Page 45 of Graveyards & Greed

Drakos grabbed my hand as I started toward the bedroom to change. “You look very fuckable in your black business suit. That skirt cradles your ass beautifully.” He slid his hands around my hips and gave my butt cheeks a nice, hard squeeze.

“Thank you, and I appreciate your ass in a suit as well.”

He kissed me softly, then lifted his chin to the bedroom. “Go get comfortable, and I’ll start dinner.”

When I walked into the kitchen a while later, the loft smelled fragrant and homey, and Drakos was mixing pizza dough and slicing mushrooms.

He slid a glass of wine to me, and I toasted him before taking a long sip. “Tell me why you sent Milo to babysit me, and to remind you, the House of Spades also has access to bodyguards.”

“Why don’t you already have one then?”

“Because I told Fenn I didn’t want a one,” I retorted without thinking.

Drakos had been stirring a simmering red sauce, and he carefully set the spoon down. “Fenn offered you a bodyguard, and you declined.”

Damn it, I’d walked right into that one. “I’d rather not discuss it.”

His lip quirked mirthlessly. “I’m sure you wouldn’t.” He hooked my waistband and drew me in. “Before we continue arguing, give me your lips.”

Wrapping my arms around him, I gave Drakos a long, slow kiss before he took over and ravaged my mouth. When he drew back, I licked my lips. “Hmm. Now tell me why you sent Milo.”

He kissed my neck and inhaled my scent, then reluctantly let go. “You smell like cherry blossoms. Terrance is trying to persuade the OutKast officers to target the House of Spades. The President and his brother Axel think it’s asinine, but LeBaron is pushing. Axel reminded everyone that The Firm and the House of Spades are somewhat aligned now that Luna and Roman are married, and they voted to postpone action—for now.”

My stomach flipped over. That was exactly what I wanted to avoid when I killed Samuel myself. “How did you find this out?”

“Ivan invited himself into their surveillance equipment and added a few upgrades.”

I shook my head. “Ivan invites himself to a lot of virtual places, doesn’t he?”

We took our drinks and the pizza fixings up to the rooftop. The night closed in around us, and the wood-burning pizza oven gave off a smoky scent.

He deftly shaped a ball of dough into a pizza crust, dusted the pizza round, and added sauce, mozzarella slices, and fresh basil. Then Drakos showed me how to bake a pizza in his wood-fired oven, and we ate while I told him about the Salazar funeral.

“Did Marlowe ask you out again?” Drakos asked.

I picked up a leftover crust and started breaking it apart. “Yes, and I turned him down again. But he warned me about you.”

Drakos sat back and pushed his plate away. “Which means that pretentious bastard not only hit on you but gave you an earful about me. What did he say?”

“That you and some of your partners belong to an exclusive, erotic club, and that I should be careful.”

“That fucker. He belongs to the same club, and he’s got a little dirt under his fingernails too.”

“So you’re not denying it?” I dusted my fingers off.

He leaned over and took my hands, waiting for me to look at him. “No. Not long after we built our organization and started making serious money, we were invited to join a private pleasure club. We observed at first, then joined for a few years. I haven’t been back in a while.”

I wanted to ask how long “a while” had been, but I bit back the question. I didn’t want him to know how much it bothered and intrigued me. “You don’t have to explain,” I murmured.

His lips curled. “Aren’t you curious though, Lollipop? Would you like to know what I learned there?”

“Only if you want to tell me.”

He rubbed the back of my hand with his thumb, and tingles slid up my arm. “We signed NDAs, but I can give you a general idea. If you want to know.”

He stopped talking, and I finally prodded his leg under the table. “So?”

His smile was a little wicked. “It’s called The Emporium, and no one knows who the owner is. The headquarters—and most events—are held at a mansion in an exclusive neighborhood. It offers a little of everything, tastefully and luxuriously done in a controlled environment. BDSM, fantasy fulfillment, multiple partners, public scenes, submissive training, overseeing wagers of a questionable nature, you name it.”

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