How May I Please You (The Darkest Kink #2) (The Darkest Kink Duet)

Chapter 25

chapter

twenty-five

“Wow, you guys look incredible.”

“What are you talking about, bro? This is how I always look. She looks incredible,” I reply as I take my seat next to Journey and across from Trey.

Alpen Rose is an upscale restaurant in Philly, but I never knew just how upscale until tonight. When Trey texted that he had made reservations for the three of us, I had to look the establishment up just to see what it was like. I was pleasantly surprised that he had chosen a steakhouse instead of a place that serves hors d’oeuvres and caviar, because Journey and I are not “fancy” people. While the setting is romantic dim lighting, vibrant chandeliers, and even a fireplace, I don”t feel out of place when we’re escorted to our table. The waiter who takes our order is dressed in a tuxedo, but he doesn”t have his nose in the air as he memorizes what each of us want, and I don”t have the sudden urge to meet him out back to stick a fork through his chin.

Journey sits next to me in a sequin black dress that she tones down with a black leather choker that’s wide enough to cover the slight bruising on her neck from last night. Her hair crashes down her back in beautiful black waves, and the look in her eyes tells me she can’t wait to return home and watch me take off the all-black outfit I’m wearing. The top three buttons of my shirt are undone, giving her a subtle peek at my chiseled upper chest, and I keep catching her glancing at it before sucking her bottom lip into her mouth.

After last night, Journey and I are back on track—the way we always should have been. Her suspicious activity steered us off course, but I chose to re-center us. The scene we pulled off with the belt last night was precisely what we needed, the perfect shade of black to make us feel at home again. Now that we are on solid ground, my thoughts are no longer weighed down by doubt or distrust. All I can think about now is when I’ll make her scream for me again.

“Nah, you both look good,” Trey says, smiling in a white button-up. His beard is freshly trimmed and he is well put together tonight. “I”ve never seen you so done up before, Evan. Journey really brings it out of you, huh?”

We all share a laugh.

“That she most definitely does,” I agree, but the look Journey and I share is much more devious than Trey knows.

Yes, she brings out the murderer in me. My Little Devil.

“It’s nice to see you again, Journey,” Trey says, reaching for his glass of water. “How have things been going with you, besides putting up with Evan’s shit?”

Journey giggles lightheartedly. “I can’t complain. Just doing the same old stuff, really. Work all day, play with Evan all night.”

Trey smiles but I can see the apprehension on his face. “Umm, yeah that’s cool. Any interesting cases you can tell me about? I heard a diner around here was burned down.”

I keep my eyes on my glass of red wine while Journey speaks on the now taboo topic.

“I can”t really get into an ongoing investigation, but yes, Andrea’s was burned down recently. That’s actually my case and we’re looking into it.”

“Any leads?” Trey asks.

I laugh mockingly. “Leads?”

“What? That’s what they call it on TV,” Trey shoots back. “Evan is always hating.”

“No, not really,” Journey answers. “We haven”t had much luck with this one.”

“That’s too bad,” says Trey. “Well, at least the two of you are going strong. I hope I can have what you guys have one day. Love is hard to find.”

“It most definitely is,” I chime in. “Especially finding someone who’s into the same kind of things as you. People say opposites attract, but I think that’s not the way to go for the long term.”

The waiter interrupts our conversation by bringing out our food and positioning each plate neatly in front of its owner. Journey’s beef wellington is a sight to behold, while Trey’s lamb looks delectable. My T-bone steak is so mouth-watering that I forget what I’m even talking about.

We spend the next fifteen minutes eating instead of talking. The sound of forks and knives scraping against ceramic plates fills the air, mixed with wine being gulped and glasses clinking back to the table.

In no time at all, all of our plates are nearly empty and our bellies are full of wine. When the waiter returns to ask if we’d like dessert, we shoo him away as if the question is offensive.

“I couldn”t possibly eat another bite,” Journey says as the waiter walks off.

“I will literally explode if I have one more forkful,” Trey agrees. He leans back in his chair and rubs his belly. “Now I’m ready for my Santa Claus audition.”

“Santa Claus? You think your future fiancée will be into that?” I ask before bringing my wine glass to my lips and looking at Trey over the top edge.

“Oh, you got jokes?” he quips. “I don”t know, but if she is, I’m down for it. Hell, I see that collar on Journey’s neck. I might need you two to teach me a little something about getting my girl to be kinky.”

Journey laughs as she habitually rubs her day collar. “If she’s open-minded, you might be able to introduce her to some stuff. It takes a lot of love and trust to explore kinks, though.”

“We’ve got plenty of love and trust, that’s why I’m considering popping the question.”

“Just be careful,” I join in. “Ease her into the idea of you being kinky. You don’t need her snapping on you for doing too much. The last thing we need is you ending up dead over a kink.”

We laugh together as the waiter brings the bill to the table and sets it next to Trey, who snatches it up quickly. When I reach for my wallet, he holds out his hand.

“Don”t even think about it,” he says, shaking his head. “I told you this was on me, so I got this. Plus, I’m your boss. I’m supposed to pay.”

