The tension around our table rises to uncomfortable levels. Well, for me. Rock seems completely calm.

Wrath has an air of exasperation around him.

It’s Dex who looks like a rubber band stretched too tight.

I settle my hand on his shoulder and he reaches up and pats me. “How’re you doing tonight, First Lady?” he asks without taking his eyes off Swan.

She’s still sitting in Loco’s lap while he compliments her performance.

“Good.” I raise my voice to capture Loco’s attention. “That was amazing, Swan. I’ve seen bits and pieces but never the full routine.”

“Thank you,” she says shyly.

“How long you been doing that, sweetheart?” Loco asks.

“Um.” Swan covers up her nervous laughter with a hand over her mouth. “Pretty much since I could walk.”

Rock clears his throat. “Swan, you have some things to take care of in back?”

It’s more of an order than a question, and Swan’s quick to seize the opportunity to scramble out of Loco’s lap.

“What a slave-driver.” Loco flashes a slow grin at Rock. “Can’t let the lady have a few minutes off?”

“We run a tight ship,” Dex says, standing and nudging Swan away.

“Dexter with her? That why he’s lookin’ so bent?” Loco asks.

Rock doesn’t have to answer because Lexi joins us and is more than happy to warm Loco’s lap. I brush past Loco to rejoin my husband and he pulls me down next to him. “You see what I put up with,” he whispers in my ear.

Before I have a chance to answer, Lexi stands and pulls Loco toward the VIP rooms. “I’ll be back, Rock,” he says before following Lexi.

Rock cuts a glare at Wrath. “You seen Stump or Chaser yet?”

“Not yet. You know they’d both stop to see you first.”

Trinity returns to Wrath’s lap, but they both seem more alert and less playful than before.

More “traditional” pole dancing has taken over the center stage. A number of girls circulate through the crowd.

“Disgusted yet?” Rock asks.

Laughing, I shake my head.

There’s a round of shouts by the front door and a few minutes later Teller and Charlotte join us.

“You came!” I say, rushing over to greet them. I hug Charlotte tight—as if I didn’t just see her this morning. “We weren’t sure if you would be here.”

Teller shrugs. “How could we skip this?”

“How was the Bar Association party?” she asks me.

“Nice actually. We didn’t stay too long. I do have something I want to talk to you about later, though.”

She tilts her head and narrows her eyes, much the way I probably did when Mara suggested I co-chair one of the committees. I snort-laugh. “Later. Tell me, did you find a tree?”

“Yup,” Teller answers. “Alexa flipped her shit when we chopped ‘em down too.”

“Aww. I’m sorry I missed that.”

“Murphy got the tree set up at your house.”

“Oh, he did? That’s so sweet. I bet Alexa loved it.”

I turn to lead Charlotte over to where Trinity and I are sitting and collide with a hard wall of a man.

“Whoa. Sorry, Hope,” Whisper says, steadying me with a hand on my shoulder. “Was coming to say hello to Charlotte.”

“Hey, Whisper,” she says, reaching up to give him a quick hug. “How’ve you been?”

“Fine. Heard from your uncle this morning. He’s spending the winter down in Florida.”

“Oh, that’s good.” A nervous smile flickers over her lips and she backs up against Teller, who slings his arm over her shoulders.

Whisper’s gaze slides to Teller. “Still haven’t heard from Keeper yet.”

Teller doesn’t so much as twitch. “Sorry to hear that.”

Unsure of why the atmosphere took such a weird turn, I link my arm through Teller’s. “Rock’s been waiting for you.”

“Aw, fuck. What’d I do now?” he jokes.

“Hey,” Rock calls out, standing to give Teller a quick embrace. “Glad you made it.” He nods to Charlotte.

“So, what’d I miss?” Charlotte asks, shoving into the booth next to me.

“Swan’s performance, a lot of bare skin, and no jolly half-naked elves for us to enjoy.”

Even though Rock’s deep in conversation with Teller and a brother from Sway’s club, he reaches over and squeezes my leg. His subtle way of saying he heard my naked elf comment.

