“As soon as dinner is over you excuse yourself. You say you aren’t feeling well and you ask Mulgoff to settle up with you so you can leave. Then you wait for Mercury or one of us to come get you. Do you understand me?” Slade asked her. She nodded her head, was caught up looking in his dark brown eyes and feeling the intensity of his words when he just stared at her lips and then lowered down and kissed her.
She didn’t think and boy, was it incredible as he plunged his tongue in deeper, hoisted her up against the wall and his body and ravished her mouth. When she felt his palm cup her breast then his finger stroke over her cleavage she moaned into his mouth.
When he finally released her he suckled along her neck and she caught her breath.
“Oh God, what was that for?” she panted.
He pulled slightly back and set her steady. “Staking a claim, woman. This is just the beginning. Now trust us to protect you and do as we say. Your safety is top priority.” He stepped back and then fixed her lipstick. She reached up and wiped away a smear of her lipstick off of his lips. She glanced at Falco, who just stared at her.
“I’ll catch you later,” Falco said; it sounded like a promise. She felt so turned on she hurried to the door and exited, stopping in the bathroom to freshen up one more time. Then instead of returning to the table she looked for her paintings. She found one by a small corner in a sitting area and people were staring at it. She quietly listened to them describing her piece and what she as the artist might have been feeling when suddenly a hand landed on her waist. She gasped, looked up, and locked gazes with Mercury.
He held her gaze and licked his lower lip.
“You’re a hit tonight. The most beautiful woman in the place, and the most sought after artist,” he said to her then guided her deeper into the room.
His large, warm hand was commanding, controlling, and a complete turn on. She still hadn’t recovered from Slade’s kiss or that promise in Falco’s words before she hurried from the hallway. Now here was Mercury James, the most intimidating, quiet, seemingly powerful leader of the bunch and she wasn’t on edge but instead completely accepting and responsive.
“I don’t know about that, Mercury. It seems more like I landed in the middle of trouble,” she replied and then glanced at one of her other paintings. In front of it on the easel was a sign that said SOLD. Tears stung her eyes and she didn’t know why she was getting so emotional.
Mercury cupped her cheek and tilted her chin up toward him. “What’s wrong?” he asked.
She blinked. “I’m just being silly, emotional, and I don’t know why,” she told him and he narrowed his eyes at her then looked at the easel and painting then back at her.
“You’re a very talented artist. Selling your first pieces must make you feel proud and sad at the same time.”
She squinted at him.
“Sad?”
“Sad to have lost a part of you, as I’m certain every painting is, but proud to be in the moment when someone would find your work so appealing they’re willing to spend money on it.”
She was shocked that he got it. That he understood what she was feeling. Her lips parted and he stroked her jaw, pressed her closer to the wall, and eyed over her breasts and then her lips.
“I don’t want you going back over to that table with those men.”
She looked away. “Mercury.”
He gripped her chin and pressed his other hand against her waist.
“I said I don’t want you to, but I understand your reasoning behind going. Just know that those men are dangerous, conniving, and definitely trouble. They’re involved with things that you don’t need to even get close to. Can you trust my brothers and I to steer you from trouble?”
She swallowed hard. “I hardly know you or your brothers.”
“We want to change that, but first we need to keep you out of danger tonight. Tell me that you’ll obey my command? That you’ll take my word they’re trouble and the moment dinner is over, you find a way to leave and get Mulgoff to pay you so you can be done.”
She saw his eyes narrow and then his hold on her hip tightened. She stared at his lips, at his distinguished nose, narrowed eyes, and intense expression and she wondered what his lips might feel like against hers. What it would be like to have his full attention and not just for sex but more.