Page 5 of Salvatore

He pushes off from the wall and in one step is before me and as his hand slides around my waist, he whispers in my ear, “Are you sure about that? You see, I’m guessing you have something extremely precious to lose and I want you to consider your options very carefully.”

“My options?”

My heart flutters as his lips hover close to mine and he whispers, “You need money, and you need revenge. I can give you both, but the price may be higher than you are willing to pay.”

“Name it.”

My heart races as his fingers slide around my waist, resting on my ass as he pulls me in hard against his body.

“One night with you in exchange for five hundred thousand dollars.”

I blink as if his words were a dream that float around my mind in unbelievable delight.

I say nothing and he raises his hand and traces a light trail down my face, runs his thumb across my lips and whispers, “I can also deal with your fiancé as my gift to you.”

“Deal with him?”

My eyes are wide as his lips flutter against mine and he says huskily, “Revenge is sweet, angel, but you must accept the demons that take up residence in your soul.”

I swear my entire body shakes as I whisper, “What do I have to do?”

CHAPTER 4

SALVATORE

This is my lucky night. I can’t believe how easy this is and as she trembles against the wall in the elevator, I experience a deep sense of satisfaction.

I won again and the game was a short one this time.

I regard her through heavy lust-filled eyes, and I like what I see. A virgin sacrifice that unexpectedly fell into my lap. I offered her five hundred thousand dollars. That’s an expensive habit I’ve got and a life-changing night for her in every sense of the word.

I expect my money’s worth.

She asks what she must do. If she knew she would be jabbing her finger on the lobby button and running screaming from my hotel. She doesn’t realize that surrendering your soul to the devil costs way more than she may be prepared to give.

I stare into her glistening eyes and note the fear radiating back at me. She shivers under my predatory gaze and yet there is a vulnerability there that should make me reconsider ruining her. I saidshould, but I ruin people for a living, which is why I have the money to play these despicable games.

The elevator reaches its destination and as the doors open, I nod toward the gaping exit.

“Why don’t I show you instead?”

Her eyes widen and yet there is a curiosity in them that makes me smile. For all her innocence, she is intrigued, and I like it.

I turn and walk away, presuming she will follow me. She is now my employee and I expect her to put everything into her job.

We head to the suite of rooms that occupy this entire level of the hotel. The penthouse, if you like, which is usually reserved for me. Tonight is no different as we make our way through the double doors, revealing the breath-taking view of Vegas and the brightly lit room where an angel is about to fall.

She hovers nervously by the door, and I shrug off my jacket, toss it onto the leather couch, and say deeply, “You have exactly one minute to make your final decision.”

“Um, you haven’t told me what is required.”

I turn and note the uncertainty in her expression as she twists her fingers nervously and stares at me with trepidation.

I sit on the couch and lean back, dragging my heavy lust-filled gaze the length of her, and say huskily, “Sex, angel. I will teach you why the man you pledged your life to is not worthy of your gift. To demonstrate why you should make better decisions and to repay your losses on the table tonight. Then you will leave my hotel and begin your new life safe in the knowledge that the only thing of true value you lost tonight was your innocence.”

“Um–” She swallows hard, and her voice shakes as she whispers, “What’s in it for you? I don’t understand.”

I’m impressed with her question. Nobody ever asks me that and her curious gaze is ripping an unexpected hole through my well-guarded heart.

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