He licks his lips. “This isn’t the person I pegged you for.” Jesse seems thoughtful as he pulls his cell from his pocket and calls Riley. Even though my stomach is leaping, and my hands are shaking with fear, I can’t deny the excitement coursing through my veins. The thrill of having both men whom I’ve fallen mercilessly for scares me. Jesse nods at the bar and the bottle of brown liquid sitting out, then closes a door behind him. Why can’t I hear the conversation? What is he hiding? Carefully taking a glass from the crystal cabinet after turning on the main lights in the room, I splash the whiskey in and swallow the burn. I never drank before dates with Johns. The last thing I wanted was to have the spins if I had to run or fight. Tonight, with my emotions unstable, I need something to take the edge off. I pour another, and wince as I swallow it down, slower this time because I truly want to take the edge off.
“Want it, but also must get drunk first? Come on, we’re going upstairs. A neutral wing.”
I finish the last swallow while watching him over the rim of my glass. “A neutral wing, this sounds less like sex and more like business and it makes me nervous.”
Jesse wraps an arm around my waist and spins me to face him. “You’d be an idiot if you weren’t nervous, Drew. Let’s go. This is what you want, and you were right.” Well, that’s something I’ve never heard him say before. “Riley wants this too. Want might be too strong of a word, but he’s down if you are.” Another pause as he pours himself another glass. “You know we’ve done this before. With women before you.”
“Sharing a woman? Yes, I know.”
“No, I mean sharing in every single way. At the same time.” He presses his lips against my neck. They’re cold. “He’s in love with you and he’s still willing to share. How does that make you feel?” Sick. Like I might vomit.
“Love doesn’t exist in the normal sense of the word here, and I’m okay with that, Jesse.”
He pulls away, a shocked look on his face. “You’ve learned quicker than I thought you would. Dog eat dog. Rulers don’t adhere to laws made for mere mortals.” But they’re both mortals and can die just as easily as the man who took his last breath on top of me.
I fidget with my nails by my side. “People have underestimated me my entire life. It’s not surprising you feel that way.”
His cheeky smile vanishes, and all playfulness leaves the building. “I didn’t mean it like that.”
“It doesn’t matter,” I say, exhaling. “Where are we going? Is Reggie coming too?”
“Ready for business, are you?”
Careful, Drew. Don’t make him question anything. The plan is to distract Jesse for a night. I can’t make him think I’m indifferent completely. Honestly, I’m not. “Speaking of business. What did you sign today? The papers you left the meeting with today. What was it?”
“Curiosity killed the cat. Ever heard that phrase?”
“Yes, but I’m also in organized crime now and secrets kill the cat here, not curiosity.”
He smiles and waves an arm to the door. He remains silent as we walk, ignoring me and my question as we make our way through a maze of corridors and elevators. This place is a city in of itself. I guess if you can never leave it for safety reasons, it needs to have… space. Riley isn’t anywhere I can see when we stop in a secluded hall. Reggie and another guard I recognize from back in the city stay outside the last elevator. My guard watches me warily as the door pings closed, and I no longer feel safe, nor will I be in yelling distance if I need him.
“You realize you signed your life away today, don’t you?” Jesse finally says when we’re alone. “Those contracts were handcuffs for a lifetime. The only way out is six feet under.”
“There was never an alternative for me. You know that. I’d be a fool if I didn’t sign.”
“Some would argue only a fool would sign. You’ll have a target on your back for the rest of your life. There’s no way out now.” Is he implying there was another way out? They could make me disappear like the women who came before me? Like Callie? The elevator opens and Riley stands inside it. He doesn’t hide the relief when he sees me, and Jesse notices. “But none of that matters because it’s a done deal,” he mutters. “This is your future.”
I swallow hard, trying to keep my emotions at bay. “This is what I want,” I say, but even I know it sounds like I’m trying to convince myself of something I’m not sure of. It’s impossible to know what I want when things aren’t spelled out simply. “Riley,” I say, stomach twisting in a knot. I wonder what he’s heard, and by the look on his face, it’s everything I wished he hadn’t. How much will he believe is a ruse? What words did I say that he consumed as truth? I shake it off because I have a part to play and I’m the one who offered to help Riley. “Thank you for coming,” I say, clearing my throat and then taking in a deep breath.
The way he looks at Jesse isn’t normal. Riley’s presence steals all the air from the room and Jesse’s the one lacking oxygen. “No thanks needed,” Riley says, grinning, a lopsided, sexy smile. “I will say it’s surprising you want this,” he directs that statement to Jesse.
Their gazes light on each other and it feels a little like I’m trapped between two apex predators gearing up for a fight, except the fight is over me. I’m witnessing a private moment not meant for anyone else, so I turn and face the oversized bed instead. My destiny for the evening, I think, trying to keep my breathing even. Any other good woman wouldn’t do what I’m about to do with these brothers. PACHA wouldn’t entertain this. Not only is it bad for business, but it feels low class. Destiny is doing this, Drew isn’t. In this moment, I realize why this works, why they’re drawn to me in differing degrees, and it’s because I can be what both needs.
They are talking quietly behind me, but I’m here for one reason, and no one can sway me. Unzipping my dress, I step out of it, baring my body. I have a black lacy bra and crotchless panties with garters and thigh highs. Drew’s skin is pooling on the floor—the five-thousand-dollar dress I just took off. “Enough talk, more action?” I say, glancing over my shoulder.
Both men stop talking, their gazes locked on me. Enigmatic characters in what seems like a realm that doesn’t exist. They’re transfixed by whatever it is about me that drew them in to begin with. No doubt each would label the quality something different. I meet Riley’s gaze first, for courage, then Jesse’s, and the space between us ignites with anticipation.
They remove their shirts, Riley moving forward and Jesse staying behind. Riley mouths, “You ready?”
I nod, running my hands up his now bare chest and down to unbutton his pants. Even with my eyes on him, I see Jesse in my peripheral, in the shadows, watching as he slides off the rest of his clothes. Riley kisses my neck, running his hands over my shoulders, his hands hot and soft. I shudder against the attention as the air conditioning turns on, blowing on my bare skin. Moving his head from my neck to my ear, he says, “I’ve missed you so much, lamb.”
I shudder. “I missed you, too,” I reply, moaning a little his he slips my lobe into his mouth. “So much.”
Reaching between my legs, he strokes my clit. “You’re wet,” he affirms.
“As if there were any question how much I’ve missed you,” I reply, bringing my lips up to meet his. “No wondering now.”
With his free hand, he tilts my head up to kiss me and slides his finger deep inside me and strokes my G-spot. When I reach down and grab his cock, he hisses and adds another finger. The sensation makes me delirious with lust. Closing my eyes, I stroke him, and he moves his fingers at the same pace. When I feel another hand on my thigh, I open my eyes and see Jesse. He lifts my leg, opening me up better for Riley’s task. Jesse doesn’t look at my face, though. He’s watching my hand caressing Riley’s dick, a sedated, turned-on look sweeps across his face. I lose my breath. His guard is down. I kiss Riley once more, meeting his gaze as I pull away, seeking permission. I don’t get it verbally, but he does close his eyes. Swallowing hard, I move my hips just enough and Riley’s fingers slip out of me. Turning, I face Jesse, but he won’t meet my eyes.