Chapter 66
ALEX
With Luca’s birthday quickly approaching, I had a huge decision to make. The choice seemed impossible, though I knew from the start who would win.
I sat on the back patio with Kali, sipping mimosas as we finished our brunch.
Luca was working from his home office while Marcello stood watch, keeping his distance.
I’d asked him for some privacy with Kali.
Someone was always hovering over me, and I was beginning to feel like I couldn’t breathe in this house.
Marcello stood beside Dom. The two of them spoke in hushed tones, their eyes on the bay.
A warm breeze blew off the water, messing up my curls.
I tucked them behind my ears and watched Marcello interact with his newest team member.
Soon, Marcello would have to leave for a mission.
It was only a matter of time. His job took him away from Devil’s Creek more often than Luca’s position at Salvatore Global.
“Who are you going to choose?” Kali asked me.
I turned my head to look at her.
She followed my gaze to the edge of the cliff. “Marcello or Luca?”
“I haven’t decided yet,” I confessed, which was the truth.
“Luca’s birthday is this weekend. Bash said they’re planning a game to celebrate his thirtieth.”
“Yeah, Luca mentioned something about a party.”
“This won’t be like any other party you’ve attended at his estate.” She covered her mouth and laughed. “Trust me, girl, this one will be wild.”
“How so?”
“Remember what I told you about over lunch? About the crazy parties?”
I nodded.
“This one will be epic,” she said with certainty.
“I haven’t gotten a present for Luca yet. I wanted to buy him something special, but they won’t let me leave the house.”
“Luca doesn’t want things,” she said with a smile. “He wants you. Put on some sexy lingerie and give him a lap dance. I’m sure he’d be happy with that.”
I returned her smile. “So this party… Do you know anything about it?”
“Nope. Bash and Damian are tight-lipped about this one. They said it will be the best one yet.”
A few days later, Luca lingered in the doorway to my bedroom. He stared at me as I fixed my makeup in the mirror. My sexy Devil leaned against the doorframe, dressed in a three-piece black Brioni suit. He wore a white Oxford beneath the jacket, paired with a blood-red silk tie and black wingtips.
While I was in the shower, he left a package on my bed. It was my outfit for Luca’s birthday celebration. The black toga-style gown dipped low and swayed around my ankles, and a gold rope belt hugged my waist perfectly.
“You look beautiful,” Luca said in a sexy, deep voice. “Like a queen.”
I dropped the pink lip gloss onto my dresser and smiled. “Thank you.”
“Everyone is arriving.”
I pressed my lips together. “Are you going to give me a hint about this party?”
He shook his head. “Patience, my queen. You’ll see soon enough. Join us downstairs whenever you’re ready.”
Then he spun on his heels and left my bedroom in a hurry.
Ten minutes later, I made my way downstairs. The halls were empty except for the guards in various positions throughout the first floor. An eerie silence hung in the air, and even the lights were dimmer than usual.
Decorated like a palace, the Salvatore Estate had high ceilings and windows.
Million-dollar paintings hung on the walls.
The Salvatores owned rare collectibles and treasures from around the world, some of which they had to take.
In 1990, someone stole the Rembrandt painting that Luca had hung in his bedroom.
It was still missing. From what I could tell, Luca owned the original.
There was nothing the Salvatores wouldn’t do to get what they wanted.
When I reached the sitting room, I stopped in the entryway, taking in the scene.
Damian and Bastian sat with Kali between them, hands on her thighs.
Drake kneeled on the floor by the speaker with his back to me.
Sonny noticed me first. His adorable green irises met mine, a smile on his lips.
I knew a monster lurked behind his sexy smirks, but at least he tried to hide it.
Sonny brought his fingers to his mouth and whistled. “Well, look at you, gorgeous as ever.” His gaze landed on my breasts and stayed there for a moment.
I smiled, even blushed a little. “Thanks.”
“I see Luca let you out of your ivory tower,” he joked with laughter in his tone. “You ready for a wild night, Little Wellington?”
“How wild are we talking?”
“Like nothing you’ve seen before.”
I bit my lip as my eyes darted around the room. Handsome and wealthy, they were the sons of powerful men—members of The Devil’s Knights. Kali and I were the only women.
