“I did, so what about my sister?”
I watched the two of them face off, wondering what the hell Dominic had Fallon fishing for.
“Your sister is under my protection. I’ve seen to it myself and now she's separated from harm and is comfortable. I ensured she was.”
“How do I know she’s even alive?”
Dominic stepped to the bedside table and scooped his phone up, pulling up something on the screen and shoving it in Fallon’s face.
“See? This was taken two nights ago. She’s literally watching TV on a ten-thousand-dollar sofa. She’s fine.”
Fallon nodded, seemingly accepting what Dominic showed him.
“Now. My information?” Dominic asked.
“Levin’s father met with Hail’s two days before Stefan was killed. Hail said he didn’t know the details though. I tried to encourage him to find out so we can use it against old man Seeley.”
Dominic nodded and placed his phone back on the bedside table. It took him a moment to speak again. “OK. It’s not just for Levin at this point. I want to know why the hell his old man was meeting with the enemy.”
“If I had to guess, I’d say he’s not exactly loyal to your father.”
Tension corded through Dominic’s bare back as he shifted, blocking my view of Fallon.
“Anything on Nathan Walker?” Dominic continued, his voice low.
I leaned forward at the mention of my father’s name. I had no idea Dominic was still looking into it for me. He hadn’t mentioned it to me, and I hadn’t pushed, deciding I’d just do the sleuthing on my own somehow.
“I didn’t get that far in my questioning. I felt like it might make him more suspicious if I kept poking around. There’s a party tomorrow at the dip. I’ll try to see what I can get out of him then. He talks more when he’s hammered.”
“Come straight to me when you get the info. Got it?”
“Yes,” Fallon said tightly.
Dominic grew quiet for a moment before he called out to me.
“Bianca, come here.”
Nervously, I rose to my feet and approached, clad in the too-short, red silk gown he’d wanted me to wear again. Fallon’s gaze immediately dipped to me, his pupils dilating. I swallowed and stood beside Dominic. His arm snaked around my waist, and he shifted me between them.
“Do you like looking at my wife?” Dominic asked, his hand sliding up the side of my thigh, making me draw in a shaky breath.
I had no idea what he was up to.
Fallon swallowed. “I came here to ask about my sister and to deliver what I knew.”
Dominic let out a soft, sinister laugh which sent goosebumps racing across my skin. “Then why were you trying to look at what belongs to me when you came in?”
“Because she’s beautiful, and I love her,” Fallon answered in a thick voice. His words made my heart jolt. “I’m doing what you asked, De Santis. I’m not here to fuck you over. I’m here for her. I want to be a king.”
“Do you hear that, mia regina? Fallon wants to be a king. What do you think?” Dominic skimmed his lips along my jaw.
“Why do you want to be a king?” I asked as I tried to stay focused.
Dominic kissed my collarbone, making focus really damn hard.
“Aside from you?” Fallon asked, his eyes drinking me in. “I’m not some fucked in the head piece of shit. I actually have a conscience. Don’t let this go to your head, De Santis, but I’ve always seen the kings as fairer and more on the straight and narrow than the lords. I was just shoved into their group because of my father. Had I gotten to choose, I wouldn’t have picked the lords. I fucking hate them.”
Dominic let out his signature soft laugh. “That a fact? You’re sure it has nothing to do with our queen? Because you could've come to me long ago and tried to join up. Yet you didn’t. You see where I’m coming from?”
“Status quo,” Fallon said evenly. “My plan was to break free and get the fuck out as soon as I graduated. I would've gone underground to never be found again if Bianca hadn’t come into my life and shit didn’t get fucked the way it did. Yes, it’s true. She's a motivating factor, but if I can’t escape this life, then I at least want to live it on my own terms. I feel like the kings would gift me that option if I’m loyal.”
Dominic was quiet as his hand lingered on my waist. Finally, he spoke. “Do you want more motivation to get things done?”
Fallon said nothing, his gaze darting between me and Dominic.
“Because if you need more motivation to hurry things along, I can offer it to you,” Dominic continued, gently easing the thin, silk strap of my nightgown down my arm. He moved to the other side and slid that strap aside. The gown whispered down my body, pooling around my feet and leaving me in nothing but the red, lace panties he’d gotten me.
Fallon swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he took me in. I stood still as stone, not sure where Dominic was taking this, but unabashedly interested in the journey.
“Here’s the thing,” Dominic said. “My wife is very upset with me. She thinks I’m a bad man who wanted to hurt her. She’s been struggling with her anger at the kings ever since she woke up. Things did get better when we told her we didn’t kill you, so that means she probably doesn’t hate you as much as she says she does.”
Fallon listened, not moving a muscle, his gaze continuing to volley from Dominic to me like he was doing all he could to keep from launching himself on me.
“I’d really like her to stop hating me, and the kings as well, so how about a small offering to help all of us out?”
“I’m listening,” Fallon said in a throaty voice.
I remained quiet, my heart in my throat.
“What would you like from her—and me— that you think will motivate you?”
“I-I’d like your permission to kiss her,” Fallon said softly, his eyes completely on me.
Heat rose in my body until it settled low in my belly.