Page 17 of King of Depravity

“Look at what I’ve found.” Alexander rumbles and then he reaches up a hand and rubs his thumb over her cheek. She turns away, which only invites him to wrap his fingers around the back of her neck and he jerks her face toward his.

Both my hands clench as Chloe cries out.

Triston appears at the end of the hall. “Using the head too?” he says to Alexander who instantly lets Chloe go.

Triston and Gris are twins. They both inherited our mother’s classic looks and her charm, and I’ve seen them skate through some pretty gnarly situations.

I don’t pay a lot of attention to the business end of our business, my job is in the shadows, but I’m well aware that we’re moving through the millions and into the billions in assets because of the two of them.

Which is why I know that Triston is about to handle this situation. I relax back against the wall.

Alexander eases back away from Chloe, dropping his hand, but his face is full of his frustration. “I was on my way when I found our pretty waitress taking a break.”

Triston looks at Chloe, his gaze bland, as he smiles. “I can see why she’d need one. She’s been hustling all night. Is this place always so busy?”

Chloe nods, not speaking.

From the bar, Mozart filters from the piano, Dimitri clearly playing.

Triston has stopped, not moving on, though Alexander is openly glaring at my brother.

“I’m sorry to ask you to return to the main room when you’ve been working so hard all night, but I know my brother Rush was hoping for a highball. They’re his weakness.”

“O-of course,” Chloe clears her throat and then scoots past Alexander. She only wobbles on her heels once, and then she’s off down the hall, smoothing her ponytail before she rounds the corner.

My girl knows how to put a face back on. And while it’s impressive, it’s become clear that someone taught her to do so, after they made her suffer.

As much as I still want to dirty her up, I also want to know who the motherfucker is who has made her so afraid.

“You’re treading where you don’t belong,” Alexander spits at Triston.

“Careful,” Triston answers back smoothly. “You don’t want to pick a fight with me.”

“Because your brother married into the Kincaids?” Alexander sneers.

Triston only smiles. “Because we’re outpacing you in growth and profits, two to one.” Triston looks over his shoulder, and seeing Chloe gone, moves past Alexander, and heads to the bathroom door. His eyes meet mine before he pushes open the door. Unlike Alexander, Triston knew I was here all along.

Alexander follows as I shrink even deeper into the shadows. I listen to him spit a string of curses in Russian as he makes his way into the bathroom after my brother.

I take the opportunity to return unnoticed to my table.

Chloe has dropped the check, even though I didn’t ask for it.

I look over to find her cashing out at the bar. She slips on her leather jacket, stuffs her money in the hidden back pocket, and heads for the back door.

Dropping some bills on the table, I follow, not that it’s hard. Dimitri commands the room and every eye is on him as he plays.

I stick to the edges where the light is low, already knowing the way to Chloe’s apartment. Either she knows I’ve followed, or she’s worried I might, because she looks over her shoulder several times.

When she gets to her door, she does one final check before she slips her key into the lock and disappears into the house, the deadbolt clicking behind her.

But I’m already moving around back. I jump to catch the raised ladder of the fire escape. Her window is locked, but opening a latch like hers is a job for amateurs and in a second, I’m sliding the window open and letting myself into her room. I lean against the wall in the corner.

I can hear her moving around, going into the bathroom, brushing her teeth. She finally comes into the room with her jacket over her arm. Pulling the money from the secret pocket, she pulls out her bed frame and stuffs the cash into a little hiding spot. Did she make that hole in the wall?

I study the paintings on the wall again, my breath catching. I love every one of them, the one of her face in pieces best of all. It’s dark, gritty and when I first looked at it last night, it made me feel…seen.

But my attention is captured by Chloe again as she unbuttons the oxford, shrugs it off, folds it, and sets it on top of the tiny bureau. Then it’s her shoes and finally her pants.

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