He cradled the phone that connected him to Indigo, she assumed, her abrupt refusal hanging between them. A gram of raw uranium seemed more stable.
“What I meant is that I’ll need to change, but I’m sorry. I don’t have proper office attire with me at the moment. I doubt my hostess uniform is fitting when not on the main floor.” She gestured at her tight leather skirt and low-riding bodice, his gaze following every movement of her hands along her body with a look of untethered hunger. And then, just as quickly, it was gone.
Understanding dawned and a slow smile captured his lips. Out of nowhere, she understood Maya’s reference to orgasm by proxy. Beautiful arrogant man. She wanted to slap him and kiss him. In that order. She shrugged and played off her irritation.
He punched a couple of buttons. “Indigo, can you join us for a moment please?”
Rhia turned as her friend entered the room, her gaze going to her first and then their boss.
“Sir?”
“I think you keep an extra set of evening clothes on hand, no?”
“Yes, sir.” Indigo excused herself to retrieve the items, leaving the door half ajar.
Volkov turned to her.
“This is moving a little fast,” she informed him with what she hoped came off as a facsimile of a smile. In all honesty, it felt fake with the way her nerves jittered.
“You’ll accompany Lucian and Matteo onto the floor since Indigo is retiring early this evening and will not be able to attend your first night of training.”
She wondered if Indigo was aware of her early evening.
He crossed to stand in front of her slowly moving around her.
In a slow drag, he trailed a finger from the edge of her shoulder around to the center of her back to dip between her shoulder blades.
She shuddered; her breath held tight in her lungs. She didn’t dare breathe in.
The hiss of a zipper’s teeth hit her ears, and the release of pressure around her middle and breasts caught her off guard. She clutched the corset to her chest, her nipples hard against the leather. She had no intention of a repeat of the last time she was in his office, but Sevastyan tore emotions from her. Feelings she had no business entertaining. Images of submissives and the desire-filled euphoria she’d witnessed on their faces at the hands of their masters filled her mind. Could she lose herself like that? Trust herself to Sevastyan? To any of them?
A soft click brought her around and her eyes landed on… “Indigo?”
Standing by the office door, clothes in hand, her friend stared back at her. Sevastyan nowhere to be found.
“Oh, um, thank you.” She wasn’t sure what else she should say as she took the clothes.
Her friend crossed the room, the worried look on her face contorting her normally perfect brows into a harsh line.
“Are you sure about this?”
Rhia didn’t know what to say. No was on the tip of her tongue. “Yes. You don’t need to worry.” She would do that enough for both of them.
Indigo handed over an evening gown that had Rhia’s eyes widening. “How come I’ve never seen this on you?”
“Because it wasn’t intended for here. Now back to you. You do know the reputation that follows the four mafia kings, right? These men kill if they don’t get what they want.”
“He can’t be all that bad,” she lied. “You work for him.” She pointed out the obvious, hoping her friend would drop it.
“Beasts bite and I don’t think sweet, little virgin you is ready for this.” She paused. “So you know, they never take anyone to the main floor.” She cocked a hip and planted a hand on her side. “These men are not some high school screw that will do you one time in the back of a car, Seraphina. Sevastyan wants you tied to his bed, and then he wants to sit back and watch his friends fuck you. It’s written all over his face. The kings never separate. You don’t even know if they want to take you in the middle of a full room as people look on or get you behind closed doors. I don’t care what Maya says, this world isn’t for the timid, and sweetheart? You’re both. You should run home to mommy and daddy while you have the chance.”
Those words had ice running through her veins.
“What is that supposed to mean?”
Did her friend feel jealous or real fear for her? Rhia couldn’t tell.
Rhia swallowed and pushed the trickle of fear that slipped unnoticed until now into her steel-laced resolve. “You don’t need to worry. Nothing is going to happen. We’re in a building full of people and guards. And I have you, right?”