Page 22 of Shamelessly Loyal
Flipping the first book open, I stared at the post-it note inside with the clean, crisp writing that had just a hint of fanciful flow to it.
This is such bullshit. Learn social etiquette like you would Sun Tzu’s Art of War. Etiquette is armor. Politeness a weapon. All you have to know is when to wield it.
Amusement curved my lips. The second book had another note in it.
This is moderately more useful, particularly Chapters Fifteen through Nineteen. I highlighted a few pages that you should revisit.
More than a little curious, I flipped to chapter fifteen as my phone buzzed in my pocket. The chapter was titled Meritocracy. Pulling my phone out, I glanced at the screen.
Bay Ridge Royals have been identified as an investor in Cascade Palace. Membership confirmed for all known members, including one identified only asKing.Rumor only,Kingexpected to appear in person Friday at the following coordinates. You’ll need an invitation to get in.
The source was pretty highly placed. Liam and I had cultivated a government resource because everyone filed tax papers of some kind. Whether they used their real business or names, a paper trail was a paper trail. Coordinates, not a name.
The location was outside of Whorehouse Creek. It was at least hundred and fifty miles east of our current location. Whorehouse Creek was a small, ramshackle town that had been abandoned sometime in the late 1890s when a new railroad line went through about thirty miles south.
Some of the settlers tried to make it work, but by the 1920s, it had basically become a ghost town. We’d been there a couple of times for shits and giggles.
Invitation.
So whatever event they were hosting was in Whorehouse Creek. That didn’t bode well.
“What’s wrong?” Mayhem’s voice drifted around me like one of those cartoon aromas designed to entice and summon. I pivoted to find her standing there in a long, oversized tunic that left those stunning legs of hers bare.
The shirt hid whether she was wearing panties or not, which was probably a good thing. The red flush to her skin from the heat of the shower and the damp hair lent an air of vulnerability to her.
“Nothing,” I said. “I just need to figure out how to handle this.” Liam would ordinarily run with this type of lead. This was the world he’d gotten himself into, he could handle it. But I wasn’t pulling him from getting Ivy.
“How to handle what?” She moved to her bag, the movement captivating even if I tried to keep my focus on my phone.
“A lead,” I said. “We’ve been trying to track down someone. There’s a chance they will be somewhere this weekend, except it requires an invitation. I’d normally just send Liam…” Well, I’d ask him, but there was no doubt in my mind that he would go.
“What do you need? What kind of invitation?”
“You can’t help,” I told her. The last place she needed to be was even more involved in things.
“Stop being such a baby,” she retorted as she stepped into a pair of leggings and dragged them on. The act of putting on clothes should not be so appealing. One would think nudity would be more attractive, yet there was something downright enticing watching all that gorgeous flesh disappear behind the black leggings. “Money opens a lot of doors, Pretty Boy. I have a lot of money.”
I glared at her, but she didn’t seem remotely chastened by my expression. If anything, she grew more defiant. One hand on her hip, she returned my scowl.
“What. Do. You. Need.” The fact she fired each word like a bullet from a gun demanded a response.
I needed to track down this asshole who’d set me up. The guy behind so many other attacks on us. I needed to find him and eliminate him. Then maybe Liam could just come home.
“Use me, Pretty Boy,” she coaxed, like it was an invitation. “You know you want to.”
I snorted. “No, Mayhem. I don’t want to use you. Or your wealth.”
“If all you see is money and status, then use it. I’m here until Emersyn is back safe and sound. Besides,” she continued, folding her arms, “I’m bored.”
The corner of my mouth kicked up as an involuntary laugh escaped. “You’re bored?”
“Holy shit, you almost smiled and your face didn’t crack. Be careful. I don’t want you to hurt yourself.” Laughter sparkled in her eyes, but then so did a dare. A dare and a demand.
The silken tone surrounding “use me”stroked eager fingers down my body and wrapped around my cock. That was not what she meant, but my body was definitely on board.
Still, the amusement was right there. “I see a lot more than money and power,” I told her.
“But that doesn’t tempt you to use me, does it?”