Page 3 of Queen of Vice

“Don’t take it personally. Katie’s been an embarrassment for far longer than she should’ve been. I’ll handle it.”

So, he saw that. Or more likely, he heard me when I saw little-miss-cokehead getting her fix in the bathroom. A heavy pause lingered between us. His knowing that girl’s name was no surprise. What caught me off guard was himalluding to the fact that he had been watching me and the offer he’d just made.

“By handle it you mean..?”

"I'll take care of her," he reiterated, his tone retaining an unsettling calmness.

I hesitated, unsure of how to flat-out reject his offer. Finally, I managed to say, "No, it’--please don’t do that."

He studied me, his expression remaining inscrutable. "Your morality is endearing," he replied cryptically, his undertone of amusement leaving me with a sense of unease.

I really didn’t want to talk to him, but more than that I needed to change the subject. "Why are you here?" I asked, my voice tinged with genuine curiosity.

His mouth curled into a faint, enigmatic smile. "I’m actually on my way out. I was making sure you were alright." Each syllable was shaped by a refined accent that danced gracefully around his words.

Checking on me? That made no sense. Given his reputation, genuine concern seemed highly unlikely.

I edged back subtly, my arms folding defensively across my chest. Maintaining my composure was a battle of wills as he continued to scrutinize me with piercing focus. The sunglasses were my only shield and the only thing giving me the courage to meet his gaze squarely. A sidelong glance revealed a figure blocking the patio doors, a clear barrier to any potential interruptions from inside.

That didn't seem coincidental.

With a swallow, I refocused on the man before me, whose allure was matched only by the sense of peril he emanated.

“You have no reason to be afraid. I didn’t go out of my way to hurt you,” he assured me before my brain could start sprouting ideas.

“So, you really came all the way back here to check on me?” I questioned, hedging on the side of caution.

“That, and I wanted to be the first to welcome you back to the city. Has anyone else done so?”

“No…you’re the first.”

“Good. I would be disappointed if someone disregarded my warning.”

“What?” I blinked; certain I’d just misheard him. “What warning?”

He grinned down at me, revealing deep dimples in the center of his cheeks. Without answering, he took hold of my hand and brought it to his sensual lips, pressing a feather-light kiss to the back. Had he been anyone else, the move would have been over the top and a major ick, but the look in his eyes had my entire body flushing despite my reservations.

“We’ll talk soon,” he promised before stepping away. I watched him head towards the side parking lot where a black Benz sat idling with two large SUVs waiting behind it. He gave me one last disarming look as he got in the passenger seat. I caught a glimpse ofanother man in a suit, his younger brother, before the car disappeared from view, exiting the lot with the other vehicles in tow.

I checked to see if anyone had witnessed us talking together and saw the man who had been guarding the doors was gone as well. What the hell just happened? I didn’t know where to begin trying to figure out why he approached me. His unexpected attention spun my thoughts into chaos. Now that he had departed, a wave of delayed anxiety crashed over me, a visceral reaction to his proximity.

The worst thing about it was that there had to be a reason. Could Evie have been caught in his dangerous orbit? The mere thought twisted my stomach into knots, a bitter taste of fear mixed with loss. I rubbed my brow and sighed. I wasn’t sure how long I’d been outside but going back into the venue was out of the question. The fact no one came out to bother me was a silent affirmation that whatever decree he’d given held a disturbing amount ofpower. A low whistle cut through my thoughts. I looked up, eyes narrowing as a figure approached.

Recognizing her, I abandoned all pretense of decorum. I took off, poise be damned, moving as fast I could in my heels, trying not to fall and bust my ass.

“No one seemed to know where you were,” she said as soon as she was close enough to throw her arms around me, pulling me into a bone-crushing embrace. “God, I missed you,” she breathed, raw emotion in her voice. I hugged her back just as tightly, catching a whiff of her rose-scented perfume.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t make the service. I came here straight from the airport.”

“It’s fine, Mel.” I shoved down a swell of emotion and blinked back tears before pulling away.

“I take it you’re out here to get away from everyone in there?” she nodded towards the large brick building.

I nodded. “I couldn't stomach it any longer.”

“And no one would dare say shit about it, if they don’t want an eight-inch Louis V shoved up their ass.” She surveyed me from head to toe, her perusal softening into a smile. "You look good, El."

Her infectious grin sparked one of my own, clearing away some of the fog from within. I appreciated her not outright asking the common questions. The grim secret that my sister wasn't in either of the caskets was known only to my family and whoever was responsible for her disappearance. I longed to confide and vent to her, but the danger that could put her in had me biting my tongue.

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