Page 79 of The Cute Psycho

"So impatient. And hereIwas the one with ADHD," I joke, helping myself to his pack of cigarettes uninvited.

He narrows his eyes at me as I light it up, taking a full drag of the cigarette.

"I'm not in the mood for your antics, Vlad." He rolls his eyes at me, clearly hoping to see me gone soon.

"Hmm, and what antics are we talking about?" I feign ignorance.

He raises an eyebrow at me. "Really?" He shakes his head. "Shall I remind you what happened the last time we were in the same room together?" he asks, and I start chuckling.

We've had our differences over the years, and all of them started from his wife, or at least hiscurrentwife. After the initial debacle, we hadn't had many opportunities to meet. But one time at a summit, we'd once more come to blows when I'd hired a suite of strippers to make their entrance right in the middle of the meeting. I'd even sent them with the personalized message that they were for his wife, since he's not capable of satisfying her.

Enzo had been thoroughly embarrassed, just as I'd wanted, but his reaction had not been as vehement as I'd anticipated.

Now I know why...

Still, the bad blood runs deep, and I doubt this one conversation will magically fix everything. He has something I want, though, so I will benda little.

"Come on, Agosti. Where is your sense of humor? They were top class, too. You have no idea how much they charge per hour." I look him up and down, my lips twitching. "You know, if you ever want to retire, that might be one avenue. You're not bad on the eyes. Certainly, the ladies love you..." I trail off when I see the tick in his jaw.

"I wonder if you have a death wish, Kuznetsov. I've always known you to be reckless, but not entirely suicidal."

"Ahh, Enzo, Enzo," I chuckle, "recklessness is but the desire to die without the actual courage. Maybe I just like to court death, but I'm not quite ready to meet my maker," I say, amused.

"Well, here you are," he replies drily, and I decide to get to the pointlest he take out his guns on me. I'd rather not have any holes when I meet Sisi tonight.

"I want information," I tell him, my smile completely gone.

He scoffs at me, and I know I need to bring out the big guns.

"Jimenez," I start, and his attention snaps to me. "I know you've been working with him. Which means that you are currently in possession of some of his businesses."

His mask doesn't drop at my mention, but his ears sure perk up.

"What do you want?" he asks tensely. Ah, I knew Enzo was smart. If he realizes I'm aware of his extracurriculars, then he must understand I know far more than that.

"I told you. Information. I'm looking for a certain Miles, affiliated with Project Humanitas."

He turns his icy stare on me, debating for a minute what to answer.

"Come on, Agosti, it doesn't costyoua thing to help a fella out. On the other hand... it could prove very costly to someone living at Sacre Coeur." I stretch in my seat, gleefully watching as my threat sinks in.

He grits his teeth, but he gives me a brisk nod.

"I don't know anything about a Project Humanitas," he says and I'm quick to tsk at him, "but," he continues, "there is a Miles that is known in the club scene, especially in Jimenez's territory. I don't know the guy personally, but he has multiple brokers buying for him every month."

"Marvelous," I exclaim, a wide smile on my lips, "where can I find this Miles then?"

"Like I told you, he doesn't show himself. But you can find his brokers," he continues, taking out his computer and punching some keys.

"These are the clubs I know for sure they frequent." He pushes the screen toward me and I lean in to read the list of clubs and their addresses.

"I wasn't aware Papillion was Jimenez's club." I narrow my eyes. The rest I am familiar with as I'd been to all of them in the past in my search for answers. But they are all out of state. Papillion, though, is in NYC, and widely known to be under Agosti.

"No one was," Enzo explains, "but since he wasn't welcomed in New York, he disguised the club. It was the first term I agreed to whenI partnered up with him. I'd open a club in my name, and he'd have free rein over it."

"I see," I drawl, "I'm going to need access to the club."

Enzo pauses for a moment.

---