Page 44 of Queen of Vice

Once he finished the introductions, he guided us further into the room, his hand still firmly on the small of my back, a gesture that was both possessive and reassuring. The others returned to their conversations, but I could feel their eyes flicking toward us intermittently, assessing us—me—with the same intensity they seemed to apply to everything else in this world. I was seated on a plush sofa, Mateo settling in beside me with a casual confidence that only heightened my awareness of him.

My friends took seats nearby, and Peyton’s eyes darted around the room, taking in the opulent surroundings.

Melody appeared more composed, though I could tell she was on high alert. Elias, with his boyish charm, leaned forward, an easy smile playing on his lips. “So, Elena,” he began, his tone light but with an underlying sharpness, “what did you think of Mateo when you first met him? He’s not exactly the warm and fuzzy type.”

I hesitated, unsure how much to reveal in front of these strangers, who were clearly anything but harmless. My eyes flicked to Mateo, who was watching me closely, his expression unreadable.

“Well,” I started carefully, “I didn’t exactly know what to think at first. He’s…intense.” That was putting it mildly.

Elias chuckled, the sound rich and warm. “That’s one way to put it. Don’t worry, you get used to it.”

His words were light, but they were much too close to what Mateo had told me as I was bent over his table. It took everything in me not to react visibly.

Sergio, who had been quietly observing, joined in. “Intense is just the surface. There’s a lot more to Mateo than meets the eye.” His voice carried a deep timbre, the kind that demanded attention.

Peyton, sitting across from me, leaned back, his casual demeanor contrasting with the sharp glint in his eyes. “That sounds like a warning,” he commented, a hint of protectiveness in his tone that made my heart tighten. Leave it to him to go up against a room full of crime lords and their underman on my behalf.

Mateo’s hand squeezed mine gently, pulling my attention back to him. “Let’s not overwhelm her with too much all at once,” he said smoothly, his gaze holding mine.

“Tonight isn’t meant for an interrogation. Or to worry her friends.”

The subtle shift in his tone left no room for argument, and the others took the cue, turning the conversation toward lighter topics. As they spoke, I couldn’t help but feel like I was on display, a new piece in a game I barely understood. Every word and every glance seemed to carry layers of meaning, and I was painfully aware that this was only the beginning of my immersion into Mateo’s world. How the hell was I going to manage a large crowd of these people?

Drinks were served, and I found myself holding a glass of something onyx-colored that I didn’t recognize. I hesitated, glancing at Peyton and Melody, who were each holding similar glasses. Peyton caught my eye, giving me a small, reassuring nod as he sipped from his. Melody, ever composed, took a delicate sip before returning her attention to the room.

Seeing their confidence—or at least their outward show of it—I took a cautious sip. The liquid burned slightly as it went down, its warmth spreading through me and easing some of the tension coiled in my chest. Mateo leaned in close, his voice a low murmur meant only for me. “Relax, anjinho. You’re doing just fine.”

His words were meant to reassure me, but they only heightened my awareness of how precarious my situation was and that even here, he was watching me closely. I was surrounded by people who were dangerous in ways I couldn’t fully comprehend, all of them bound by ties of blood and loyalty that I was now a part of, whether I wanted to be or not.

I offered a weak smile in response, not trusting myself to speak. The earlier events of the day—the proposal, the table incident, and how I’d come all over him—still weighed heavily on my mind.

Everything had happened so quickly, and now I was here, in the midst of his world, already playing a role I wasn’t ready for. Peyton, on the other hand, was still observing the room, his gaze occasionally returning to me with a protective edge that hadn’t been there before. As the night wore on, the conversations grew more animated, the atmosphere charged with a mix of companionship and something darker.

The two women at the pole continued their performance, their movements fluid and practiced, but to me, the scene felt more like a display of power than anything else. The others seemed relaxed, indulging in the party favors laid out before them, but there was always a sense of alertness, a readiness to shift from leisure to business at a moment’s notice.

Elias turned to Mateo with a grin, breaking the casual chatter. “So, what’s the plan for the evening, brother?”

Mateo’s expression darkened slightly, though a smile still played on his lips. “Let’s just say tonight is about sealing the deal.” His gaze slid over to me, making it clear that the deal in question was far more than just a business arrangement.

I could feel Peyton and Melody’s eyes on me, both of them silently questioning what Mateo meant by that, but I wasn’t sure either. As more men in suits arrived, I was introduced to each one with a quick exchange of pleasantries. Their names blurred together in my mind, only a few standing out because I could sense they were important--DeRosa, Barron, Caruso, and Thanatos.

The women on the pole were now completely nude, their movements a hypnotic blend of sensuality and detachment as they danced to the music thumping through overhead speakers. Another woman was draped across Angel's lap as he joined the other men--including Peyton--for a card game.

He wasn’t paying her any attention. His gaze kept coming back to Melody, who sat beside me with a composed expression, speaking naturally, though I could see the tension in her eyes. It felt like we were there to be nothing more than beautiful trophies, left on display while the others’ focus divided between the cards in their hands and the display of flesh across the room.

Feeling the buzz from the alcohol and the nagging worry at the back of my mind about missing my medicine, I told Melody I needed to move. She wordlessly followed my lead, and we wandered to the glass window that overlooked the club below, a world away from the opulence and danger that surrounded me.

“This isn’t what I thought it would be,” she said quietly.

“Me either, but I think that’s a good thing.”

“Oh, it is.”

I looked down at the club, still full of people dancing, drinking, and losing themselves in the night.

Many of them were aware of the empire their money was fueling. Mateo’s brilliant laundering front was in full swing, every dollar spent on drinks and entertainment feeding into the dark machine that kept this world turning.

And then my thoughts turned to Eva.

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