Page 25 of Claiming Liberty
I have to raise Kingsley’s hand from my ass one more time—he barely notices—before we make it to the entrance and step inside. There’s no one at the door, and I realize there weren’t any guards outside either.
It’s quiet except for our footsteps and the men’s conversation, but the noise picks up as we arrive at a double set of doors that remind me of the playroom entrance. I hold my breath as Malakai opens one, prepared to be hit with the stench of sex and loud music, but I let it out on a surprised exhale, my eyes narrowing as the room is revealed through a thick fog of smoke.
The space is large, and there are plenty of people, but it isn’t like the playroom. The music is low and classical for one thing, and for another, I can actually see in here with more than a strobe light. I don’t see a bar, only a drink cart off to the side of a card table with five men sitting around it, smoking cigars. There are a couple pool tables in the back, and people occupy a few couches in the room, some lost in conversation and some lost in each other’s lips. One thing missing stands out to me the most…
There’s no sex. No chains or devices, no stages.
Hmm.
My eyes wander the room in search of Naomi, but I don’t find her.
“Do you want a drink?” Kingsley asks me, his voice noticeably calmer. I think talking to his friend has helped. That or the edible he ate before coming here has kicked in.
I turn to him, blinking away the burn in my eyes from the smoke. “Is this it?”
He bites the corner of his lip and shrugs.
“What, you’re not impressed?” Malakai asks, coming up beside me. He drapes his arm over my shoulders like he did to Kingsley and leans into my ear. “You’re a manor girl, huh?”
His fingertips tickle my shoulder, and I press my lips together to keep from snarling. I glance at Kingsley, but he stands awkwardly, looking away like he doesn’t know what he should do.
“I’m a fan of the manor too,” Malakai says. “Maybe we’ve seen each other before?”
“Doubt it,” I say to shut down the line of thinking. “I haven’t been in a long time.”
“Yeah?” He arches a thick brow. “Aren’t you a whore?”
I glare before shrugging his arm off me and taking a step away, my attention turning to Kingsley. “Didn’t you say Digby would be here?”
“You know Digby?” Malakai cuts in.
Kingsley tucks his hands into his pockets and looks around like he just remembered what we’re here for.
“He’s probably out back or in a room.” Malakai grins wickedly. “He’s been glued to some fiery Asian girl. Seriously, dude, you have to try her. She could suck a grape through a straw.”
“How do you know that?” My jaw tenses thinking about this fucking asshole near Naomi.
He angles his neck back. “What?”
“You’ve met her?”
His face pinches as he thinks for a moment. “The Asian chick?”
“They knew each other at the manor,” Kingsley explains to him, his hand pressing between my shoulder blades. “Come on, let’s go get a drink.”
I press my lips together and let Kingsley nudge me out of the room, then he leads me down a hall.
“Where are we going?” I ask, my teeth grinding.
He stops me with a hand on my arm, and I turn to glare at him.
He glares back. “Okay, first of all, you need to chill out. I talked to Digby earlier today, so I know he’s here somewhere. Just be patient. Second of all, don’t be a dick to Malakai. He knows these people better than I do, and he’s the only thing that makes it seem like we fit in here. You’re acting suspicious, and it’s making me nervous.”
I huff even though I know he’s right. He looks less nervous now than he did on the boat, but I know I’m not helping things.
I cross my arms over my chest but let my shoulders relax. “Sorry.”
He shrugs. “It’s cool. Let’s just pretend to have a good time, all right? Digby and your friend will show up eventually.”