Page 9 of Beneath the Light of the Moon

He growled, grabbing the drink she’d bought him and downed it, choking on thetequila.

What the hell?

A meager cough escaped past his lips as he set the tumbler back down—an action the bartender noticed with a grin, quirking a brow when he teasingly held up a lime wedge with a pair of tongs.

Fuck all these people.

Glancing at his watch, he prayed for his friend to appear and whisk him away from such annoyances before he did something rash. Until then, he’d be staring at the dark lipstick stain the mysterious and infuriating woman had left on the rim of his other glass.

4

Wicked Theatrics

Mikko

The unusual encounter with the woman set his teeth on edge. Even as Cristiano led them deeper intoBubblegum’sbasement, her words resonated in his mind.

Have fun finding a new target,Mikko.

While he’d initially been confused when she’d called him by name, it was now obvious she’d been lying. He was a notable figure in Portland society. Albeit against his will. A day didn’t pass when someone didn’t recognize him. If he could remain as a recluse—Cristiano’s words, of course—Mikko would.

He’d seen the way women flocked to him and Cristiano, drawn in by the former’s money and status, and the latter for his easy-going smile. Mikko had been naive before, but not anymore.

“No such thing as coincidences, Mikko,”his father’s voice echoed in his head. His whole life had prepared him for moments like this; he wouldn’t let an attractive woman derail him. Until proven innocent, she was guilty in Mikko’s eyes.

Regardless, his brain was preoccupied, mind mentally tracing the edge of her shadowed silhouette. Her tattoos had been on full display, tempting him to reach out and touch them as she’d done to him. Soft lines depicted flora and fauna across her arms; anything ranging from flowers to ferns carved into her skin, perfectly complimenting her body. And how could he have forgotten about the line of text running down her spine as she walked away. He had no idea what it said, but he’d find out.

Something dark tugged at his stomach.

Lust? Curiosity? Cristiano isdefinitelyright, I do need to get out more. Dip my dick into something—or someone.

He killed the thought before it got out of hand, annoyance already coating his tongue at the fact he had business to attend to in the club and none of it included watchingherfrom the darkened booths lining the corners ofBubblegum’smain lounge and dance floor.

Instead, Mikko was shackled to the ruse of his job. The empire his father had built decades ago was now left in his possession, its blackness seeping onto his already dirty hands.

Corporations weren’t built on good people and virtuous standards anymore. Instead, they were created by those who were strong enough to evade the rules.

By blood, money…

And fear.

Acquiring land to grow his territory and meeting with clients was the tip of the iceberg. Below the surface of the icy water—under the rot and decay of an illustrious surface image—laid an expansive network of immoral exchanges.

It was what made Alek successful. And what kept Mikko in power over many of those within the city still to this day.

So, this new interaction stirred something unique inside him. Pursuing a random stranger was stupid and dangerous,and Mikkoknew he needed to stop thinking with the wrong goddamn head. No one else would do this; they’d leave it as it was—a harmless crossing of paths.

But Mikko wasn’t like everyone else. And it’d been a long time since he’d been approached so callously by a woman. It excited him. It became a new fixation for his brain to ruminate on. Just when his everyday life became monotonous, this new woman tempted him with an escape.

Wickedness slithered from his deepest parts, encouraging him to do unthinkable things.

“I had our men secure Ivan before we got here.” Cristiano’s relaxed voice startled Mikko from his brief reverie. “We should be all set to…interrogate when we get down there.”

A smirk was evident in his friend’s tone.

Before Mikko could respond, Cristiano stepped ahead, determined to open the ebony door before them at the foot of the steps. It was the second one he’d rushed ahead to get, and it made Mikko’s eyebrows scrunch in annoyance.

“Do I look incapable of opening my own doors?” Mikko eyed his friend.