Page 102 of The Beast Who Bought Me
He’s all smiles as he looks at me. “And you offer this in exchange?” He flicks one finger, from the hand holding his glass, toward Caligula.
I set down my drink. “You know, Jesse Foster might’ve given you the wrong impression out there.”
“Oh, yes?” he replies again, a lot colder this time.
“The Clemenza is mine.” I lay it out clear for him, so he knows not to push. “So if you were hoping to use him...” I give a shrug. “What can I say? I don’t share.”
The Russian stares at Caligula instead of me, frustration clear in his face. “You expect me to give you information for nothing? You waste my time, Mr. Orsini.”
He starts to rise, and I feel Caligula’s finger jabbing into my ankle. He glances up at me with a furious, fleeting expression.
The problem is, I knew the second I came into this place that I was not going to share Caligula Clemenza with any other fucker on earth.
Ibought him. He’smine. And there’s not a damn thing any of them can do about it.
But we need that intel.
“Hold on,” I say as the Russian turns to leave. “I didn’t say nothing.”
Andropov pauses, one eyebrow raised. “Then what do you offer? Because I was promised?—”
“Jesse promised. Not me.” I lean back, keeping my voice easy. “But I get it. You came in here expecting a show. So maybe we can work something out.”
The Russian reaches for the bottle of vodka and takes it with him back to his seat, interest rekindled. “I’m listening.”
I pause, trying to come up with something. Anything. Caligula shifts slightly, his hand sliding up behind his back where Andropov can’t see it, finger and thumb meeting in the universal signal for “OK.”
Okay. Go ahead. I trust you to keep me safe.
Fuck.
“Maybe you’d like to watch,” I sigh out.
Something shifts in Andropov’s expression. I’ve hit a nerve—the right one.
I reach down and grip Caligula’s chin, tilting his face up. Those golden eyes meet mine, unreadable. I tilt his face toward the Russian. “Pretty, right?”
“As you say.” He’s still guarded. But he’s intrigued.
“The Clemenza can put on a show for you. But the only dick going near him is mine.”
Andropov’s tongue darts out to wet his lips. He’s considering it. “And in exchange?” he asks. “What is this information you seek?”
This is it. I have to show our cards now, before we even lay the bet. But no point going through all this if the Bratva has no usable information. “You got any idea who’s been hunting down the Clemenzas?”
A slow smile thins his lips. “Why doyouwant to know?”
“Because I wanna shake their fucking hand. And maybe give them a go at this last one, once I’ve used him up.”
“I see. Well…I might have something for you.”
“Gimme a crumb. Right now, so I know you’re on the up and up.”
There’s a long pause, and then Andropov says, “He is a compatriot of mine. I can introduce you.”
“What’s his name?”
“I have paid your entry fee. Now I get my performance, yes? And no rushing.”
