Badge of Honor (The Town of Pearl 9)

“This is so cool up here. I’ve never seen anything like this. I guess owning the place has its perks, huh?” she asked.

She didn’t get a response and when she turned around, Aces was sitting on the couch, his one leg crossed wide over the other and his arms stretched out on the top part of the couch. Miklos sat a few seats away as a guy in a suit came in with a bottle of champagne and glasses.

“Come here,” Aces told her.

She hesitated and Aces raised one of his eyebrows at her. Miklos sat forward in his seat. She understood the look and slowly approached where Aces sat. She was going to turn around to sit, but Aces made her stop.

“Stand right there, and turn around,” he said. She felt annoyed, angry at this guy’s nerve. But she had to play this role, so she turned so her back and ass faced him. She felt the hand on her hip and then his finger glide along her bare back where the tattoo was.

“What is this a tattoo of?” he asked her. She looked over her shoulder and saw Miklos licking his lips and staring at her back, and Aces was looking up at her.

“It’s a vine of tiny white flowers,” she whispered and he moved his thumb over the material, pushing it to the side. The cork popped from the champagne. She turned around and sat down, then crossed her legs.

He looked surprised but also kind of pleased. She thought perhaps coming off less easy was different for him and he liked it.

He leaned forward and accepted the two glasses from the guy in the suit who’d just popped the cork and poured the glasses from the bottle.

She accepted it as Aces ran the palm of his hand along her knee and thigh. He held her gaze. “To a memorable night, and meeting you, Lana.” He tapped his glass to hers and they both took a sip.

He leaned back and then the guy in the suit walked toward the door. She saw him open it a crack and then close it.

“They’re here. Would you like me to have them meet you in the office?”

“No. Here is fine,” Aces stated firmly.

He glided his hand along Lauren’s thigh and held her gaze.

“Aces, she should go back downstairs. I’ll have someone keep her company,” Miklos said.

“She stays,” Aces

said and held Lauren’s gaze.

“If you have business I could leave. You’ve probably already realized I’m kind of shy. I think maybe the kind of women you’re interested in are nothing like me. I should go, Aces.” She placed her glass down and began to rise when Aces stopped her.

She felt his fingers move under her chin and tilted her face up toward him. He held her gaze.

“You intrigue me, Lana. I know you’re not like the others, and I expect you to learn fast about the rules. You stay. Just remember, whatever you might hear doesn’t get repeated. I’ll know it was you, and I’ll hunt you down. You won’t like that. Understand?” he asked.

She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth.

“I don’t think I should be here. I think it’s best I leave.”

Before she could stand up, he pulled her close, pressed his hand under her hair to the base of her head, and brought his lips down upon hers.

It was the most difficult thing she had to ever do. Allowing a murderer, a monster, to kiss her so deeply and touch her like this. But she had no choice, so she kissed him back until they were both breathless.

He gripped her face between his hands and held her tight as she held on to his wrists. “You’re fucking incredible. You stay right next to me.”

She nodded her head in acquiescence. He released her and then nodded toward the guy in the suit and an angry looking Miklos.

She looked down at the table, hoping the room was bugged as it should have been, but knowing that was impossible to do. But the undercover agents could see clearly where they were on the balcony and she would give the sign when she was in trouble. The other men joined them in the room, looking her over and asking if she was for them.

She felt an instant ache to her gut but pretended she didn’t understand their language.

They eyed her over and she snuggled closer to Aces, who seemed to eat it right up.

“Everything is set,” the one man said and Miklos stood up.