Dino by Jaime Lewis
Chapter THREE
Arianna or Anna Humphreys, the name she had been answering to for the last two years, looked herself over in the full-length mirror. She rolled her eyes as she reached into the fitted black cocktail dress and adjusted her boobs, so they didn’t look lopsided. She would have preferred to wear something more modest, but this was a big night. She needed to dress to impress since the show's main sponsor was throwing the party. This assignment was starting to weigh on her. She hoped tonight would lead to the start of the final stage in the operation. She stepped into her heels and gave herself one last look before she opened the door.
She walked down the dimly lit hallway then took the stairs down to the next level toward the reception room where the afterparty was in full swing. The entire event was held in an old renaissance castle in Rome. It was a gorgeous venue with lush courtyards and five-star accommodations. She had the opportunity to spend a few nights before the show to take it all in. The castle was rich in history, not to mention its secrets beyond the floors and walls. Being the explorer that she was, she spent most of her free time exploring the secret passageways she had heard about. The dark and musty corridors appeared spooky, but it was right up her alley. She loved a good mystery with suspense.
She had met many new faces during her time undercover. Most she would consider just business associates, but there were one or two she would consider being a “real” friend. To this day, she was still dumbfounded how she went from a contracted FBI Forensic Accountant to an undercover agent posing as a lingerie model. Never in a million years would she have seen herself in this position.
As she rounded the bend that led into the open room, she heard the music and laughter. She walked through the large double doors and looked around, ignoring the hungry eyes of the men who would love nothing more than to claim her attention for the evening. She always made sure she mingled with a group of people so she wasn’t stranded alone with an unfamiliar guy. There were too many untrustworthy people at these types of events.
As she went to turn in the opposite direction, her eyes met a familiar set of dark eyes across the room. She smiled as Enzo said something to the gentleman next to him before he started walking toward her.
“Anna!” The mob boss greeted her and pulled her into an embrace. His deep voice intermingled with his thick Italian accent. She accepted the hug from him. Yes, an FBI agent shouldn’t be mingling with a mob boss, but when your orders were to play the part, then you obeyed. Plus, Enzo never gave her a reason to be frightened of him. She’d heard stories but never witnessed him breaking any laws or showing aggression toward someone.
She and Enzo had formed a bond somewhat early in her impromptu modeling career. He had bailed her out of a few of situations early in her assignment. Her inexperience in the industry had almost been costly the very first afterparty she had attended. She had ordered a drink from the bar but hadn’t been aware that an older gentleman with a history of abuse had paid off the bartender to spike her drink. Luckily for her, Enzo had seen the entire little operation unfold and had gotten to her in time before she had taken a drink. From that moment on he had been somewhat of a mentor to her—showing her how to navigate the industry. There were never any romantic feelings between them—just a great friendship that she would be sad to leave behind once her assignment was finished.
“Enzo, it is so good to see you.”
He stared down at her. “Once again, you were the shining star on the runway this evening. Your beauty and stature captivated the audience.”
She blushed as she held his gaze. “Now I know you’re just pulling my leg.”
He squeezed her waist. “I never lie to a woman about her beauty.”
She nodded her head. “Well, thank you for the compliment.”
“So, I hear that your contract with Claude is coming to an end.”
She gave him a coy smile. “That might be true.”
“Well, before you entertain any other offers, I would ask that you give consideration to my representation. You know I’d take care of you.”
She smiled. She had no doubt. Out of all of the individuals behind the fashion brand names, she would say that Enzo topped the list. If she had an opportunity to cherry-pick who she modeled for, she would definitely lean toward Enzo’s brand. He cared for his employees and treated all the women who worked for him with dignity and respect. Claude, the current designer she was contracted with, wasn’t as forgiving as Enzo and expected one hundred fifty percent all the time. It was exhausting and frustrating at times.
If she knew modeling was her actual career, which it wasn’t, she would jump at the opportunity to work for Enzo and be represented by him. Even knowing he had a dark side.
“We can definitely talk.”
“Yes, I think we can.” He held her gaze, and she sensed there was something more he wanted to say. She started to ask him, but they were rudely interrupted by Miles. Miles was her colleague and another undercover agent posing as her agent. Although looking at his disheveled appearance, Arianna got a bad feeling that Miles had started his party a little earlier.
