Page 69 of Queen Of Dark Money

Iwould not suffer a second screw-up.

“Imean it,Chance.Yourass is on the line, too, if we have another screw-up.”

Hishead, which was far too large for his tiny body, bobbed almost comically atop his shoulders. “Ayeaye, captain.Iwill ensure everything is on the up and up for you this time.”Hewatched asIfiddled with myRolex, his brows drawn together in deliberation. “Areyou going somewhere tonight, sir?”

“Ameeting, yes.”Istarted walking toward the office, whereIkept a change of clothes for just such an occasion.Iwas covered in straw, packing peanuts, and ink from old newspapers that someone had used to pack up the original shipment.Ineeded to wash it off my body and get ready. “I’llexpect the shipment update whenIreturn, or first thing in the morning, depending on how long this runs.”

Chance’seyes widened in hopeful eagerness. “Anotherbig client, sir?”

Mychuckle filled the room. “No,Chance, just a routine meeting with the boys.”

Chancedidn’t know about my involvement with the mafia-esque criminal syndicate that ran this town.HeknewIhad silent business partnersImet with on occasion, and for him, that was enough.Theman lived, breathed, ate, and dreamed about the shipping and antique industry.Itwas enough to keep him busy for an eternity and a half, and as long asIgave him enough to entertain himself, he’d stay well away from my other, less aboveboard business.

Hedidn’t need to know thatI’dslipped several hundred thousand dollars into the shipment in the form of guns and othervarious weapons, courtesy of the gun-running bastard,Gatt.He’dgone soft lately and left it on my shoulders to offload his product with my unlimited connections overseas.

Hewas too deep in being pussy-whipped to be interested in his work these days.Icouldn’t blame him–that bitch was a straight dime piece.Crazyas fuck, but hot.

Notmy type, but must have been his.

Iliked a woman with class, a woman who could hold her own at a gala affair, a woman who knew how to comport herself around high-class clientele.Butwhen the curtains closed, when the lights dimmed and everyone went home for the night,Iwanted a woman who wasn’t afraid to let her freak side out.Ineeded a woman who was willing to test her limits, who was willing to try new things, a woman unafraid of being watched.Iwasn’t a frequent flier in the city’s most prominent sex club for nothing.Iliked to put on a show, and every weekend, to unload,Iwaltzed in on whatever woman was open to being used and pulled back the curtains in the vouyer hall so everyone could watch me ruin her to my heart’s content.

Ineeded a woman who didn’t exist, because those women were two very different women, andI’dyet to find one in the world, in all my years living in it, that could flip her switch like that.

Myex-wife had pretended for a while, but that ended fast and ended in an unwanted pregnancy she clung to only because she wanted a paycheck.

Iobliged her, and had a tenuous at best relationship with my son.

Asa matter of fact, he was due to stop by for a visit soon.Theboy was fucking thirty-something but acted like a teenager still, hand always out for money.Igave him whatever he asked for to get him out of my hair.ButIwas growing tired of forking over my hard-won fortune to a lazy, entitled bastard likeTheo.

Istrode through my office and into the attached bathroom, determined to enjoy this shower before jumping into the frying pan with the three idiotsIwas cursed with as business associates.

Thishad better be good,River.

Iarrivedin trueZantinifashion, ten minutes late.Iwanted these bastards to know they were on my time, notIon theirs.Asthe oldest of us here,Iwas due a little respect.Ididn’t like to take charge, soIleft that toStone, the fucking rich bastard who’d spent his whole silver-spooned life helping fake and real jewels exchange hands for profit.ButifIstood up in the middle of a meeting and demanded the floor, not one of them would deny it to me.

Asit should be.

Atfifty-two,Icommanded a room like no other here could and knew it.ThepowerIpossessed wasn’t to be matched.ButIlet them all thinkIwas the unassuming antiques dealer, a bookish nerd whose only concern was ensuring his expensive pieces didn’t wander off or collect dust.Maintainingthe air of mystery surrounding myself was easier that way.

Witha curt nod to the regular security staff,Iheaded in through the side door, pleased to see the others’ cars all parked outside.Meantthey were already here.Thelast piece of the puzzle was me.

Sureenough, whenImarched into the meeting room likeIowned the place, it was to the immediately upturned faces of the three menI’dgrown closest to in all my time in this city.Rafespotted me first, his steely eyes half-closed, like he was fighting sleep, or perhaps, something else.Stonesat in the corner,holding a glass of brandy aloft as if it needed to air out like a bottle of wine.Hissmile didn’t reach his eyes, but it sat pasted on his lips nonetheless.Ireturned it with a nod and glanced at the reason for this meeting–River.

Hewas perched on the chaise lounger, a placeI’dnever seen him occupy before, his knee bouncing in time to a silent beat in his head.Whenhe caught my gaze, he forced himself still, standing like he’d been electrocuted.

“Soglad you could finally join us,Dominick,” he snipped at me, offering a glass of whatIassumed was gin.Itook it without question, showing him a measure of trustIdidn’t often share with the others.

Afterall, he kept my secrets at thatBDSMclub of his across town.IfIcouldn’t trust him with my drinks, who couldItrust?

“Myapologies for the lateness of my arrival.Traffic–”

“Oh, stuff it, you fucking dandy,” he spat, falling back on the chaise like a beaten dog. “Weall know you like to keep us waiting for a power play.Idon’t have time to entertain your little games tonight.Wehave an issue, andIthink it’s time we deal with it.”

Hewaved his hand at the corner, and from the shadows emerged a womanIvaguely remembered—from where,Icouldn’t place.

Herhips swayed seductively in that elegant black dress that fell to her knees, feathering out on the air with every step she took.Thinstraps held it up on her torso, and they were working for every penny spent on that dress, because the girl had a chest that wouldn’t quit.Hershoulders were bare, and there were cutout panels on the sides that teased at her curves and played peekaboo with parts of her bodyIinstantly wanted to put my hands on.

WherehadIseen her before?

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