Page 6 of Wretched Choices

Just as Cece starts to say something, the doorbell interrupts us. Kissing her cheek, I say goodbye to her.

Opening the door, I come face to face with a smiling Ethan.

Upon seeing me, he whistles as he looks me up and down. Ethan is a beautiful man, but not my type.

“You look beautiful, sweetheart. Tell me again why we’ve never gotten together?” he asks.

“Because you are a man whore, and every time I see you, your next step is to stick your dick into my best friend. And I don’t sleep with my friends’ exes.” I close the door and walk to the elevator in the hallway, with Ethan following.

“I’m not Cece’s ex.”

I roll my eyes, even though he can’t see me.

“No, but as I said, you stick your dick in her.” I prefer to avoid drama, and that includes never dating the same guy as my best friend. Ironically, that is how we became friends. In college, this guy was going out with both of us, thankfully not for too long before we found out. We made a plan and made him face the consequences. We teamed up on him and hit it.

My fear of becoming likeherkept megoing and always choosing a different path than expected. And the years spent in hiding developed a different fear in me than the one I was raised with. One that has now developed into a fight.

Instead of living my life, I’m fighting my demons. I’m fighting fears that are engraved deep inside my bones.

The drive to the hotel was pleasant. Ethan is easy to talk to. He even said he can help me to get the dirt on anyone I want. But I can’t ask him that; I don’t even know if the rumors are true. And I don’t know his relationship with Salvatore Catalano.

A man opens my door and I exit the car, looking at the big glass building in front of me. The Lotus Hotel is one of the most expensive hotels in the world.

My thoughts are interrupted by a hand on my back as Ethan pulls me to his side and we walk inside. Where most people are asked for invitations, we’re just let in, and the realization of who Ethan is hits me. The place his family name holds and the reach they have. I guess I just always thought he was a playboy. A very rich and famous one.

As Ethan leads me through the hotel and to our table, I take a good look around me. I have two hours to remember my surroundings. To discover where I can sneak in.

I take a glass of champagne from Ethan after he takes it from a passing waiter. I can’t drink more than two glasses. I need to stay sober so I don’t get into trouble.

As we mingle in the large ballroom of the hotel, Ethan seems more than happy to have me as his arm candy. I use my charm on the people I’m introduced to and remember important names for my research.

It has been an hour since we arrived, and as we sit at our table waiting for dinner to be served, I have yet to see Salvatore Catalano. No sign of him, or any suspicious men I would expect to see here if Salvatore is involved with La Cosa Nostra.

Sighing, I turn to the woman next to me as she asks me a question. Lisa, I think, is her name. She has grilled me with questions since we sat down. Too enthusiastic and interested in my relationship with Ethan. If she only knew why I’m here, she would drop the Ethan thing.

After what seems like hours, the auction finally begins. Excusing myself, I stand, glancing at Ethan, who looks questioningly at me. I mouth ‘bathroom’ and make my way to the hallway that separates the hotel from the ballroom, taking a glass of champagne with me.

Without thinking twice, I take the turn opposite to the bathroom, where I saw security guards entering and exiting before. If they’re guarding this door, there must be something in there.

I duck behind the wall as the guard passes. When he does, I step from behind the wall and keep going. I mentally pat myself on the back for having heels with gummy rubber on them so they don’t make a sound.

At the end of the hallway, I come to the door and try the handle, only to find it locked. Taking the pin from my hair, I duck and pick the lock, something I learned a few years back. I also learned that there are days I will need to cross some boundaries.

Like now.

I flick the lock open and make sure no one is behind me before slowly entering the room. The city light coming through the glass wall helps me to see. I’ve entered some kind of office. The vast room is so different from the modern contemporary interior of the hotel.

A mahogany desk sits in the middle of the room, with a set of leather couches in front, and a coffee table between them. The seating is all leather. The room is decorated in black and dark wood. Shelves filled with books line one wall, and the wall on the other side of the desk has a dartboard on it.

I take a step inside and walk on the rug-covered floor. Quickly, I assess the wooden desk that has a stack of papers, a laptop, and other gadgets on it. I take my phone from my clutch and take photos to investigate later. Then a company name on an invoice catches my eye. La Bella. I heard that name a few months ago when I gathered information to put the Camorra boss behind bars. There wasn’t enough evidence to connect the two of them, so I left a note that the authorities should look deeper into it.

And Salvatore Catalano would not do business with Camorra if he wasn’t part of a crime family. I need to find out if he is really the don of Cosa Nostra.

I’m in the middle of opening drawers when the air in the room changes, making the hair on the back of my neck rise. A figure appears out of nowhere just as I hear a deep husky voice that sends chills down my back.

“Found what you’re looking for?”

My eyes widen as the light on the desk turns on, and I turn slowly toward the figure. My breath catches in my throat and my ass hits the edge of the desk.

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