“Anna, there you are,” Miles said hurriedly. She didn’t miss how dilated his pupils were or how jittery he was. Miles was high on whatever drug was floating around the room. Drugs were one of the big things she definitely wouldn’t miss when her assignment was over. She did make a note in her reports if anyone wanted to follow up on it. She even had the names of suppliers. Unfortunately, Miles had gotten sucked into the dark abyss, and she was sure that their handlers were aware. Sadly, it was a norm within the industry—so many girls were taken advantage of because of it.
She narrowed her eyes. “Miles, I’m speaking to Enzo right now; whatever it is can wait.”
Miles gave Enzo a disgusted look. It wasn’t a secret that Miles didn’t care for Enzo. That fractured relationship stemmed from an event a few months ago when Enzo caught Miles trying to enter into a contract on Arianna’s behalf without her knowledge.
Arianna went to say something about his rude behavior, but then Mile’s eyes grew wide and he learned closer and whispered. “He is here.”
She pulled back just slightly and really looked at him. Judging from the slight gleam in his eyes, she knew he wasn’t joking. She felt her heart jump start, and she could feel the anxiousness start to build, but she didn’t let it show. She knew who “he” was that Miles was referring to. This was the moment everyone on the team had been waiting for. Two years of parading her goods around in lingerie and her payday had come.
“Miles, I don’t speak your code. Who are you talking about?” She played dumb, not wanting to look overanxious, especially in front of Enzo.
“Demitri Barros wants an introduction to the Black Swan model.”
She really wasn’t sure what to say. In her mind, she was saying “finally”. She literally had put herself in the public eye for this moment. She had shed many tears in private, but the FBI didn’t care as long as the job was completed.
“Anna!” Miles shouted at her, which drew a glare from Enzo. “Did you hear me? Demitri Barros is asking for you. You know what this means, right?”
She looked at Miles. If he wasn’t careful, his over excitement was going to jeopardize the operation.
She felt Enzo’s hand slide to her back before he lowered his head and whispered in her ear. “Be very careful, Anna.”
She looked up, and the warning was clear in Enzo’s eyes. “If you need me, I’ll be around,” he told her and kissed her on the cheek before he disappeared into the crowd.
Miles grabbed her hand and pulled her along. As they made their way through the crowd of people, many tried to stop and talk to her, but Miles kept them moving, telling everyone that she had an important engagement she needed to get to. All the while, she kept thinking about Enzo’s warning.
“You’re going to be the next cover model for Barros lingerie line,” Miles said over his shoulder.
She grabbed his hand and yanked him backward. Her actions caught the eye of few individuals close by, but she played it off well with the fake smile she was accustomed to giving people over the last couple of years.
She turned her eyes back to Miles who was looking at her as if knowing he may have crossed the line with her, which he had. She’d had enough of his overaggressive antics.
She stepped closer to him and spoke in a low voice. “You need to get your shit together before you blow both our covers.”
He reared his head back and went to refute her statement, but she raised her eyebrow as if daring him to challenge her. She was done with his carelessness and irresponsibility.
Once she saw his shoulders relax, she started moving again and brushed by him, knocking into his shoulder. She could feel his presence following, and she wanted to smile to herself. That had been the first time she called him out on his behavior. But he was a goddamn federal agent, and he needed to act like one.
As they walked through the dark halls of the castle, she tried to get herself back in character. Of course, Miles started to perk up again. In her contract for this assignment, she was allowed to keep whatever money she made from modeling. Miles’ contract stated the same meaning that he got half of what she brought in because he was acting as her agent. Signing with Demitri would bring in a motherload of a payday for both of them, so no wonder Miles was excited. The situation made her laugh sometimes—here, she’s the one that exposes herself in skimpy outfits to strangers, but Miles gets half the money.
They came to a stop in front of a door labeled private, and her heart began to hammer in her chest, but she took a couple of quick inconspicuous breaths to settle her nerves. Miles opened the door and ushered her through. They were now in a small corridor, and standing about twenty yards from her, she locked gazes with Demitri Barros. A man standing next to him was speaking to him, but Demitri’s gaze never left hers. After a few awkward moments, he started walking toward her. Even his gait gave off an authoritative aura.
