Athena
I paced back and forth in Luciano’s living room, glancing at the clock on the wall. It was already eight in the evening, and Luciano still hadn’t returned home. Impatience gnawed at me, and I couldn’t help but feel a mixture of anticipation and frustration. I wanted to see him, to be near him, and that thought both excited and terrified me.
My feet stopped abruptly, and I glared a the ceiling above me. What was I doing yearning for a man I most likely would have to kill before he killed me first? What sort of twisted shit was that?
I reminded myself, once again, of my purpose. I was here as a spy, gathering information to bring Luciano to justice. My mission was clear, and my allegiance lay with the law.
Okay, maybe I didn’t give a fuck about the law, but my allegiance lay with me, with Frederick, who I owed so much. With the innocent lives taken over the years, no thanks to Luciano and his gang of misfits. But as the minutes ticked by, I couldn’t deny the unsettling truth in the depths of my heart -I had become more than just an observer in Luciano’s world.
I found myself drawn to him in ways I never anticipated. His enigmatic presence, his charm, and even his dangerous allure had captivated me from the moment we met. I had never been a fan of danger, but if there were anyone who could change that, it would be Luciano.
“Maybe all I need is sex,” I mumbled, dropping my ass to the sofa. “I haven’t been tupped in a long time; I guess all that seduction shit is taking its toll on me.”
Yeah, right. A tiny voice said sarcastically, and I squashed it mentally.
Sex or not, I couldn’t allow these feelings to cloud my judgment. Luciano was a criminal, a man responsible for unimaginable acts of violence and corruption.
And responsible for making my body as primed and rosy as a doe ready for mating. How could I ever forget what had happened in the elevator? I had wanted him to bury himself inside me so badly. Hell, I still wanted that now, but at least my senses were with me. They had disappeared in the elevator.
I took a deep breath, attempting to steady my racing thoughts. Yet, as the silence of the empty room surrounded me, doubts began to creep in. Was there a part of Luciano that I hadn’t yet discovered? Could there be a glimmer of humanity buried beneath his hardened exterior? It was a dangerous line of thinking, one that threatened to undermine my resolve.
I closed my eyes and clenched my fists, trying to regain my focus. Perhaps this was his plan all along. My eyes flew open. I had come out to seduce him and ended up getting tempted instead. But that would mean he was aware of my mission, and knowing Luciano, he’d have killed me if he knew why I had come to work for him. If he knew I was Athena Hernandez.
I replayed his words in my head. You’ll be the death of me… Cara. He always called me that ridiculous name. I’d checked the meaning online and found that it meant darling. Even more, fucking stupid.
Sweet, panty-melting, but still ridiculous. I doubted he would call me darling if he knew how often I had wanted to slice off his pretty neck.
His pretty, yummy, muscular neck. And that wasn’t the only part of him that was yummy or strong… Or both. I hummed, closing my eyes as a warm fuzzy feeling filled my belly.
But the truth remained -I longed to see him, to hear his voice, to know that he was safe. It was a conflicting desire, one that clashed with my purpose. I had to keep reminding myself that the man I was waiting for was not the Luciano I had come to know intimately. He was the ruthless mafia lord, the one I had sworn to bring down.
Yeah, I was fucked.
I glanced at the clock. Eight fucking thirty. Doubt began to creep in, and I rose to my feet again, pacing the room. Had something happened? Was he in another shoot-out? Now that I thought about it, if he went with Giorgia, it was something about the mafia. What if they had revolted and deposed him from being their Lord? Hell, maybe he was in a ditch, dying a slow, painful death. The nagging worry gnawed at me, threatening to unravel the carefully constructed walls I had built around my heart.
“Nah,” I whispered, shaking my head. “Giorgia would not allow that to happen. Did you see the way she looked at him? And the way she looked at me? That woman is bat shit crazy for him, and the idiot is as blind as a bat.”
My phone buzzed, and I glanced at the screen to see Frederick’s name flashing across it. Relief washed over me as I answered the call, grateful for a momentary distraction from the turmoil.
“Is it safe to talk?” Frederick’s voice was calm, filled with concern.
I nodded instinctively, even though he couldn’t see me. “Yes, I’m alone.”
Frederick wasted no time, getting straight to the point. “Athena, we conducted autopsies on the recent victims. Two showed the same cause of death, consistent with Luciano’s signature -multiple headshot wounds. However, a third victim had a different cause of death.”
My heart skipped a beat as his words sank in. Could it be true? Was someone else out there committing these heinous acts in Luciano’s name?
The implications of Frederick’s revelation began to unravel before me. If there was another person involved, it meant that Luciano might not be solely responsible for the bloodshed. It raised the possibility of a sinister puppet master pulling the strings behind the scenes, using Luciano as a mere pawn.
Or as a cover.
As the pieces fell into place in my mind, excitement mingled with trepidation as I shared my thoughts with Frederick. “Frederick, if there’s someone else involved, someone operating in Luciano’s name, it changes everything.”
Frederick made a sound of disbelief, and I chuckled. “Okay, perhaps not everything, but something! We need to dig deeper. Someone’s trying to implicate Luciano. We find the connections and gather evidence to prove it.”
“Athena, you’re speaking like Luciano’s some sort of saint.” Frederick snapped.
“I am not!” I defended hotly. What the hell was he saying?! I never meant that.
There was a pause on the other end of the line, and I could sense Frederick’s skepticism. “Athena, kiddo, I know you. We must tread carefully. Luciano is not to be trusted, and there’s a possibility he’s manipulating you.”
I gritted my teeth, frustration bubbling up within me. “I know the risks, Frederick. There’s more to this case than meets the eye. I must find out the truth for all the innocent lives affected.”
Silence hung in the air, and I knew Frederick was wrestling with his doubts. Hell, I had concerns of my own. They were as tall as a freaking mountain. The stakes were high, but deep down, I had an unwavering conviction that something bigger was at play -a web of deception that needed to be unraveled.
“I won’t stop until I uncover the truth, Frederick,” I said, my voice steady and unwavering. “I’ll be cautious, I promise. But we can’t disregard the possibility that there’s more to this than we initially thought.”
Frederick sighed audibly. “Very well, Athena. But remember, not everything is as it seems. Luciano is more than just a bad man. Be vigilant, and keep me updated on your findings.”
“Of course, thanks, Freddy-”
“Do you still want to kill him?”
Frederick’s question hung in the air, and a heavy silence settled between us. Why the hell was I even contemplating it?!
“Yes,” I said as defiantly as I could.
“You hesitated,” Frederick accused. There was a hint of disappointment in Frederick’s voice as he continued, his tone tinged with concern. “Athena, I understand your situation-”
“I don’t think you do,” I mumbled. He continued speaking anyway.
“… but I need to remind you of the dangers of getting involved with a man like Luciano. Don’t let your emotions cloud your judgment. Remember, he took away your father. While vengeance can consume even the most rational minds, Lust is way more dangerous.”
My heart tightened at his words, the truth of them slicing through my facade. Frederick’s cautionary words struck a nerve, reminding me of the vulnerability beneath my feigned anger. But I couldn’t let him see it. I couldn’t allow myself to appear weak.
Feigning anger, I lashed out, my voice filled with false indignation. “How dare you, Frederick? Do you think I would fall for a man like Luciano? You know nothing of what I feel. All I feel for him is hate and anger, nothing more!”
There was a pause on the other end of the line, and I could sense Frederick’s uneasiness. “That’s good enough, then.” He said and ended the call.