Page 11 of The Kingpin's Call Girl

The waiter returns. The suite is available.

The men exchange discreet glances. Like me, they’re waiting to see what the new king does next.

Luka’s dark gaze pins me in place with an almost supernatural power.

And then he’s coming around to me, the group parting with ease.

It seems surreal that he’s coming to me.

My blood runs cold and then hot and then icy hot when he stops in front of me and sets a finger under my chin. “She any good?”

“Don’t know yet,” Dardan growls beside me.

Luka shifts his molten brown gaze to Dardan. He says nothing. Just a look.

Dardan stiffens. “With all due respect?—”

“With all due respect,what?”

Dardan goes pale. “W-with all due respect,” he bites out, “I want to pay for her. For your time with her. As a gift.”

Luka keeps his finger on my chin, but his dark angel eyes are fixed on Dardan.

The finger is gone, and Luka Zogaj moves to stand in front of Dardan.

One of the women catches my gaze. She points to her eyes and then points at the floor. She’s telling me not to watch. What does she think is going to happen, exactly?

I avert my eyes all the same. I’m buzzing with so much fear I can barely feel my face.

“Please,” Dardan begs. “Let me pay for the whole night for you. For your time with her. As a tribute.” He reaches into his pocket and peels off two five-hundred-dollar bills. He shoves them at me, and I fumble to take them.

“B-but I actually can’t stay,” I say, handing the money back to Dardan. “I have to go.”

Dardan does not take the money.

“Really have to go.” I may as well be talking to the wind.

Luka throws a few bills on the table. “Have another round, guys. Don’t wait up.”

Luka sets a hand on the small of my back. “Come on.”

“What?”

“Now.” He urges me forward through the open doorway toward the hotel lobby.

“I really do have to go,” I say, knees shaking as I walk, money clasped in my fist.

We head through the lobby to a dark elevator alcove. He hits the up button on the elevator.

“I have to go,” I whisper.

“You gonna turn into a pumpkin?”

“N-no.”

“Are you working or not?” he asks.

My mouth goes dry.

---