King of Greed (Kings of Sin #3) by Ana Huang

Most people took Christmas week off, but Sloane wasn’t most people. She would physically glue her phone to her hand if it weren’t so logistically complicated.

“I do.” She removed her hands from my shoulders and crossed her arms, the faintest bloom of pink coloring her cheeks. Instead of her usual suits, pencil skirts, and business sheaths, she wore a shimmering gold dress and heels that took her from five-eight to six feet tall. “I’m meeting a client at a…at a private party.”

Suspicions over Sloane’s uncharacteristic stutter fell away when her phone and the doorbell rang at the same time. We said a quick goodbye and rushed to answer our respective calls.

“Wow, you’re even more beautiful in person.” Dalton’s dark eyes sparkled with appreciation as he gave me a thorough once-over in the elevator. “I’m so glad you messaged me.”

I smiled past a twinge of discomfort. “Me too.”

A private car waited for us downstairs. It whisked us uptown while Dalton and I settled into a conversation about his impressions of New York so far and the differences between living in the U.S. and Australia.

“At least there aren’t animals waiting to kill you around every corner here,” I teased when he complained about the American tipping culture.

“True.” He grinned. “But not every snake you see is venomous…”

I enjoyed our conversation, but like with Aiden, I didn’t feel that elusive spark with Dalton. Still, the night was young. We had plenty of time to connect.

“You’re going to love this place,” he said when the car pulled up to a pair of guarded gates. “I thought the Sydney chapter was nice, but the New York one blows it out of the water. I guess that’s why it’s the flagship.” He laughed. I didn’t join him.

I recognized those gates. I recognized the long, winding drive up to the main building and the grand white marble that loomed above us. I’d attended events there many, many times over the past five years.

Dread curdled in my chest as we walked up the red-carpeted stairs.

Maybe he won’t be here. Dominic hated parties and tolerated them only for networking purposes. It was two days before Christmas; he had better places to be.

But any hope I had of avoiding my ex-husband while I was on a date with another man vanished when Dalton and I stepped foot into the Valhalla Club’s ballroom.

I looked up, and there he was. Broad shoulders, devastating face, and burning eyes that were fixed directly on me—and on the touch of Dalton’s hand on my waist.





Dominic


“No murder before Christmas,” Dante warned me. “Vivian says it’s bad luck.”

“I’m not murdering anyone.” I didn’t want to get blood on my suit. But maiming? That was a strong possibility—if I hadn’t promised Alessandra I wouldn’t interfere with her dates.

Possessiveness churned beneath my skin as I watched her dance with Dalton Campbell. Her dress hugged every curve, and she’d styled her hair in an updo that revealed the smooth, bare expanse of her back. Eyes, hair, smile, everything. She was so damn beautiful it defied reality.

I flicked my lighter on and off as Dalton said something that made her laugh. Jealousy burned green and hot.

Seeing Alessandra on a date with another man and not being able to do a thing about it was as close to hell as I could imagine. I didn’t know much about Dalton other than the fact the Campbells made their fortune in mining and that he’d recently transferred from Sydney’s Valhalla chapter, but I loathed his guts already.

“Good.” Kai brought half my attention back to our conversation. The other half was stuck on Dalton’s hand on Alessandra’s waist. He was touching her too intimately for a public setting, and I wanted to chop the fucking thing off. “We’re here to celebrate, so stop glaring at the poor man like you’re plotting his demise.”

Dante had announced Vivian’s pregnancy last night. I was happy for him—for the most part. The Russos had been married for three years and were starting a family. I’d been married to Alessandra for ten and had nothing left of it except for the diamond in my pocket and the broken pieces serrating my heart.

Perhaps I was a masochist for carrying her wedding ring around when it reminded me so much of our failures, but like the lighter, it was also one of the only memories of us I could hold.

“We haven’t decided if we want the baby’s gender to be a surprise yet,” Dante said in response to Kai’s question, which I’d missed. He grinned, his eyes sparkling with a mixture of pride, joy, and nerves. He looked so unlike his usual grouchy self, I would’ve never guessed this was the same man who’d hated his wife when they first met. “I want to be surprised, but Viv wants to prepare. You know she loves planning things…”

I tried to pay attention, but I couldn’t take my eyes off Alessandra and Dalton. Vivian and Isabella were here with Dante and Kai, but they’d disappeared to God knew where at the start of the gala. They hadn’t even seen Alessandra yet.

My jaw ticked when Alessandra laughed again at something Dalton said. I couldn’t take it anymore; I needed to remove myself from the same room as them before I strangled someone.

“I’ll be right back.” I left Dante and Kai without waiting for a response.