Syndicate of Sin

Chapter 5

“So …” Bethany hummed over brunch mimosas. She tossed some blonde hair behind her ear and gently pressed a napkin to the corner of her glossy pink lips. “Federica said she saw you talking with a new girl at the club last Friday. Is she a dancer?”

I swallowed hard, glanced down at my food, and took a sip of my Afterglow. “Federica, uh … said that?”

Nobody was supposed to see me with Sage, never mind see me bringing her into the back room with Constantino. I didn’t know if she’d ever even message us back about the agreement—it had already been a week—but I couldn’t let the girls find out.

Bethany would think that I liked her and totally toss me to the side, just like my parents had. And that could never ever happen again. I had worked so hard to get to this place, to feel happy and comfortable again.

When I placed the glass down, a waiter grabbed it from me and poured me a new drink.

I smiled at Bethany and shook my head. “We’re thinking about bringing her on as a maid. Definitely not a dancer. I don’t need Constantino staring at her all day. She’s way too pretty for that.”

Bethany slid her knife into her chicken and popped a piece into her mouth. “You know what I’d do to him if he ever cheated on you, Laila. And, plus, you’re hotter than any of those bitches at the club.”

Lips curling into a half-smile, I peered down at my food. “I know. I know.”

God, I hated lying.

But I had to keep up the act with her, or they’d kick me out of their little clique. And she and the girls were the closest damn thing I had to sisters. Especially in this family and in this life, I needed them.

From the corner of my eye, I spotted a couple glancing our way and whispering. My stomach twisted, my food suddenly unappetizing. When they saw me staring at them, they quickly looked away.

FBI.

FBI.I turned back to Bethany and acted as if nothing were wrong. I didn’t want to worry her or alert the FBI that I had recognized them. Like I had said, I needed Bethany and the other girls, especially when the FBI was following Constantino.

More than usual these days.

Our informants within the police department had told us they were building a case against our family. And if Constantino went to prison, I would f*****g lose it. I would have no one, except Bethany.

“I booked us mani-pedis for tomorrow at Clouds,” Bethany said, tugging out her phone and glancing through her calendar. “I wanted to get my lips filled again, but all her appointments were booked for this weekend.” She peered over at me, her green eyes filled with excitement. “You should definitely tag along next time I go.”

I drew my tongue across my bottom lip. “You think?”

She grabbed my hand from across the table. “Once you do it one time, you’re not going to want to stop. Same with eyelash extensions. Do you remember how long it took me to convince you to get your lashes done?”

Laughing softly, I took a bite of my food. “Forever.”

“You should come with me and try it out. Get those pouty lips for Constantino.”

“I don’t want them to f**k it up,” I said. “Besides—”

Someone wrapped their arm around my shoulders. I glanced up to see Constantino leaning down to kiss me on the lips.

Once he pulled away, he peered toward Bethany. “I’m going to steal my wife away for a couple of minutes, Bethany.”

“Hey!” she said to him. “Not for too long. It’s a girls’ day.”

Constantino grabbed my hand and pulled me to my feet, guiding me past the suspicious couple and toward the front of the restaurant. I intertwined my fingers with his and let out a breath I had been holding since Bethany had brought up Sage.

“What’re you doing here?” I asked.

Once we slipped out the exit, Constantino walked with me to our black Mercedes with tinted windows, but didn’t push me inside the way he usually did when he didn’t want anyone to hear our conversation.

“I wanted to see my wife,” Constantino said.

“Have you heard anything from Sage?”

“She’s all that pretty mind thinks about, isn’t she?”

My cheeks burned, and I glanced at the pavement. “Sorry.”

He cupped my chin, lifted my face, and chuckled. “I already told you that I don’t mind, doll. If she doesn’t return to the club tonight, I’ll find her. We’ll get your horny ass a response either way.”

“Don’t pressure her,” I whispered, heart swelling. “Please.”

While I might’ve been his wife for years now and might’ve witnessed more than just him forcing someone to do something, I didn’t want him hurting Sage in any way. I wanted her to want this the way we did.

I sure hoped she wanted this.

Because I hadn’t been able to erase her from my mind. Her body. That kiss.

I had touched myself every night this week while Constantino was working, just thinking about the way she’d feel against me. I wanted to kiss her again, to touch her again, to play with her anytime I wanted.

“FBI’s here,” he said. “Vincent called me.”

Looking back into the restaurant, I caught Vincent—my bodyguard—standing by our table, pissed off as Bethany gossiped to him about something. I stifled a laugh and watched the undercover couple walk out of the restaurant.

They didn’t look our way once, but I knew they had been watching.

They were always watching.

I gripped Constantino’s hand. “Do you think they have something?”

With his sharp jaw clenched, he shook his head. “They have a lot of s**t, but nothing that can put me away. Or else they would’ve arrested me already.” He turned back to me and gently took my face in his hands, kissing me on the forehead. “I have to go take care of something, but I’ll see you tonight, doll.”

After he ushered me back into the restaurant, I glanced through the large window as he slipped into his car. Every time he left me, I feared that it’d be the last time I saw him, the last time I touched him.

Being the wife to the most wanted mobster had never been easy.