God damn has this been a long night.

Loco returns from the VIP rooms in time to meet Stump and Chaser. Stump’s interested in working with Loco, but he seems to feel he’s doing me a favor and wants something in return.

He leans in lowering his voice. “I’d like to introduce you to my daughter-in-law’s father. He’s gonna pay us a visit in the spring for my granddaughter’s graduation.

I’ve known Stump since I was a kid tagging along on a run with my old mentor, Grinder. That’s how I know the man he’s referring to is tied to the Russian mafia. Business I’ve never wanted to get involved with.

“I need more details.”

“Another time. Tonight’s for celebrating.”

Then why the fuck even bring it up?

Now I’m just irritated.

I endure a few more hours of conversation, catching up with people I haven’t seen in a while. Making arrangements for new deals. Scheduling things for next year.

Then I’m done. I need my wife and some quiet.

“I have to check in with Z, and then we’ll get going,” I say to Hope.

She nods and kisses my cheek. “I’ll wait here. Unless you need me?”

“Nope. Here’s fine.” I lift my chin at Wrath. “You good?”

“We’re going to head out soon too.”

“Sounds good.”

I glance around the club and decide I’d rather have Hope with me.

Z’s nowhere in sight. One of the girls says she saw him down in the VIP rooms and I roll my eyes.

“Ooo, I’ve never seen the secret VIP section,” Hope says, giggling and hurrying to keep up with me.

“Don’t get too excited. It’s not all that interesting.”

Z’s put a lot of effort into redesigning the VIP rooms since I used to run the place. Each room seems to have its own theme. Gaudy, over-the-top, but it’s more than paid for itself according to the spreadsheets Teller hands out at church.

I find Z stumbling out of the “Roman Gladiator” themed room.

“Living out your gladiator fantasy?” I ask.

He smirks. “What’s up?”

“We’re leaving. You got this?”

“Who else is still here?”

I give him a rundown and he nods. “It’s all good.”

“You okay, Mama Bear?” Z asks Hope. “We didn’t traumatize you too much, right?”

“I had fun. The club’s really impressive.”

“Thanks.” He smiles, but it’s more pained than anything and Hope gives him a tight squeeze.

“Take care of yourself, Z.”

We stop at the bar so Hope can say goodnight to some of the girls. Sparky’s sitting in the corner with a beer, watching Willow work. Hope hugs Sparky too. “Did you show off your babies tonight?”

“Sure did, First Lady. Did you want to see them?”

“No, you can show me at home. We’re heading out.”

He gives her a blissed-out smile that makes me suspect he was sampling the goods more than showing them off. But whatever. It’s the holidays and I don’t care.

The cold night air slaps us in the face as we step outside. A light dusting of snow covers the ground and Hope shivers as we cross the parking lot. “Sorry, Baby Doll. I should’ve come and picked you up.”

“I’m fine.” She gestures toward the rapidly falling snow. “I’m worried about Wrath and Trinity. They took the bike.”

“Someone will give them a ride. He won’t take any chances with her.”

Once we’re driving, it doesn’t take her long to realize we’re not headed home. She’s fighting to keep the smile off her face.

“What?”

“Where are we going?”

“You already know, don’t you?”

She bursts out laughing. “I don’t know where. Just that you have something planned.”

Now I feel bad, because it’s not even anywhere fancy. It’s a nice hotel and I reserved a large suite, but it’s still in Empire. Not far from Crystal Ball.

“Don’t get your hopes up.”

She rests her soft hand against my arm. “Rock, I don’t care where we go, as long as I’m with you. I do have one question for you, though. What am I supposed to wear for however long we’re away?”

“Not a damn thing.” I won’t bother telling her there’s a bag of her stuff in the back. Not yet anyway.

She lets out a contented sigh. “Why is that such a damn turn on?”

I drop my hand on her leg, running up under her dress until I reach bare skin. “Because your body recognizes I’m its king.”

Hope’s full of surprises tonight. She slides down in her seat, spreading her legs for me. “Mmm. Long live the king.”