Beyond Ecstasy (Beyond #8) (16 page)

“My mother,” she said softly. “You could call her a professional husband-hunter, I guess. Always on the lookout for an upgrade.” She brushed her hair behind her ear and sighed. “It worked for her, but I decided that if I was going to whore myself, I was at least going to be real about it.”

“Seems like your way would be easier,” he murmured. “A job to pay the bills instead of a life you're stuck living.”

“I've been a lot of things, but never trapped.” Jeni laced her fingers together with his. “I'm glad you understand that. I wasn't sure you did at first.”

He squeezed her hand. “You mean because of your job?”

“Because of the assumptions people have made about it.” Her eyes met his. “They thought I'd only be selling my body if I was desperate or abused or brainwashed. That I needed to be rescued from my horrible fate. It was so fucking backwards. They could come to me for sex, guilt free, but there had to be something wrong with
me
for being willing to provide it? Fuck that.”

He'd been through all the sectors over his years with Shipp. He'd been to Three, where if the pimps didn't stab you, the dancers would. He'd been to Eight, where they managed prostitution with the same orderly, businesslike efficiency as any of their factories. He'd seen the drug dealers in Five with their drugged-up mistresses, and he'd seen the elegant, delicate flowers of Sector Two, whose gilded cages came equipped with impenetrable locks.

People bought and sold sex in a million different ways, but it always seemed to come with baggage. Guilt and shame and sometimes hate—hate directed at themselves for needing something so basic, hate directed at the men and women who provided it for a fee.

Maybe it was the only thing Six and Seven had gotten half right. Compared to the dawn-to-dusk manual labor on remote farms, life in the brothels that lined the edge of the warehouse district was downright posh. The farmers had good reason to support and protect the people willing to barter for sex. It kept their unmarried sons satisfied—and away from all their nubile young stepmothers.

“It's different in Sector Six.” He felt a wry smile tug at his lips. “You don't rescue girls from the brothels there. Hell, women run
away
from the farms to try and get jobs in them.”

“Based on what you told me about most of the farms? I'm not remotely surprised.”

“One girl told me she was gonna be on her back either way, but at least she got paid for whoring and didn't have to have kids unless she wanted them.”

“Not always an easy life,” Jeni agreed, “but better than some.”

She looked so serious that he cupped her cheek. “I want to protect you, not save you. As for the rest... I have some jealousy in me, Jeni. I've got a lot of things that aren't so civilized going on. But—”

“No one else is you.” She laid her hand on his thigh and leaned in until she was almost close enough to kiss. “And you're the one I want. Remember that.”

Oh, those words felt good. So good that he dropped his hand back to her bare leg and stroked his fingers up the inside of her thigh. “You didn't let me finish. I was gonna say jealousy can't cut so deep when you stop fighting all those uncivilized things and embrace them.”

“That's all you have to do?” she whispered. “Just let go?”

He rubbed his thumb in a slow circle. Just a little higher and he'd be touching her pussy—and possibly defiling the back of Gia's limo.

Probably not the first time it had happened.

He brushed his lips over hers and smiled. “Knowing you're mine helps.”

Her lips parted—and so did her legs. “Hawk…”

The car coasted to a stop. The driver's door creaked open. Jeni didn't jerk away, so Hawk stayed right where he was, sliding his thumb back and forth as her lips trembled against his.

The door next to him opened, and Jeni smiled. “Come on.” The words feathered over his mouth. “I bet Gia's dying to meet you.”

At this point, he was pretty fucking curious about her, too.

Hawk eased away from Jeni and slid from the car. The driver was holding the door but staring straight ahead, as quietly functional as a piece of furniture. Hawk reached out to help Jeni from the car, then let her draw him toward the ornate front door of the sprawling brick building.

The man who opened the door was
huge
, bigger than any of the O'Kanes, and dressed in a fucking tuxedo, of all things. He bowed his head wordlessly and ushered them into—

Actually, Hawk didn't know what to call the room they were waved into. It didn't seem to have any purpose short of giving new guests a place to stand while they gawked. And there was plenty to gawk at. The stone floors were covered with thick, woven rugs. A goddamn chandelier hung above his head, the glittering light refracting off crystals in a dizzying waste of electricity, considering the current power crisis.