Miles, of course, practically dragged her to meet him halfway. Arianna put her hand over her mouth to cover her laugh when Miles went to speak, and Demitri hushed him with just his glare. When Miles didn’t get the message, she turned and looked at him.
“Miles, can you give Mr. Barros and me a few minutes?”
He tried to argue, but the guy who was with Demitri agreed with her and escorted Miles back through the door they had just come in from.
When she turned back toward Demitri, he was staring at her. She actually felt embarrassed by Miles behavior.
“Mr. Barros,” she greeted him and held her hand out. She wasn’t sure what type of greeting to use. She knew that Greeks were generally expressive and friendly. Usually, they were big huggers, but Demitri didn’t come across as the hugging type of guy.
He looked her over from head to toe. The intensity of his gaze made her squirm a little. He was an attractive man—a man of much power, not just his physical appearance but also his legacy. His dark blue eyes met hers, and he reached for her hand and brought it to his lips. His lips were warm as he kissed the back of her hand. The gesture created goosebumps along her skin—and it wasn’t a good feeling.
“Ms. Humphreys, the pleasure is all mine. And please call me Demitri.”
She nodded. “I’m really sorry about Miles. He –”
He squeezed her hand. “Let’s not waste any time talking about your agent. I’d much rather get to know you.”
She swallowed hard but managed to smile softly. “Ok. I believe there are a few open tables in the room; we could grab one of them and talk.”
She went to turn, but he stopped her and stepped closer. She tilted her head back to look up at him. He placed his hands on her waist using enough pressure that she wouldn’t back away. He was making it known that he was in control. Her throat became parched, and she licked her lips. Immediately she regretted doing that because he probably took that as her trying to be seductive.
“I was thinking a place a little more intimate. Fewer people and less noise.” The darkness in his eyes gave warning, and again, Enzo’s words of caution came to mind.
She didn’t say a word or try to pull away as he took her hand and led her further down the hall. They passed several rooms until they came to a unique room filled with medieval paraphernalia. She recognized the room from when she was scoping out the venue days earlier. She believed she had heard someone call it the gray room.
He ushered her in, and she jumped when the door behind her slammed shut. When she turned toward the door, the man she was plotting to bring down was blocking the only exit. As long as she could convince him to bring her on board to his team of models, she was optimistic that she could pull off the final step to prove he was behind the trafficking of many young girls and women who had gone missing. All she needed to do was gain access to his computer server, where the information was believed to be stored.
He approached her slowly. The sound of his heavy footsteps against the marble flooring resonated off the walls of the open room. She’d only been in Demitri’s presence for ten minutes, and already she felt on edge and a tad bit fearful. She needed to push those feelings to the side and be confident and not appear too timid. She hated it, but it had to be done to gain his trust. She had to play the part of the eager model willing to do anything to secure a contract with Barros Designs. She placed her hands against his chest and began to slide them up toward his shoulders. He grabbed her wrists, stopping her, and he looked down into her eyes.
“Many people talk highly of you.”
“Do they?” She asked.
“I’ve had my eye on you. You have poise and grace like no other model, but I can sense you have a backbone hiding under the innocence you portray to the public.”
If he only knew. Or did he? She almost started to panic for a minute but then walked herself back from the ledge. If Demitri knew who she was, he would have never stepped foot inside the castle. He wasn’t a dumb man.
“To survive in this industry and not get taken advantage of, a girl has to have some smarts and toughness to her. That side of me only comes out when it’s needed.”
She gave him a coy smile, and his lips twitched. She was chipping away at the wall around him. She could sense he was letting his guard down slightly.
“If you’ve been eying me, you must’ve seen something you liked. So, the question I have for you, Mr. Barros, is, what can I do for you?” She purposely called him by his last name as she popped the top two buttons on his dress shirt and pressed her lips gently against his exposed skin. She was pleased when she heard him take a deep breath. His hand tangled in her hair, and he pulled her away. He put a finger under her chin and tilted her face up toward his. The desire in his eyes told her that she had him hook, line and sinker.
