Page 77 of Delivered in White

“I can’t go back out there.” I hold my cold arms.

“Hey. Hey.” Bruno gently guides me toward one of the visitor seats near the desk. “You stay in here, and don’t worry about a thing, alright? I’ll snap a picture of the guy I think is Gil, you confirm it’s him, and I’ll let you know when he leaves. Okay?”

Taking another deep breath helps me register Bruno’s words. He’s sweet, for a mafioso. I nod and stare at my clear heels.

“Sit tight, sweetie.” Bruno leaves and locks the door.

I don’t know why, but up until this point, it was easy to pretend. Putting on this much makeup is like wearing a mask at a masquerade party. But seeing Gil? It brought everything rushing back like a hurricane – my old life, studyingendlessly,doing everything in my power to find purpose in being an activist lawyer. People like Gil and Jacky made it easy. There was innocence and goodness then.

But who am I kidding? My father was helping the most wicked types, and now I’m paying the price for it.

Love you, Daddy. But look what you got us into.

I slap my knees and let out a sob.

You know who else is oddly innocent in this? My husband. Fake marriage or not… Trino is a freakin’ rock star in his own way. Overprotective? Maybe. But I’ve never felt so safe in my life. Ironic, I know, considering I’m literally in a whorish dungeon right now, hiding from the white-collars I used to be a part of.

No… That’s the old me talking. I don’t view these women as lesser at all anymore. Everyone’s just trying to survive. And kudos to them. They have more brass than I do.

A recollection of Trino cackling in bed with his gigantic heated arm smothering me makes me smile through my tears. Why does everything have to be such an extreme give and take? I couldn’t be an activist lawyeranda happy wife? Every time I look at the front door, I’m scared NickyFritsis going to barge in with a shotgun to my head. Can’t me and him just… live normally? See what’s what between us?

I’ve been thinking about him a lot recently. The way he hides his laughter is probably the cutest aspect about him. He’s funny in his own way, sexy ineveryway, and I know he’d do anything to protect me. Just thinking about it gives me tingles all over my chest.

Maybe I shouldn’t be crying about how things turned out. I’m alive thanks to my dark prince, after all. Maybe I’m just a reverse-Cinderella, and these are my glass slippers.

Chapter 22

Cipriana

It’s late. Like…reallylate.

Four in the morning – one hour past our Star Dust curfew, after all the dancers already changed and went home. I told Bruno not to wait on my behalf. As long as the security enforcers doubled as bouncers are there outside until Trino gets here, then I’mfine.

This was my big plan all along, you see. I’m sanitizing my preferred pole of the two – the one on the right, farthest away from the front door, in preparation for my second show for Trino. This one’s to be in private. I told him to lock the door and make sure he’s alone when he gets here.

I covered my ass – shutting all of the security cameras so there won’t be a secret Capri sex tape out there. Maybe I’m getting a little friskier because of my day-to-day environment, maybe I just can’t stop lusting over the giant tattooed ball of muscle who protects me, but either way, I’m ready for him.

Practicing all the moves Diamond and Ruby have been teaching me feels like second nature at this point. Even if I’m not as fluid as them, it’ll be enough. I watch the way Trino lusts after me, too. Honestly, it takes everything not to give into him. I’ve beenachingto give it up for him. Like nevereverbefore. Even though that stray thought keeps bouncing in my mind – that he’ll lose interest right after – I can’t live in fear forever.

Chrk!

The door shuts and locks, and butterflies bounce around my belly like the first time I saw a mobster’s son visiting my dad’s house when I was sixteen. It’s the same feeling. A naughty,wrongattraction I can’t steer away from. Trino struts in wearing his signature white polo, tattoos peeking out from every end.The dim light shines on him for a fraction of a second, showing a shadow of a smirk beneath his cold grey eyes before he’s covered in shadow once more.

After I click the remote to start the music and toss it to the other end of the stage, I pose near the pole with my ass popped out – my gold see-through covering shimmering like a starlet. “Sit,” I demand. “I don’t want to hear any lip or distractions.Just do as I say.” I click my heel once in finality.

He grunts, grabbing his cock over the pants to adjust it, then takes his seat at the bar like a good boy.

I’m in control tonight,I tell myself while lazily falling diagonally, holding the pole with one strong arm and letting myself twist in the hottest way possible. My covering sparkles in the dim light, until I land seductively on the floor with one leg spread high, parallel to the pole. To show him how flexible I’ve become, I grab my leg and pull it back farther, to the point it’s over my head.

His eyes trace my long legs. It’s like he has heat vision, because wherever they go, my body getshot.

I’m in control,I remind myself,clackingmy heels together to snap him out of his daze. Next, I anchor my heels to the floor and use the pole to slowly bend into a bridge. He thinks I’m going to pick myself all the way up, but I remain, gyrating my hips like a snake, making him wish he was in front of me plowing my golden lips.

He’s impressed; I can tell because his fingers are covering his open mouth. Maybe it’s a blessing he walked out on me on my first lame twerk dance. Now he’ll see I’ve been trained by the best.

For all of my normal patrons, I’ve been running my hands over my breasts, pushing down my top only for them to be fully covered by my fingers. But not tonight. Tonight my nipples are hard and out, my skin prickled with goosebumps.

Fuck me,Trino,I beg in my mind, telling him with my eyes.

---