[ D O M I N I C O ] The next day, I leave the office around three. It's hours earlier than usual, but they'll survive without me. I'm no good to them when I'm this distracted. Anxious. Scatterbrained. I go to the gym, work out, then take a shower before I drive the Maserati to the country club with Fico in my other car trailing behind. Raindrops blur the windshield and match the tempo of my racing thoughts. I sigh and focus on the road. I navigate the curves and turns as best as I can. As best as my temper allows me. Guilt is still churning up my gut, incessantly gnawing at me like a persistent itch I can't reach. My conscience is screaming at me to stop lying to Seraphine and just tell her everything. But doing so will also jeopardize her safety in more ways than I'm willing to admit. The auditing job Enzo expects her to say yes to — it's much more than a confidential temp job. The list of risks only keeps growing every time I think about it. She's a fast learner and mentally ca
[ S E R A P H I N E] Cooking and having dinner with Dominico take about an hour and a half. Once we're done eating, a sense of relief gradually replaces the worry I've been trying to hide with smiles and little laughs. Dominico sits next to me when I stretch my legs on the couch. Although he looks tired and a bit stressed, he's still on his phone. Must be checking his emails and his news feed. We sit in silence for what feels like the longest minute before I muster the courage to strike a more serious conversation. “What's that new job offer you were saying?” I stare at him, my curiosity piqued. “Is it full-time?” “No. But it pays better than your current job.” He glances at me with a smirk. I fling him a fairly dubious look. “Urgent hiring. Double your current paycheck.” Double? Wow. I'll take the offer right now if he really thinks I can do the job, and without undergoing months of training for the role. “What's it about? Is it a temp job at your company?” “No. It's got noth
[ S E R A P H I N E] When I arrive at the country club for my shift, I interact with my coworkers but keep my distance. I don't initiate or prolong non-work-related conversations. I'm too preoccupied with thoughts of Dominico to wear my "accommodating nice girl" mask all day. The gloomy sky casts a somber haze over the trimmed grass. The muted light filters through the half-drawn curtains while I stand beside the front desk, clutching my phone with clammy fingers. I flow through my routine on auto-pilot. I busy myself with my daily tasks until the time says two o'clock. Finally.At ten past two, I log off, clock out, then grab my purse on the bottom shelf. Before I exit the lobby, I check my notifications again. My sugar daddy is still offline, but I'm surprisingly not bothered by his silence. Angelo's text isn't the message I'm eagerly waiting for today. “The guy's busy. He's one of the big bosses. Of course he's busy,” I tell myself in my head after I nearly trip on the conc
[ S E R A P H I N E ] “The heart often wants what it can't have.” I know because I'm speaking from experience. This time around, it's an entirely different situation. And with a completely different guy. Yet my feelings are the same. I shouldn't get my hopes up. A part of me thinks this is a terrible idea. But, reason almost always becomes background noise whenever I'm this close to him. This kind, giving, brave, tough, beautiful man who seems determined to solve my problems... although he just might be my biggest problem of all. It's the first time he's kissed me like this, and while our lips touch and tease, a rush of conflicting emotions flood through me. Nervousness. Excitement. Relief. Anxiety. It's not torrid, but it's not gentle, either. I'd say he's the best kisser on my secret, invisible list. And I'm pretty sure kissing isn't the only intimate activity he's good at. We're standing beside his work desk, our temporary privacy just about convincing me to take control. W
[ S E R A P H I N E ] What is his problem? He won't even look at me. Is he embarrassed? Still? It was just a kiss. Well, two, actually. But that was it. Still just a kiss. I dunno why he's acting like he never wanted it to happen. Alright. Fine. I'll pretend it didn't happen. I can act like we weren't dry humping while playing tonsil hockey in his office with the door unlocked. Talk about risqué... While I ignore the dull ache in my throat and stomach, my gaze flits between his rigid back and the Maserati. The car is waiting for us in the corner of the parking lot with his bodyguard standing beside the shiny hood. I'm five steps behind Dominico, hugging my purse to my side. I keep my mouth shut and stare at the strap of his leather bag hanging over his shoulder until everything in front of me starts to blur.Without exchanging a word, I slide into the backseat of the Maserati before Dominico joins me. The silence between us is buzzing with unresolved questions. Or perhaps I'm th
[ S E R A P H I N E ] “When did you two start talking?” “Few months ago.” “Right.” Dominico stands beside the coffee maker to get near me while the rest of my parents' modest dining room stays quiet. They're upstairs. Probably sleeping already. Our dinner with my pretend husband-to-be wasn't as eventful or awkward as I imagined. I think my parents actually bought our whole act. “We just chat. No calls.” “Ah...” Dominico makes a face and cocks his head. “How d'you know for sure he's a guy your age?” “He sent me a few photos and videos.” Does he want to know how I met Angelo online? Jeez... I hope not. My fake fiancé doesn't need another reason to convince himself that I'm not girlfriend or wife material in any way. I turn off the faucet and step away from the sink, unsure of what else to say. “Am I not allowed to ask about him?” “I didn't say that.” Feigning a neutral face, I grab my phone beside the coffee maker and internally chide myself for leaving the screen unlocked. I
[ S E R A P H I N E ] This is wild. This is way above my pay grade. When I signed up for this job, I did not expect to stumble upon something this big. “Wow.” I could go to prison for this. “This is just insane.” People kill for this kind of information. For this treasure trove of secrets. I'm not sure why Dominico believes they're safe with me. Ignazio can't ever find out that I willingly participated in all this. I save the spreadsheets I've been working on all week, shoot Dominico a quick email, and then turn off my computer, not expecting an immediate response. Darn. It's almost midnight. I don't wanna call him at this hour and bother him with my anxious suspicions. I don't even wanna hear his voice. But this is something else. This is urgent. Possibly life-threatening. With clammy hands, I grab my phone and try deep, calming breaths, the fear and nagging concern I feel turning into something more sinister. Those files could get both of us killed if we don't tread carefully
[ S E R A P H I N E ] We're still on the road. We've been in this car for more than two hours now. I frown at the numbers on my phone as the soft glow of dawn blankets the tinted windows, the bluish hue above us matching the accents on the dashboard. The silence makes my ears more sensitive to the steady hum of the engine and the sound of tires against asphalt. My heart starts beating faster when Fico speeds up. We're about to pass another border. I still don't know where exactly we're headed. I just know we're going to Rome. I stretch my back until I feel a subtle crack below my neck.Beside me, Dominico remains asleep with his head tilted back, his nape pressing on the headrest. The bags under his eyes tell me he hasn't been sleeping much. The apprehension keeps rattling my insides, but I sit still and try not to disturb him — he needs all the rest he can get. The urgency in his voice during our conversation in his house won't leave my head. I swallow the lump in my throat a