The Highest Bidder

❊ Cʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ Tᴡᴇɴᴛʏ﹣Tʜʀᴇᴇ ❊

I sat in my seat in Enzo's office, my head bowed as he watched me. There were only a couple more hours until his family would arrive for dinner and I doubted he thought I would be okay enough to go through with it. Never in my life had I been near a killer knowingly. It didn't matter if he worked for the government or not.

"Will you allow me to explain," he asked.

When we got back to his mansion, I practically ran to my room. He was at my door within a matter of minutes, telling me that I was to go up to his office or he would speak to me in my room. My room became my safe haven. I didn't want him there more than he already was. So I ended up going to his office, albeit reluctantly.

I nodded, but didn't look at him.

"My father is in the same business as I am." He sounded disgusted. "He was the one who introduced it to me at the age of fifteen when I stumbled in on one of his meetings. I was afraid like you are. But you need to understand, what I do is for the government. The way Maverick said it made it seem like I just kill whoever, whenever, for any amount of money. That's not how it is.

"When I first went to the complex to sign up, I was eighteen years old and just barely out of high school. I passed all of their exams - written and physical. I had the physique and mental capabilities to be one of the highest-ranking bosses, but I had to work my way up.

"The only people the government orders us to kill are terrorists. We go to some drug busts, crime scenes and sometimes we help the FBI. It's not always killing, and when it is, it's necessary. And I haven't done that for eight years. I made my way up the ranks to be a boss and I stopped, gained my own employees and now I'm here."

I finally raised my eyes to look at him. He was still watching me, waiting for a reaction. He didn't get one. I had to admit, what he said did calm me a little. What he did wasn't as bad as I originally thought and how Maverick put the idea in my head. Maybe that's what he wanted. To scare me and make me fear Enzo to try and get me to escape. And it had worked too, if only for a few minutes.

"You have absolutely nothing to fear from me, Eva," he said sincerely. "I will never hurt you."

"So all of the people that have been here are employees," I asked.

He shrugged. "Some are. Some aren't. You need to understand that this has to be kept a secret. My family knows nothing about it, neither does Sophia, or any of the other people who work here. My guards know, but I wouldn't risk talking to them about it."

I understood. Hell, I wish I didn't need to find out. I was happy believing that he was a male escort.

I promised that I wouldn't tell his family when they arrived. It would be weird to sit at the table instead of serving him, pretending to be his girlfriend in front of Sophia. But the way she was, she would be overjoyed.

And boy was I was correct.

When dinner time rolled around, I changed into a sundress and sandals before heading over to the door to meet with Enzo. Sophia was there too, doing her duties and being there to take coats and whatever else they wanted to give her. When his fingers entwined with mine, she grinned.

Enzo cocked his head at her. "Is something funny?"

"No, sir." She giggled and stepped towards the door. When she opened it, both Enzo's mother and father were there, as was his sister and her new husband.

Adrianna rushed to me, grabbed my hand out of Enzo's, and held both of my hands in hers. "I heard you were drugged at the wedding! Do you remember who it was? Oh, my God. I am so sorry."

"What are you apologizing for?" I smiled. "You have nothing to be sorry about. I'm fine now."

I really wasn't. I guess my performance was good, because relief immediately washed over her face as she pulled me in for a hug. I couldn't imagine what she was thinking. I had just met her that day and I went and got drugged. I would want to apologize too, even though it truly wasn't her fault.