," I mumbled, pouting my lips. "I was hoping you good
Athena"What?" I breathed, my eyes narrowed into slits. He was going to kiss me. I could feel his warm breath on my face, and my stomach did rather funny flips. His hand, the one that had been stroking my cheeks, suddenly tightened around my jaw forcefully, fingers digging in with painful force. His expression darkened and his eyes I had thought blazed with desire flared in anger. At that moment, I could see the man everyone feared. Luciano Moretti."Keep this up-," he said in a calm deadly voice. "-and your job is fucking over Raven. I detest slackers and I am simply bidding time until your cup is full." "Is that a threat?" I spat, unable to bridle my tongue in anger. He was threatening me?! How fucking hilarious. "Is that a retort, Miss Gonzalez?" He fumed, gripping my jaw harder. I could feel the blood rush to the skin under his fingertips. Ah, fuck being a meek woman. I wanted to scream and tear at his face. No scratch that, I wanted to reach for my pin, and stick it into his
The telephone on my table rang and for a minute I eyed it wondering who the hell was calling. Even though I was Luciano's PA and a lot of people would call me, I was fucking sick of it. My last mission hadn't involved talking to so many people. Especially people who were potential criminals, considering they were doing business with the Devil himself. I looked behind me, through the glass walls, and sneered at him. He sat majestically at his desk, holding a phone to his ear as he stared right back at me. Bastard! was the word that came to mind. Fucking bastard. The past week had been so hectic, I'd considered turning in my resignation letter just to be over it. I had to hand it to him, Luciano was a very meticulous businessman. He focused on his industry, guarding it like an eagle over her chicks and if he was just about any other man, that would have been so fucking hot. I bit my lip, considering him for a while. His hair was gelled back. No surprise there. He was such a routine-
Luciano"What did you find?" Marcus grunted at my question. "Nothing. It seems Darren's made off with the rest of the drugs."My lips pulled tightly at the corners, and I could feel the digging of my nails into my palm. It was quite rare to see someone try to steal from me. Very fucking rare. Everyone knew the damn repercussions of taking what was mine and they made sure to stay clear. Rules were important to run a successful organization. When the people adhere to rules, there is order and peace. But when one person flouts it?I leaned against my chair, toying with a pen I had taken off my desk. It was barely four in the evening. I couldn't just up and leave my company to take off after some idiot who thought he could steal from me and get out alive. "Boss?" Marcus' voice reached my ears through the earpiece. "Should I take care of him?" I hummed, indicating that I was still thinking. There was a reason the police couldn't pin me down. And that was because I was never impulsive.
AthenaThe sky was barely lit at four in the morning. Wisps of the sunrise were beginning to show, reminding me that I had to get my ass home for work. But I didn't want to. Not yet. I crouched on the roof of a building close to Luciano's home, holding binoculars to my face. My black outfit blended with the night sky and it would be very unlikely to spot me. Gripping my binoculars tighter, I watched the men troop around Luciano's home. He lived in a freaking skyscraper. His building, as it were, occupied the penthouse. It wasn't that surprising. Especially with the mass of money he owned legally, not to mention illegally. The men positioned around his home were placed rather strategically. To any passersby, they would seem like a bunch of homeless men waiting by rich people's homes so they could get a dime or two. But they couldn't fool me. I had been there for four fucking hours, in the damn cold, to know they were watchmen. Anyone who approached the building was thoroughly searc
Athena"What the hell?" My words came out breathless as a familiar musky scent overwhelmed my senses. I blinked, taking in the sight before me. Luciano had me pressed up against his shelf, his eyes narrowed with a piercing gaze. His brows were creased in anger. Anger or desire. Or a mixture of both. With him, one could never be too sure. He breathed evenly- almost too evenly as if he was trying to keep his breath in check. His hands were on either side of my face, gripping the shelf as he bore down on me. I could feel the heat radiating off him, encircling me in a warmth that felt so damn enticing. And that made me fucking uncomfortable. Keep your head in the game, Athena, I snapped at myself mentally. I was supposed to seduce him, not the other way around. Never the other way around. Slipping my hand between us, I rested my palm lightly on his chest, feeling his heartbeat thrum rapidly underneath my fingertips. I heard him exhale lightly and smiled. "What are you doing Luciano?
Athena "Miss Gonzalez? My schedule?" Luciano demanded as we strutted towards the elevator. Today had to be one of the busiest days in Moretti Industries. It was barely noon and I'd had to sit through two meetings, made a conference call to some cancer patient in Ohio on Luciano's behalf, and interviewed two new workers in the design department. It was crazy. I could gave sworn that when I was allowed to work for him as his PA, I hadn't expected it would be so fucking tasking. Heck if you had asked me two weeks ago, I'd have said the only hard thing about the job was that I couldn't kill Luciano when I wanted to so fucking bad. However right now, as I panted right behind him reading out his schedule like it was the holy grail, the last thing on my mind was killing me. I needed rest. I needed to sit my ass on a damn lounge chair and stretch my limbs. My body ached all over and while of course, I could endure it, I didn't want to. Heck the more I thought about it, the more I was b
I stepped out of my room, my bottom lip tucked between my teeth as I walked before Frederick and Cole. They sat on the sofa in the living room chugging down my beer collection and shoving chips down their throats. “Ahem?!” I cleared my throat and struck a pose when they looked at me. Cole burst into laughter right away and a frown made its way to my face. “Who on earth picked that shitty dress for you?”I glared at the idiot and looked at Frederick. At least I could trust his judgment better than Cole's. Cole was a fucking clown and I was certain he looked for any opportunity to make me feel embarrassed. “Ah,” Frederick said, amusement written all over his face. “I’m not sure what exactly you’re aiming for, But I doubt looking like a banana is one of them.”I tossed my head back in a groan and gripped the fabric that clung to me like a second skin. “It’s because it’s yellow isn’t it?”“I swear it looks like puke,” Cole guffawed then laughed even harder when I glared at him. I turn