know you can't answer now, but I need to ask. I need to know."
It could be a trap, Cerys's backup plan in case Lex threw her offer back in her face--literally. Or it could have been her way of getting rid of Dallas all along. Spiriting away some councilman's drug-addicted fuck toy guaranteed trouble for him and his sector. Cerys wouldn't have to lift a finger to have Dallas out of the picture forever.
But Jade could also simply need help. For every trainee out of the Flower District who was happy with her patron, there were a dozen more who wound up miserable and desperate, and it was that possibility that had Lex whispering, "I'll see what I can do."
"Thank you." Jade stepped back with a sad little smile. "You do look like her. Maybe that makes it easier to trust you. I miss her."
"So do I." Lex caught Mad's gaze and nodded.
Mad swept in, rescuing Lex from further conversation by inserting himself carefully between them. "I've got to get you back to Dallas before he skins me," he murmured. "Jade, a pleasure to see you again."
"And you, Maddox." She inclined her head with a teasing smile. "Give my regards to Bren, would you? He's a fascinating man."
"I'll do that." He sounded almost grumpy, and Mad bustled Lex away with Jade's soft laughter following them around the corner.
Lex caught his hand and held it tight. "Tried to be noble, huh? No screwing women who can't say no?"
He scowled. "I've got no problem with women who sell sex, but it's different when they're groomed to think it's their only fucking purpose. Hell, you know that."
"Course I do. So why the long face?"
"She gave me a once-over, said, 'I suppose that was inevitable,' and jumped on Bren's dick." He huffed out a laugh. "Maybe. God knows what they actually did."
"Yeah." Lex brushed back an unruly lock of hair that had fallen over his brow. "If she winds up in Four, you'll have plenty of time to get to know her. If that's what you want."
He snorted. "C'mon, Lex. Not even one joke about my hero complex?"
"Not in the mood," she said again, smoothing his shirt as they reached the guest quarters. "I've decided we need a few more heroes."
He stopped abruptly and tugged her around to face him, his voice deadly serious. "Shit, Lex. Are you all right? I know it's been a long day, but..."
Things had gone fucking downhill when she started scaring people with positivity. "I'm ready to go home."
Chapter Twelve
Dallas knew his day had been too fucking long when he was surprised to find Lex in his suite.
Granted, they hadn't had much time to settle into a routine. And he'd always made a point of collaring outsiders before, women who could fit into his life when and where he wanted them and disappear without drama when one of them tired of the arrangement. The woman made that call, more often than not--some because they'd gotten what they wanted, and others because they wanted what he could never give.
None of them had been around, day in and day out, underfoot and there to witness the days he was too tired to play conquering barbarian, too tired to do anything but fall back on the bed and wait for his thoughts to settle enough for sleep to come. Most nights, he drank them into silence, which meant an early morning with an aching head and a vicious temper, and the women who wanted the fantasy of kneeling for the ruthless Dallas O'Kane didn't want Declan groaning about his throbbing temples.
Christ, he should have thought about that before slapping that collar around Lex's throat. He was too exhausted to take off his own boots, and there she sat, curled up on his couch with a book, gorgeous and patient and deserving a hell of a lot more than a man who'd just fall asleep on top of her.
Especially after the last couple days.
She looked up, her brows drawing together as she closed her book. "You look like hell."
"That's where I've been." He kicked the door shut behind him, and damn. Even the four steps to the couch felt like a battle. He dropped beside her with a heavy sigh and stretched out his legs. "Honestly, I expected a hell of a lot more push-back against this. I didn't expect that I'd have to step on half the guy's necks to keep them from charging out tonight to stake their claims on new