Page 27 of Beastly Armory
LIVIA
Shuffling away, I leave his firm body and his intoxicating woody scent. His eyes are so deep, I almost drown. From his resounding voice, my bones vibrate. My pussy feels so empty at this moment, thinking about how thick he could fill me up.
Raising one of his eyebrows, he smirks, knowing he’s got me. Max’s lips spread wider into a beautiful smile that makes me want to run back into his arms, but I don’t. I clear my throat and narrow my eyes.
“I’ll set up the meeting. Give me your phone.” My palm opens impatiently, waving in the air for him to hand it over.
“No way. Just tell me your number, and I’ll text you.”
A thick sigh leaves my lungs, and I relent. My phone vibrates in my back pocket with his text. “Got it. I’ll let you know the date and time. Just be available.”
“Oh, I’m available. You want to go somewhereright now?”
Rolling my eyes, I sashay back to the car, knowing I’m showcasing my ass. “Bye, lion.” I can practicallyhearthe blood rushing to his cock.
The rage I had earlier dissipates as I spin out in my Victor, heading to the west side. My tires throw up road dust, causing Max to cough as I pass, and through the rearview mirror, I see him jump in his car to head in the other direction.
A third! We could get a third of the weapons! I just need to snag that meeting with Vlad Strauss. If Max can keep his bear temper under control and leave the speeches to me, we could possibly avoid having to use the other mob contacts to get the guns we need.
Nick Jordan is my brother’s right-hand man, and he owes me a favor... Well, a lifetime of favors. I only call on his help when it’s absolutely needed and now is one of those times.
As I approach our land, my thumb presses the button on the steering wheel to dial him. He picks up on the first ring. “What’s good, Livy?”
“Nick. I need you.”
There’s a pause, and he asks with some restraint, “What do you need me for?”
“Set up a meeting with Strauss. This is for Max Freidenberg and I to discuss business licenses. I’ll take a lackey with me.NotArmel, because I don’t want Cal to know anything.”
Another long pause, and I check to see if the phone is still connected. It is. “Nick?”
“Livy, you’re really going to make me do this?”
“Do youwantme to tell Cal about you fucking our mother when she was alive?”
At least Nick had been in love with her. Had given her everything she desired those years they had their sordid affair. When I was eighteen, I walked up on them in the throes of passion on a workbench in the rose garden. Keeping silent, I asked my mother casually about it months later when I wanted out of an arranged date with some stiff’s son.
My father was never faithful to her. After he killed her, he ran off to the South of France with who used to be our third nanny. Cal hadn’t heard from him in years and had seemingly given up on trying to locate him. If he did, he wouldn’t tell me. I’d be happy to tell Strauss’s men right where they could find him if I knew.
“Okay, Livy. I’ll do it. I’ll send a lackey to accompany you. But Liv, what do you get out of this meeting?”
“Athirdof the weapons from the Freidenberg’s business,” I say, proud of my negotiation skills.
“You know there’s a way we can get a hundred percent…”
“Don’t,” I warn him, my triumphant mood suddenly spoiled.
“Your parents wanted?—”
“I don’t give afuckwhat my father wanted.”
“Livy, think about it, at least. Not for you, for thepeople. For those who have nothing out there, left to?—”
“Goodbye. Text me about that meeting.”
Making it back to my castle, I leave the engine running for the chauffer, then marchinside. My body is still buzzing from the busy morning. Tradition here in Gnarled Pine Hollow has never allowed a woman to run things. Max thought he could get by with speaking to Cal about his meeting, but I showed him who therealboss of the Von Dovish clan is.
In my room, my clothes are tossed into the corner pile as I don a leotard with leg warmers found in the top drawer of my dresser. Once I head down to the studio, the old ballroom, I turn on Wagner. Pulling out my pointe shoes from the cabinet, I flex them a few times while warming up my feet, then I slip them on and tie them up. Draping over my barre, I begin my stretch routine. A quick warmup of plies, tendus, rond de jambes doesn’t last long before I feel the music rising and the urge to move tingles every nerve within me. My turns feel sharp while my body remains lithe as the crescendo hits.