“I probably should have said this in the elevator but. . .” Reo stepped close to me and lowered his voice. “Before she comes. I have to prepare you."
"Prepare me for what?"
He held my gaze. "Your Tiger has. . .put herself in charge of Hiroko's. . .male slave. From my understanding, the slave has taken Hiroko’s death badly and immediately attached himself to your Tiger."
"Whose Tiger?"
Reo swallowed.
The room buzzed around us with the Claws’ excited chatter and laughter, curling along piano notes.
Meanwhile, rage rose within me.
Reo kept his composure. “I think her taking care of this slave could be healing."
My jaw tightened.
His voice remained steady. "I can't recommend what you should do in this situation. However. . .the man seems harmless.”
Before I could say anything, the doors opened, and my Tiger strolled in.
She was so fucking breathtaking my heart damn near seized in my chest. All day I’d wanted to see her, touch her, kiss those lips, wrap my arms around her, and inhale that lush scent.
Finally, she was here and my whole body stiffened. Every muscle locked—my hands, my spine, and the base of my throat.
Goddamn it.
The gown was a dazzling, shimmering black. Strapless. It held her breasts high and full and presented the smooth sweep of her shoulders.
On the left side of the gown was a large cutout in the shape of a heart that revealed her silky brown skin along with the curve of her waist and the edge of her hip.
A groan built in my chest and I strangled it before it reached my mouth. I wanted to cross the room and put my hands on the heart cutout and feel the warmth of her skin through the frame of it.
Long black diamonds hung from her neck, heavy and elegant. Her braids were swept up in an updo that showed the full length of her neck, the line of her jaw, and my bite marks that I’d intended to freshen this evening.
There was this long slit that went high up her thigh and showed a freshly inked temporary tattoo of a dragon climbing up it.
My cock jumped in my pants, and I licked my lips.
Careful, Tora. Do you want me to enjoy the party? Or fuck you right here?
Then I looked down and more rage came.
What the fuck?
A man was on his hands and knees like a dog in front of her. He was skinny and had to be short. He wore this black bodysuit that covered him head to toe. Only his eyes, nose, and mouth were visible. The fabric was tight against his ribs, his elbows, the knobs of his spine. A leather harness was strapped across his chest with the straps forming an X over his sternum. From the strap’s center ring, a gold chain extended upward into Nyomi's left hand.
I gritted my teeth.
Nyomi held it loosely and stepped further into the room. The slave crawled at her heel, stayed barely a foot away from her, and then lifted his gaze lovingly up to her.
The dragon in me tried to punch its way out of my ribs. I wanted to burn the bodysuit off him and eat his fucking heart for dinner.
The Claws reacted, staring at Nyomi with their mouths open, eyes wide, breath caught somewhere between their lungs and their teeth. Then, one by one, their eyes dropped to the slave.
Three full seconds of silence passed.
The twins were the only ones to speak, “What the—”
