Page 90 of Lies like Rubies, Part Two (Savage Jewels)

“Mom, Dad, you know Sofia Russo.” The couple lookedat her like she was a snake invading Eden. Her fingers tightened in Nico’s, and her back straightened even further.

Fuck this and fuck them.My money protected their daughters, and only because Nico was important to Sofia.

I stepped forward. “Dante Oscuro. I don’t believe we’ve met.” I offered them my hand, American style.

Nico’s father’s eyes shot to mine, taking in my large frame, and he puffed up like a damn peacock. “I know who you are.”

A blonde woman pushed through the throngs of people to join us, her eyes as green as Nico’s, the same cheerful energy dancing in her eyes. “Nico? Sofia?” She shrieked with joy, enveloping them in a hug. “Introduce me to the rest of your polycule,” she said, ginning widely, looking at Lorenzo and I with a gaze that managed to be blatantly appreciative, but not quite leering.

Nico laughed. “This is Emilia, my youngest sister. Emilia, you know Sofia, of course you do, and Lorenzo too.” She peered at Lorenzo, then winked before turning to me. “And this is Dante Oscuro.”

A second woman burst through the crowd, shoving her way into the group hug. “And this is Caro,” Nico continued. “My oldest sister.”

The two sisters quickly herded us away from Nico’s parents, giggling a little more loudly than necessary over the Russo sisters and their men, pointedly welcoming Sofia and Nico into their arms, then extending the same welcome to Lorenzo and me.

Time to get to work.

I kissed Sofia on the forehead, then found Liam Bryne, who’d arrived with considerably less fanfare than us. Grimly, he led me to the security room where Cormac already sat, flipping through screens.

“Anything yet?”

Cormac shook his head, twisting his lips in annoyance. “This event is bait. Full of fancy suits, the richest criminals in Yorkfield, all trying to outdo each other with glitter, pretending like they’re legitimate because they clean up okay.”

Cormac waved his tattooed fingers. No suit could ever hide the violence that lived underneath his skin, despite the fact that he and his polycule professed to only legitimate activities these days.

My lips crooked into a small smile. I suspected Cormac and I would get along just fine.

I watched through the screens, as Nico led Sofia out onto the dance floor, and pulled out my phone, opening the app to control the vibrator that sat inside her hot, tight pussy. She stumbled, and when Nico caught her, he grinned and drew her tightly against him.

I rubbed my chest, not knowing what to do with the sudden pressure that grew there as I watched them.

Liam bumped me with his hip. “I hope you realize what a lucky man you are. Ginevra’s steel she doesn’t bother to wrap in velvet. Sofia’s steel too, but you’ll never know it until she’s breaking your kneecaps.”

Rian O’Conner slammed the door open. “The Costas are here.” His eyes raked over me, judging me, weighing me.

For a second, we both bristled, itching with the need to establish dominance over the other, before Liam clapped us both on our shoulders, dispelling the testosterone.

“He arrived as Ana Costa’s date.”

Shit.

37

NICK

After dinner,the auction began, with every criminal and political family in Yorkfield trying to outdo themselves and each other. Art, services, and even the occasional bachelor or two went for tens of thousands of dollars.

The Costas bid, the Russos bid, every family bid, except for us, sitting quietly and watching. When Sofia’s eyes caught on a particularly beautiful piece of art, she sighed.

“What, baby?” I asked.

“That’s a Marlow Cross,” she said softly. “My favorite artist.”

Dante met my eyes over her head. “One hundred thousand dollars,” he said, raising the previously unused paddle by his plate.

“Oh, you don’t have to,” she said. “I’ll be able to afford my own, one day.”

“One hundred fifty thousand,” I called, raising my paddle, winking at Dante, who scowled right back at me.

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