Page 9 of Depraved

I approached the front desk, plastering on my most charming smile. The receptionist, a polished young woman with impeccable makeup, greeted me warmly.

"Welcome to the Pendry San Diego. How may I assist you today?"

"Checking in," I replied smoothly. "Reservation under Martinez."

As she tapped away at her computer, I let my gaze wander casually around the lobby. No sign of Gage or the mystery blonde. But then again, I hadn't really expected it to be that easy.

"Here we are, Ms. Martinez. You're in one of our Deluxe Suites. Thomas will escort you up?—”

“No need,” I said politely. “I know my way.”

I collected our key cards and headed for the elevators, Sarge following close behind. As we stepped inside the sleek metal car, I caught a glimpse of our reflection in the mirrored walls. We looked like any other attractive couple on vacation.

The elevator whisked us up to the 11th floor. I strode purposefully down the plush carpeted hallway, scanning the room numbers until I found our room. A quick swipe of the key card and we were inside.

Alex and River were already there, laptops and surveillance equipment spread out across the king-size bed.

"Took you long enough," Alex quipped, not looking up from his screen. "I already have access to the hotel's security system. No sign of Gage on any of the cameras yet."

I tossed my bag onto a nearby chair and kicked off my heels. "Keep monitoring. He has to show up eventually. River, any luck ID'ing our mystery blonde?"

He shook his head. "Not yet. Facial recognition is still running through databases. Could take a while. We’ll monitor through the night and see if anything triggers it. Until then, we sit tight.”

“I need a fucking drink,” I said with a long sigh as I threw myself down on the bed.

"Way ahead of you, boss." Alex sauntered over to the mini-fridge tucked discreetly into an ornate wooden cabinet.

He pulled open the frosted glass, revealing rows of meticulously arranged bottles and cans. Alex's eyes roamed over the options before settling on a six-pack of local craft beer. Heplucked out two amber bottles, their surfaces already beading with condensation in the warm room.

"Heads up," he called out as he tossed one bottle in a graceful arc towards me. I snatched it out of the air, the glass cool and slick against my palm.

Without missing a beat, Alex grabbed another and sent it sailing towards Sarge. The big man caught it easily in one large hand, giving Alex a nod of thanks.

Finally, Alex reached back into the fridge and extracted a bottle of sparkling water. He lobbed it gently to River, who plucked it from the air with catlike reflexes.

Alex sauntered over to the bed, beer in hand, and flopped down beside me. The mattress dipped under his weight as he stretched out, propping himself up on one elbow. His dark eyes roamed over me appreciatively, a hint of a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth.

"You know, this reminds me of the last time we shared a hotel room. Remember?"

Heat bloomed in my core at the memory. How could I forget? It was the night everything had gone to hell at the docks, when Gage's betrayal had come to light. But before that...

"Vaguely," I replied, feigning nonchalance as I took a long pull from my beer. The crisp, hoppy flavor burst across my tongue, cool and refreshing.

"No need to play coy. I distinctly recall you screaming my name as I fucked you into the mattress. I get hard just thinking about it."

My eyes briefly met River's across the room, and he was already watching me. He'd been there too, sitting silently against the headboard while Alex and I fucked. River's eye had burned with hunger as he watched me ride Alex, but there was pain there too.

I remembered the way his tattooed hands gripped the sheets, knuckles turning white; the outline of his impressive erection straining against his jeans; the low, rumbling growl that escaped him as I moaned.

River had been celibate for years, adhering to some personal vow of abstinence. I didn’t blame him after the shit he went through. But that night, I saw the hunger in his gaze, and felt the weight of his want. For a moment, I thought he might join us. But he held himself back.

It didn’t make me crave him any less. If anything, it made it into a game, and I loved a challenge.

I tore my gaze away from River, heat rising to my cheeks as I recalled that intense night. Alex's hand slid up my thigh, his touch igniting sparks across my skin. I could feel the weight of unspoken tension in the room, thick and heady.

Sarge cleared his throat loudly, drawing our attention. His jaw was clenched tight, a muscle ticking in his cheek. He drained the last of his beer in one long swallow, Adam's apple bobbing as he tipped his head back.

"I need some fucking air," he muttered, slamming the empty bottle down on the ornate side table. The crystal ashtray rattled with the impact.

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