Page 60 of Savage Ambition

“What do you want me to say? That I think it’s a terrible idea? It is. That you’re playing with fire? You are. That Jace will never forgive you? He won’t.” He finished his slice. “But you already know all that, and you’re still doing it anyway, which means something.”

I hung my head with a miserable sigh.

“Does Dante know how you feel?” Trent asked.

I shook my head. “We don’t talk about feelings. It’s not that kind of arrangement.”

“But you want it to be.”

“It doesn’t matter what I want when Dante works there.” I finished my beer. “Exclusivity isn’t an option when it’s his job to have sex with anyone who can afford him. At the very least, I’m grateful I don’t feel like he’s cheating on me with his other clients because he’s never promised to be with only me. He’s been completely up-front about that, and I accept it as the price of being with him.”

“Damn, you’ve got it real bad for him, huh?” Trent’s expression turned thoughtful. “How do you feel about threesomes?”

I snorted in amusement. “Way to jump topics. Why?”

“Because I saw in the profile book that Dragon’s available to book with other employees for threesomes, foursomes, and more. You’ve got the money, so why not maximize your pleasure?”

“Because this is real life, and I’m not a porn star,” I replied with a laugh.

“Come on, you know Dante has to have at least a few colleagues he’d consider good enough to be with you. I mean, it’s a high-class brothel for a reason. You get what you pay for there when you’re dropping top dollar.”

Despite the absurdity, I gave it a moment of genuine consideration. “I don’t know. It was hard enough getting the nerve up to be with just Dante.”

“Right, because you have history with him. But some rando sex god? What’s there to be nervous about?”

“I’m not sure I’m that adventurous.”

Trent laughed. “Oh, I don’t know about that. Something tells me Dante’s already taken you on quite a few adventures you never imagined you’d go on.” When I blushed, my cousin snickered. “See?”

“Point taken,” I conceded. “But things are already complicated enough with Dante by himself. It seems like the height of stupidity to add a second sex worker to the fire right now.”

Trent grinned. “Right now, huh? Good for you for leaving the door open for later. Seriously, take advantage of the fact you’re with someone who engages in ethical polyamory. You’re twenty-one with an obscenely huge bank account. Have some real fun for once in your life, Shaw. You deserve it more than anyone I know.”

“The problem is no matter how much I want him, he’ll never be mine as long as he’s at Gennaro Corporation. And I obviously have no right to ask him to stop working there. Exclusive monogamy isn’t an option with Dante.”

Trent’s expression grew serious. “If he’s mixed up in Mafia shit, you need to be careful about overstepping. This isn’t some romance novel where love conquers all. These people kill without blinking.”

“I know that.”

“Do you? Because from where I’m sitting, you’re risking your life for a guy who probably doesn’t love you back.”

The accusation cut deep. “I never said I was in love with him.”

“You don’t have to say it when you have literal hearts in your eyes every time you look at Dante.” Trent sighed, setting aside his beer. “Look, I’m not trying to be a dick. I’m worried about you.”

“Tell me something I don’t know.” I got a second beer, needing the liquid courage. “What would you do?”

“If I were you?” He considered it seriously. “I’d probably keep going back until I got some answers. I’d want to find out why someone with the Gennaro name is working as a sex worker instead of running the place.”

“I’ve wondered the same thing.”

“It doesn’t make sense.” Trent frowned. “Unless he’s being forced somehow.”

I nodded. “I’ve thought about that, too. There are so many scars on his body, and they can’t all be from sex games.”

Trent’s expression darkened. “Shit.”

“Yeah.”