My Crown

Chapter 36

As annoying as they are, Melly and Pam have been extremely useful.
Pam has been hitting the streets gathering intel while Melly has been working with Savat sifting through files and videos.

If they weren't so invasive, I would actually want to keep them around.
Instead, they spent most of the week sticking their noses in my business.

I swear I talked more about my personal life in the past week than I ever have in my entire life. And that's including those months in prison with Luciano.

Thankfully, we were still very productive despite the endless therapy sessions.

Randall, Susanna's lieutenant, left Spain yesterday with a bug that will hopefully lead us straight to her.
From what I gather, he is returning with a counter-offer for Susanna.

Which is bad.

If Susanna has the Spanish behind her, she is the new Donna. It does not matter that she has no mafia or dominion in Italy anymore. The Spanish give her recognition.
And with recognition comes authority.

Another slight problem, according to gossip Pam overheard, Luciano is back.

Luciano Morelli.

As if that is not bad enough, Savat suspects the ghost is in Barcelona.
He also got a warning from Demi; Hades is mad.

This is going to be interesting.

"You look hot. Why do you look hot?"
I am offended at Melly's question, "I always look hot." I remind her.

"You always look 'elegant, understated, sleek young professional' hot, this is 'down to fuck' hot."
"Well, we're going to an exclusive club in Valencia. I have to look the part." Especially since Ashley Santiago is an aspiring model.

"Who you trynna fool? That is a 'come hither' look." Pam adds her two cents to the conversation.

I look down at my simple black minidress and silver heels.
I think I look the part of a young Spanish model from an affluent family.

"Are you looking to get laid?"
"Should I go change?" I have a few other dresses that would work. And a jumpsuit.

"It'll work." Melly shrugs then goes back to packing her handbag.
She is wearing hot crimson shorts and a sexy black bralette with black monster heels and stacked bracelets.

"It looks like you're the one angling to hook up."
Even her makeup is hot.

"When in Rome." She winks at me.

I turn my eyes to Pam who looks fucking amazing. Her geometric print bodycon dress fits her like a glove and highlights her curves.
No one else here could pull that dress off so effortlessly.
Her short dark curly hair frames her round face perfectly.
Pam is also one of those people with perfect clear skin and a warm caramel complexion. She really does not need any makeup, but today she chose to accentuate her pouty lips and warm honey eyes.

We definitely look hot enough to get in.

¤

It doesn't take long for me to secure an invite to the VIP section upstairs.
Unfortunately, I don't have eyes on my target from this booth.

It doesn't help that the man that invited me here is far too handsy for my liking. His friend is also eying me like a piece of meat. But I play along, fluttering my eyelashes, giggling and touching them suggestively. Both of them.
I might as well entertain myself with their little dick measuring contest.

Here is hoping Melly is having better luck.

I make sure to get a good look of the floor when I excuse myself to the ladies' room. The booths are spread pretty evenly and each seems to have a skimpily dressed waiter or waitress attending to them.

I tutt over to the bar where the bartender looks surprised to see me.
"Can I have a shot of tequila please?"
I'll need it if I have to pretend to be interested in dumb and dumber and there is no way I am taking a drink from either of them.

I notice Melly among a larger group closer to the bar. But neither of our targets are in sight.
Oh, well. It's still early.

After downing two shots, I make my way back.
Wait.

I notice another section of the second floor and make sure to walk by it.

Unfortunately, security seems to be tighter. I barely get a glimpse as I walk past.

Damn.

I make my way back to the booth where dumb is now sloppily swapping spit with a leggy blonde.
"Looks like you're all mine tonight." Dumber says into my ear as I sit next to him.
"Can you show a girl a good time?" I ask angling my body to him.
"How about I order us some of the good stuff?" Instead of rolling my eyes, I giggle obnoxiously as he calls a waitress.

How long until he figures out I'm not going home with him?

"Miss." A different waitress draws my attention away from the ridiculous man pouring vodka into whiskey glasses.
"You have been invited to the VVIP lounge."

Wait, what now? VVIP? That must be the place I passed. If there's anywhere they'd be it'd be there.

I give the boys a cheeky wave before following the waitress to the much more private section of the second floor. Much nicer too.

The music isn't as loud and the waitresses are dressed nicer. Not to mention the liquor is top notch.

Time to put on a show.

I add an extra sway to my hips and run my fingers through my hair as we approach the group that summoned me.

My breath hitches and I stop walking.

Fuck my life.

There are my targets, Diego and Damien Marsans, looking absolutely captivated by me.

The girls on their laps though, raise my antennae:
Skinny,
pretty,
soulless eyes.
They've dressed them up nice enough, but I know that dead look in their eyes from anywhere.

Sex slaves.

Old or new?

I've spent the past four years methodically eliminating every mafia family engaged in human trafficking. If these girls are new, that means new players are capitalising on the gap that was left behind. I was hoping our Intel was wrong.

Typical.

My faith in humanity just died.

But that is not why I froze.

I think we all know why I froze.

Once again I repeat, fuck my life.