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Max opens the door a moment later, and I step out, game face on. Qian is a shady fuck, and I can’t afford to be unfocused around him. What kind of bastardo kills his own damned father to ascend a throne?
“You ready, boss?” Max asks as he pats the gun hidden in the interior pocket of his jacket.
“I’m always ready, Max, but this should be a friendly visit so follow my lead.”
“Will do.”
We march up the dim alleyway, dark shadows crisscrossing our path even in broad daylight. Dio, I hate the Lower East Side. If it were up to me, I’d put an end to all our shady dealings and dabble only in the shiny high rises of the legitimate side of Gemini Corp.
One day…
A male at the end of the alleyway offers us a stiff nod and opens the rusted metal door. “Qian Guo is waiting for you.” Dark eyes peer through the small slit in the cowl of his navy uniform.
“Great,” I mutter.
Like last time, the head of the Four Seas sits in the middle of the cavernous chamber. Only this time, he sits atop a gaudy gilded throne with a woman riding his cock. Her head spins toward us, eyes widening. She attempts to flee but Qian’s hand closes around her throat and forces her back down. “I’m not done,” he hisses at the blonde. “Hurry up.”
I slant a look at Max who stares unabashedly at the naked, writhing female. Her ass bounces on Qian’s lap as he forces her up and down by the throat. Crossing my arms over my chest, I try to block out the sounds of flesh slapping against flesh, the faint groans. I almost wish that dreaded house music was on, anything to block out the moans.
“Qian,” I growl. “If you needed more time, you could have simply said so, instead of wasting my own. Watching you get off isn’t how I’d prefer to spend my precious time.” I’d rather be convincing a certain redhead to allow me balls deep inside her. And every moan has me hardening, imagining her straddling my cock.
His head falls back, and a dramatic moan fills the echoey chamber. He shoves the woman off, and she scrambles, landing on the cement floor with a whimper. “Go,” he hisses as he zips up his pants. She leaps to her feet and darts toward the darkness, the soft footfalls disappearing an agonizing moment later.
I grit my teeth to contain the building rage, reminding myself it’s none of my business how he treats his women. This ruthlessness is exactly what I need to secure the rest of the Lower East Side from the Kings. He can get his hands dirty where I, the CEO of Gemini Corp, cannot.
Qian stands and claps his hands, his dark gaze focusing on me. Two males in navy appear from the shadows and place two chairs across from Qian’s self-appointed throne. “My apologies for keeping you waiting, Mr. Rossi. Sometimes, a need arises that simply cannot be quelled.”
I grunt and stalk closer. “This relationship has been created to ensure a mutually beneficial arrangement. If and when I no longer find that to be the case, it will end.” I flash him a sneer. If this shithead thinks he can fuck with me, he’s got another thing coming. Sliding into the seat, I glare up at him until he folds into his garish throne. “Have you made any advances in King or Red Dragon territory?”
He nods slowly, his bald head glistening beneath the dim lighting. “Of course, we have. The Four Seas have burned down three more Dragon warehouses since we last met.”
My nostrils flare, and the acrid scent of smoke burns my lungs. My heart stamps out a rapid beat, desperate to escape its skeletal confines. Darkness blurs the edges of my vision and all the voices muffle, as if they’re underwater, or maybe I am. I’m drowning. Drowning in an inferno.
A dull pain in my side centers me, and the scene rushes back in full speed.
“Boss,” Max hisses, his elbow grinding into my ribs. “You okay?”
I blink quickly, and Qian’s curious gaze coalesces across the murky space. Fuck. Shoving back the dark memories, I clear my throat and don the mask, the cool, icy one that shields everyone from the truth.
“Excuse me,” I mumble. “I lost my train of thought.”
“The warehouses,” Qian repeats.
“Ah, yes. Three you say?”
“Yup.” He pops the P, the irritating sound sharpening my focus. “They’re nothing more than ashes. It’ll be a big hit to the Red Dragons coke supply.”
“Good.” I squeeze my eyes closed as screams ricochet through my skull. The other foster kids that didn’t make it out that day. I heave in a breath and force the memories into that ever-expanding vault in the back of my mind. “And what about the Kings’ warehouses along the docks?”
His arrogant smile falters. “That’s a bit more complicated. Given the recent attacks, the Kings have doubled their security. They’ve even got cops on their payroll. I can’t risk my men getting caught.”
“That’s bullshit,” I snarl.
“No, it’s smart business.” Qian eyes the males who have emerged from the darkness. Two stand on either side of his throne. He barks something in Mandarin, and they all dip their heads, then one skulks off toward a doorway. “If you’re so dead set on destroying the Kings, why don’t you send your own men?”
“I’ve already told you why I can’t. Dante is on high alert when it comes to the Geminis. He knows what I’m up to. Not to mention my corporation’s legitimate dealings. I cannot under any circumstances compromise what we’ve built. I’d hoped that you and your men could handle this side of the business with the necessary discretion, but it seems I was mistaken.” I start to rise, but Qian lowers his hand.
“Wait.”
