Page 95 of Savage Ambition

His hand slipped under my shirt to press flat against my lower back, pulling me closer. He traced circles against my vertebrae, making me shiver.

Before he could say more, another knock interrupted.

We broke apart. Dante’s eyes held mine, challenging and amused. I had to leave, but I surged forward and captured his mouth one last time before pulling away.

I opened the door. “Sorry to keep you waiting,” I apologized.

But instead of Ishi, Jace stood in the corridor with a woman I didn’t recognize beside him. His face contorted with rage. “I fucking knew it!”

I tried to slam the door, but he wedged his foot in the gap. He shoved against it as I blocked the doorway with my body.

“Where’s Ishi?” I demanded.

“She was called away,” the woman answered, looking confused. “Sir, you’re not supposed to still be here.”

“He isn’t supposed to be here at all,” I protested.

Jace glared over my shoulder at Dante with pure hatred. I couldn’t understand how he had accessed the penthouse floor when he couldn’t afford his rates. Had Jace won another hand of poker against his dad’s friend Hugh the VIP?

The elevator doors opened with a soft chime. Ishi stepped out, her polite mask gone. “What’s going on here?”

“I paid, and he won’t leave,” Jace explained, jabbing a finger at me.

Ishi addressed Jace. “Sir, there’s been a mistake. You shouldn’t be up here.”

“Ma’am, there seems to be a misunderstanding,” the other woman interrupted in a small voice.

“No, the misunderstanding is that you brought an unauthorized guest to President Dragon’s private quarters without clearance. You will escort this guest back downstairs while I handle this situation. Understood?”

The woman paled. “But my orders are from Master. He said to make this exception since Mr. Yardley is an associate of Mr. Carter, a VIP we wouldn’t want to disappoint.”

“Regardless, you will take him to the lounge until President Dragon has prepared himself for his next client,” Ishi instructed.

“Master said that was an unnecessary waste of time.”

“That does not mean he strictly prohibited it.” She tilted her head, listening to someone through her earpiece. Her jaw tightened with displeasure. “He is not to enter until I return, understood?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

As soon as Ishi left, Jace’s turned on me. “So you’re a fucking faggot now? All this time, you’ve been lying to us?”

“Don’t call me that.”

“Why not? It’s what you are, isn’t it?” His eyes raked over me with disgust. “We’ve shared a locker room. Were you getting hard while I changed? Pretending to be my friend while thinking about how to get me drunk enough to let you suck my dick?”

“You think I want you?” I laughed bitterly. “You’re not even close to my type.”

“You’ve been lying to my face for years,” Jace continued, ignoring my response. “Making me trust you while you were waiting for a chance to turn me gay. What kind of sick fuck does that?”

“Is that what this is about? You think I’ve been secretly lusting after you this whole time?” I gripped the door hard enough to turn my knuckles white. “Are you mad because I want Dante instead of you? Is that it, Jace? Are you jealous?”

“Shut your fucking mouth,” he snarled.

“Or what? You’ll hit me for suggesting you might like dick, too?” I was playing with fire, but I couldn’t stop. “Maybe that’s why you hate Dante so much. You want him, and you can’t stand it.”

Jace’s hand shot out to grab me, but I dodged it. “Say that again. I fucking dare you.”

“Uh-oh, it seems I hit a nerve,” I taunted, his ugliness drawing it out of me.