Page 54

“Sure. Take your time.”

Marissa darted for the door, leaving me alone to give the place a quick once over. I was checking the trim and molding when I heard Nikolai say, “Looking good in here.”

I smiled as I turned to face him, watching as he looked around the bar and nodded in approval. “Real good, actually.”

“You sound surprised.”

“Not at all. I knew you’d be great at this.”

“Well, I’m glad you were so certain. I was beginning to think I was too old for this.”

“You’re not old.” His lips curled into a smirk. “You’re just refined.”

“That doesn’t sound like a compliment.”

“Well, it could be,” he scoffed. “On a different note, I think we’ve finally settled on a name for the place.”

“I thought you’d already decided on the Syndicate.”

“I thought so too, but it just didn’t feel right. So, we decided to go with the Black Crown. It just seems to fit better, especially with the directions we’re going with the décor.”

“Oh, you’re right! I love it, and I couldn’t agree more.”

“I thought you’d like it.”

“I do! It’s perfect.”

“I thought so, too.” He studied me for a moment, then asked, “So, are you going to tell me?”

“Tell you what?”

“How things went with Preacher?”

The words hit me square in the chest.

I should’ve known he would ask.

He was the one who’d encouraged me to go, but I doubted he would’ve approved of how things had turned out. I glanced down, brushing imaginary dust off the bar. “It was good.”

I answered coyly, pretending I wasn’t immediately flooded with the memory of our night together. His hands, his mouth, and the low rasp of his voice in the dark. The way he looked at me made me feel desired. Not property. Not out of convenience. But wanted. Truly, utterly wanted.

It was everything I’d hoped it would be and more. And I meant it when I told him I didn’t know it could be like that. Dimitri’s love came with bruises and broken rules, and fear was tangled into every kiss. I’d learned to brace for pain, even in the soft moments—especially in the soft moments.

It wasn’t until my entire body was humming with need that I realized just how wrong I’d been about everything. I thought I would’ve made a mess of it all. I thought Dimitri had ruined me, but he hadn’t. Maybe it’s true and time heals all wounds or maybe it was the fact that Hudson’s touch had me spell bound, and my longing for him drowned out all my doubts and fears.

I’m not sure what it was, but I could still feel.

I could still want, and my God, I wanted him like I’d never wanted anything. Hudson made me feel alive in ways I didn’t know were possible. There had been no fear. No tension. No calculating moves. It was just him and me and the heat of the moment. We got caught up in each other, and then, it was over.

“It was good?” Nikolai asked, pulling me from my thoughts. “That’s all I get?”

“Afraid so.”

“Come on,” he pushed. “You gotta give me something.”

“I don’t ask you about your personal life.”

“You can’t be serious.” He chuckled. “Youask all the time. You’re always asking.”