“You”re my boss on the job site,” I correct him jokingly. “See, that’s something else you better fix before asking your girlfriend to marry you. You have to earn the right to be a woman’s boss.”

“I’m not afraid to earn it,” Trey says. “Or I’ll die trying.”

I chuckle. “Good luck. Maybe that’s what happened to Cain.”

I laugh at my own joke, but Trey doesn”t laugh with me. Maybe it’s the wine swirling around in my system, but my tongue is certainly looser than it should be, and the look on Trey’s face suggests that he isn’t amused.

“What?” he asks, his forehead riddled with wrinkles.

Realizing what I just said, I shake my head and try to backtrack. “Ah, nothing. Never mind.”

“Don”t fucking joke about that, man,” Trey snips with a deep furrow in his brow as if he’s truly disgusted.

Journey’s head snaps over to him so fast I can practically feel the wind on my face from the speed of it. Her eyes widen to twice their size, and she doesn”t have to say a word. This is the exact look she had when she met Cain for the first time.

“Yeah, that was … I shouldn”t have said that,” I say to Trey while keeping my eyes on Journey who hasn”t blinked once.

“Dude, I know Cain was an asshole who picked on you a lot,” Trey says, clearly in his feelings. “But he died, bro. He was murdered. Someone broke into his house and killed him in his own bed. They haven”t even found the fucking asshole who did it. He and I weren”t the best of friends, but he was an associate of mine … of ours. He was a part of our crew for a long time, and while he had some issues that he needed to fix, I can”t sit back and let you shit on a dead man’s name. That wasn’t cool, man.”

I nod, knowing it was a bad idea to bring up a man I killed, but I’m not the real issue. Journey isn’t happy at all, and that’s always a problem.

“Who do you think you”re talking to?” Journey suddenly dives in head-first. The fire in her eyes could melt steel as she stares daggers into Trey, totally unafraid.

Journey is not the kind of woman who is scared of getting into it with a man. In fact, I think she relishes it. She’s a woman with a tough upbringing who became a police officer and then promoted to detective. She fears no one.

“Okay, we’re good,” I say quickly, trying to extinguish the fire before it can engulf everything around us. “No need to say anything else or go any further. Trey, you”re right. Journey … Little One … it’s fine.”

Journey’s eyes slowly shift over to me, and I immediately know that it is not fine to her. If there is one thing Journey can’t stand, it’s the idea that someone is disrespecting me. It lights a fire in her that burns brighter than the sun, and dousing it has proven to be nearly impossible.

“Excuse me?” Trey says to Journey. He swallows hard and straightens out his back, readying himself for an argument if it comes to that. Checking a construction worker is harder than most people realize.

“Oh, you didn”t hear me?” Journey says, barreling over my attempt at calming things down. “I asked who you think you”re talking to. Don”t tell Evan what to do.”

“With all due respect, Journey, I tell Evan what to do every single day,” Trey replies.

Oh, is that fucking right, Trey?

Tension creeps into the muscles in my face, making it tight as I glare at Trey. He’s a friend, but there are lines. There’s only so much I’ll take, and while I do give him leeway because I like him, the rope can only stretch so far before it snags.

“Trey,” I begin, cutting my eyes over to him. “I like you, but let’s not get it twisted.”

“Get what twisted?” he replies with a puzzled expression. “I do tell you what to do every day.”

“At work,” I say a little more aggressively than intended. “We’re at dinner just having a good time, so let’s not act like that extends outside of the job site.”

Or I may have to rescind the pass you’ve gotten because you”re a “friend.”

“Okay, I don”t know what the hell just happened here,” he says, “but the mood has definitely shifted. All I know is that making fun of a dead man isn’t cool, and I’d appreciate it if you didn”t do that. If y’all want to make it about something other than that, then that’s not my issue, it’s yours.”

“Really?” Journey interjects, her tone dropping to something devious. “Well, I want to make it your issue, since you insist on disrespecting Evan.”

“How am I disrespecting Evan?”

“Journey,” I cut in before she can answer. “Let it go.”

Yes, rein her in before I’m forced to hide another corpse.

“Why tell me to let it go and not him?” she says, now pointing her hostility at me.

“Because he’s not my sub,” I snip.

I don”t mean to aim any aggression toward her, but the sudden change of mood has me quickly irked.

“No, he’s just your boss who tells you what to do every day.”

Fire blazes inside of me, fueled by Journey’s attitude and how fast this night went south. At this point, I’m ready to flip the table and go off on anybody within earshot.

How about a fire?

But I can’t do that. My only option is to end it here before it goes any further.

“Journey, get up right now. We’re leaving,” I announce, standing up to speed along the process. “Trey, thanks for dinner. Have a good night.”

“Seriously, Evan?” Trey questions.

“Yes … seriously. I’ll see you at work. Journey, get the fuck up. Let’s go. Now.”

Journey stares at Trey as I place my hand on her arm and pull her up. It takes everything in me not to place a hand around her throat and force her to obey, which is exactly why I hate being in public. She continues looking back at Trey even as I lead her out the door.

Once we’re outside and walking back to the truck, anger and frustration wafts off both of us. Neither of us speaks, but I know that once we’re back behind closed doors, we’re going to have plenty to discuss.