Corrupt Prince by Ivy Mason

Eight

I hung up the phone,having just arranged a new contract for a popular fragrance company to launch its new brand at the opening of Posh.

Now, I sat at my desk, my palms laid flat, with three burner phones in between them, and tried to get the image of what I'd just seen on that screen off of my mind.

I hadn’t wanted to take Aster there, and yet, I’d felt like I needed her to see, to know what she, what we, were up against.

But goddamn, I hated the look on her face when she understood what was happening. It’s like I could see the innocence draining from her…

I regretted showing her now; there were other things I could’ve done that weren’t so revolting.

The dead man in the middle of the room--no surprise. I’d known for a while now that his days were up.

The orgy of dead eyed women--not happy about it, but not a surprise either.

But the blood...the room was bathed in it.

I knew my father was sick but that level of sickness…

I wasn't one to kink-shame but to not only rape women, but to also hurt them like that when you did it... it was nauseating. Unforgivable.

My heart was racing, my breathing so harsh, I even registered the sound in my own ears. I was losing it, and here I was, just sitting here like a lump of fucking coal, doing nothing.

Did I rush in there to stop it? No.

Useless.

I disgusted myself.

I also hated how cold I was already becoming, but it was necessary.

It took a hard man to kill his own father.

"So. What’s next?”

Dante's harsh tone snapped me out of my thoughts. My face moved to his but his eyes were on my desk. Without knowing it, I'd grabbed a phone and was crushing it into my hands. I forced myself to relax, letting go of it. Flexing my fingers, I leaned back in my seat to stare at Dante and Knight, who sat on the sofa across from my desk.

My office was urban themed, with dark grey concrete floors, and brick walls painted a light grey. An expensive Italian rug was placed over the floor, ‘hiding’ one of our many vaults.

My desk wasn’t an expensive one. It was actually an old one I’d found at one of our warehouses but I liked it, wondering who had put the knife gashes into it.

“Now that I’ve gained my father’s trust, it’s time to implement my plan.”

“Which is what?” The sweet smell of Knight's blunt filled my nose. He'd been doing that more and more now, ever since he'd escaped from Russia.

“Part one. Find out what my father is doing with Bourbon's blood." I pulled a lighter from my pocket and began to flick it, watching the flame spark and burn out.

"You haven't figured that out yet?” Knight exhaled, and the smoke hung in the air, masking his facial expression.

I shook my head. “The doc’s staying tight-lipped about it. I don't want to push her too hard, or she may tell my father that I've been asking. I've looked into everything I could about her, as well as anything that might connect her father to mine." I shook my head. “Nothing. She’s too well connected to find anything useful.”

"She's from our world." Knight said.

I stopped flicking the lighter to look up at him. “How so?"

"We have the same history, except she hides hers."

"She has Cuban mafia blood?"

Knight nodded, his bloodshot eyes half lidded.

“How do you know that?" I hadn't been able to find any connection to the mafia world at all.

“How else do you think I know? Some things I just know."

I nodded, my eyes focusing on the lighter again but the gears in my mind were moving. It was true, Knight's family had been deeply embedded in the mafia for generations and generations. With that, came knowledge about the old ways that the newer generations wouldn't have.

If it was true, which it probably was, then she had gone to great lengths to hide her identity. And somehow, my father had found out.

"Okay, so it's either connected to that, or to something personal.”

"Or both," Dante said.

I nodded. "Or both."

"So if the doctor's not opening up, how are you going to figure it out?" Knight asked.

"I'm going to use Aster." I tilted my head towards the bathroom where Aster and Candi were talking; I’d called in Candi to help get Aster ready for what I needed tonight.

Dante scoffed. “She’s not going to help you.”

“I know she will.”

“And I know she’s unpredictable. You can’t trust her.”

Knight nodded. “That girl will tell the doctor everything, just to spite you."

"Or for fun." Dante agreed.

I shook my head. "I don't think so. Not after tonight.”

"Why don't you use one of our girls? One we know is loyal to us. Candi would be perfect for the job."

"Because Candi can easily be connected to us. Aster can't."

They both fell silent at this, nodding, and I pulled my cell from my pocket and texted John, the guy I had tailing the doctor, verifying her location.

"Okay," Candi's chipper voice interrupted our silence, “she's ready."

Aster stepped out from the bathroom, and even from where I sat, I could see the anger flashing in her eyes. “I’m not going anywhere in this outfit.”

I leaned back in my chair, my fingers frozen on my lighter as I stared at the sexual creature in front of me. She was wearing a push-up bra and bikini bottom, with a leather strappy top across her chest and knee-high stiletto boots.

