Part One

“We’re leaving in fifteen minutes,” Dominic said into his phone.

“Location?” Austin asked him.

Austin liked to claim his heritage as Scandinavian since he’d been born in Norway. He was a big man, bulky, and stoic-looking. He had shoulder length dark blonde hair and a wild beard that he never trimmed or tamed. 

Dominic knew that underneath the untamed look, Austin was a bookworm, an intellectual, and a person whose loyalty knew no bounds. He rarely questioned Dominic’s decisions, and he kept the other men in line.

“Club Nero,” Dominic said.

Club Nero had been the first nightclub Dominic had bought and renovated. They had a line around the block every day of the week. Club Nero had been described in the tabloids as the hottest club to be seen at.

Dominic stopped in the hallway that led into the open-plan living space and turned his head to the side. “Gage.”

He stepped out of the shadows with a grin on his face just as the elevator doors opened and Dominic’s men spilled into the adjoining foyer.

“Come on,” Dominic said as he turned away from Gage.

“Where are we going?”

Dominic grinned at Gage. “The dark side.”

“Good, I need to get laid,” Gage said as they all stepped into the elevator.

“If he’s getting laid, then so am I,” Hudson said as he clasped a hand on Gage’s shoulder.

“You’re too ugly, and they won’t be drunk enough yet,” Gage replied drily.

They all chuckled as Hudson barked out a laugh. “There’s the Gage we all love.”

“You’re just jealous because that waitress didn’t want seconds.” Gage smirked, and Hudson grinned mischievously. Dominic knew what was coming. Hudson had a comeback, and it was going to leave a mark. His men were comfortable around his family, and they always ribbed each other all the time.

“It’s because my cock’s so big; she screamed like a stuck pig, and I only had half of it in. You were probably a much more comfortable fit after me.”

Gage didn’t even react as everyone laughed loudly, but then he smiled—that dark, crazy smile of his. “Nah, Hudson. You just broke her in for me. It was still a tight fit, though, even if it was just the tip.”

“Fuck,” Hudson whispered in defeat, and Dominic laughed as they all climbed into the oversized SUV that sported bulletproof windows.

Dominic stared past Cooper out of the window as they kept ribbing each other. He probably needed to get laid too; he needed to unwind after the week he’d had. Dominic didn’t really date, and he’d never been in love. He had semi-permanent hookups, but they were never his girlfriends.

He’d never slept next to a woman, and he considered these women merely practice for when love would come his way. Everything Dominic did had a reason, and he knew that the only woman he’d sleep next to and love and honor would be his wife.

The SUV pulled into the underground parking lot of the neighboring building, and his men formed a shield in front of and behind him and Gage. They walked the length of the parking lot, slipped into the alley, and the moment Ethan lifted his phone to his ear, the back door of Club Nero opened.

“Boss.” Dominic nodded his head in greeting as they walked down the dimly lit halls and up the hidden staircase at the back of the club. Ethan cleared the VIP area and Dominic’s private booth before they headed inside.

A sealed bottle of brandy appeared with two tumblers, and Louisa looked everywhere but directly at Dominic. She served them their drinks and left the room quickly. There was only one entrance to that room, while the front of the room was open with a railing that overlooked the dance floor below.

“Are you going to kill him?”

Dominic turned away from the woman he’d been staring at and looked at Gage. “What kind of a fucking question is that?”

“I want to kill him,” Gage said.

“Nobody’s killing him.”

Dominic looked back at the woman seated at the bar. She was looking right back at him, and she licked her bottom lip. The action made Dominic’s groin tighten before she turned away first, ordering another drink.

Gage turned then and gripped Dominic’s shoulder in his hand. “I wouldn’t blame you if you did kill the bastard. You’ve always had it so much worse than the rest of us.”

Dominic didn’t want to talk about the past, especially not about the memories of that basement. He’d had enough memories for one day—for a whole lifetime, actually. “We’re family, Gage. That will never change.”

“La nostra famiglia.” Gage nodded his head and gripped Dominic in a tight hug. “She’s hot. Go get laid, brother.” Dominic’s eyes found the woman again. Gage was, simply put, fucking gifted. He never missed a thing.

Dominic smirked at that comment as Gage walked out of the private booth and headed to the dance floor. He returned ten minutes later with a blonde on his arm, and five minutes after that, his chair was turned towards the back of the room.

Even in the dark of the shadows where Gage sat, you couldn’t miss her head bobbing up and down. Hudson joined Dominic at the railing and leaned on his arms. “How the fuck does he do that?”

“Gage comes across as innocent. His pretty face helps with that.”

“Until they realize he’s the monster they warn little girls about,” Hudson said with a grin.

“He’s a fucking savage.”

Hudson shook his head and turned back towards the dark room. Dominic turned as well, and they watched the woman’s face contort as Gage fucked her, right in front of everyone. Gage really didn’t care. If he wanted something, he took it, and it was up to you to look away or not.

Cooper approached them and stood with his back towards the peep show Gage was giving everyone. “She’s a moaner, and right now she’s praying up a storm.”

“Is she drunk?” Hudson asked.

“She’s not slurring her words, but she might be drunk after a ride on that one,” Cooper replied.

Dominic had gone back to staring at the woman again, and he watched as she rebuffed two men who tried their luck. She smiled when she caught him looking again, but Dominic didn’t smile back. When he turned back towards the room, Gage was zipping up his pants, smacked the woman on her ass, and sent her on her way.

Gage took Dominic’s glass from his hand and emptied it. “That was a good start to the night.”