Page 21 of Scarlett Thief (Criminal Underground 2)

He grinned, and for the first time, I wondered if his moniker wasn't more for that grin than his birth name because, in that moment, he looked very wolfish. Amused. Wild. Hungry.

"You've done your homework," he said. "Good. And no, I don't intend to do anything except make sure you mind your manners."

"Same," Hadrian said, stepping up alongside us.

I turned my head and met his gaze. Those bright blue eyes of his were like magnets, drawing my attention and holding it in place.

"Wolf isn't the only one who's had experience with this." He lifted his eyes away from mine and met Wolf's above my head.

Wolf arched a brow as I glanced between the two of them. "That a fact, pretty boy?"

Hadrian smiled. "I told you before, we have more in common than you think." He flashed a smug smile. "Perhaps even an overlapping friend or three. You’re not the only one with resources, Wolf, and you gave me a gold mine to work with yesterday."

Wolf shot Hadrian a look. “Just keep your comments to yourself.”

Hadrian laughed at that. "There’s nothing to worry about," he replied before turning his attention to me once more. "As for you, Scar, I would heed Wolf's warning—he and I may still be wary of one another, but we've dabbled in this before. This is a safe place for us to meet with our contacts. You agreed to join us. There will be rules."

"I may play your little games for now, boys," I said, "but keep in mind, I'm not giving up my freedom."

"Au contraire, mon ami." Hadrian rounded and stopped in front of me as I moved to take a step forward and away from Wolf. I froze—stuck between a rock-hard body and another rock-hard body. My lips parted as Hadrian's eyes glittered down at me. I could feel the pulse of Wolf's heat against my spine. When I expected him to back away, he didn't, instead choosing to crowd me even closer to our third partner.

A wolf, a devil, and a thief walk into a sex club,I thought. We were the start of a perfectly awful joke, and yet, they were far more serious than they'd even been sitting before Gaven at the Harlington Estate.

Hadrian's hand lifted and his fingers touched my cheek. They were warm against my cold skin and it sent shivers down my spine. Wolf's hands cupped my sides. I inhaled and held my breath.

"You've never done this before so you won't understand just yet," Hadrian said, "but this club—what the people do in there—it frees you in a way you've likely never felt before."

I pursed my lips. "Getting naked and letting you slap my ass does not give me freedom," I argued.

Wolf's hands clenched against my sides.Why the hell haven’t I shoved them off yet?I thought to myself. Nothing was stopping me. Then again, I could've just as easily pushed Hadrian away and I hadn't done that either. They were both so close, so overwhelmingly hot where I was cold. I couldn't seem to resist their touches. No matter how inappropriate they were. Touching my targets was one thing, but partners were something else. Business was business and pleasure and romantic entanglements had no business in this job. I'd fucked a partner once before and that had nearly cost me all of the freedom I was so hell bent on protecting.

"You have all of the power in there, Scarlett," Wolf rumbled against my back. "The subs always do. The power exchange seems like it's all to the advantage of the Doms at the surface level, but all we need is one word from you and we're brought down. You own yourself—your body and everything that comes with it." As he spoke his hands moved, sliding around my stomach, pressing their heat there, and then up. I almost expected him to grab my tits—it wouldn't have shocked me, but he didn't do that. Instead, he barely skimmed the undersides before he stopped.

My eyelids fluttered shut and I released my breath. My chest felt tight. My thoughts were a crowded, rioting mess.Why isn’t he touching me? Do I really want him to? Right there in the open?

"The power we have is yours to loan. We can't do anything without your say so," Hadrian agreed. "It will all be explained for you before you come out on the floor."

"The floor?" I repeated, opening my eyes.

Wolf's hands dropped away and as one, the two of them stepped back—leaving me feeling colder than before.

"Yes," Wolf said as he rounded my body and moved to stand next to Hadrian. For men who didn't seem to know much about one another—for men who didn't seem to trust easily—when it came to this, they were in perfect synchronization. "There's a lounge for women to get changed and store their belongings. Mare will meet you in there and answer any questions you might have. We've given her some instructions for you, so she'll help you get ready."

"Is she one of your subs?" I asked suspiciously.

"No." Wolf frowned. "She's here with her husbands, and she is a friend. She's also a powerful woman in the United States. We're also guests at this club, so I'd appreciate it if you mind your manners. Treat her with respect. Who knows, you could do a job for her one day."

Who the fuck is this Mare chick?

"Duly noted." I deadpanned.

"Let's go," Hadrian said, "they're waiting on us."

The two of them turned and headed for the front doors, and for a moment, I just watched them go. There was something wrong with me though, because I found myself wanting to follow them. Wanting to know what this feeling they were stirring up inside of me meant. It was dangerous, I knew that. I couldn't trust them. I couldn't let them get the better of me.

A smart girl would hold them at arm's length. A smart girl would turn her ass right back around, get in the car, and wait until they were done doing whatever business that needed to be done. I'd been the smart girl—save for an unfortunate incident or two—practically all of my life. I'd learned my craft young and honed this skill. I was no innocent, no virgin. I was a seductress. I was a thief. I was a master. But all of the research I'd done on this BDSM crap, the Dominant and submissive relationship led me to believe that if I truly let myself sink into it—and those two certainly knew how to make a girl want whatever it was that they were offering—I'd be nothing but a liability to myself.

So, did I do the smart thing? Did I turn around and go back to the car? Of course not. When they hit the double doors and turned back, holding one open for me after buzzing in to unlock it, I strode forward and entered the Incatenato.

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