“I like your thinking, but how about a drink first while we talk? Then maybe we could end it with a toast of celebration,” he asked although it wasn’t really a question because suddenly a man appeared in the doorway behind her with a tray of champagne. He handed a glass over to Demitri, who then passed it to her.
She stared at the stranger for a moment. How had she not heard the door open? Unless he came in through one of the two secret passageways that led to other rooms in the castle. When she explored the castle the other day, she was amazed at the number of passageways, including tunnels that ran beneath the centuries-old structure.
“Anna Humphreys, I’d like you to meet Carmine.”
“It is lovely to meet you, Ms. Humphreys. Demitri was pleased that his schedule opened up and that he could attend this evening’s festivities.”
“Nice to meet you as well, Carmine. I’m glad you both could make it.”
She extended her hand, and Carmine took it into his. His touch alone caused a shiver to run up her spine. Demitri must’ve seen her tremble because he frowned.
“Are you cold?” He asked her. It was chilly, so she covered her mistake.
“A little,” she replied.
He surprised her when he removed his suit jacket and helped her put it on. She heard him inhale next to her ear, and it caused another shiver to rack her body. She looked up and over her shoulder and smiled.
“Thank you.”
He winked before releasing her and picked up his own glass of champagne. “Carmine handles all contract negotiations for my design firm here in Europe.”
Arianna glanced at Carmine and hid her smile. She knew from intel that Carmine was much more than a contract negotiator for Demitri. His name was seen in many other case files, including murder.
Demitri tapped his glass against hers.
“To an enjoyable night.”
She was reluctant to take a drink because she was ninety-nine-point nine percent positive that her champagne contained a drug that would incapacitate her. She wasn’t ready to become one of Demitri’s conquests.
He eyed her over the rim of his glass, waiting for her to take a sip. When she didn’t, he asked, “Do you not like champagne?” He appeared a bit insulted.
She set the glass down on a nearby table and stepped closer to him. She was thankful for the warmth of his jacket because she was shaking in her heels. She was taking a gamble. She knew Demitri was a control freak, especially when it came to women. She had heard about his fetish with BDSM. He was into hard-core kink. It was rumored that some of his “play” partners suffered severe injuries by his hand.
She snatched his champagne glass and set it next to hers. Then slowly and seductively, she walked toward him. Once in front of him, she pressed her body against his. She hoped like hell he couldn’t feel her body trembling. She was trying her hardest to stay calm and collected. Miles was her backup tonight, and with him flying high up in the clouds, she was on her own.
“It isn’t the champagne. I like champagne, but the last few times I’ve drunk it, I had a bad reaction. The last time I was sick for days. I think we both know what we want.”
He stared down into her eyes. His gaze was penetrating as if he was searching deep into her soul. It was frightening. She continued to stare back at him, but she struggled internally and wondered how she could play this to her advantage so she didn’t become his next victim.
Breaking the heavy silence between them, he said, “I’ve waited for over a year to see what you would turn out to be. Most women in this business fizzle out. People get tired of seeing the same face on covers of magazines or being the main attraction on a runway. But you, Anna, are a natural, and a figure that no man can look away from. And you know what?”
“What?” She whispered.
“I’m one of those men. I want you. I want to see you in my designs on covers. I want to see you in my designs on the runways. But meeting you tonight validates that I want you in my bed.”
Before she could register the last part of his sentence, he covered her mouth with his lips. His hands gripped her face as he took control of the kiss. With her back to the wall, she felt trapped. It was a bruising kiss, and she started to panic and was ready to stop him when suddenly the door burst open.
When Demitri released her and looked toward the doorway, she was shocked to see Enzo standing there, a fierce expression drawn on his face.
“What in the hell are you doing here?” Demitri shouted angrily to Enzo.
Ignoring Demitri, Enzo stalked toward her and took her hand. “Anna, we need to go.”
But before she could ask what was going on, two men entered the room, and Arianna knew they weren’t there for pleasantries when they pulled their guns and pointed at them.
A canister-type object was thrown into the room next, and before Arianna realized it was a flash-bang grenade, it detonated. Suddenly her world went bright white, and she lost all sense of direction. The loud sound penetrated deep into her head, causing a concussion-type feeling. She lost her balance and fell into a desk nearby, cutting her head just above her left eye on the corner. She slid down to the floor. Within seconds she started to gain back some of her awareness. As she looked around amidst the smoke that filtered through the room, she tried to find Enzo but saw no sign of him. The room was eerily quiet for a few seconds before gunfire pierced the air.
