Chapter 5

DAMIEN

His kiss drove me mad. I had never kissed anyone like this. Something about it tugged at me, familiar in a way I couldn't place.

It was a punishing kiss, because something about it made me want to draw away, and at the same time, it made me want to take him right here, right now, find out what sounds this perfect mouth could make. And I still wanted to watch him dance.

He pulled back and stared at me, chest rising, face flushed. The thought that I might look the same way ran into my own head, and I claimed his mouth again. He bit on my lower lip and pulled slightly, and I whimpered.

I whimpered.

I must really be losing my mind, and for a complete stranger. The sound seemed to do something for me because something about the kiss changed. It felt even more charged now, needy on both ends and dizzying.

He pushed on my chest, and at first I thought he was pushing me away. But his mouth never left mine, and I realized he wanted me to sit. I led us both backwards and sat down, him astride me, not breaking the kiss.

The position gave me the opportunity to touch him even more, and he was perfect. He started to move on top of me, and I did it again. Whimpered. Just who was this man?

I easily flipped us around, him laying down now, me on top of him, and made to remove his belt. But he reached down and stopped my hands, and said just one word.

"No."

No? What did no mean? I could tell he wanted this as much as I did, but I wasn't about to force myself on anyone. And he was still wearing that stupid mask. I didn't want to take that off either without his permission.

I resigned myself to just touching him through his pants, and it made me even worse.

I needed release. He must have thought the same, because he reached for my belt and undid it. I didn't say no. Why would I?

He tilted his head up to look at me, and I imagined what his eyes must look like behind his mask. I just nodded at him, incapable of words, and adjusted myself so I was kneeling and he was sitting up again.

I thought his mouth was the single best thing ever, and I tried to stay as still as possible, to keep it going for longer. I lost that fight when his tongue flicked over me.

Minutes later we sat still, silence hanging between us but comfortable still, like we had known each other for way longer than one night.

"I need to go now," he said, and stood.

"What? Why?"

"I've got work tomorrow."

Oh. This wasn't his only work.

I nodded, and he started to walk away.

"Wait."

He turned around.

"Will you be back?" I asked.

He looked like he was going to say no, but he nodded. "Yes. I will."

And then he was gone.

I only realized later that I hadn't offered him payment, and he hadn't asked either.

---

Days after that, I kept my eyes open for him. I watched the dance stage in case he was there again, but he didn't show up, and no one seemed to know who he was.

Had he lied to me? I felt anger at that thought. Or maybe he was kept at work. That was much better to think. Only it didn't make me feel any ease. He had somehow worked his way into my system, and I wasn't so sure I wanted to get him out. At least not so soon.

Someone appeared behind me. Duke. My second-in-command, and a man with the subtlety of a hand grenade.

"What is it, Duke?" I bit out.

He whispered, and my anger just multiplied.

Yet another person on the job had been arrested, and although he wasn't talking, there was no telling when any of them would break and say something they shouldn't. Threatening their lives and families could only do so much.

"Do you want us to send another warning? Get the LAPD to back off?"

"No. Don't do anything stupid like the last time. I don't kill people senselessly, and killing that woman was senseless. The next time you make a decision without me, I'll show you just what kind of people I kill and how. Leave. I'll think of something." My voice was cold.

He disappeared just as silently as he came.

They had made a big, unnecessary show the last time. Even if they'd wanted to send a warning like that, they could have blown up the empty car alone. Reasons like this were why I preferred to work alone, or with people who could follow orders. I probably should do something about that.

Movement on the stage caught my eye, and I was disappointed to see it wasn't him. Someone else was trying to copy his dance steps from days ago and failing spectacularly. I wanted to drag them off the stage by the hair.

I left my drink and got up. Looked like I'd be heading home early tonight.

The kids would be asleep by now, but Diana would be trailing around the house like a ghost.

It had been a marriage of convenience, one to keep me down before he ran off with the school's charity case. My parents never used his name when they spoke about him. It was always "charity case" or "scholarship student," like it just got handed to him and he didn't work his way there.

I still remembered that day clear and fresh. I had been happy until my parents brought him up.

It was either him or I'd leave. And I chose to leave. It killed me not to have been able to even leave him a note.

It was time to go home. Or just drive around. I wasn't the type to sulk, and it wouldn't start now.

My phone rang as soon as I got outside. One of the cops on our payroll.

"Banks are being looked into," he said quickly, and hung up.

I stood there, phone in hand, letting the information settle. So they were smarter than I'd given them credit for. That was... irritating.

For the first time in years, it looked like we were going to suffer slight losses. And slight as they might be, I didn't like to lose. Something had to be done. I'd call the bank, make sure they weren't tattling away, and then devise a new system to move funds around.

This was business, and sometimes losses happened. I just didn't like it happening to me. Not to Damien Salvatore.

The next night he was back. I was just making my way to him when I got a call that had me hurrying out. He looked disappointed to see me leave, or maybe I imagined it.

I should invite him to my private rooms sometime. I got the feeling he wouldn't say no, and something about that agitated me. I would wait to have him—all of him this time—and not just kisses, as nice as they might be.

I made a few calls when I got outside, got certain things in place. The new drugs were ready, and distribution had to go smoothly. In the meantime, the police needed a distraction. Maybe a warning. Or feed them a new lead to throw them off.

I made a final call to Duke.

"It might be time to send a warning. A better one this time. Let's meet."

I hung up.

Business could be bad for others. But not for Damien Salvatore.