“We’re heading just up the street. There’s a shop the girls always use. Alena called the owner for me, and she’ll be meeting us there to let us in so we can get you some clothes. You need a new dress for tonight and a few things for tomorrow.”
Tomorrow? Ice used the word tomorrow as if they had a future. As if once they had sex he wasn’t hopping on his bike and heading off alone. Just like that, she was excited for what was to come that evening, what he had in mind.
“Alena went off with someone for the evening.” Soleil gave a token protest, feeling she needed to say something. She was very aware of the tension between Alena and Pierce. It wasn’t going to be resolved easily. “She can’t want to come back just to make certain I have other clothing.” She started to protest further, to say she could make do with her dress, but it occurred to her she wasn’t even wearing panties. Ice had them. She could ask for them back, but she liked that he had them. They were hers. They’d been on her. She wanted him to keep them. If she did die tomorrow, something of her would remain with him.
Her hand crept down to the hem of her dress at the backs of her thighs. It was a stretch, and Ice, who seemed to see everything, saw her tug at the hem. He immediately caught her wrist and pulled her arm up to circle his waist.
“You’re covered, baby. Totally decent. And Alena is my birth sister as well as a fellow Torpedo Ink. Nothing is going to keep her away tonight. She’ll be at the shop waiting for us and she’ll stand with you, Soleil. Never think differently. Once we make this official, you’ll be her sister. She won’t take that lightly. Neither will Lana.”
Sisters? That sounded so wonderful. Like in the real fairy tales, where all dreams came true. She loved that. She didn’t think too much about the word official because if she did, then she would have to ask. If she asked and he mentioned anything that had to do with prenups, she’d have to do the responsible thing and confess she’d gotten him a little drunk and deliberately seduced him, and the night would end. She wanted sex. At least once. Maybe more. Like dozens of times. She was taking a chance on messing that up.
He tucked her back under his shoulder as if she belonged with him and continued walking down the block, turned down an alley and stopped three shops up. A light was on in the elegantly appointed boutique and he was right—Alena was waiting at the top of the three cement stairs. She appeared to be arguing with Pierce. He had his back to them, and Soleil could see he wore his Diamondback jacket. His club was reputed to be 1-percenters, and no one messed with any of them.
As they neared the stairs, two men wearing Torpedo Ink jackets came out of the shadows to join them. One had his face turned away from her, the other was Savage.
Alena smiled as Ice took Soleil straight up the stairs. “Sweet, brother, you pulled it off. I had my money on you all the time. You know a keeper when you see one.”
Ice brushed a kiss on her cheek as she held the door for him. “Did you have any doubts?”
He ignored Pierce completely, urging Soleil inside. Pierce shook his head and left, making his way down the alley. Soleil stepped into the cool little foyer that led to the inside of the store. The boutique was extremely high-end. Soleil knew clothes and what they were worth. She knew brands and designers. She’d had a lot of time on her hands and she’d spent it doing adrenaline-filled activities, frequenting art galleries or going through shops like this one, looking for one-of-a-kind, beautiful artworks of clothing.
Ice bent his head close to her ear. “I was proud of you using your money for bets when you were playing darts with Alena, but in here, I pay. There’s no argument. It’s what I want, and you give that to me.”
“Ice.” She hesitated and then lifted a hand to stroke the side of his face. She could fall head over heels for him. Just the way he made the statement to her sent her stomach somersaulting. “I’m okay with paying.” She always paid. She was used to it. If she was anywhere with anyone, they always expected her to pay. He was capturing her heart. Taking it prisoner. She was never going to get it back.
“I’m not okay with you using your money when we’re together. When you’re with me, I pay unless we agree ahead of time. I’m not agreeing to that shit tonight. This is our night and you’re mine. I take care of you. That’s the code I live by, and you’re going to live by it as well. That means we live with whatever I can afford. You understand me?”
Soleil knew she should protest and tell him all about her trust fund. She felt guilty making him pay for everything. On the other hand, it was a fantasy, one night she could be Cinderella, the princess he called her. He obviously needed to be the one to pay. She didn’t care about the money. She’d learned it didn’t buy her anything she needed—or really wanted. She’d felt jaded and sad until she met Ice and the Torpedo Ink members. She could live within his rules, especially knowing she had to give it all up the next day.
“If you’re sure.” She found herself whispering, holding her breath. Waiting for his answer. He just seemed too good to be true. She’d paid her way from the time her aunt Deborah had died. After that, all the expenses that had been incurred had been paid from her trust fund. She supposed she shouldn’t blame her aunt Constance, but most parents supported their children. She’d been paying her way ever since.
Ice gave her a smile that sent her heart pounding and blood moving through her body from her nipples to her clit. She couldn’t have that reaction every time he smiled. It wouldn’t be good to just attack him—although it sounded good. She only had one night. She needed to make the best of it, and didn’t Cinderella lose everything at midnight? Was it midnight? She glanced at her watch. Not yet. She still had time. For what? Seducing him? Trying to keep him? She couldn’t be greedy. She just had to have this one-night fantasy and go along with whatever he wanted because she wanted to be whatever his fantasy was.
Ice took her hand. “Don’t like you wearing panties and bras, but figure you’ll be a little uncomfortable without them all the time, so we’ll start there.”
She wanted to laugh and knew she was a little giddy from his attention and her unexpected reaction to the screaming orgasms. Or maybe it was the sex. Did getting off on just his mouth and fingers count as sex? She didn’t care. She followed him to the little table where exquisite lace underwear lay on silk.
“Ice.” She glanced around, making certain no one else could overhear them. “I do have underwear at the hotel.”
“You’re not going back there,” he said. His forceful tone set her heart pounding.
She didn’t like upsetting him, and the thought of her going back there obviously did. She didn’t want to go back. The thought was terrifying. Panties weren’t worth facing Winston and whatever he had in store for her. She loved that Ice didn’t want her anywhere near that place—or Winston.
He suddenly flashed that heart-stopping grin again, his blue eyes turning hypnotic. “And I like choosing sexy panties for you.”