Lucian had the same tattoos. Interesting.
“I have to ask, why me? Why am I here with you?”
Matteo frowned, his eyes narrowing a fraction like her question insulted him on some level.
The bell of the elevator chimed, announcing their arrival and the warmth of his hand slipped from atop hers.
Deep, sultry music rushed them as they stepped out and onto the second level. Above the public setting below, this level offered more privacy for those who preferred a more intimate atmosphere.
She’d been here a few times, but the beauty of the stone walls and elegant flow of draped silk across archways always left her momentarily in awe. In its time the wide circular corridor would have been dark, cold, and unforgiving. Lush burgundy-colored carpet silenced their footfalls and from the walls, decorative sconces offered a sensual soft glow. A perfect mix of old and modern. Elegant and sinfully decadent.
Hand-chiseled pillars reached three floors up to support the domed glass ceiling high above. Off to the side of each pillar were private boxes positioned similar to an opera house she imagined were used as prayer rooms at one time. Now they offered couples privacy for intimate acts or viewing of the sex shows being performed on the stage below.
Pushed against the stone railing, the settees of the same style as the main floor were also available to the members on this floor. Perfectly placed to allow a clear view and to offer a show of their own to anyone bold enough. And there were plenty who dared.
Women dressed in everything from leather to silk stroked her men with their gazes as they made their way deeper into the club. Had the dark kings taken many of them as lovers? From the looks of a few, her imagination didn’t need much of a stretch.
Lithe, elegant, and suave—these women personified sex appeal down to their dainty toes and perfectly bare breasts.
She glanced at Lucian to find his attention not on the other woman, but her. His powerful gaze focused completely on her. The way he angled his body inward toward her let others know they were together.
Hostesses passed, and she offered a shaky smile. She tried to ignore the looks of shock she received in return. Flustered, she dipped her gaze to the floor.
“Relax. You’re with us now. Pay no mind to them.” Lucian leaned into her, his lips a whisper from her ear, his words barely audible over the pulsing music. He obviously felt her fingers tremble on his arm because he pressed his hand over hers again and kept it there this time.
“You owe no explanation to anyone but us now.”
Well, that didn’t help settle her quivering insides.
Matteo flashed her what he probably thought was a reassuring smile, but it tilted her off-kilter more than she expected.
“You’re safe.”
She held his gaze for a brief moment. Both words flowed easily from his lips like he needed her to believe him.
“None of the employees or guests will dare approach you. They wouldn’t want to deal with any of us if they did.”
Rhia nodded, cleared her throat, and leaned in a fraction, the feel of Matteo’s body against her own more arousing than she anticipated. “Since you put me in this predicament, I’d say that would be fair.”
That earned her a half-smile before he hit the delete button on all emotions from his expression. She was beginning to think he had no other emotion. Either amused or perpetually stoic. And why Sevastyan was his partner. The two men were so similar she had to question if they were brothers.
She pulled back to put some distance between them but didn’t get far when Matteo gathered her hand in his and slipped his arm behind her to settle a light touch over her opposite hip.
Lucian moved in front of her and Matteo lowered his voice. “This way.” He spoke close to her ear and damn her body if it didn’t like how his chest felt against her back. A discreetly placed host stepped out of somewhere she hadn’t seen to peel back a curtain of gold velvet. Behind it was a softly lit private balcony.
From here she could see small, intimate tables on the other balconies while this one was bare of everything. Bare except for two men.
Sevastyan and Roman.
Flares of warning went off in her head.
Heat scorched her body, working its way from her feet until it consumed her whole.
She needed to see this through. This deep in meant running wasn’t an option. Besides, where would she go?
Resolve forced one foot forward. Chill bumps erupted over her bare arms and upper neck the second she was fully inside the lush private box, shut off from the outside world with not one enemy but four.
Shivers from an overwhelming rush of energy overtook her.