Chapter 2

• Reader's POV
• He was right, and I knew that, which was why I was intentionally being obtuse.
• I sat down in front of my mirror and began to do my hair, removing the pins from the thick curls and putting them in my mouth. After such a sweaty performance, my hair was wet at the root, which made the curls thicker and tighter but softer and silkier to touch. I ran a brush through it, causing some to fall in front of my face while brushing the back out to form an afro.
• Keith stopped behind my chair, his eyes watching my movements narrowed.
• "You're going to seduce him?" He asked darkly.
• A thrill shot down my spine at the thought of it. Of course, that was what I had in mind when I walked on that stage. Seducing Luca Castello was the very thing I did when I bent my body backward, raised my legs to the side of my face and rolled my waist, rolling my hips. I was going to seduce him. All I had was my body.
• I s*ck*d in a shallow breath. But would a man like him be seduced by me? LA might be an advanced city, but like the rest of the world, racial discrimination was still a thing. When you're mixed you have an advantage, to some degree, true, but it's a better advantage than when your skin is darker.
• Leaving TikTok wasn't just because of plagiarism issues, even though that was a big part of it. There seemed to be a community on the platform that fetishize people like me, just like the men at the club who came to feast their eyes knowing they would go back to their blonde or brunette wives after a rough night with a dancer. We were good enough to satisfy their basic desires but not enough to take home.
• When I started getting comments like "Black queen" and "I love me a black queen", I was flattered. Until Faith explained that I was being fetishized and I immediately felt uncomfortable.
• Getting a job here at the club was a stroke of luck. If I hadn't practiced hard the previous night before the audition, I never would have gotten it.
• I swallowed down the nerves in my throat and went on the offensive.
• "I'm not seducing him, Keith, are you dumb? I'm going to make him think that I am until he helps me."
• "If you really think so, then I should be asking if you are the one who's dumb. Do you think a man like Castello would let you play silly games and let you go? You go to that man out there, you're asking for trouble."
• "Well, what would you have me do?!" I cried, dropping the pins in my mouth. "Faith is missing! It's been two days, Keith. Two whole weeks since my baby sister went missing! If I have to make a deal with the devil to get her back, then so be it!"
• I rose from the chair, touched my hair, smacked my red-glossed lips and told myself that I was good to go. If I was going to seduce a man like Luca I wouldn't need to be coy about it. He was a smart man, all he had to do was take one look at me to know what I was planning to do.
• I started out for the door. Keith blocked my path.
• "Think about this, Fran."
• But I had already thought about it and I knew that this was the only way.
• **
• Luca stared at the stage long after she disappeared, a tiny smile hovering on his lips.
• She danced well every other day. That was why he returned no matter how busy he was. But tonight's performance was different. Luca Castello was by all rights a vain man. No man accomplished all that he had at such a young age without a little bit of vanity.
• So he had known that tonight's performance was a special one for him. Her eyes, even though she was afar, had met his over and over and over again tonight. Her movements were more sensual than usual. They were intentionally choreographed to stimulate arousal.
• He chuckled to himself. She was a bold one, but how bold?
• Most women in his life were bold enough until they saw the beast. That was when they ran off with their tails between their legs. Was his little dancer just as fiery as she seemed to be? Were there limits to her passion?
• He was at his own limits tonight with his brother. Giovanni was going on and on about something he couldn't be bothered to listen to. Now that Francesca no longer had his attention he was forced to listen to his brother's rambling.
• "You really should talk to Ricky."
• For the second time that evening, Luca's eyes sought Ricky's. Ricky Russell, the man who owned the club.
• He was greeting some patrons, but he caught Luca's eye with a raise of his glass of wine and a sly smile.
• Luca did not acknowledge either. His eyes turned instead to his brother.
• "Why should I?"
• "Because he asked. He wants to talk to you."
• Luca narrowed his eyes in the dim setting of the club at his brother, who nearly looked nothing like him. They both had raven black hair, olive skin and dark gray eyes, but there was no depth to Giovanni's eyes. His eyes were cold and thoughtless. The unintelligent eyes of a killer.
• "And he has to come through you? Why?" He asked with suspicion.
• Giovanni shrugged. "Probably scared of that dark scowl of yours. You know what? It's not important anyway," he added, waving his free hand casually. His right hand reached for a cigar from the case which one of the serving girls dressed in nothing but playboy-style lingerie complete with the bunny ears and fishnets had dropped on the table.
