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“Fine. I will.” I gripped my purse tighter. “Kay, I will talk to Liam.”
She nodded, pursing her lips. For all her efforts, I was going to have to meet Liam alone.
I entered the small elevator car and pushed the L button. The other option was a G, which told me this was Liam’s private entrance.Great. Another rich guy who didn’t like mingling with the rabble. When the doors slid opened, a woman with a stern face and hair redder than mine greeted me with a nod. “Ms. O’Brien, welcome.”
“Thanks.” I rubbed my arms against the cool air blowing the length of the foyer. “I’m Luce. Nice to meet you.” I offered her my hand.
“I’m Mrs. Jones. This way.” She gestured toward the grand staircase.
I stole a glance toward the tall windows, the white walls, and beige sofas that filled the living area. Liam’s home looked like one of those penthouses on real estate magazines—pristine, shiny and very expensive. I looked for family pictures or any personal effects but didn’t see any. Did he even live here?
“Where’s Liam?”
“Mr. Walsh is out of town. He will see you tomorrow morning. For now, he’s asked me to show you to your cage.”
“My what?” I quickened my step to catch up to her, convinced I’d heard wrong.
She opened the first door to the left and ushered me inside. Yeah, Mrs. Jones meant an actual cage.
I’d never had sex before, but I knew a kink room when I saw one. This suite was exactly that—a dungeon—complete with my very own cage. What the actual fuck? I shook my head to try and process what was happening, but I couldn’t make myself react.
What?I wanted to ask, but the words didn’t come out. My brain was fuzzy, numb.
I didn’t object when Mrs. Jones took out a small key from her apron, when she unlocked the door and gently guided me inside. Even as I saw her walk away and leave the room, I just sat there, mouth wide open, and stared at the red door.
Was I supposed to sleep here? I sat up with my legs stretched in front of me. I fit perfectly if I stayed in this exact position. My gaze flitted from my bare feet to the wide circle over my head. The two panels were secured by another padlock. By the size of the opening, I knew my neck would fit there, too. Anger pooled in the pit of my stomach. I gripped both sides of the cage and screamed, rattling it as I finally let out all my fears and rage.
What the hell did I get myself into?
No, that wasn’t the right question. What the fuck did Dad get me into?
Chapter5
The Celtic Cross Pendant
Santino
Manhattan, New York
I turned the silver ring on my finger and rubbed the wolf’s head engraved on it—a family heirloom of sorts, a gift from Dad the night I had my first kill. I rapped it against the handrail. Standing at the entrance of the VIP loft, near the grand staircase, I let my gaze linger on the betting tables below me. How Rex put up with this club scene, day in and day out, was beyond me. All the people down there in their fancy garb and drinking expensive wine were exhausting to me.
This was Rex’s M.O. I was good at hunting people down. He was good at keeping secrets, their secrets. He kept them all here, hooked on gambling, booze, and sex, so he could manipulate them into doing whatever the fuck he wanted. All in all, I’d say he was a good king for the Society.
I scanned the crowd below me. Of course, I wasn’t expecting her to be here. Red—the woman who slammed into me at the airport. I didn’t get a chance to ask her name, so I gave her one that made me think of her fiery red hair. Since the night I flew in from Chicago, I couldn’t stop thinking about her.
The resignation in her eyes disarmed me. I’d punished plenty of assholes in my time. There was always a point during our interview, right before they broke and started talking, when a glint of surrender would flash in their eyes. That was always my cue to push a tad more to get exactly what I wanted.
Red had the look and the scent of someone who had already surrendered. What happened to her? She was too young to have already given up. The illogical part of me wanted to see her again. That same part wanted to show her that there were still a few things in this life worth living for. Without a doubt, that same illogical part would be the part that could destroy her. Someone as innocent as Red didn’t belong in my world.
For whatever stupid reason, my pulse spiked when I spotted a redhead sitting at the bar. I leaned closer to the banister to get a better look. Her long legs and graceful fingers caught my attention. Those features were seared into my mind’s eye. As if sensing my eyes on her, the woman at the bar tensed then shifted her weight to face me. With a knowing smile, she slid off her seat and ambled toward the stairwell that led up to the VIP loft. When she reached the bottom step, the bouncer glanced up at me. She wasn’t Red. She wasn’t the woman from the airport. Disappointment washed over me, and I shook my head no. He immediately stepped in and sent her away.
“How’s your dad?” Rex appeared out of nowhere, patted me on the shoulder, then braced both his hands on the handrail, watching over his flock.
“He went home last night.” I blinked a few times to bring his features into focus. “The old man is not going anywhere. If that’s what you were worried about.”
“I want you to unseat him already.” Every move Rex made was calculated.
To him, people were at his disposal, no more than chess pieces to use as he pleased. The problem was, whether I liked it or not, I was an integral piece on his board. He wanted me to step up as Don and take my seat at the table as Don Buratti because Dad was a liability to the Society. His heart condition was the least of his health concerns. The dementia could get us all killed.
