Page 4 of Guarded King

CHAPTER TWO

ROMAN

The pounding beat and flashing lights are giving me a damn headache. I’m almost thirty-nine. Too old for this shit.

The gorgeous brunette sitting next to me trails a shiny, fire-engine red nail up my forearm. “I can’t believe you own this club. That’s so hot.”

“Co-own,” I reply absently. I should be more focused on her. On the swell of her breasts over her tight black top and the long smooth legs that she keeps crossing to draw my attention.

Instead, my mind is back at the office. It’s where I should be, where I’d rather be, but here I sit, nursing a whiskey at the opening of yet another exclusive nightclub my brothers and I own.

Speaking of. I scan the space until I find Tate, who is, unsurprisingly, tucked into a corner, with his fiancée, Violet, on his lap. He’s murmuring in her ear, and she’s got her face tipped up, laughing.

I shake my head. I never thought I’d see the day my youngest brother would settle down—let alone be engaged. But I’ve never seen him happier. Which, strangely enough, makes me happy.

My other brother, Cole, isn’t here tonight. With his wife due to give birth in a few weeks, spending time at a nightclub is understandably low on their priority list.

It’s generally low on mine too. But it’s good business to make an appearance when we open a new club or restaurant. The King Group’s investors like seeing us out celebrating our success, even though these ventures are only side projects for us. While it might bolster confidence in the company’s leadership—a necessity when we took over control just under three years ago—it’s the last thing I want to be doing.

Particularly tonight.

The woman next to me transfers her attention to my upper thigh, fingers brushing over my suit pants, dangerously close to my dick.

It twitches in response, but I ignore it. I’ve got more important things on my mind than a most-likely mediocre lay with a woman whose name I’ll forget the minute my driver takes her home.

Like acquiring EcoTech Building Solutions—a company specializing in cutting-edge, eco-friendly construction technology—which would solidify the King Group’s position as the leader in luxury sustainable real estate for years to come. Something I’ve been working toward since taking the reins.

But several companies are courting EcoTech, and its owner, Ellis Anderson, is determined to partner with one whose ethical standards align with his own. Considering the King Group’s former CEO is a well-known womanizer who’s serving time for insider trading, proving that the company’s new leadership isn’t anything like the old has been an uphill battle. It doesn’t help that the new leadership, myself and my two brothers, are the previous CEO’s sons.

The three of us have done our best over the last few years to show that in the King family, the apples have fallen far from thetree. As long as we remain scandal free, we have a strong shot at this acquisition. Now that Cole is married and expecting his first child, and Tate—previously the paparazzi’s favorite target—is happily settled down, the company should finally be out of Dad’s shadow.

Though I can’t say the same for myself.

A squeeze on my thigh pulls my focus back to the brunette—Brianna, maybe? She’s pouting prettily. Probably because I’ve all but ignored her since she planted herself next to me.

“Why so serious, handsome? You should be having fun.” She leans closer, a barely constrained breast grazing my arm. “I can help you with that.” Her lips graze my ear. “I don’t have a gag reflex.”

My dick twitches with slightly more enthusiasm this time. It’s been months since I’ve been with a woman, and for a split second, I consider taking her up on her offer. Like in all our clubs, the VIP bathrooms here are luxurious. I could take her into one and see how quickly she could drop to her knees and get me off before I returned the favor.

I immediately push the idea aside. As tempting as it might be, I have more control than that. More control than my father. Dad would have had Brianna in one of those bathrooms quicker than he could close on another development deal.

But he’s in prison where he belongs, and I’m running the company now. Following in his footsteps in any way other than that is the last thing I want to do.

I remove Brianna’s hand from where it’s suggestively massaging my thigh. “Not tonight.”

She pulls back, her brows lifting in surprise. She’s probably not used to being rejected after her gag-reflex disclosure.

The music changes and the beat gets even more frenetic. I check my watch. It’s almost eleven. I’ve been here long enough. When I glance over at the nearest server, they rush to my side.

“Yes, Mr. King?”

“Another drink for the lady.” I incline my head toward Brianna, whose expression turns sulky as she realizes my intention. I don’t blink when she orders a bottle of Cristal. It’s not like I can’t afford it, and if it’s what she needs to deal with the rejection, it’s fine with me. With her looks, I doubt she’ll be on her own for long.

I nod at the server, and at Brianna, then stand and make my way over to Tate and Violet.

“I’m heading off,” I say as I approach.

Tate flicks a glance toward Brianna, who’s now sitting alone. “I hope you’re at least going home, not back to the office.”

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