Grave (Dark Kingdom, #3) — PROLOGUE

PROLOGUE

GRAVE

“SWALLA” BY JASON Derulo blares as lights flash in my favorite strip club. Glass has the best of the best women on the Las Vegas Strip.

My best friend, Cross, and I sit center stage with several stacks of hundreds in front of us while a dancer by the name of Mandi sits on his lap topless.

Natalie is face down on the black stage with her ass up in the air right in front of us. Her white G-string glows in the black lights. I toss a few hundreds while she bounces her ass up and down as though she’s fucking an imaginary cock.

She sits up, turns around, and leans over the edge. Gripping my shirt, she yanks me to her, shoving her fake tits in my face, and I inhale the scent of strawberries.

She pulls away laughing, and I pick up my drink, downing what’s left of it.

I whistle and lift my empty glass to signal I need a refill, knowing our waitress is watching us. I paid her two hundred when we sat down to ensure we never go without tonight.

As the song comes to an end, another drink is placed in front of me.

Natalie licks her lips, looking at me. “Want a private dance?” she asks, shoving her hair off her bare chest.

“Of course.” I wink at her. The girls know I pay well.

“What about me?” A man plops down in the empty seat to my left.

Her eyes go over to his, and the smile drops off her face. “What the fuck are you doing here, Randy?”

He leans forward, his forearms on the silver railing. “You’ve been ignoring my calls. I figured I’d come see you face-to-face.” Her face tightens when he adds, “We need to talk.”

“I have nothing to say to you.” She starts to pick up the money that covers the stage. The place is packed this time of night, but most of what she collects came from Cross and me.

He stands and reaches out for her, but I’m faster. I grab his arm, stopping him. “The lady said she doesn’t want to talk to you. I suggest you leave.”

He looks at my hand gripping his arm and then up into my eyes. “Who

the fuck are you?”

“Randy, stop,” she warns.

I smile. “Doesn’t matter who I am.”

“Are you fucking my woman?” he demands.

I let go of him and pick up my glass. “I plan on it,” I say matter-of-factly, “but it doesn’t sound like she belongs to you.”

“Randy …”

“Are you fucking him?” he shouts at her.

My eyes shoot up to the DJ who stands in his corner booth, and he raises his hand, signaling to the security. They try to keep this place clean, but that doesn’t stop the trash from getting in from time to time.

Cross shoves the stripper off his lap and gets to his feet beside me, knowing shit is about to get sideways. I place a hand on his chest and push him back into his seat. I don’t need his help fighting battles.

“We’re not together, Randy!” She growls and stands.

“You fucking slut!” he screams. “You’re nothing but a fucking whore!”

He picks up my glass and tosses it toward her. She squeals as she jumps back in her six-inch heels.

Men crowded around the stage stand as what was left of my liquor splashes most of them.

I grip the back of his neck and slam his face down onto the stage. “Say that again,” I growl.

Blood covers the side of the stage as his hands come to his busted face.

He falls into his chair, and it tips over, landing on the carpet before rolling onto his side. I kick him. “Fucking say that again!” I shout.

I don’t give a fuck what a woman chooses to do with her body. It’s her decision. But for this fucker to come into her business and disrespect her like that is unacceptable.

“Speak, motherfucker!” I lean down and grab the back of his head, slamming his face into the dark blue carpet covered in purple and pink confetti. Standing to my full height, I step on his hand.

He lifts his head off the floor and cries out when I twist my boot, in hopes I’m fucking breaking the bones.

“Grave?” The security guard who works the front desk comes up to me.

“He threw a drink at her.” I point at the stage. It’s now covered in broken glass and alcohol. Natalie stands at the opposite end with her back pressed against the mirrored wall. She clings to her dress and the wet money. The DJ has exited his booth and is now walking up the side stairs to check on her.

“I saw.” He places his hand on my shoulder. “The police have been called,” he assures me. “Let them do their job.”

I suck in a deep breath and then kick him one last time. “Piece of shit!”

He moans and rolls over, cradling his hand.

I look up to see Natalie walking down the stairs toward me. “Come on, Grave.” She takes my hand and pulls me away from her ex.

I walk up the three stairs and pass the bar, grabbing a drink off it as she ushers me to a back room.

“You okay?” I ask once she shuts the door behind me.

“Yeah.” She places her hands on my chest. “Thanks to you.”

I fall into a chair in the corner, and she takes a step back from me. “When was the last time you saw him?” I demand, taking another drink of the rum

and Coke, trying to calm my nerves.

“Last night.”

“Jesus, Nat. You’ve got to quit seeing him.” I remove the pill bottle from my jeans pocket because it’s digging into my thigh and set it on the table

next to the chair.

“We have a kid together.” She sighs.

“So? That doesn’t give him the right to disrespect you like that.” I growl.

