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He looked thoughtful. "Technically, yes, but you’d have to have me killed. I need to know the answer to this. It’s important.”
He made me nervous, until he said, “How the fuck is your gown staying on?" He looked at me sideways, then the other way.
"Magic," I said jokingly. The truth was, my dressmaker was a genius. He managed to make clothes that looked incredible, and stayed in place with stitching in just the right place on my shoulders or waist.
"Is it sticky tape?" he asked. "Can I find out?"
I patted him lightly on the chest. "It's not sticky tape, and no you can't. Come on, we'll be late." And if we didn't leave now, I might change my mind about crossing the line with him. Besides, my gown cost six thousand dollars. I should at least wear it for an hour or two.
"Anyone who comes after you is late." Jake opened the door and waved for me to step through first.
"On the contrary." I swept through the doorway and into the corridor. "Anyone who comes after me is a gentleman."
He chuckled. "Touché. For the record, I would never do that."
I looked at him over my shoulder. "I know." I pressed my hand on the palm pad beside the elevator door. It scanned my hand and turned green. The elevator doors slid open.
I pressed the button for the sixth floor and the doors slid shut. Neither of us minded enclosed spaces, but we both knew if anyone was going to attack Crimson, this would be a shit place to get stuck.
Fortunately, we reached the sixth floor without incident. We got out and crossed to the other elevator which led down into the rest of the night club.
Jake used his palm this time on the palm pad, and pressed the button for the second floor.
The elevator doors slid open to a scene of bustle and noise. This floor was usually reserved for the strip club, but tonight a sign read 'closed for private event' hung on a velvet rope in front of the doorway.
Entry to this event was exclusive and by invitation only.
One of the security men on the door unclipped the rope before we even got there and stepped aside. He gave us both a respectful, but slightly anxious nod, before looking me up and down appreciatively.
I ignored him and stepped past.
Jake placed his hand on my lower back. His demeanour changed immediately, visibly. He went from the chill, amenable, even approachable guy, to the cold, hard alpha male of the Ivory Claw Pack. One of his fingers rested just below where the back of my dress ended, under the shimmery fabric, his fingertip on my ass.
Typical alpha male possessive shit. It was a move everyone would expect. That was one reason I allowed it. That and I liked the way it felt.
I lifted my chin and scanned the room, my ice queen persona firmly in place.
Everyone here was dressed in formal, expensive-as-fuck suits and dresses. Many of them were wolves, but I caught a scent of what might be a tiger or some other big cat.
All eyes were on Jake and I as we walked through the room to the chairs at the front reserved for us.
I heard somebody mutter, "Ice bitch," and the muscles around my cheeks twitched. If there was anything that would get you dead around me, it was using the word bitch as if it was a bad thing. I wasn't oblivious to the nickname, but whoever used it was either bold or stupid.
Jake's finger pressed into my ass cheek, letting me know he'd heard it too. He would deal with it later.
"Ahhh, how nice of you to grace us with your presence." Alastair Dagen stepped away from the group he was talking to and gave me a sardonic bow. He looked me over like he wasn’t sure if he wanted to fuck me or kill me. Maybe both. I don’t think he cared which order those events took place. He was a sadistic fucker who seemed to get worse by the year.
"The infamous El— Ivory, and her favourite lapdog." His apparent misstep was purposeful, to remind me he also knew my real name, and exactly where I came from. "Have you come to buy? Or sell?"
I didn't give him the satisfaction of getting angry. The virgin auction was a part of my past, and the way I got to where I was now. I reminded myself it wasn't his fault I was that desperate. It was his parents who murdered mine and took everything they built. In retaliation, I had his parents killed. I understood his burning need for revenge, because I had lived it for so many years. Unfortunately for him, I had no intention of letting him be successful.
I laughed. "I could ask the same of you. If you're so hard up for a fuck, I'd be happy to let you have a free hour in the brothel." And if, or rather, when he raised a hand against my staff, I would have an excuse to cut his throat.
He chuckled, but his dark brown eyes narrowed. "Always such a charming host. That's why I had to accept your invitation to be here this evening. Who else in town holds a better party? Besides, it gives me a chance to decide what decor I'm going to replace when I own this place."
I would have retorted that him owning Crimson would be over my dead body, but that was the point.Good luck with that, assprick.
"Would you like a drink?" Jake asked him. "I hear the whiskey is especially fine. On the house, of course."
