at Moonlight.”
“I am? We are?”
I’d been dying to visit his hotels. Any of them. All of them. I didn’t care, I just wanted to see. But I’d kept that desire to myself. Part of it was I understood how busy he was. He didn’t have time to entertain me or be a tour guide, and he’d likely feel obligated to do both.
Mostly, though, I’d worried he’d say no. Taking me to the underground fight where everyone had been wrapped up in their own depravity was one thing. But taking me to his place of work was far different. While logically I’d have understood if he didn’t want his personal life aired at work, I knew I would’ve felt like his dirty secret if he refused me. That would’ve hurt.
And that hurt would’ve festered. It’d been easier to not even put it out there.
I couldn’t get rejected if I never asked.
His lips tipped. “I take it you like that idea.”
“A lot.”
“It’ll be a lot of waiting around.”
“That’s fine. I’m just excited to finally see one of your resorts.”
His eyes narrowed.
Oops.
And shit.
“Have you been wanting to?” At my non-answer, he lifted his chin. “You’ve been wanting to. Why didn’t you tell me?”
Not sharing the main reason, I gave him a smaller truth. “I know you’re really busy, and I didn’t want to be in the way.”
“You’d never be in the way. A distraction, fuck yeah, but one I want. I didn’t know you wanted to come. You never said anything so I thought…” His eyes went soft as he stroked my hair and finished, “I thought casinos would be hard for you because of Shamus.”
“Gambling is probably ruined for me,” I agreed. “But there’s more than just that, right?”
“Right.” His lips tipped before going serious. “If you want something, you need to tell me. Sometimes the answer will be no, but telling me what you want is a rule. Understood?”
“Understood.”
“I’m betting you don’t want to wake up and come with me now.”
“I do not.”
He grinned.
And it was beautiful.
“Ash will bring you later. I’ll have Vera pack you a bag, so make sure you let her know what you want. One of your dresses ready?”
I wish. Maybe then I wouldn’t want to put my head through the pretty dove canvas.
I shook my head. “But I’ve got—”
“I’ll send something over.”
“Maximo, I have…” I started before his eyes narrowed.
“Who am I?” he bit out.
“Daddy.”
“And what does Daddy fucking love to do?”
“Take care of me.”
“Then stop trying to take that away from me, or I’m not going to be happy. And neither will your burning, red ass.”
Because he’d been gone so much and therefore unable to spank my ass, his threat made a surprising amount of longing surge through me.
And I must not have done a good job hiding it because Maximo’s expression shifted from hotly stern to just hotly hot. “You like that.”
I did.
A lot.
“Not the you-being-unhappy part,” I clarified.
“Noted.” Stroking my hair, he lowered his voice. “I haven’t been doing a good job taking care of you. I’ll make it right.”
You’re the only person who’s ever taken care of me.
I opened my mouth to tell him that, but he stood and flicked off the light.
“Go back to sleep.” His gruff order was softened by his sweet, lingering kiss. “I’ll see you later.”
Excitement and anticipation bubbled in me, and I didn’t think I’d be able to sleep.
But I was out immediately—likely before he even got downstairs.
Maximo
“Say that again.”
In the dark, dank room far below Moonlight, the squirrelly motherfucker tied to a chair spit out a mouth full of blood before repeating, “Viktor Dobrow paid me to hang around your resorts.”
Viktor Dobrow.
Club owner, drug and woman peddler, and pain in my fucking ass.
“Why?” I asked.
“He didn’t say, and I’m not stupid enough to question an order.”
“But you’re stupid enough to come here?”
“He paid me.”
That was all we’d be getting from Tommy Janson because that was all he knew. He was exactly the kind of idiot who’d blindly follow whatever orders he was given—especially if he profited without having to do any actual work.
Even if said orders landed him on my radar.
And in The Basement.
Unless it was going to get too messy—like with Murphy—The Basement was where we brought people. People who owed me. People who crossed me. People who fucked me over.
And, in my eyes, Tommy Janson was guilty of all three.
Ash stood with Marco, waiting for my order.
Jerking my head toward Tommy, I said, “Dump his body outside one of Dobrow’s clubs.”
“What?” Janson shrieked. “Nah,