CHAPTER 35
CALIGULA
Damiano pauseswith the fork at his mouth. “What?”
“You weren’t the only one bidding on me, Dami. The Russian in the front row—I’m pretty sure he’s called Grisha?—”
“That Bratva fucker?”
“Yes. He was very interested. And there were others, too, a lot of other people with a vested interest in making sure my downfall was complete.”
He puts the forkful down in the bowl uneaten. “You think I can stroll up to Daniel fucking King and demand the guest list for that night? He ain’t no Tony Stuccio, kid. He’s a little tougher than that.”
“I think you could handle him.” He blinks at me. “But we should try diplomacy first. I got the feeling Grisha goes there a lot. Jesse told me he likes to watch more than participate—he’s a voyeur. You could make friends. Drink with him. Get him to loosen his tongue.”
“I’m not drinking with some pervert fucking Bratva. And I’m not going back to the Obelisk, not with you in tow.”
“It’s our only option right now.”
“No.”
“Dami—”
He grabs my throat, just like he used to do all the time right after he bought me. “If you’re looking for an escape by selling yourself to thisGrishainstead, you got another thing coming.”
I don’t fight. Don’t even flinch. I let him stay there, hand on my throat, until the fire dies down in his eyes a little. “I’m not looking for a new owner, Dami. I’m just looking for answers. Like you.”
He drops his hand. “Jumping out a window into a dumpster wasn’t a good idea. Going back to the Obelisk? That’s unbelievably stupid.”
“Then tell meyourbrilliant idea instead. Tell me where we’ll find our next lead.”
He’s silent, eating a few mouthfuls of the food sullenly. “It’d be like throwing chum in the water, taking you back in there with all those sharks,” he says at last. “And there’s every chance we wouldn’t leave alive if the Bratva are the ones hunting you.”
“But you’ll protect me, Dami,” I say as sweetly as I can. “You always do.”
I can see he’s wavering. I wait patiently.
“If we do this,” he says at last. “Ifwe do this, we need to convince them we’re just there to enjoy the nightlife. You get me? If they think for one second we’re there for intel?—”
“I will perform my role as chastened slave, Dami. Easily done.”
He snorts. “That Clemenza ego of yours is visible from space, golden boy. Did you know that? Nah. It’ll never work. You just can’t keep yourself from talking back.”
He’s nearly there. He just needs one more push. “There’s an easy way to tame my ego.” I lean in toward him, just a little. “You cage me again. And use the plug.”
His eyes travel over my face, my chest, hungry and dark. “Yeah,” he says roughly. “That might just do it.”
“Then let’s go.” I slide out of the bed.
Once again, the fork doesn’t make it to his mouth. “Huh?”
“We should go. Now. Tonight,” I go on, getting more insistent as I see him balk. “Because if Uncle Tony gets the word out?—”
“Shit.” He throws his fork back in the bowl and pinches the bridge of his nose. “Yeah, yeah. I get it. Everyone’ll clam up tighter than your asshole.”
I laugh. Mostly from surprise.
“Speaking of which,” he goes on, “if I’m gonna shove that golden dildo back in your ass, you should clean out your insides first.”