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“Oh, that feels so good. Please don’t stop.”
“Anything for you.”
Drake pulled Alessandra into his arms, and her breathing became even. Drake stared at the ceiling, unsatisfied and frustrated. His distraction technique had done its job a little too well. Despite their close proximity, a valley stretched between them.
***
Chapter Fourteen
A few days later, the air within the penthouse was so rife with tension it could be cut with a knife. Alessandra was at a loss of whom to turn to. Taking a page from her husband’s book, she hired a private investigator to dig into his background. The woman called Alessandra and asked her to come to the office for a meeting.
The investigator’s office was a small, rented space in the loop. The walls were gray, but instead of being dreary, they offered the perfect backdrop for the minimal decor. A white console table sat against the back wall with a small stack of books and steampunk-inspired knickknacks. An abstract painting of primary color splashes hung above it on the wall. Never having a green thumb, Alessandra was unsure if the enormous potted plants in the opposite corners of the room were real or fake. The large window was shielded by sheer white curtain panels.
A round white rug lay in the center of the marble floor. A rectangular glass-topped desk stood in the middle of the rug on top of white legs, and a stern-looking woman sat in the white chair typing on a laptop.
“Welcome, Mrs. Walker. It’s nice to officially meet you. Please call me Tammy.” She gestured for Alessandra to take the armchair opposite the desk.
“Hello, Tammy. It’s nice to meet you,” Alessandra said, though she didn’t mean it.
Tammy invited Alessandra to her office because she had news to share. She was apprehensive about the meeting, and the P.I.’s attitude made her feel like she was about to be scolded by a school principal.
“Thanks for coming in. I assure you, I don’t take my responsibilities lightly. Looking into anyone working for the District Attorney’s office can be a terrible business. I hope you appreciate the position this puts me into.”
“I understand. Thank you for taking my case. But I thought I made it clear my expectations were about my husband’s past and personal life, not his professional career.”
The woman leaned forward and rested her elbows on her desk, lacing her fingers together. The smile she had a moment ago slipped off her face. Alessandra realized she was caught in a snare too late.
“I hope you can appreciate that I am required to perform my due diligence and looked into your background as well.”
“You what?” Alessandra stiffened.
“I’m afraid that my fee has tripled at this point. I need payment in full before we proceed.”
“That’s extortion.”
“No, Mrs. Walker. This is purely business. Surely you can understand the predicament you’ve put me in. The question is how much you’re willing to pay for what I have in my files?”
Tammy adopted a Cheshire smile that made Alessandra’s stomach roll. She wondered how much the investigator had uncovered. Surely, she must realize that taking on a Russo signed her death certificate. Maybe that’s why she was so eager for money—to disappear.
Alessandra saw that while Tammy appeared calm, collected, and in control above the desk, she was nervous beneath the glass-topped surface. She was ready to call the woman’s bluff.
Checkmate in five moves, thought Alessandra. She crossed her arms and was prepared to show Tammy just who she was attempting to fuck with.
“If you know who I am, then you must know how dangerous things can get for you if you cross me.”
“Is that a threat? From you? You’re a church mouse,” she said, mockingly.
Something inside Alessandra snapped. She wasn’t mean. While she always tried to do the right thing and be a good person, she was tired of being a pawn in the games of others. She was tired of being lied to—being underestimated—and tired of being submissive to everyone else’s desires.
“Don’t cross me, or I will burn this shit to the ground.”
Tammy laughed, “How cute! Are you a little firebug like your big brother?”
“Don’t you dare laugh at me, bitch. I will do it. It’s a promise, not a threat.”
Tammy flattened her palms on the desk. “And I have you on tape threatening me. Always cover your bases, Alessandra Russo.”
Alessandra sat motionless for a moment. She refused to give Tammy the satisfaction of winning.
