Page 153 of Pandora's Pleasure

The alarm on my phone signaled it was time.

Phoebe saw it and reached over to pull me into a hug. “Let’s do this.”

We embraced like two sisters, full of hope and fear, clinging to one another as though waiting for the other to see reason and call it off.

I wondered if we’d remain friends after it was all over.

Phoebe got out of the BMW and walked toward Galante’s home.

If I could just calm my racing heart a little, slow my breathing, this would all be bearable. My hands wouldn’t stop trembling. I hadn’t made my way into his impressive home yet and I already felt guilty.

In the duskiness of evening, I regretted getting Phoebe involved and encouraging her to be a part of this crazy scheme. But deep down I knew this was the only way for her to ever be free of Galante.

There was no choice, not really.

On foot now, I made my way toward the house knowing security cameras would capture a person of interest in sweatpants and a hoodie making her way around the back of his property. I hoped this disguise would help me buy some time at least.

I huddled on the back step of Galante’s home, waiting. Galante was important enough to have a high-tech security set up but I knew he didn’t have security guards patrolling his property.

By now, Phoebe would be set up in the massage room.

Chewing on a fingernail, I thought through the different scenarios. Phoebe being too scared to break away from the room to sneak to the back door to let me in. Or worse, her telling Galante about my plan to garner favor with him.

What would Damien say if he found out what I’d done? He’d blame me personally if his father lost the election because of one girl’s mistake—mine.

Minutes felt like hours.

Finally, the back door clicked open.

My heart hammered painfully against my chest as Phoebe ushered me in. Pausing briefly, I stepped inside and looked around to make sure this wasn’t a trap. Maybe I wouldn’t know until it was too late.

I followed her down a hallway.

She grabbed my arm. “Make sure the iPad has no sound. No beep, or anything.”

“I know, I’ve got it.”

She pointed. “His office is the last door on the right.”

So far, Phoebe had come through for me. She really was brave, proving how much she wanted to get out of her dilemma. I needed to come through for her.

She hurried back toward the massage room. I went in the opposite direction, walking softly until I reached the room Phoebe had indicated.

Once inside, I rounded Galante’s enormous desk and searched for his iPad. Within a minute, I’d located his briefcase. Amongst a stack of envelopes in there, I found the sleek device. With no way of knowing the battery life, I plugged it in to make sure it had enough juice for when we needed it.

Footsteps trailed past the office door and I ducked behind the desk and waited. Phoebe was going to provide Galante with a sixty-minute massage. At the thirty-minute point, when he was most relaxed, she would open the door to the massage room as a signal.

With time being relative, it felt like I’d been in the office for hours, but only twenty minutes had passed. I unplugged the iPad and made sure the sound was off.

My timing had to be precise.

There was also the risk of bumping into other members of his staff on my way to the private massage room. Or even his wife.

Peering around a corner to make sure the way was clear, I went for it. Forgetting to breathe, I scurried down the hallway, almost biting through my lip with dread.

Finding the door ajar, I sucked in a deep breath and peered inside the room…

Galante lay face up and was naked except for a towel covering his waist and a cloth over his eyes. His tall frame filled the length of the leather table. Phoebe’s hands were digging into his right arm as though working out a knot.