The Empress (The Tarot Club 1)

“Fine,” I growled out, “but I don’t want to hear it if you get shot or some shit.”

That statement rolled off of my tongue, leaving acid in its wake. Fear rose up from the pit of my stomach, reminding me of all the reasons getting involved with someone was a bad idea. And yet despite it all - her defiance - the mere fact that she was willing to see the outcome head-on, had my cock twitching for her - only for Corinne.

I didn't know where she found them or if she had had them all along, Corinne changed out of her polo dress that was more suited for the country club, and instead opted for tight leather pants with a black cut-off bustier. She was a sight to behold and I was torn between wanting to fuck her before we left, and hiding her so none of my men could see what was mine.

I pulled her head back, gripping her long, thin ponytail - such a contrast from her expensive chignon she usually sported.

“What are you wearing?” I ground out in her ear before we walked out the door.

Corinne grinned at me knowingly, palming my cock through my pants.

“You can peel this off of me when we get back tonight,” she grinned and I decided that that was indeed what I was going to do. Fuck the Tarot Club. Fuck her snooty family. Fuck it all. I was going to claim her because she was Queen material, and it was time that I stepped up and became a King.

I didn’t express this to her, instead I smirked, “A few nights of passion and suddenly you’re a vixen out on the hunt.”

Small wafts of her hair had escaped from the band that held the ponytail, framing her face - softening it slightly, her lips painted siren red, reminding me exactly how talented she was with her mouth.

“You never know,” she teased, “perhaps I’ll find something I like and bring it home.”

My hand wrapped around her throat as I pinned her against the doorway, her gaze filled with heat. She wasn’t afraid, if anything she was just as turned on as I was.

My eyes met hers and I growled, “We’re not doing that bullshit, do you understand?” She pursed her lips in contemplation and suddenly I was back to wanting to throttle her again. “You are mine,” I hissed, narrowing my gaze at her, watching her eyes dilate in excitement.

“Fine,” she sounded breathy, “but then you are mine.”

“Fine,” I ground out, and all I wanted to do in that moment was bury myself deep within her. Fuck her against the goddamn wall. Instead, I captured her lips with mine and invaded her mouth with my tongue. When I pulled back, she was panting and needy. But so was I.

The drive was quiet as Arlo scrolled through his phone in the passenger seat, leaving Corrine and I to sit in the back. I deliberately pressed my thigh against hers, no longer in an attempt to irritate her or exert dominance, but in a way that simply sought contact.

The warehouse loomed ahead of us and I watched in fascination as Corrine settled her mask of cold aloofness back in place. All the men turned and watched our arrival. Every single one, and I had to grit my teeth knowing that it certainly wasn’t me that they were looking at. Corinne walked in like she fucking owned the place, making a beeline towards Ravi who stood at the center if the warehouse, glaring down at the young man tied to the chair, awaiting his judgement. I gritted my teeth as Ravi took in her appearance - his gaze swept across her breasts appreciatively and if he didn’t stop looking at her like that, I was going to stab the motherfucker.

Corinne marched towards the kid, her hips swaying with each step. I walked beside her, my hands sweeping the small of her back because I just needed to touch her. And while it wasn’t planned, I knew that my men noticed and I saw the spark of approval in their eyes. This was going to be a new era for the Bratva - and Corinne was going to play a starring role, she just didn’t know it yet. Having a Vedman as our Queen was bound to change things, but I was starting to think that change wasn’t always a bad thing.

“So, you’re one of Sergei’s boys?” I grunted out.

The kid looked terrified, his wide saucer-like eyes reflecting nothing but shock at being caught. Blood mixed into his white blonde hair from his hairline as he struggled to speak - not out of injury, but out of fear. My eyes tracked the injuries he had already received - my men had already roughed him up, and I wouldn’t expect anything less. Blood dribbled from his split lip, and judging by the way in which he was shifting to the right and holding his breath slightly, I was guessing he had a few cracked ribs. We would not take this insult lying down.

“You’ve been stealing my product for Sergei to re-label and pedal on the streets?” I crouched down so that I was eye level with him.

Corinne glanced at her nails as if she were bored. After the hell she gave me about coming here, I would make sure her ass was red and then I would fuck it better.

Once more, the kid didn’t say anything, his knuckles white as he clutched the armrests of the chair. I looked to Ravi for confirmation, who simply nodded. That was all I needed - Ravi’s confirmation.

I plucked the cigarette from Ravi's fingers and bent towards the kid. Under my close scrutiny, he began shaking. The warm smell of urine trickled down his leg, soiling his pants, collecting in a pool on the floor, soaking into his trainers. I licked my lips - my tell if I ever had one. I dragged the butt of the cigarette - the cherry burning bright - lightly across the kid's jawline and watched in fascination as his throat bobbed, the piss forgotten. I raised the cigarette towards his eye and stabbed it out in the soft flesh just below his lower lashes.

He hissed and thrashed beneath me, but I held firm, twisting and turning the cigarette deep into his skin, the smell of singed flesh accosted my nostrils.

When I finally released him, he looked deathly pale and I thought he may just pass out. Fucking vermin.

“Take him to Leo’s and then take him to the lake,” I ordered Ravi, who motioned towards two of his men, who began untying this piece of filth.

Leo ran an underground boxing ring, and Mikhail had now just earned himself a prime spot as a warm up target with the semi professionals we had down there - before he was dumped in the reserve.

I caught Corinne’s gaze - filled with pity and concern - and I looked away. She couldn’t be here if she was going to look at me like that - if she was going to feel sorry for the vermin we exterminated. This was part of the business, part of handling things so we aren’t run over. She’s either going to need to get over it or stay home.