Page 61 of King of Desire

I stop brushing, meeting his gaze in the mirror. “What happens next?”

“We go to bed.”

“Here?” I start brushing again, looking for something to do.

“That’s right.”

“And then I just get up and go home in the morning?” I spit into the sink, turning on some cold water.

“No.”

I gasp, straightening up. “What? But my brother?—”

“Will also be coming here.”

I spin then, turning to face him as his hands come to my hips. “I don’t understand.”

He lets out a long breath. “We said we were going to discuss things in the morning. You need some sleep.”

“But…” My hand comes to my throat. “I have a job at the dorm, and it pays our rent and…”

He slides his hands up to my waist and pulls me into his arms. “Honeyeh, trust me to make your life better than I found it. Whatever happens, you will be safer, better provided for than when we met. Do you understand?”

I blink, confusion making my brain muddled. I heard what he just said. But what I witnessed with Veronica, and what I know about Triston, this does not end well for me. I could accept that when I was his maid. Whatever money I made, it would leave me in a better position. But this… “For how long?”

“Until the danger passes.”

“Danger?” Now I’m starting to worry. “What danger?”

He lets out a long breath. “Do you know who the man was who gave you that contract to sell your virginity?”

My insides swoop as I think about where I was, what I almost did. I shake my head.

“That was the head of the Las Vegas Bratva.” His hands are still tight around my waist.

“Bratva?” My knees start to sink, Triston supporting my weight. “Like…like the Mafia?”

“Russian Mafia, yes.” The room is clearing of the steam, but I feel my head swim again. “And the man that owns the casino I just forcefully bought out.”

I stare at him, my eyes so wide I blink them several times, the weight of his words making the room tilt. “That can’t be.”

Triston leans closer. “And now he knows for certain that you are important to me.”

I know I should be focused on the danger but my thoughts scatter with his last sentence. “I’m important to you?” I try to push down the silly hope that rises up inside.

“I’d never let him try to hurt you to get to me, Honeyeh. You and Darius will stay here until I’ve figured out how to neutralize the danger.”

That one brings me back to reality. “You think he’d hurt us?”

But he doesn’t respond as he pushes back, disappearing into the bedroom. He’s back a moment later, my phone in hand.

“I’m going to send Ryker and Rush to pick your brother up, can you call him and tell him who they are so he doesn’t worry.”

I nod, trying to reconcile all that Triston’s just said. How bad is this? How much danger am I in? How much does he care?

I stand there with my phone in my hand, beginning to tremble. His arms come around me then, his warm skin sliding against mine as his lips brush my temple. “Honeyeh, sweetheart, I need you to make the call.”

I nod, trying to make my fingers work. “I didn’t know. I…”

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