A staircase curved toward a balcony that lined the second floor. Gilded mirrors sparkled on the walls next to art that looked fucking expensive, and the spaces in between doors held potted plants and vases on carved wooden stands.

Hawk was pretty sure his mouth was hanging open.

“Jeni, darling.” A tall, gorgeous brunette who
had
to be Gia stepped through one of the doors, pausing as if she knew that the carved doorway framed her like another piece of art. Her crimson skirt was slit just as high as Jeni's, but the top of her dress was a leather corset that looked more like armor, and even in heels damn near as tall as Jeni's, somehow she managed to cross the room in a swaying prowl.

She stopped in front of Jeni and reached up to stroke the leather wrapped around her throat. Her fingertips lingered over the silver tree, and Hawk felt a swell of entirely uncivilized satisfaction as Gia stroked the symbol that made Jeni
his
.

“So it's true,” Gia murmured. “Congratulations, love.”

“It's true.” Jeni framed her friend's face with both hands as a brilliant smile curved her lips. “It's good to see you.”

“You too, sweetheart. We've missed you.” Gia brushed a quick kiss to Jeni's lips before turning to study Hawk. Her gaze started with his face and drifted down with a level of casual, shameless appraisal that brought heat to Hawk's cheeks. When her gaze slid back up, she noticed—and laughed. “Oh, bless you, Jeni. He blushes.”

She sounded so delighted, Hawk resolved himself to an evening of being mildly scandalized. He might be out of his depth here, but Jeni seemed right at home—and that gave him an opportunity to see a new side of her.

Jeni, casually glamorous. Maybe even Jeni as she'd been before she left Eden.

Gia was still watching him like she was waiting for him to melt into the floor from embarrassment. He summoned a challenging stare instead—maybe not Bren at his most intimidating, but at least Jasper on a good day. “I only blush when people are staring at me like I'm for dinner.”

Gia's perfectly arched eyebrows went up. “You should warn him not to tempt me.”

“He can handle you.” Jeni dropped one hand to the small of his back, stroking lightly through his shirt. “Hawk, this is Gia. She grew up with Ace and Jared, so she had to get scrappy.”

Hawk didn't know what the proper greeting was when you were meeting someone who had diamonds dripping from her ears. Thrusting out his hand seemed like the safest bet. “Nice to meet you, Gia.”

She clasped his hand, and even though she had smooth skin and slender fingers, her grip was hard enough to feel like a test—or a challenge. “Welcome to my home.”

Oh, there were layers to this one. The word
my
rolled off her tongue like it was her favorite word in the whole goddamn language. She'd met him covered with jewels and a dress that may as well have been a weapon. This was her territory, the place where she ruled as undisputed queen…

And Jeni had once been one of the subjects kneeling at her feet.

Hawk tightened his grip just a little, to see what she'd do. The corner of her mouth twitched upwards, and she glanced at Jeni. “I think you've found a diamond in the rough, darling.”

“
My
diamond,” Jeni emphasized with rueful amusement. “Are we having dinner on the terrace tonight?”

“I thought one of the upstairs alcoves might be cozier.” Gia tilted her head toward the stairs. Hawk released her and settled his hand at the small of Jeni's back, ignoring the way Gia smiled at the gesture before turning to lead them upstairs. “Dinner should be ready. The cook made all your favorites.”

Her heels clicked on the hardwood as she started up. “She didn't.”

“Mmm. She must have bribed someone to get salmon on such short notice.” Gia laughed softly. “She wouldn't even give me the full menu, so I expect she bribed a
lot
of someones.”

The
cozier
room Gia had mentioned turned out to be almost as big as the warehouse where the O'Kanes held their fight nights. Another chandelier graced the high ceiling, shining down on the couches and circular ottomans scattered throughout the room, along with a huge, polished piano that gleamed in the glittering light.

Two walls were lined with mirrors, creating the impression that the room went on forever. The other two walls were inset with alcoves, all with the curtains drawn back. Some held tables or seating arrangements, and others had only plush cushions and pillows scattered on their carpeted floors.

