Page 76 of Vicious King

It’s expensive as fuck to stay here, but people pay it because the rooms are luxurious, the food is world class, and the casinos rival what you’d find in Monte Carlo. Many of my clientele come here to stay, to play, and then they go over to Rapture to play.

It works well for Rome and me.

As the main doors come into view, I see my girl walk in, flanked by all four guards. One in front, one in back, and one on each side of her—she looks like the fucking queen she is.

And she’s all mine.

“Hey there, handsome,” she says with a grin when she reaches me. She boosts up on her toes, and I oblige her by leaning down to kiss her delicious, plump lips. “This is gorgeous.”

I smile as I take her hand, weave our fingers together, and kiss her forehead. “I have a lot to show you. Are you comfortable in those shoes?”

“Yep.”

“How’s your leg?”

“Much better. It’s been a week.”

“Just tell me if that changes.” I nod at the men, and we set off on our tour. “Obviously, this is the lobby.”

“You added the chandelier I wanted.” She grins up at the enormous crystal light fixture. “It’s so pretty. I bet it’s amazing at night.”

My wife is the sweetest woman ever born.

With every step through the place, she coos and gushes about something. How much she loves the casino, the floors, the uniforms that the servers wear.

And when we get to the retail level, she grins.

“Now this I like. Designer handbags and everything.”

“You like designer handbags?”

She blinks up at me. “Hi. I’m a woman who carries a bag. Of course I like them. Oh, is that Violet’s tattoo shop?”

Rina points straight ahead, and when I nod, she drags me over to it.

“Oh, it’s so pretty,” she says as she walks inside. “Rose!”

“Hey!” Rose hurries around the counter to hug my girl. “This is a fun surprise.”

“Same. I had no idea that you worked here.”

“Yep, I handle the front of the house for Lettie,” Rose says. “I make appointments and take payments, that kind of thing, while the others do the artwork.”

I can hear the tattoo machines buzzing in the back. There’s amazing art all over the walls, and when Rose turns, Rina notices the tattoo on the back of Rose’s neck.

“Your ink is beautiful,” Rina says.

“Thanks.” Rose smiles softly and reaches back to cover it with her hand. “Lettie covered the ‘X’ that . . . that he had put there.”

Rina stiffens. “What?”

“You weren’t there long enough,” Rose continues. “He had us all marked. Lettie covered mine the day after they found me. She works pro bono, doing tattoos for women who have scars, who went through what we did. It’s really awesome.”

I hug Rina from behind because I can sense that she’s about to cry.

“That’s incredible,” Rina whispers. “I don’t want to interrupt anyone, but I had to see it in here.”

“I’m glad you stopped by,” Rose says. “I’ll see you later.”