Chapter Nine

Ludovico was internally seething. Thank goodness that dimwit Miller had called him and told him Gigi had quit, and fortunately, he'd had Lorenzo watching her. Otherwise, she might have been able to get away. He glanced at her. She sat quietly, her head bowed, and gaze fixed on her entwined hands in her lap. She hadn't said a single word since they'd left the alley. Had all fight abandoned her? He couldn't quite believe it, not when she'd been so feisty and surrendered to him so willingly minutes earlier.

"How are you holding up, Ms. Evans?"

"Fine," she said.

"You're not a good liar, Ragazza. I hope the police don't come looking for you or we might be in for some trouble."

"The police?" The blood visibly drained from her cheeks. "Why would they need me?"

"You were the witness to a crime scene."

"But nobody except you knows that."

"Me and the security cameras in the area."

"They would've caught you murdering him."

"I'm much more discreet than that. The security device in that alley is fake, installed by my men. You, on the other hand, ran down the street as if the Devil were chasing you, and in turn, I admit, having a possible witness to my crime made me messy. I trudged after you and didn't clean up well enough. When I returned to the crime scene, the police were already there."

"They'll hunt you down." Her eyes widened as if the possibility scared her, and his heart made a strange tumble in his chest. He hid his discomfort with laughter.

"It's possible, but will they catch me? I doubt it. We're here."

Helping her out of the vehicle, he led her past Security without a good morning or a glance. No one acknowledged him unless he made a gesture first. It was the privilege of the capo. They climbed onto the elevator, where he inserted a key and pressed the button for the last floor.

"Where are we going?" she asked as the box began to move.

"My office."

"We're going to work?" she asked, furrowing her brow.

Ludovico smirked. "And other things."

The doors pinged and opened. Gigi gasped. He tried to see the space as she would. It was a large open area with floor-to-ceiling windows and an incredible view of the city. In front, a mahogany desk laden with paperwork, a laptop, pens, and other office supplies. In front, two leather chairs and a couch. On the wall to the left, he'd had a minibar installed with a collection of exclusive gin bottles. On the other side of the room, a door led to a private bathroom. There was also a collection of family portraits, which he always considered removing but never got around to it.

"Welcome to my domain. No one will bother us here. No one will enter unless I allow them to." He settled on the couch and spread his legs. Gigi followed but didn't sit. He pointed at his erection.

"Come here and help me with this problem."