A sudden rush of fear raced down my spine.
Why were there more men than women?
And why were they staring at me?
Luca lounged on an oversized leather chair by the fireplace. Cigar hanging out of his gorgeous mouth, he draped his long leg over the arm. He propped his other foot up on the ottoman, looking like a god.
I glanced around the room in search of a drink because a sinful night with Luca required a lot of alcohol.
Luca watched me with a mixture of desire, his usual intensity flickering in his blue irises.
I stopped in front of him, and he curved his arm around my thighs and pulled me onto his lap.
Our chests moved against the other, locked into a heated gaze that scorched my skin.
I hooked my arms around his neck, and he brushed his lips against mine. “Happy birthday, Luca.”
The Devil was thirty.
“I didn’t get you a present,” I told him.
“What I want, you can’t buy,” he breathed, his forehead pressed against mine.
“What do you want?”
Luca bit my lip, sucking it into his mouth. “You.”
His hands slid over my ass. He gripped me with the same hunger I craved. The animal was ready to play.
He kissed my lips. “Lose yourself with me tonight. Let me take care of you. I think you’ll like the game I have planned.”
“Don’t you ever get sick of playing games?”
He pulled away from me, his blue irises wild as he shook his head. “Never.”
“Why not?”
He smirked. “Because I can win games.”
Luca peppered my jaw with kisses, then he sat up, lifting us from the chair.
Tall and imposing, he towered over me. I looked up at him, noting the nefarious glint in his eyes and the devilish smirk touching the corner of his mouth.
He looked like he was up to no good, which sent a shiver down my arms.
Luca steered me toward the center of the room, his hand on my back. Men watched us, their eyes traveling up and down my body.
Some licked their lips.
Others sucked in deep breaths.
The room was five times the size of most people’s living rooms. It had a vaulted ceiling, high walls, and a ton of furniture.
Sonny plopped into a chair across from Drake and shoved a glass plate of cocaine in front of him. Two dark-haired men tapped shot glasses, drinking with their eyes on Luca and me. We were the center of attention.
Money exchanged hands.
Why were they betting?
Luca wrapped his arm around me, then tipped a bottle of scotch to my lips. “You want more, baby girl?”
I nodded. “Yes, please.”
“I want you to enjoy yourself tonight.” He tilted my head back, pulled down on my bottom lip, and poured more scotch into my mouth. “This game will be fun. Like a flash from the past.”
“What are you talking about?”
Holding me against his chest, he dragged his index finger between my cleavage and whispered in my ear, “See how jealous they are?”
I stared at the men surrounding us.
Even Kali was watching.
“Everyone wants a piece of you,” he insisted. “They want to take you from me.”
His words sliced into my chest.
“You’re paranoid, Luca. I think you drank too much.”
“I’m serious, baby.” He took another swig, his hand now covering my right breast. “It’s only a matter of time before someone steals you away.” His hand slipped beneath my top. “I have a lot of enemies.”
As he cupped my breast, rolling his thumb over my nipple, heels clicked on the marble floors in the hallway.
The sounds slowly approached the sitting room, and my eyes shot toward the entrance.
A group of women walked into the room wearing black gowns like mine and Kali’s.
Some of them had blonde hair, a few with brown, and one with auburn.
But all of them had curly hair, which surprised me.
Ten beautiful women for twenty men. Also weird.
Were they going to fight over us?
I shot a glance at Kali, who gave me a worried look.
A man I didn’t recognize moved toward the group of women. He had sandy blond hair swept off his forehead. He wore a navy blue sweater over a white shirt and gray slacks.
“Welcome, ladies.” He handed them black and gold carnival masks with a cocky smirk. “Now we can get this party started.”
The girls slipped the masks over their eyes without complaint. I assumed they were hired pros brought here for the occasion. My gaze went back to Kali. Damian pulled a mask over her eyes while Bastian fixed it into place, rubbing her cheek with his thumb.
A man cleared his throat beside me.
Luca lowered a mask over my head from behind.
“It’s time,” Marcello said in that deep, sexy voice that glided along my skin like a melody. “Let the game begin.”
As Luca tugged the mask over my eyes, the lights went out… and my heart sank to my stomach.