Page 1 of Midnight Danger

Chapter One

Xavier

The vibration of my Harley echoed through my entire body as I swayed to the rhythm of the machine under me. The Council had summoned us to a sudden meeting that had Ash, Jordan, and me having to drop everything to get our asses to London.

We’d been on our own business trip, checking out the renovation work on our new business venture. The Midnight and Twilight Rooms in London were a huge success, but we needed to expand and that included what we offered our exclusive clientele.

Sex.

The old country manor we’d bought was currently being changed into a pleasure pavilion that catered to every fantasy that existed. Themed rooms with costume facilities seemed to be the latest craze, where you could enact a scene from your favourite book or movie. Our motto was if it was consensual and legal, we could cater to your every need. I didn’t care what your kink was, because we’d indulged in our fair share over the years.

Stones crunched under the wheels of our bikes as we ambled up the winding driveway to the mansion that had housed the Council our families had governed over for centuries. Our reach was global, and our portfolios delved into every major trade that existed, our ancestors buying shares in company’s years before they became popular.

By the look of the carpark, everyone else had arrived. We left our bikes in our allotted spaces before sauntering up the steps. Jordan shot me a wry look when he saw the security on the door.

“I wouldn’t fucking think about it.” He sneered when they stepped forward to pat us down. I wasn’t sure if I should be impressed with my friend’s ability to terrify the guards or be worried that they let us through without adhering to the security protocols.

Jordan was in charge of security for the Council, and he was a scary asshole when he wanted to be. Nothing got past him in this organisation, and that included who was having an affair or if anyone was stealing from the cookie jar. His vengeance was legendary. You did not want to get on the wrong side of Jordan.

Ash wandered along beside me with his hands deep in his pockets and his thoughts in a different country. His brother Michael had been marked for death for treachery, and every day waiting to hear if he was gone weighed down on him heavily. Not even the open road or Jordan dragging Ash to the dungeons in The Midnight Rooms had lifted his mood.

A trickle of sweat ran down my back as we seated ourselves at the round table in the centre of the house. Too many years ago to remember, a group of men decided they were entitled to take what they wanted from life and didn’t give a damn who they trod on in the process. They formed the first Council in this very room.

Over the years, the house had been adapted to have the highest security system available in it. Our accountants monitored all our investments from here, and we paid the best hackers we could find to keep it all safe.

“Dad.” I nodded to my father, who sat staring daggers at me with a glass of whiskey sitting beside him. He rarely never had a glass within reach, preferring it to any other beverage. He was either permanently drunk or slowly preserving himself for eternity.

“Glad you could join us,” he barked out, his fingers seeking the glass.

“We were out of town on business.” I deliberately stood and turned my back to him in the pretence of pouring myself a cup of coffee.

He’d been in a pissy mood since he’d recently discovered the three of us owned a global chain of high-end sex clubs. I had no doubt his name was on our membership, but I chose not to look because that would creep me out.

“Hmmm.” His low, growly answer made my lips turn up in a nonchalant smile as I returned to the table.

“I won’t apologise for running a strong, profitable business.” My gaze locked on his in a battle of wills. There wasn’t a man in this room who would criticise us for our business plan. The problem was it involved sex, and that made my father very uncomfortable. He had more divorces than I could count, but he still had an ideal image of family life.

In fairness, when I opened the first Midnight Rooms, I had no thoughts of family life. All I wanted was somewhere I could lose myself in a crowd and have sex without women wanting too much of me and reporters following me.

Ash and Jordan came on board after that, and we expanded worldwide. Sex was a huge business, kink even bigger. People wanted to live their fantasises without risking being ridiculed for it. If someone wanted to dress up in an inflatable dinosaur outfit to have sex with his wife dressed as a duck, who was I to judge? And yes, thathadbeen a request.

It wasn’t as if anyone went to the Midnight or Twilight Rooms searching for their future partner. Yet, that had happened to me.

Cassandra Kinkade consisted of everything a bad man wanted in a fantasy and she was all mine. I found her and I was keeping her. No one knew of her existence but the two men I trusted with my life, and not even they were aware of the full extent of my feelings for her. They would protect her because she belonged to me and I would do the same for them one day.

She’d walked into my web because she was innocent, and her friend had dragged her along behind her as an emotional crutch. Now Cassandra was the biggest secret of my life and I would tear everything apart to protect her.

Ash’s father Matteus brought the meeting to order and fixed us all with his scariest glare. Normally, he reminded me of a benevolent uncle. Now, he was more a malevolent spirit. “We have a problem.”

Another one? I glanced at Jordan, who silently lifted a shoulder.

“One of our shipments was intercepted by one of those disgusting biker groups filled with thieves and villains.”

It sounded like he was describing us, considering we tended to deal with a lot of business ourselves, as paid guns could turn queen’s evidence with the right incentive.

“What was taken?” Ash asked, leaning back in his chair to study the ceiling.

“A shipment of rare jewels. I doubt they even knew what they were taking. They were being smuggled in with weapons.” Matteus lifted his glass of whiskey and swallowed it in one gulp, his anger evident on his face. “I want those jewels back before they damage them.”

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