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Las Vegas is not my first choice of cities to live in, and I have no intentions of staying here after Luke is done with me, but I would come and visit a place like this from time to time.
Monica pops into my head, and I squash down thoughts of checking on her. It’s too painful to think about her, let alone see the condition she’s in. All because she bought into my mother’s misguided beliefs.
The profile is more interesting to fill out. It asks to define my role as either Dominant or submissive. I enjoy professional Dom work from time to time, but when it comes to my pleasure, I’m not sure where I fall. I’m curious enough about my submissive side that I choose that. Then it asks if I think I’ll ever want to switch my role. I mark yes occasionally, even though I don’t see that actually happening.
Next, the profile covers limits, fantasies, and safewords. I predicted none of this in my future when I accepted the date with Oliver Bowden, but here I am. A little thrill races through me as I write out things I might like to try, and things I’m definitely not into. The application covers everything, and there’s even an a to z list of things I can mark as interested in or not interested in, along with blank spaces to add my own items that aren’t on the list.
When I’m done with the profile, she hands me a copy of the club charter and asks me to sign it as a signal that I agree to uphold it. It reads like a business charter with a sprinkling of religious cult thrown in. But I smile as I remember Luke’s claim that they only worship at the altar of pleasure and power. If that’s a religion, it’s one I can get behind.
As I’m finishing up the paperwork, I sense him come into the room.
Bellamy nods, “Master Luke, Zara was just finishing her paperwork.”
I turn and smile at him. “This is really an impressive space, Mr. Bowden.”
Chapter 9
Luke
Zara’spraiseofthespace we’ve built makes me smile, and I squeeze her shoulder. “Thank you, Flower. I just wanted to check on you. I’ve got to have a meeting with the other owners. You can either wait for me in my office or stay with Bellamy, but you can’t be out and about on your own just yet.”
She nods. “Bellamy explained the rules.”
“Is this not a meeting you need me for, Sir?” Bellamy asks.
“No, this isn’t club business, lass. Victor surprised us by showing up and we need to have a conversation.”
Bellamy gives me a respectful nod, then smiles at Zara. “We can go sit at the bar and chat.”
I don’t want Bellamy getting too cozy with Zara. There’s still so much that’s a mystery about her. But I need to make sure she stays out of the way, so I don’t say anything about their plan.
After Frank and Margaret’s meal was well underway and nearly to the dessert course, I slipped out. The others have gathered in Matteo’s office and are waiting for me. But I was compelled to stop and check on her first. I lie to myself again and say I’m being cautious because she’s an unknown quantity, but deep down I know I wanted to catch sight of her in that dress again. When she stood in the back of my play space while I was overseeing the beginning of Frank’s meal, it was all I could do to keep myself from ordering her to my side. I snort in disgust as I try to put thoughts of her out of my head and make my way to the owner’s meeting.
In Matteo’s office, Victor Serrano pulls me into a hug. We haven’t seen him in weeks since rumors started that his family put out a hit on Matteo’s father. Our friendship is unconventional because our families are sometimes rivals. But we formed our bond because none of us feel like we fit in our respective families.
Now we run a lucrative—albeit illegal—business together and we do things our way. None of us buy that Victor’s family killed Matteo’s father. We’re pretty certain it was Matteo’s brother, and it was a mercy killing so that his father would die a respectable death instead of deteriorating from sudden onset dementia. But there isn’t proof of that yet and there won’t be until well after Danny solidifies his new position as boss of the Trentini family. If his power isn’t solidified before people find out the truth, it could start an all-out Mafia war that could rage across the entire country.
But in the meantime, things are very tense for us. And with my family troubles, they’re getting even tenser. Owen isn’t joking like he normally does in these meetings, and Matteo and Victor seem more fierce than usual.
“First things first, did your cousin kill the mayor of New York?”
Matteo is blunt. There’s no sense in beating around the bush in this group. It’s a waste of time.
“No.”
“Is Zara going to blow our operation?”
That’s a harder question to answer. Because my gut says no. But the evidence to support that is slim. We know nothing about her.
“I honestly don’t believe so. But Owen, whoever ran your background check failed to discover that she has a sister who lives here in Vegas.”
Owen lifts an eyebrow. “Oh really? And how did you come by this information?”
“Zara mentioned her at dinner but said she wouldn’t say anything else about her. I get the feeling they aren’t close.”
“I still say it was a terrible idea to bring her here.”
I don’t disagree with Owen, but I also don’t feel like I had much choice.
