“Oh, no.” She frowned. “What happened?”
“Everyone’s fine,” I repeated, placing the phone into her palm. “Even your bodyguard.”
She read through Ciel’s update messages, worry creasing her forehead, before she finally said, “Never a dull moment.”
“Never.” I wrapped my arms around her hips. The sheet might hide her bare skin, but I could still feel every curve underneath it. I tilted her head back and took her mouth in a deep kiss.
Her palm pressed against my chest, and she pulled away. “Chiara texted me, too.”
The best friend engaged to Volpe. I saw the video of her semi-smile. I saw how she pushed her father in front of my bullet. Even if it was an accident, even if there was no way she could have known I’d be firing at Volpe at that exact moment, I still didn’t trust her.
“What did she say?”
“Just a date and a time. That’s it. What is she trying to tell me? Why text me this? How am I supposed to know what the hell this is?”
This best friend was choosing to be awfully fucking cryptic, and it was getting on my nerves. Did we need to go rescue her, too? Should we add that to our infinite list of to-dos?
“Maybe she wants to meet.”
“Maybe. But why not just ask to meet?” She gripped the top of the sheet to keep it wrapped around her body. “Obi thinks I should try to pump her for information about Max.”
Of course he did. Always planning and always thinking ten steps ahead. “And what do you think?”
“I’m afraid she’s being used against me. I don’t want to use her back.”
“I get that. My oldoyabunalways tried to do shit like that to me.” I finished the rest of the coffee in my mug and felt her squeeze my hand in a gesture of support. “Send the text to Ciel and see if he can figure it out.”
“Good idea.” Her fingers tapped the screen as she forwarded the message. “When’s the meeting with the realtor?”
“In an hour or so.” I grinned, running my hands over her hips again. God, her curves drove me crazy. “Plenty of time. Let’s go back to bed.”
She stared down at her phone and shook her head. “I want to shower and get dressed. I’ll go back to my room.”
“Stop.” I reached out to grab the sheet as she stepped out of my arms. “What’s wrong?”
She shook her head, waves bouncing. “Nothing. Let’s just get today’s business done and over with. I need time to think.”
This time I didn’t try to stop her as she opened the connecting room door and disappeared inside.
“Fuck.” I stomped to Obi’s room and pounded on the door. “She heard you, fucker. A business relationship? After you came on her tits?Please.”
He didn’t answer the door, and I didn’t care to press it.
He heard me loud and clear.
The meetingwith my realtor was quick and easy. The club was a perfect fit for my portfolio of properties. Apparently, the current owner was another businessman like me, on the more criminal side of the law, who was looking to offload and expand business elsewhere. Their loss. It was in a prime location for nightlife, and I’d only need to do minor renovations in order to bring it up to the level of quality, security, and discretion that I expected. It could be open in just a few months if I bought it.
Even Leona seemed impressed as she took it all in. Her eyes had lingered on the hidden alcoves in the back. Prime spots for…privateconversations. Her thoughts were written all over herexpression, in the way she bit her lip and in how her cheeks went bright pink. She was imagining exactly what I was imagining.
I was going to fuck her in those once the club was open.
So,obviously, I had to buy it.
But despite that, I’d told my realtor I needed the night to think it over. Something about buying it felt off. It would be easy to move forward. All I really needed to do next was sign the paperwork and pick a name.
I was thinkingLioness.
But maybe that was too fucking soon.Leona.Our lioness.