She screamed and ducked as bullets hit the wood paneling behind her. Tiny fragments of the wood punctured her skin. She peeked around the side of the desk and could see both Demitri and Carmine pinned down behind a chair and sofa returning fire.
She tried to catch her breath as her adrenalin hit at an all-time high. She wished she had her weapon, but with the dress she wore, there was nowhere to hide it.
In between the gunfire, she thought she heard someone shout the name Petro. But then another voice yelled out FBI, and she grew alarmed. The only reason the FBI would raid the place was if they had a warrant. If that was the case, why hadn’t they informed her?
Carmine shouted over the gunfire to Demitri. “Grab the girl and get out of here. I’ll cover you.”
Arianna knew one thing, and that was that she was not going anywhere with Demitri. Not now that they were in the middle of a shootout. She took another chance and peered over the ledge of the desk to see if there was anything she could use as a weapon, but it was bare. A bullet whizzed by, just missing her head, and she ducked back down. She flinched and tried covering her arms as more tiny pieces of wood pierced her skin.
She needed to think and focus on finding a way out before falling victim to the madness unfolding. She half wondered if this was the exact type of situation she heard her dad refer to as a clusterfuck. She peered around the desk again. With the amount of gunfire coming through the door leading to the hall, she knew she wouldn’t be going that way. She knew somewhere toward the back of the room was a wooden wine rack built into the wall that also functioned as a door leading to a secret passageway.
She was running out of time as the smoke grew thicker. She kicked her heels off and got onto her hands and knees. Just as she was about to make a run for it, she was lifted off the ground by a set of arms.
“Run!” The deep angry voice behind her shouted. When she looked over her shoulder, she saw it was Enzo. Where the hell had he come from?
She didn’t hesitate and sprinted toward the wine rack. She searched the side, trying to feel for the small lever that would release the door. She knew it was there, but with the smoke, she couldn’t see clearly.
She heard a roar from behind her and looked over her shoulder. She saw Demitri coming towards her. His face was all contorted, and blood covered his white shirt. “Prodotis!” He shouted. Prodotis meant traitor in Greek. At first, she thought he was talking to her, but then she realized he was yelling at Enzo, who stood beside her trying to get the door opened.
She heard the click, and then the door started to move. Her eyes were still focused on Demitri and the gun in his hand. He raised it and aimed it at Enzo, who was trying to push the door open faster. She threw herself in front of Enzo just as Demitri pulled the trigger. The shot was loud, and she felt the hit to her arm and cried out as she fell backward into Enzo’s arms. He pulled her through the tight space and slammed the door closed, trapping the two of them in complete darkness. The walls were so thick she couldn’t even hear the sound of the gunfire.
She turned and held onto Enzo. She was scared, and her body shook so bad that her teeth started to chatter.
He rubbed her back. “We must hurry. That door only has a five-minute locking mechanism.”
Her arm felt numb. “Enzo, I’m bleeding. I was shot.”
“Shit!” He pulled his cell phone out and used the light from it to look at her arm. He cursed again. She took a look and felt a little queasy when she saw the amount of blood that covered her arm. She had still been wearing Demitri’s jacket. She was thankful for the warmth now. “I need something to tie around your arm to stop the bleeding,” he told her.
“My dress. Rip some of the material from the bottom.”
Quickly he did as she said and tied it around her bicep, creating a tourniquet. He grabbed her hand. “Are you okay to walk?”
She nodded her head though she was still feeling the effects of the flash grenade. “Let's go,” he ordered and led her through the dark corridors. They had walked for a few minutes when she started to feel lightheaded. She slowed down, and Enzo stopped.
“Anna?”
She shook her head. She was so scared. Tears formed in her eyes. “I feel like I’m going to pass out.”
He hugged her, and she held onto him. She could feel herself getting weaker and the light slowly leaving her body.
“I’m scared,” she said, her voice shaking. For the first time since she started this assignment, she was afraid she wasn’t going to make it back home.
“I’ve got you,” she heard him say just as her vision blurred and everything turned black.