Page 160 of Dance of Devils
“You…”
I frown. “Is it too much? It feels like a little?—”
“You're stunning, Brooklyn,” he growls. “Fuckingstunning.”
I blush deeply, looking down. “Language,” I grunt, doing my best Kir impression.
He just shakes his head. “This time, it’s necessary.”
I grin as I walk down the rest of the stairs to join him. “Pretty easy on the eyes yourself,” I tease, eye-fucking theshitout of him in his perfect tux.
“This old thing?”
I snort as he smiles and takes my arm, leading me outside.
…Where anactual stretch limois waiting for us.
I’ve never been in one before, but three seconds after settling into the luxurious back of this one, I’m sure I could get used to it.
Very,veryused to it.
Kir hands me aflute of champagne…yes, really…and clears his throat. “I wanted to tell you something.”
I smile curiously. “Oh?”
He nods. “It’s about James.”
Instantly, my face falls, icy cold rippling through me. But then Kir’s right there, pulling me across the seat and planting me firmly on his lap. He holds my jaw, his fierce dark eyes refusing to let me look away.
“I don’t want to talk about?—”
“You’ll never see him again.”
I blink. “What?”
“I mean it. I’ve made sure of it.”
My pulse skips. “Did you…is he…?”
“No. Notyet,” he growls. “There were some…political issues with killing him. His uncle is the president of the longshoreman’s union, which is how anything and everything gets moved through New York Harbor.”
I nod. “So, if you killed him, his uncle would?—”
“If it was justmybusiness,” he growls, “I wouldn’t care. I’d skin him myself.”
I bite my lip. It’swildthat this man would legitkillfor me.
…And actually pretty hot, in a kinda fucked-up way.
“But the union also oversees the logistics of some of my allies, and enemies.”
“And he could have it all shut down,” I murmur. “Which would make?—”
“Alotof people very unhappy,” Kir finishes. “So I did things slightly differently. It would appear James has a penchant for…youngerwomen. As in, you’re about ten years older than his usual preference.”
I stare at him. “Are youserious?! That's—” I cling to his tuxedo jacket, shaking.
“I had someone I know tell James they were much younger than they actually are, and film him offering them money for sex.”
