Page 36 of Guardian
I bat away the image of his smooth, firm ass, heated by my handprints.
It’s completely different.
Are you sure?
“Fuck yes,” I growl to myself.“It’s completely different.I’m trying to protect him.It’s different because…” Fuck it.My conscience has never gotten me anywhere good, so I tell it to take a fucking hike.
The hour is late when I pull up to Shadow.When Daniel Corvus first arrived in town looking to set up shop, I did some digging into him and found almost nothing.No criminal record.No education.Not even much of a credit history.Whoever he is, someone who’s deliberately erased their own past is bad news.
Until now, I’ve never had a real reason to deal with him.
The black-painted door to the club is guarded by a man bigger than my refrigerator and about the same shape.In spite of his tuxedo and slicked-back hair, he’s got the posture of someone who expects to get into a fight at any moment.While I see no outward signs of incarceration, no obvious prison tattoos, my money is on ex-con.If my theory about Daniel being a criminal is right?Well, birds of a feather and everything.
Showing my little-used membership card does nothing to make him move.
“I’m here to talk to Mr.Corvus,” I tell Gigantor when he throws his arm across the door.
“He’s busy.VIPs only tonight.”
“How would you know he’s busy?”
There’s a little earpiece in his ear.This place probably has cameras everywhere.It’s possible someone’s already recognized me and has given my presence a big thumbs-down.Still, playing dumb works more often than you’d think.
“He’s always busy.Mr.Corvus has a lot of responsibilities.”
It only takes a brief scan of the overhang above the doorway to spot the small black dome that more than likely encases a camera.Hopefully it has a microphone as well.
Giving the camera a little wave, I say, “Please tell Mr.Corvus if he’s too busy to see me, then the next person he’s going to see is whichever member of the local SWAT team holds the battering ram, because I’m about to call in a suspected hostage situation.He’s got the whereabouts of someone important to me, and I’ve launched missiles at a building for less.”
Big Man only grins.“I’d like to see you try.”
In spite of his dismissal, a moment later, he puts his finger to his earpiece.
“Mr.Corvus will see you now,” he says, making a growling noise under his breath.
Now I’m the one grinning.This is the first good news I’ve had in days.“Thank you.I had a feeling he might.”
Big Guy throws me a murderous look before turning to open the door.“Stay behind me and don’t talk to any of the other members.”
As if I’d want to.Tonight, I’m here about Ravi.“Anything you say, Big Guy.”
When I’m led to a private room where the man in question is sitting in a high-backed chair like it’s a throne and being serviced by a lanky young man with dirty blond hair who’s kneeling between his feet, I’m curious.Is Corvus trying to make me uncomfortable, or is he simply multitasking?
For that matter, how old is this kid?He looks about Ravi’s age, but with the practiced and performative movements of someone who’s been selling themselves for a long time.Christ almighty.
“Told you he was busy,” the bouncer says.He ushers me into the room with a wave of his arm, unable to make eye contact with anyone as he excuses himself to return to his post.
Well, if Daniel’s thinking seeing another man get his dick sucked will get me flustered, he doesn’t know much.
“Liam Masters.To what do I owe the pleasure?”
“From where I’m standing, the pleasure’s not on my account at all.”
Daniel chuckles.Looking down at the young man between his knees, he runs a hand through that shaggy blond hair with an almost fond look on his face before quietly pulling out of the young man and zipping himself up.“Take a break, sweetheart,” he murmurs.“Grab a drink.We’ll finish this later.”
Now that I get a better look, the kid—boy?Young man?—looks maybe a little older than Ravi.He’s skinny, but on the taller side, without the lean definition Ravi’s worked hard to pack on this last year.Wearing nothing but a tiny pair of shorts similar to the ones Ravi wore the night I caught him crawling through his window and a pair of boots that could have come from my closet.He bows to me and then Daniel before slipping out and closing the door behind him.
“Sorry to interrupt your important business matters,” I say without any kind of sincerity.
