Page 5 of Orion Ruined

I study Logan as he talks to me in a slow, dreamy manner.His eyes are green, with a mischievous glimmer, and sporadically roam over my body. He doesn’t know I’ve noticed. His teeth flash when he smiles; this person is seductive by nature. Every now and again he sucks in a breath and runs his hand through the dark hair that falls over his face, and he regards me from underneath.

Tall, muscular, perfectly built body, wrapped in a well-fitted suit, white shirt with a tie and a vest. The shiny black shoes finish off the polished look. Not only does he look safe, but there’s nothing intimidating about him. He’s magnetic.

He’s the one who said I was safe.

Kai is different. His piercing blue eyes bore shamelessly into me, appraising me. Messy, shoulder-length blond hair, strong jaw, a scar on his cheek, full lips. If we were in a different place, I’d say he was a model.

Although the black leather motorcycle jacket, tattoos on his hands, jeans, and black leather boots betray him. Tall and buff, he’s a menacing sight. I’m not biased but if that doesn’t scream gangster, certainly in this city, I don’t know what does.

They’re mobsters, clearly–why else would they be here?–but then again, I don’t get that vibe when they talk to me.

I wonder what the vibe is with Orion Carte, apparently the finest criminal lawyer in NY and head of the Carte family.

“We’re his associates.”

I bite my lip. “Associates, as in, part of the mob?”

“Haha. Cute. No. We are the mob.” Logan raises his chin arrogantly. Just now, he reminds me of the type of mobsters who dress well, talk well, and kill without mercy. All with smiles on their faces.

Kai’s eyes look shocked as they fixate on Logan. “What the fuck, man?”

“Look, she’s here already, she doesn’t even know who we are, and look at her. She’s harmless.”

“Do you always think with your cock, Logan?” Kai growls. “Is that how you do business in your club?”

“As a matter of fact, women love to strip these days. It’s empowering for them. You should catch up on all the feminism that happened in the last year.”

“You work in a strip club?” I purr. I don’t want them to argue.

“No, Maisy, I own the strip club,” Logan explains.

Kai stares at Logan. “Oh, and the girls behind the club? What are they up to?”

Logan narrows his eyes at him. “Shut up, Kai. You’re talking too much!”

“Or what?” Kai steps forward and pushes Logan with his chest.

Logan draws a blade in an instant and presses it against Kai’s neck, right under his ear. “I love you, man, but you’re treading a fine line here.”

Kai seizes Logan’s lapels, the blade still flush against his neck. “Cut me. I dare you.”

I gasp and take a step back, just as a third person walks in. Thank God!

“Hey, hey!” the new arrival yells.

This must be Orion Carte.

“What the hell are you doing, fuckers? This is not what we talked about.”

“Fuck, man, this one here’s thinking with his cock again,” Kai snaps as Logan lowers the blade and slides it back into his pocket.

The three of them exchange glances. It looks like Orion’s silently cautioning them. Then, he turns to me and steps closer.

I never would’ve imagined a lawyer to be this huge. Power spills from every pore on his body, and his demanding dark eyes burrow into mine. Like an animal sizing up its prey. I feel insignificant already.

Clean-shaven, defined jaw and cheekbones, and dark hair in messy waves. On one side of his neck, he has a tattoo of a rope with some sort of knot leading from his ear down to the collar of his buttoned shirt and tie. His sleeves are rolled up to his elbows, revealing tattoos on both arms. There are four silver rings and a silver bracelet on one hand, and three rings on the other together with an expensive-looking watch. Plus, a leather holster under his arm with a gun in it. Of course. And he’s vexedabout something.

He possesses a different kind of darkness, one that I can see lurking as if patiently waiting for something. I recognize it from a photograph of his father and the syndicate’s most ruthless gangster, the infamous Willer Carte. But that was on paper. And I thought it was a glitch in the print. Seeing it in person makes me tremble.

---