Page 8 of Kingpin

At least he’ll die comfortably.

I rushed into the bathroom and closed the door behind me. I saw my silky white robe hanging up on the hook behind the door before my eyes fell to a pristine present. The elongated box was wrapped in black paper and tied with a white bow, and I took great care in opening it. The jet-black lingerie staring back at me made my gut lurch because even I could see how much something like that cost. I slowly picked it up from the tissue paper. I studied it in my hands. It felt as thin as it looked, and part of me was scared I’d rip it.

Then again, that might be the point.

For him to easily rip it off me.

I set the clothing down against the tissue paper and pulled the small glass vial out from my bra. I held it up to the light, watching as the little bubble inside danced around with my own movements. How could something so small be so deadly? It astounded me, really. But I knew there wasn’t any time to waste.

I had to get dressed so I could hide the vial on me.

I slid out of my white wedding underwear and eased myself into the black getup. The push-up bra hoisted my tits into perfect round globes, while the black stockings rolled up my legs and attached to garters that dangled from my peekaboo panties. Thankfully, the cups of the bra weren’t lacy and see-through. That made it easy to stow the vial against the cushion inside.

It didn't matter, though, because even after I wrapped my robe around me, Israel was nowhere to be found.

“Sir?” I asked softly.

I eased myself out of the bathroom as I tied a bow around my waist.

“Israel? Are you back?”

I looked over at the silver tray holding an ice bucket, two crystal flutes, and a bottle of very expensive champagne. I walked over to it and rearranged things the way my aunt taught me to, then I padded toward the bedroom door. I inched it open to see if I could hear him coming. Maybe he was on his way back.

“Israel?”

As I stood there, I heard nothing.

Not his voice. Not his footsteps. Not even his breathing.

Huh.

With the glass vial in my bra and my silken robe wrapped tightly around me, I took a risk. I stepped out of the bedroom and gazed down the massive hardwood hallway lined with doors on either side. At the far end of the corridor was a set of double doors, much like the ones I stood in. While I wondered what was on the other side of them, I had much more pressing matters.

Like finding the man I was supposed to kill tonight.

“Israel?”

My gut clenched as I silently walked toward the wrought iron banister of the staircase. I paused at the top to see if I could hear him as I racked my brain for what could be holding him up. Maybe he found me out? Perhaps he was preparing to kill me like I had been preparing to kill him? Or, maybe he was with another woman? Someone more beautiful, or kinkier, or more versed in the ways of pleasuring a man? So many scenarios ran through my head as I took my first step onto the cherry hardwood stairs. I timed my breathing with my footsteps, hoping to stay out of sight and out of mind. I started changing the plan around in my head. Maybe I’d offer to make him some coffee and pour it in there. Or get him some water and lace that. Maybe I’d heat him up some soup and put it in there.

Would the poison withstand the heat of soup?

Better not take the chance.

“That’s it. That’s how I like it.”

As I stepped off the stairs, I heard his voice filtering through the expanse of the downstairs level of his penthouse.

“Oh, yeah. That’s perfect. Right there.”

My stomach dropped as I followed his voice down a small corridor.

“Uh-huh. Uh-huh. Yes. That’s it. That’s the one. Keep it just like that.”

As I swallowed hard, I peeked around the corner, expecting to find Israel with some young, hot thing bent over his kitchen table. I didn’t find that. I didn’t find anything I had been imagining. Instead, I found him standing at a granite-topped kitchen island with another suited man. Both were poring over file folders with pens in their hands.

The man was working.

Until his eyes flickered up to me, forcing me to duck back around the corner.

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