Page 60 of Duchess

Her pride was the key to everything. That stubborn, bulletproof pride that wouldn’t let her back down from a challenge. It was her greatest weapon, and her biggest weakness.And if there was one thing I knew, it was how to use someone’s weakness against them.

I grabbed my phone and dialed.

"Laura. Cancel my schedule. I want you at the house in twenty."

Her voice filtered through the speaker, sharp and efficient. "Is everything alright, Sir?"

"Perfect," I murmured. "We're planning a party."

She arrived exactly twenty-three minutes later, notepad in hand, ready to work. She followed me into the study, where I tossed my empty whiskey glass onto the bar and turned to her with a wicked smile.

"I want the best caterers. No junk food. We’re talking high-end, Michelin-level service. Champagne towers. Caviar if we must."

She scribbled furiously. "Music?"

"Live. Sexy. Something with a bite."

She paused, the tip of her pen hovering midair. Her brow furrowed. "Sir…what exactly is the theme of this event? How should I present it?"

I leaned back in my chair, folding my hands behind my head. "Tell them it’s a celebration. Company growth. High numbers. Make it exclusive. Only the most senior male execs and board members will be invited."

Her pen scratched across the paper.

"No spouses," I added.

She froze. "No spouses?"

"You heard me. Keep it private and discreet."

"Of course, Sir."

I watched her carefully as I leaned forward again, voice lower now. "And I want you to reach out to the Violent Delights. Let them know they’ll be compensated generously for their appearance. Airfare, accommodations, whatever they need."

She blinked. "I’m not sure how to reach them."

"Leon has the contact. Loop him in."

She nodded and jotted it all down, but the hesitation was there. This wasn’t just any event. This was a game of chess dressed as a party.

"Invite the old man and the Senior tiers. Make it impossible for them to say no."

Her lips thinned. "That may be…difficult."

I shrugged. "Then make it worth their while. If anyone can do it, it’s you, Laura."

She straightened her spine with a small nod. "I’ll do what I can."

I gave her a slow smile as I walked past her, heading toward the back patio where the sun began to dip beneath the hills.

The city below buzzed like it always did, but tonight the electricity wasn’t from the streets. It was from me.

And soon, it would be from her.

Getting her killed wasn’t on my list, but I had this urge to see how she handled being in the spotlight of the Turkish Mafia.

Chapter 21

Duchess