Cruel Paradise - A Mafia Romance Chapter 161

Adrik takes the stool that Ruslan just vacated. He’s wearing a silk shirt open to mid-chest, with gold chains looped heavily almost down to his belly button. Whoever told him he looked good tonight was either blind, a liar, or both.

“Adrik,” I greet coldly, looking away.

“Don’t tell me he’s disappeared on you already? I thought Ruslan had better manners than that.”

“He had business to attend to.”

I eye the bartender, but he’s indisposed on the other side of the bar. It’s gonna look too suspicious if I flag him down just so that Adrik can order a drink.

Wait it out. Be patient.

“Business? Not even that can justify leaving a beautiful woman all by herself at the bar.” He flashes me a smile and I have to try my hardest not to cringe away from him.

Instead, I reach for my seltzer water.

“Not in the mood for something stronger tonight?”

I roll my eyes. “Don’t try to be cute. It doesn’t suit you.”

He laughs, unfazed. “I like you, Emma. I can see why Ruslan’s head was turned. Of course, now that he has you…”

The bartender is on our side of the bar now but Adrik doesn’t seem to be interested in getting himself a drink.

Goddammit. Drink something, you useless piece of shit!

“What are you trying to imply?”

He shrugs innocently. “I’m not implying anything. I’m just making an observation. He’s over there somewhere schmoozing the VIPs, while you’re sitting here by your lonesome. Doesn’t seem very gentlemanly of him.”

“Oh, and you know something about being a gentleman, do you?”

“More than Ruslan, it seems.”

“Alright, then tell me, Adrik: is it ‘gentlemanly’ to make a woman drink alone?”

He arches his brow. A second later, he snaps his fingers in the direction of the bartender. “Gin and tonic. On the rocks.”

I slide my hand into the discreet side pocket in my dress. It’s starting to feel a little too tight. Of course, that could just be the nerves talking.

“No Jessica this evening?” My voice shakes a little but I’m hoping that the music drowns it out. Get it together, Em. You’re the one that wanted to do this.

“She’s on call if I need her.”

“Poor girl,” I sigh sarcastically. “Must get tiring being on call for a man.”

“She’s used to it. She was trained well by your man.”

The implication is not even remotely subtle. If I didn’t have an ulterior motive, I’d have walked—no, ran—a long time ago. Instead, I’m stuck here, waiting for my window of opportunity.

In the side pocket of my dress, my fingers close around the small pill and withdraw it in a closed fist beneath the bar counter. The bartender slides over Adrik’s drink a second later.

This is it.

Here goes nothing…

“Pass me a napkin,” I request. “They’re right behind you.”

Adrik twists around to reach for them and I act fast. I don’t have time to check to make sure no one’s watching me. I just suck in a breath and pop the little pill right into his gin and tonic. I’ve been assured that the pill is supposed to disintegrate the moment it hits liquid. Except that I’m pretty sure I can still see it, nestled between two ice cubes and fizzing away merrily.

Of course he had to order the fucking drink with rocks.

“Here you go.”

I take the napkin and hold eye contact. He can’t look at his drink until after the pill has dissolved or else this whole plan is shot to shit. “Can I ask you something?”

He glances back at me, his hand snaking around his glass. He jostles the drink and the pill sinks between the cubes.

Thank God…

He takes a big sip of it. “Anything, my dear. Ask away.”

I’m sweating under the armpits now. That’s one thing no one ever tells you about this kind of business: it’s hard to feel like a femme fatale undercover spy when you’re sweating like a pig.

“Why do you hate Ruslan so much?”

He raises his eyebrows and takes another gulp of his gin and tonic. “I don’t hate him.” The answer feels robotic, though. Rehearsed. “I’m just a businessman trying to make a name for myself. Or are you trying to tell me that Ruslan is afraid of a little healthy competition?”

His drink is nearly done already. I tilt my head to the side, eyes watering as I try not to blink and break eye contact. “I’m not trying to tell you anything. Now… if you’ll excuse me, I need to get some fresh air.”

If he doesn’t follow me, that shoots the second part of this plan to hell. But if I ask him to come with me, he’ll get suspicious. So I trust my instincts, finish my seltzer water, and sashay away towards the back of the club. I don’t risk a glance over my shoulder, no matter how tempting it is. I wait until I’ve left the claustrophobic haze of the club to breathe again.

The alleyway just outside is eerily quiet. It’s also dark enough to encourage all sorts of bad intentions.

Your idea… This was your idea…

I’ve only been standing in the alleyway for a few seconds when the door pushes open and Adrik appears.

I feign annoyance. “What are you doing here?”

“I would never leave you alone in a place like this. You could run into all sorts of dangerous men.”

I purse my lips. “Feels like I already have.”

His eyes are already dilated and his leer is growing more and more pronounced. But surely the drug can’t have taken effect already? It’s too soon.

Maybe I jumped the gun, came out too fast. At least when we were back at the bar, we were surrounded by people. I had the safety of a crowd.

Out here, shadows are our only company.

“Did I mention how stunning you look in that dress?” Adrik asks.

He steps towards me and I find myself shrinking back. “Adrik. I’m not interested.”

“Someone certainly has a high opinion of herself. Just because I compliment you doesn’t mean I want to fuck you.”

“That’s a relief. Can you tell that to your dick?”

He looks down at his crotch and guffaws at the noticeable erection pushing against the front of his pants. “Whoops,” he laughs giddily. “Busted.”

If I weren’t feeling so damn vulnerable right now, I’d have rolled my eyes.

Keep him talking, Em. Just keep him talking.