What they have is complicated, to say the least. He doesn’t want her but hates that she strips. He’s a piece of shit lowlife who doesn’t even help feed his kid. She does the best she can with the options she has.

“Hey, you need to calm down. I’m okay.”

For now, she is. But I always worry about her and his ass. He’s abusive.

That’s why she left him to begin with. “You need to get a restraining order against him.” I growl.

“I have. You know that doesn’t stop him.”

“I have a friend who is a judge. I can reach out to him for you.” I’m sure the fucker has a warrant. I can have his ass thrown in jail by morning.

She gives me a soft smile. “You’re always watching out for me.”

In general, I feel sorry for women in the same position as Natalie. They have no help and limited means. She makes great money, but kids aren’t fucking cheap. Add in court and attorney fees and it’s like running in place.

“Here …” She drops to her knees before me and spreads my legs wide.

When her eyes meet mine, she gives me a reassuring smile. “I brought you something.” Reaching down, she removes a baggie from her top that she slipped on after she exited the stage since her dress was wet. “Wallet?” She stands, holding out her hand to me.

I lift my hips to remove my wallet from my back pocket and hand it over to her. She opens it up, removes my black Amex card, and starts cutting the powder she pours out on the table next to my pill bottle. “You deserve it.”

She then removes a hundred-dollar bill and rolls it up before handing it to me.

I’m an addict to many things. None of which are good.

_______________

I FEEL MYSELF start to relax as “Pour It Up” by Rihanna begins to play in the large room. Her white top is over by the small stage to the right. She dances before me in nothing but her thong and heels.

She stands and bends over, placing her face in my neck. My right hand goes to her bare ass while my other holds my cold glass on the armrest. She still tastes like my drink the bastard threw at her. She didn’t even bother to take the time to wipe it off. I don’t mind.

She’s yanked from me. “Hey,” she snaps, turning to face the man who interrupted us. Then her voice changes to interested. “I didn’t know your friend was going to join us.”

I look up, ready to beat the shit out of her ex but look into a set of dark blue eyes that match mine. It’s my brother. They fucking called him to come and get me because I made a scene. It wouldn’t have taken him long to get here. Kingdom—the hotel and casino we own—is just down the street.

“Let’s go, Grave.” He ignores her.

I run my eyes over her ass before I down what’s left of the drink I took from the bar. Then I look up at him. “What’s the rush, Bones? Stay. Play a little.”

The man needs to let loose. He’s too uptight. You would think for as much pussy as he gets, he’d be a friendlier guy. But nope.

He growls. “Grave.”

I laugh, sinking farther into the chair. I run my hand over my T-shirt and grab my dick over my jeans. “If you don’t wanna join, then pull up a chair.

You can watch.” I don’t mind an audience.

He reaches down, grabs my arm, and yanks me to a standing position.

“We’re leaving,” he orders, giving me no room to argue as he begins to drag my drunk ass out of the room. “Where is Cross?”

“He found a girl he liked and offered her some cash. They left.” I overheard him telling Mandi that he wanted to take her home. Cross doesn’t mind the private rooms, but he’s always willing to pay extra for them to leave with him.

We make our way to the entrance, and I see his blacked-out Lamborghini Reventon still running at the curb.

“I don’t know …” a kid dressed in his tux says, sounding stressed. He works the valet. This place is as high priced as a strip club can get. “He just parked here and got out.” He’s gesturing to my brother’s car.

“I’m leaving,” Bones informs them.

“That’s him.” The kid turns and points at my brother.

The older man looks at us. “Bones. I apologize.” He nods. “Have a nice night, sir.”

I snort. My brother owns the place. He doesn’t know that I know, but I do. He went in half with one of our best friends Luca Bianchi—he runs the Las Vegas Mafia. We’ve got ties all over Sin City. If you want to be untouchable, it takes an army, and we’ve built one that is indestructible.

“You as well,” he says before we get into the car, and he pulls out of the

parking lot.

I slump down in the passenger seat.

“What are you doing?” he asks with a sigh.

I pull my cell out of my pocket. “Gonna get fucked.” I unlock it. “This hard dick isn’t gonna suck itself. And you interrupted my plan for the night.

I’m messaging Lucy.” She never lets me down.

“When are you gonna shit or get off the pot?”

I snort at that. “I don’t love Lucy. It’s just sex.” I start typing, but my phone begins to ring. Cross lights up the screen, and I answer it. “Hello?”

“Hey, there’s a party going on tonight. Mandi and I are headed there now.

Want me to come back and get you?” he asks. I can hear bitches screaming in the background over the music.

“Nah,” I say. I’m not in the mood to chase down pussy. I want it to come to me.

“Okay, I’ll see you in the morning.” He hangs up, and I do the same. I go

back to texting Lucy.

Me: You free?

My eyes start to get heavy. That pill I took earlier is starting to kick in.

Lucy: when and where?