Page 27 of Immoral (Park Avenue Kings #3)
DIMITRI
Location: Dimitri’s Hidden Compound, Arabian Desert
O UR STOPS THROUGHOUT the rest of Europe were successful, if still a bit precarious in these early stages of a new working relationship…and so was trying to keep Benoit on his leash.
Even now, sitting beside me in the helicopter taking us to my desert compound, he snuggled in close, his hand inching toward my thigh as he did everything in his power to get under my skin.
It was infuriating. I was the one who’d told him to act natural and not let on that we were at odds.
But damn, did he have to be so fucking good at it?
I knocked away his hand, keeping my focus on the never-ending dunes awash in orange, red, and purple as the sun set behind us.
“You’re missing out on what could be an incredibly romantic moment, you know,” Benoit said loudly into his headset.
“I didn’t bring you here for romance.”
“No, you brought me here to fuck, and you won’t even do that anymore.”
I glanced at the pilot and then shot a warning look at Benoit. This wasn’t a private conversation; the line of communication was open between everyone on this chopper.
But Benoit already knew that, judging by the amused tilt to his lips. I should’ve known better than to think my glare would stop his mouth.
“All that sand…” he mused, leaning over me even though he had a perfectly good window on his side to stare out of. “I have a feeling I’ll need some help getting it out of places it shouldn’t be. Think you could give me a hand? Maybe even two?”
“No.”
“Not even if I beg? It’s been a while, but I remember how much you like me to do that with my mouth.”
The fucked-up part of all this was I remembered that too, but the hot rage inside me still simmered, threatening to boil over. Maybe it’d been a mistake not to cut ties completely.
“Approaching the landing pad,” the pilot said just as the testing field came into view.
That was where all of our newly acquired weapons went through rigorous checks before they were posted for sale.
Beside that was the hangar that housed everything from our helicopters and plane to the all-terrain vehicles that could navigate the desert.
Beyond that, our weapons lab and operation headquarters, and on the far end of the compound, my private residence.
“Is all of this yours, mon monstre , or is this yet another stop on our trek?”
Considering I’d brought him here, there was no point in lying now.
The compound was hidden in a desert no-man’s land, where not even his high-tech bullshit could easily track movement.
Only a select few knew about it. It was isolated, guarded, a veritable fortress for testing all the weapons for the governments, rogue agents, and private organizations I sold to.
I nodded as we began the bumpy descent to the landing pad. “Yes. It’s mine.”
Benoit’s hum buzzed in my ear before he said, “Well, we won’t have to wear nearly as many layers here. Things are looking up.”
I didn’t bother responding to that as the helicopter’s skids finally touched down and the engine was cut. I unbuckled and wrapped my scarf around my face, then turned to Benoit.
“You might want to cover that mouth of yours—if the wind picks up, you’ll get a mouthful.”
He smiled, and I shook my head.
“Don’t even.”
“What? I didn’t say anything.”
He didn’t have to. The filthy comment was written all over his handsome face.
Damn him.
I shoved open the door and climbed out, and once we were both free of the bird I saw one of my men exiting the main compound and heading our way.
“So what exactly are we doing here?” Benoit asked as we walked over the barren sands.
“You’re doing exactly what I tell you.”
“Ugh, why couldn’t you have played this controlling role this hard when I would’ve enjoyed it?”
I thought I had, but apparently I’d been nothing but a big fucking pussycat to Benoit. One he just had to stroke the right way to get him to purr, and didn’t that chafe?
“Here.” I handed him a pair of glasses and earplugs, though it would serve him right if I left him to fend for himself. “You’re going to want those where we’re going.”
“And that would be…?”
“Boss,” my man greeted me, coming to a stop in front of us. “I trust you had a smooth trip in.”
“We did. But it looks like the makings of a sandstorm soon, so let’s make this quick, yes?”
“Of course.” He turned and led us toward our main headquarters, then around to the testing field. “The shipment arrived last night. They’re set up and waiting for you.”
“Very good. I’ll be there in just a minute,” I said, and as he disappeared behind the wire fence, I turned to Benoit. “Have you ever been to a firing range?”
“You met my boss. What do you think?”
“I think you looked like holding a gun made you want to vomit. So, I’ll ask you again, have you ever been to a firing range?”
“ Oui. All of us know how to shoot.”
“But you don’t like to.”
“Of course not. Why? Do you?”
“Yes.”
Benoit let out a sigh. “Of course you do. So is that why we’re here? For you to practice? Am I going to be your target?”
My lip curled. “Don’t tempt me.”