All the leather and crystal and art in the world couldn't hide the fact that it was a party room, just like the one Dallas presided over from a sagging leather couch. A room where
party
meant debauchery of the highest order.

Gia led them to one of the alcoves with a sleek black leather booth that curved in a half circle around a table sporting candles, wineglasses, and three elaborate place settings.

Jeni slid onto the leather and moved over, then patted the seat beside her. “It's not as sinful as it looks.” she murmured. “It's just easier to have a conversation here than at the monstrous table that seats forty-eight.”

It was intimate, though. The angle hid the back of the booth from the rest of the room unless you were right in front of it, and a flick of the wrist could swing the curtain into place and remove even that visibility. And the shadows were deep enough that Gia wouldn't see him slip his hand under the table to squeeze Jeni's knee lightly. “Nothing wrong with sinful, though.”

She smiled and unfolded her napkin into her lap, lingering to brush his hand.

Gia sat across from Hawk and reached for the bottle of wine chilling in a bucket in the middle of the table. “I hope you don't mind that I had them keep things simple tonight, Hawk. I wanted a chance to talk without servers coming in and out endlessly, but that means a simple affair. We'll have to do for ourselves.”

He'd wager money that his idea of simple and hers weren't even within shouting distance of one another. “I grew up on a farm in Sector Six. Doing for myself is pretty much the status quo.”

“A farm boy. Good Lord.” Gia filled Jeni's glass. “Now I think you and Ace are just competing to ruin my life.”

Jeni raised one eyebrow. “Don't tell me you've run through all the pretty, wide-eyed boys in the sector already.”

“It's not like there were that many to start with.” Gia leaned across the table to pour wine into the glass in front of Hawk. “What do you think?”

None of his coping strategies for dealing with the O'Kane women were going to work on Gia. She wasn't a pestering younger sister or a friend. She was a wolf, sizing him up to see if he was a respected adversary or prey.

Not so different from how most of the men in the gang had treated him during those first weeks. So he told her the same thing he would have told Ace. “I'm just glad you think I'm pretty.”

“She's teasing you.” Jeni leaned over and kissed his jaw. “It's Gia's specialty.”

“And he's putting up with it,” Gia replied with a smile. “You'll do, Hawk. You'll do just fine.”

Something sparked in her eyes, a fire that went beyond casual interest. And Hawk realized that Gia wasn't a wolf stalking her prey. She was a guard dog with one sweet, helpless little lamb. If he didn't prove to her tonight that he could take care of Jeni, she'd be even fiercer than Lex and Dallas. She wouldn't have bonds of brotherhood and ink holding her back. She'd come for him and tear him to pieces.

Which could make her the greatest threat to his fragile new relationship—or his greatest ally. Because she clearly knew Jeni better than he did, maybe better than anyone. No doubt she knew all the things Jeni wanted, and all the things she
needed
.

If Hawk asked nice, she might tell him.

Hell, if he asked
real
nice, maybe she'd show him.

The wine was going to her head.

Everything about the dinner went past delicious and straight into sumptuous—from the delicately glazed fish to the creamy rice and oak-aged chardonnay. Positively exquisite, and Jeni could barely taste any of it. She was too focused on the man beside her, and the subtle but distinct tension brewing between him and Gia.

It was almost as intoxicating as the wine, and even more provocative, because it was unpredictable. Wine was easy. Drink another glass, get a little fuzzier, a little freer. But this…

It could go nowhere—or
everywhere
.

Hawk was smiling, his eyes alight with amusement, and Jeni struggled to keep her mind on the story she was telling. “So anyway, the guy has tons of money he could invest, but he only speaks French.”

“And
I
only speak Spanish. And Italian. And some Russian and German, I suppose…” Gia trailed off and wrinkled her nose. “But the only French I know is one
very
dirty joke.”

Hawk frowned. “Where the hell do you find someone who only speaks French?”

“North.” Gia refilled her glass from the second bottle of wine and rolled her eyes. “He made an absolute fortune with…something. Now I can't even remember what it was. Do you, Jeni?”

“Mining. This big operation, just him and his brothers.” Jeni tipped her glass toward Gia, who poured the rest of the second bottle into it. “So I came up with this brilliant plan—I'd just learn. What's the big deal, right? I had three days to get it done.”