Her dark smokey eyes and all black outfit was a gorgeous contrast to her fiery red hair that fell in sexy waves down her back.

She was my fucking wet dream come to life.

My dick lurched, hardening in my pants at the sight of her.

I glanced at Knight and Dante, who were both staring at her with heated gazes.

I wanted to gouge their eyes out. They shouldn't be looking at her like that.

I forced down the jealousy boiling under the surface because, as much as Aster's sensuality made my dick hard, I couldn’t do anything about it.

She was Rose's sister.

Lily'ssister.

I wasn't touching that bloodline with a ten foot pole, and the sooner I could get her out of my life, the better.

In fact, even better if one of my best friends took her off my hands.

I tormented myself with the image of her kissing both Dante and Knight, writhing in their laps as they took her together.

I tortured myself more with the image of Rose and Bourbon kissing next to them, knowing my life would be a living hell if I allowed that to happen.

"Get your fucking eyes off her,” I growled at my men, and both their faces immediately snapped to mine.

Dante's eyes narrowed. “What the fuck, boss?” He knew I was determined to get rid of her as soon as possible.

Knight only smirked and, leaning back in his chair, he took another drag of his blunt. When he was done, he opened his mouth to respond but didn't get a chance, as Aster stormed across the room in her six-inch stilettos towards me.

"I think all King men must have a hearing problem. I told you I'm not going anywhere in this."

"You are." I gave her a cool look then, reaching into my desk, I pulled out the collar I’d picked out, just for her. Standing, I walked around my desk towards her. “Turn around.”

“In your dreams.” She reached behind her to undo the straps across her chest. I shoved the collar in my pocket, then grabbed her arm, stopping her.

"If you want to work with me, instead of against me, you'll do exactly what I say."

She scowled up at me.

Growling, I maneuvered her back into my chest, then wrapped my fingers around her stomach, pulling her tight to me. Could she feel my halfway hard-on? “You will do this, Aster, because it will help your sister.” I nipped at her ear, my breath moving over her shoulder.

She stilled, her hands still on the strap at the nape of her neck. “I’m practically naked.”

“You’re sexy.” Unable to stop myself, I leaned back and ran a knuckle down her back, following the line of muscle. God, her skin was so silky. “You’ll be able to get any man or woman to do whatever you want.”

She closed her eyes, leaning her head back against my chest. “Is that what you want me to do?”

My eyes followed the spattering of freckles that flared down her neck, her back arching, her breasts pressing outward. My fingers itched to pull down that black velvet bra, to see what her freckled tits would look like spilling from it. “I want you to trust me.”

Suddenly aware that everyone was staring at us, my hand on her belly tightened. I grit my teeth. “Candi, give me her coat."

"No."

I turned to stare at her. "What did you say?"

"Aster doesn't deserve to be treated like this.” Candi’s hands were on her hips, and a red blush spread out across her face, growing deeper as my scowl at her disobedience grew fiercer.

Candi had never spoken to me this way. We'd always had a great relationship. She kept an eye on the girls in the clubs, giving me any information I might need to know about them and the people who walked in. And when I came in to the club she worked at, I would often stay late, using my experience to help her understand the ins and outs of owning a small business—on her off time, she made jewelry and sold it online.

But now, by the fierceness of her gaze, I could see that Aster had gotten to her. They’d only spent minutes together and yet, she was feeling defensive of Aster. This not only revealed how dangerous taking Aster out could be, but also that Aster wasn’t on my side. Not yet.

Still holding Aster close, my scowl turned into a dangerous look. "And how am I treating her?"

“Like a hooker."

"And you, you know more than I do about my own business?"

“I know she’s dressed up like one.”

“When have I ever forced a girl to do something against her will?”

“Never.” She took a nervous step back, shaking her head. Aster turned around and put her hand on my arm, her heat seeping through my shirt.

"Coulter," her voice was low and soft, full of the same sweetness that Rose exuded. The kind that slowly curled and twisted around your heart until it choked it of life. "It's okay, I'll go."

Pulling Aster to my side, I stepped closer to Candi and leaned down to stare straight into her eyes. "Not that it's any of your business, but what I'm forcing Aster to do, very well may save her life."

At this, Candi’s throat bobbed, her face paling. “Okay.”

My other hand snapped out and pulled her to me so that we were inches apart. I tried not to let the rage I was feeling inside overtake me. "Don't ever question me again, is that clear?"

She nodded, and I softened my hold over her arm to put my hand on her shoulder, squeezing it softly. "I swear Candi, I'm only trying to do what's right here."

“You’re changing.”

“I have no choice but to change.”

She stared at me a moment longer, her throat bobbing. “Just don’t become like him.”

My father.

“I will never make that promise.”

It was already too late.