“If only I could. But alas, I think you’re now immune to my charm. And personally, if you plan to tie me up to some kind of post, I’d rather it be for a flogging.”
My cock jerked despite myself. Fucking traitorous appendage .
“You have an answer for everything.”
“And you have none.”
I gestured to the protective glasses and earplugs. “Put them on. The last thing I need is you getting hurt and your boss accusing me of reneging on our deal.”
To my surprise, Benoit slipped the glasses on and pushed the earplugs into place. “I know, somehow I even manage to make these look good.”
He did. But I wasn’t about to let him know that. Instead, I headed behind the gate and let him follow.
Once inside, I spotted my man standing over by the table where several of the new weapons we’d acquired sat—the latest semiautomatics, sub-machine guns, grenades, night-vision and thermal devices, and predator drones. “This is the first order that came in,” he said. “The second is due next week.”
I nodded and went straight for the MP5K sub-machine gun. I’d been waiting on this piece of equipment in particular. As I picked it up, I noticed Benoit move as far away from the table as he could, so much so his back almost hit the fence.
So it was true, he wasn’t a lover of weaponry, and didn’t seem to like violence of any kind. That was interesting, considering the line of work he was in. I couldn’t imagine his two friends having the same aversion. Not with the way that Lachlan guy had cradled his weapon like a lover.
I moved away from the table and into position in front of the target range, then positioned the gun so I could get a feel for the weight of it. It felt good, lightweight compared to a normal machine gun. A fact my customers would enjoy.
I checked that the magazine was loaded then lined it up with the target and let it rip.
Pop. Pop. Pop. The piece was easy to control as I fired, the accuracy unparalleled for close-quarters encounters, and it had a setting for longer distances. It was easy to see why it was in such high demand.
After firing several rounds at the target, I engaged the safety and turned back to where my man stood, arms crossed, a smile on his face.
“Feels good, doesn’t it?”
“Very.” I nodded and headed back to the table, putting it down next to the others. “You got the numbers I’d need. Is it possible?”
“Definitely. Will take a little time, but we should be able to have it within a couple of weeks.”
“Good. That’s good.” I was about to reach for the night-vision goggles when a radio crackled on the table.I scooped it up and barked, “Stavros. Go ahead. Over.”
“Boss, there’s some disturbance on the outer perimeter of the compound. Over.”
“Define disturbance. Over.”
“Three vehicles with stolen plates closing in fast. Over.”
“How’d they get past the checkpoint? Over.”
Static was all that answered for a long moment before he was back, his voice cutting in and out. “…refusing to stop… armed…”
My guards poured out from the headquarters, weapons in hand, and into armored off-road SUVs. The vehicles kicked up sprays of sand as they hauled ass out of the compound, and my jaw clenched tight.
“Find out who the fuck it is,” I said into the radio, but in the back of my mind I already had a name.
If this was an attack, it had to be the Redwater Syndicate.
We’d already heard rumblings that they were considering moving in on our territory, but since our strained meeting the night of my gala, they’d ghosted.
The radio crackled again, and this time, there was an edge of alarm in his voice.
“Boss… advise… take shelter?—”
The line died and I growled in frustration, thrusting the radio into the chest of my weapons man.“Get a good line open and track them.”
“Boss, maybe you should go underground.”
“I don’t run from terrorists.”
“Understood, but…” His gaze landed on Benoit standing just behind me, and I cursed.
Benoit in a shootout would be the worst-case scenario, and I couldn’t trust him to be alone. He’d only end up escaping, tracking down the action, and getting himself killed.
“Fuck.” It only took a split second for me to make my decision, though it wasn’t the one I’d make if I had any other choice.
I took a couple of semiautomatics from the table, shoved one into the holster at my waist while keeping the other in hand, and then grabbed Benoit by the arm.
“Let’s go,” I said roughly, leading him toward the entrance to the underground bunker.
“Wait, what’s happening?” He tried to pull out of my grasp, but I only held him tighter as I spun to face him.
“What’s happening is I need to get you somewhere safe, so do us both a favor and do what the fuck I say for once.”
Benoit blinked but nodded, though it didn’t escape my notice that he swiped a weapon of his own off the table as I dragged him away. I didn’t care to fight it, not when it was possible we’d end up needing it.
A shot was fired in the distance and I moved faster, Benoit keeping pace with me. Bypassing the main house, we headed toward a small shed designated for the purpose of storing dust shields, though it really contained something far more important—and something that would come into use tonight:
The tunnel to my underground bunker.