Page 25 of Devious Truth

He shoves his phone into his pocket; a dark frown sets.

“His storage unit was hit. Our entire floor is gone. He’ll know more tomorrow about how it started, but I think we’re safe in assuming it was the DeAngelos.”

“Revenge for taking out their pleasure house.” I nod.

Alexander’s jaw flexes as the mention of how close his wife came to being killed at the hands of the DeAngelos.

“I’m going to head home, see if my wife has bothered to go back there.” He shoots Kaz a disgruntled look.

“When I left them, Elana was getting ready to go out with some friends and Megan was planning on leaving when Elana was done. I will never understand why it takes a gaggle of women for one of them to get dressed.”

“A gaggle? They’re women, not geese.” I get my phone and tap out a message to Meredith downstairs.

“Whatever. I’m going downstairs. Enjoy your wife, Alexander.” He winks, buttons his jacket at the waist and leaves my office to prowl the club.

“You’ll handle the dinner tomorrow then?” Alexander points to the invitation.

“I will.” I nod.

He opens the door just as Vivienne was about to knock. With her hand still poised in the air, she stumbles forward. Alexander grabs her arm, catching her before she falls, but quickly rights her and shoots me a look.

One trait all three of us share is our protectiveness over our women.

“Sorry.” Vivienne straightens up and smooths her hands over the bodice of her dress.

When Kaz picked out the uniforms for the waitresses, I hadn’t bothered to give them much attention other than to note it was an elegant look. Obsidian is for the elite of the elite; having our waitstaff look cheap goes against our brand. But now that Vivienne stands before me and my brother in the tight dress with its hiked-up hemline and low-cut neckline, I’m having a change of heart over the uniform.

“We’ll talk later.” Alexander steps around her, pulling the door shut with him.

It’s been three hours since we parted ways, with her going into the women’s locker room and me making my way up to the offices. But seeing her now makes it seem like it’s been longer. She’s changed out of the leggings and oversized sweatshirt she was wearing when I picked her up at her building and put on a full face of makeup.

The more I notice the painted-on foundation and blush on her cheeks, the hotter my blood becomes.

“You weren’t wearing that much makeup last night.”

Her mouth drops open, probably a little surprised by my brash tone.

“I tried something new. I guess you don’t like it.” She lightly touches her fingers to her cheek.

“Did you want me to like it?”

The spot on her throat, just behind the club emblem on her choker, bursts into a red blush.

“Did you want something? Meredith said you wanted me to come up here.” She folds her hands in front of herself.

If this is some sort of pretense of obedience from her, it’s failing. Defiance glares back at me through the battlements of the stone wall she keeps around herself.

“Yes.” I retrieve the invitation for the children’s hospital event. “I have an opportunity for you.”

“Oh?” She slides her weight to the left foot and juts her hip out just enough for me to know she’s already suspicious.

And she should be.

“It pays well.” I assure her, holding the invitation lightly between my fingers.

“It’s a job?” She straightens her stance.

“Yes.” More or less.

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