Page 4 of Gilded Caresses

Let me see if I can put this into perspective for you.

Royal mafia blood. Check.

Yay, me, right? Wrong.

Wealthy. Check.

Hmm. I guess on paper. As escrow holder for Club Genesis, the money isn’t mine, but I have access to millions at any given time of day. Does that still count? That is a big fat nope. Ask my dad. He used to hold the job title I now have. After a large bounty was deposited into his care he dropped me like dead weight, grabbed his ditzy hooker girlfriend, and skipped town. The man hasn’t been heard from for over ten years. The second he shows his face he’ll catch a bullet between the eyes.

I’m thinking he won’t be coming around any time soon for birthday cake.

This leads me to…

Protection. Check.

I have that in spades as long as I am the undertaker for the Northern Alliance. Personal driver, bodyguards everywhere I go and a cousin and his two partners—the men of Genesis— who hardly let me out of their sight.

It’s damn annoying. But I get it. Harlon is not only protecting a valuable business asset but, he’s making sure I don’t repeat family history. He won’t admit that last part, but I’m not a fool either.

So yeah, to anyone looking at my life from the outside in I can see how things might appear like a dream come true. Stable job, money, and sexy men in black suits surrounding me twenty-four-seven.

It looks good in the movies, but in reality, it’s a royal bitch being mafia royalty.

The truth is my life resembles more of a reverse fairy tale. Instead of waking up each morning and spinning around my royal chambers all dreamy-eyed about the perfect life with no trouble in sight, my feet hit the floor at the same time my brain clicks over with thoughts of wondering whose death I’ll be ordering that day. Abandoned by my father, shunned by my family, and without a place or people to call my own.

That’s my truth and it’s not pretty.

And today is gonna be an ass-dragger kind of day. I can just feel it.

“Ma’am, we are here.”

My blurred vision refocuses and I realize I’m staring at my phone’s blackened screen unaware we’ve arrived in the sub-basement where I work, Club Genesis.

“Oh, um, thanks, Raphe.” My mind scrambles to catch up.

Warm, green eyes find me in the rearview mirror. “Will you be joining your friend again, this evening, ma’am? Usual pick-up time?”

His kind eyes don’t hold an ounce of judgment for what I’ve been up to with my evenings this week.

My heart gives a small quiver at the plans I have with Belle. “Yes. Thank you, Raphe. Our usual time. I’ll meet you here at seven sharp.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Impatient as always, Belle’s face pops up in a message bubble with the text:Harlon doesn’t suspect, does he? Frown emoji

I get her insecurities. I do. I just wish she would take strength in owning her desires. She has no idea how strong she is.

I tap her bubble head and thumb out a reply:Unless you talked, no.

This week is her first time performing at The Society and I’ve promised to be there for her the entire time. In the back, with my back turned and my earbuds in.

Four days down, one day to go. She’s not doing this for money, but because she wants to find her deeper self. I guess using sex is as good as any other enlightening method. I prefer the tarot.

My knee-jerk reaction was…umm, no. Watching my cousin on stage having sex is not my idea of fun. But saying no didn’t feelright either. Not after years of her being there for me when my father ditched me, the entire Constantine family shunning me and my college years.

So I agreed in exchange for free margaritas.

And then I saw them.

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