The Queen of Fire

CH. 12

Sienna Bianchi

Under the heavy cover of nightfall, I moved undetectable through the narrow streets of Venice. Blending seamlessly into the shadows, the tourist infested city was none the wiser to the killer hiding in their midst.

Taking no time admiring the beautiful aesthetics of the floating city, I slid over the cobblestone passageways with one objective on my mind. According to Pietro, the pearl of a small paradise was critical to Federico's auction scheme. Encased in water on all sides and home to another monster of a mob boss, Venice allowed me the retribution I craved for.

In a tight pair of black jeans, a revealing crop top and my sassiest pair of heels, I blended nicely in with the masses of young adults waiting to be let into the hot shot club in town.

Owned by Niccolo Marino, head of the Venetian Mala del Brenta alas mafia Boy Scouts, the Beast Club served as the entrance point for the stealthy organization. Source of humming slow bassed music, you'd have to be an idiot not to locate the famous watering hole. Frequented continuously by both locals and tourists, my sudden approach raised no suspicion.

"Hey blondie!"

Walking past the long line of stunningly dressed young people, a bouncer shouted for my attention. Falling face first into the thirst trap I'd set up, the buff man drooled as I turned around. This was too easy. Smiling innocently I gestured to myself, silently asking if it was me he was talking to. Caught hook, line and sinker, the tall guard nodded.

"Looking for some fun, princess?" The broad bouncer spoke as he switched from Italian to English. I had gone out of my way to look like a tourist and the blonde wig sure seemed to work.

"I might be interested. How's the vibe in there?" Twirling my pin straight hair around a manicured finger, I laid the seduction on thick. Smirking at the hot bouncer, he loved the attention.

"My boss would love to meet you. May I?" Bouncer man enquired, holding out his hand for me to take. Chuckling in victory on the inside, I allowed him to lead me through the packed club.

Illuminated by flashing strobe lights, the several platforms of seating areas showed an obscene amount of suit covered men and barely clothed women sprawled over them. The dance floor in the middle of the jam packed club was filled to the point of claustrophobia. Guiding me through the crowds, he made people run to get out of our way.

Faking unawareness to the tense air around us, I kept a compliant smile on my face as I carefully observed my surroundings. To the oblivious eye, the Beast Club looked like any other frequented nightclub. No one seemed to notice the poorly hidden bruises on the girls working here or the way their bodies recoiled as drunken men reached for them.

Swallowing down the rage and bile moving up my throat, we finally made our way over to the infamous and secluded VIP area. Being further away from the blasted music and busy floor, it was finally possible to make out conversation going on around me.

On what appeared to be an improvised throne in a hidden corner sat the man of the hour, gloating down over the crowds through a two-way mirror. Wearing another expensive suit, the tatted man looked insanely attractive. Somewhere around mid thirties, the blonde model of a man with blue eyes caught me off guard.

"Boss, I got another one. We'll fetch a pretty price for her" The bouncer mused on in Italian, oblivious to my native language. Pretending not to understand a single word spoken, I kept my eyes on the blonde mob boss. He was way better looking than I anticipated him to.

"I'll take it from here" Niccolo rudely ordered, waving him away from us. Fluidly moving out of his seat, he approached me like a starving lion.

"And what may I call you, beautiful?" Niccolo purred in a broken english accent, taking my hand in his and gave it a smoldering kiss. Had I been unaware of his extracurricular activities I might just have appreciated the attention, but his pretty face didn't wipe out the shit he did to these women.