Page 49 of King of Desire

Glad we’ve got that out in the open. “What is it you want?”

“I want to make money tonight since I’ve no longer got my highest earning business.”

“There is no fucking way that casino is your highest earner. If it was, your board would have never ruled in my favor.”

“You’re taking what doesn’t belong to you,” he snarls.

I can see we’re about to hit an impasse. From out in the hall I hear men filing in, getting ready for the auction.

I cannot give Dimitri his casino back. That deal has been months in the making and is the key to us doubling our profits here in Vegas.

But that all feels hollow if I have to watch Honeyeh be sold to another man. Fuck. This is why I don’t get involved with women. She’s clouding my judgment and making me want to compromise in places I shouldn’t.

My hands come to the top of his desk, and I lean forward, my eyes holding all my vitriol as I stare up at him. “You want to hit me back, you take on my businesses. Not my woman.”

“Opportunity,” he rumbles. “Russians never pass one up.”

I stand straight again, rolling my shoulders. I pull out my phone and dial Killian all while I stare at Dimitri.

“T?” Killian rumbles.

“You’re on speaker,” I tell him. “Where are you?”

“The sweetest little park on Tremont.”

It’s Dimitri’s turn to snarl as I hang up the phone. He’s gotten the message. Killian has his nanny and daughter in his sights. Did he not expect this move? Killian warned him the last time we tangled. “We can involve the women or not. Your call, Dimitri.” I’m poking a big fucking bear.

Major deals are on the line. When Mason pulled Dimitri’s access to the tunnel, this is the man who blew up a club.

There will be a price to pay, I know it. Then again, Dimitri was always hitting back, I’ve likely just moved up the timeline.

Perhaps I should have talked to Mason today. This is the very operation he wanted to shut down. I’m starting to see his point.

But I’m here now, watching Dimitri gnash his teeth. “It will destroy my reputation if I cancel the auction now.”

“I’m sure you’ll recover. You’re savvy like that.”

“I’m savvy in a lot of ways,” he spits back. “Are you certain you want to do this?”

Dimitri is descended from hard men who commit unspeakable acts. But me? I’m descended from royalty. “Give me Honeyeh.”

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Honeyeh

I wakeup to a slap in the face.

My eyes burst open as I attempt to remember where I am and where the strange women around me have come from.

“Wake up, girl. It’s your big moment.” The thick accent of the woman to my right has my brow furrowing.

“Where am I?”

“You think you’re the first to feign amnesia? It won’t change the contract you signed.”

“Contract?” My brain swims through the fog as I attempt to piece together what’s happening.

I look down at myself, wearing nothing but glorified underwear and the situation comes rushing back, a cry falling from my lips.

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