“A swingers’ club?” Chase whispers from behind him and Derrick. Chase sounded unimpressed.
They’re led to the more private VIP sections where Matteo Romano sits, anxiously waiting to greet them.
“Kings,” Matteo says once the curtains are closed behind them.
A chocolate-haired vixen stands closely by Matteo’s side. Her dark eyes roam up and then down Derrick first before her sights move over to him.
She’s fucking sin in a body with hair that falls just past her shoulders, red lips plumped, olive-colored skin showing her Italian heritage, waist narrow, and hips wide. Perfect for holding bent over the back of a chair, a couch, a desk, or anything else.
“Romano,” Derrick speaks, shaking the man’s hand.
Another guy steps up to the other side of Matteo. This guy had long dark hair tied back and dark eyes as well. He looks younger. Smug and arrogant. His instincts tell him this one’s a douche. He normally listens to his instincts. And someone should tell the pompous douche that the Rico Suave look went out decades ago. The guy looked more like a greasy used car salesman than a member of a high-ranking family.
“Ah,” Matteo says. “Isabella and Cristian Romano, my niece and nephew. Isa, this is Derrick King, head of the King family and these are his brothers. Adam, Rory, and Chase.”
Derrick simply nods, not even properly greeting the Romano siblings. So, he steps up next to Derrick and takes Isabella’s outstretched hand and brings it to his lips, brushing lightly over her knuckles.
Her eyes gleam and he swears he feels a shiver run through her but her gaze falls on Derrick again. She didn’t even bother to look at Rory or Chase.
“Twins. How remarkable,” she comments, voice as sweet as honey. “Which of you is the older one?”
“That would be me,” he replies.
“Yet, Derrick is the king,” she comments with admiration. She’d at least done her research on them.
“We’re all Kings,” Derrick corrects her.
“Come. Have a seat,” Isabella says, curving her hand around his arm and leading the way. Her touch is subtle but firm. Like a woman who knows what she wants and is ready to go for it.
“I’ll leave you all to it,” Matteo speaks excitedly and quickly makes his exit.
A soft and seductive laugh escapes Isabella’s lips when she places him in a seat and plants herself in between him and Derrick.
Rory and Chase are stiff and looking uncomfortable in their seats on the lush velvet couch big enough to be a bed. The room reminds him of a harem. A fuck pit, one of his brothers would call it.
“My uncle is the worst at matchmaking,” she whispers to him. Her breath close enough to fan the exposed skin of his neck.
“Ah. Entertainment has arrived,” Cristian announces from somewhere in the room.
Three ladies in goddess outfits step in. One walks straight to Derrick who waves her off with the flick of his hand and a scowl on his face. A raven-haired beauty heads to where he’s sitting but stops short and makes a detour to Chase and Rory instead.
He’s guessing it’s because of Isabella’s glare. He didn’t personally see it but he can feel it. There’s an air of authority and confidence about her. It’s refreshing and…intriguing. She places her right hand on his thigh much too high up than appropriate.
Again…her confidence is showing.
Derrick hasn’t said a word from her other side but he sees his brother moving and then getting completely out of his seat when Isabella places her left hand on his brother’s thigh. He smirks knowing what she’s thinking. Twins, she’d commented earlier.
“I think my brother is wanting to get home to his wife,” he informs Isabella as if the wedding band on Derrick’s hand was missed. How she could have missed that is a wonder. That’s the first place women tend to check out on a man.
A flash of annoyance crosses Isabella’s face but she tucks it away nice and neat before her confidence bares its teeth again. Something tells him she’s used to getting what she wants. And it’s clear she wants a guaranteed spot at the head of the Kings’ table.
“Many who come here have wives too,” she replies. “Many even bring their wives along.”
Fucking sexy as hell. That’s his first thought. If he had to do this, at least she’d be fun to fuck.
“What would we gain from this union?” Chase deadpans.
That particular brother is normally quick to pull the trigger yet the most level headed when it comes to negotiations. But Chase is uneasy about this. It shows in the way that Chase isn’t entertained by the pair of tits rubbing up against him.
“This?” Chase waves his hands around, not even looking at any of the women. “We can have this if we wanted this.”
“Ah, a man of business,” Cristian speaks. “This is just the first of many. But you all know the ultimate goal is expansion. Seems you Kings have been working hard at standing in place.”
“Excuse me,” Rory speaks this time.
His baby brother is all business too. He had to admit, Rory has come into his own in the past couple of years.
“You may have your family name and things may have been handed to you on a silver fucking platter, but I assure you, what we’ve acquired ourselves is no less if not more than the Romanos. In name. In number. In fear. In fortune or territory.”
Rory stands up to his full height, shrinking Cristian in comparison.
“I believe what Cristian means to say is that not only will you Kings be linked with the Romanos, but you’ll also profit more by being under The Five. Isn’t that your ultimate goal? Isn’t that anyone in this line of business’s goal?” Isabella counters.
No. But, of course, he doesn’t say anything yet.
Matter of fact, Kings like not having to answer to anyone else. Their bank account is doing absurdly well the way it is. They can provide their own protection and have been thus far. So, no. Their goal isn’t to be under someone else’s thumb.
“And what is your ultimate goal?” Derrick asks.
“Mine? To stand by a king as his queen, of course,” Isabella answers. “What any woman in my position would want. I assure all of you that I’ve been raised for this life. I know how to handle my own.”
Smooth answer. He’ll give her that. Her lust-filled eyes tell him she thinks she’s being clever.
“Besides, Uncle Matteo is getting old and a foot in the grave already. We’re practically handing you the keys to our empire,” Cristian says.
So much for fucking family ties. He knew there was a reason he didn’t like the asshole.
“I’ll still be heavily involved, of course,” the bastard had the balls to add as if he would be doing them favor.
But Cristian doesn’t want to run the empire himself. He’s starting to figure the asshole out. Cristian looks like the type that wants to sit on his ass and collect without lifting a finger. Name drop to move higher up the ladder. Just like a spoiled brat who’s been handed everything on a silver platter all of his life just as Rory said. The Romano name would crumble quickly under Cristian Romano’s reign. At least Isabella is ambitious.
“Come,” Isabella says, standing and tugging on his hand.
Yeah. Come. He’d like to do that right in her mouth and down her throat.