• Luca studied his brother. He wouldn't look him in the eye. Giovanni did that when he was hiding something. Usually Luca did not bother him with what it was, since it usually involved killing someone, and he would rather distance himself from that. He called the shots, but he liked to pride himself as the clean side of the business.
• Yet tonight there was something different about Giovanni and Luca wanted to know. Yet before he could, there was a deep clearing of throat behind the curtain of his booth.
• The head server leaned in. "Mr. Castello, someone would like to speak with you."
• Before he could say who, Francesca peaked from behind him.
• Luca caught sight of her and a smile tugged his lips.
• Without taking his eyes off her, he said "Giovanni, take a stroll."
• His brother's gasp was barely audible, his dark eyes shooting between Fran and Luca. His brother was serious. He really dismissed him for a dancer?
• Grabbing the lighter off the table, he stalked off.
• Fran stepped aside while Giovanni stumped off, nearly bumping into her with his shoulder.
• Now she was alone with him. Her confidence nearly failed her but when she looked into his eyes, seeing the magnetic light shade of gray for the first time, she was mesmerized. Suddenly, the thumping of her heart was not just out of nerves but a visceral reaction to his dark good looks and that powerful aura. No wonder he was so feared, no one could look at him and not be frightened.
• "I'm sorry to intrude, Mr. Castello," She said, her voice firm even though her nerves were frayed.
• He nodded once, offering her a seat.
• She took it, languidly dropping into the leather seats. Her short skirts became even shorter, revealing the skin-colored tights she wore.
• "It must be for a reason," Luca said simply.
• Fran smiled. "I see you enjoyed my show."
• He didn't bother to hide it. "You watched me watch you?" He raised a brow, humor catching his voice.
• Her smile turned shy.
• Luca observed her. She was young, younger than he had ever had. There was an air of innocence about her, yet in her direct gaze was a boldness that challenged him.
• He found that he liked it very much.
• "You haven't performed a special dance for me for mere compliments, have you, Francesca?"
• If she was surprised that he knew her name, she didn't appear to be surprised. In fact, he thought he saw a look of satisfaction in her eyes.
• The night kept getting better and better.
• He was right to have fixated on her, even going as far as demanding her schedule to know when she would be performing.
• "No I haven't, Mr. Castello..."
• "Luca."
• Now she lowered her gaze slightly. "Luca." She moved forward, her brown eyes glistening in the dim light. "My sister is missing, has been for 2 weeks now."
• He was relaxed as he watched her speak. "I don't see what that has to do with me."
• "It doesn't... Not directly." She licked her lips and his eyes followed the movement. Her lips were full and red. He could see it forming a large O around his c*ck. She had a nice voice to match her looks, but he wasn't interested in what she had to say, he was more interested in how long it would take before he was bored with her.
• Or how much she could endure before she ran off like the others.
• "Then why are you here?"
• "I found some things regarding my sister's disappearance that might... Might be connected to you in some ways. I found a picture she took with a member of the Blood gang."
• He waited. When she didn't elaborate, he turned his hand upward. "And?"
• "You are Mafioso," she said with unwavering conviction, without fear. "Your power crosses borders and ocean lines. If the Blood gang is involved with my sister's disappearance I know you can help me."
• Now she caught his interest again. Since the enactment of several Federal laws and prohibition against organized crime, many crime organizations had gone underground, performing their acts within close circles. The mafia was one of them, hence why there were few mentions of them in recent news.
• As long as he wasn't caught legally, Luca could continue his business.
• Miss Francesca seemed to have no problem voicing out facts. She was his flavor of daring.
• "I see. Tell me what you think happened."
• "I don't know the details, she kept a lot of things from me even though we lived together, but I think she dated that Blood gang member and I only just realized that he works for Ricky Russell. Every trace of her ends with Ricky Russell. He must have something to do with this."
• "You should be talking to him then."
• "No," She shook her head. "I should be talking with you, you are the most powerful man in the city, in the state. I need you."
• He needed her too in more than one position while he f*ck*d all of her holes. He wondered what his daring innocent would say to that.
• He started to give his response when his brother returned with some of his men in dark suits behind him.
• "Brother," Giovanni grunted without a glance at Fran. His meaning was clear. He did not approve of Luca talking with someone like her.
• Luca studied Fran's expression as she turned to his brother, shifting uncomfortably in her seat. She didn't seem to trust his brother and he had a feeling that had something to do with her missing sister.
• "Let's talk in private, Miss Elaise. When you close."