Page 104 of Kings of Violence

The man inclines his head at me. “What fucking kind do you think?” He scoffs. “You young ones are all the same.Stupid.”

I try not to glare at him as I realize he means the women. “Is theentertainmentopen to everyone?” I ask. “If so, I think I’ll take advantage of your generosity.”

“That’s what they’re there for,” he mutters.

Again, I have to fight not to scowl. But this was good information. I think. “Thanks for your advice,” I say, flashing him a grin I don’t feel like giving him.

With that, I turn and disappear into the crowd.

TWENTY-FOUR

Konstantin

I wishI recognized more people—or any at all. The masks make for a fun atmosphere, but they’re terrible for the sort of networking I want to be doing.

At least Sierra stands out in her gorgeous dress and matching mask. I let my hand slide a little lower on her back, inside the shimmering fabric.

“No groping my ass,” she mutters. Her anger has abated, and I can see her watching the room with a keen eye.

I approve. No matter how much the guard had pissed her off, she understands that if ever there was a time and place to spy on people, this is it. I didn’t bring her to be simply eye candy, though she is very, very good at that role too.

“The ruse worked,” I whisper into her ear. “I told you the guard would be too busy staring at your tits to notice anything else.”

“Gee, thanks,” Sierra says with a huff. “I guess I should be grateful that the slit of the dress doesn’t go all the way up, too, I guess?”

“In that case, you really would need to hide something in your pussy.” I laugh when she slaps my chest. “You’ll be the reason they start cavity searching at these events.”

“I would not,” Sierra mutters. “I wouldn’t get caught.”

I smile and lament that I can’t easily kiss her bare neck, not with the masks in the way. Later.

“Of course not. Let us make our own rounds, then.” I begin leading her around the room so we can meet some new people and make small talk.

After the third conversation proves unfruitful, I feel the growing irritation. Don Marino has to be around here somewhere.

My eyes catch on a woman arguing with a tall man. It’s not particularly strange to see, but she’s wearing a tight dress that accentuates all of her curves.

Specifically, the curve of her belly, which has a slight swell to it. It could just be her form, of course, but the rest of her is so well toned that I think she’s pregnant.

The man on her other side puts his arm around her waist. I can see the half-smile underneath his mask.

The three look more interesting than the last few people we talked to, so I lead Sierra closer to them.

The tall man instantly goes alert and angles himself between us and the woman. “Yo. Can I help you?”

I extend my free hand to him. “Good evening. My name is Konstantin Voronkov.”

The woman’s eyes are shrewd as she looks at me, then Sierra. She’s sizing us both up, and it’s interesting that she regards Sierra as a potential threat. “Angelo Guerra,” she says, gesturing to the man whose hand I’m shaking. “Lucia Bellini, and Victor Corvi, at your service. Who’s this lovely lady?”

I inhale sharply.

Victor Corvi is the top dog in Benton City. He removed his largest competitor, as well as a boss of a New Bristol crime family, all in the span of a few months.

He doesn’t look like much from where I’m standing, but if he commands men like Angelo here, then he must be doing something right.

Sierra snorts in a very unladylike fashion. “Sierra Winters. Nice of someone to acknowledge me beyond the tits.”

Lucia chuckles. “But they do seem to be very attractive tits. Very… distracting.” Her eyes linger on the mark on Sierra’s chest, making Sierra shift uncomfortably under the scrutiny. There’s no hiding that mark, not in the skimpy dress I chose for her.

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