It was enough to remind him of us.
Brotherhood. Structure. Unity.
No one benefited from drama. No one survived fractures. What made us formidable wasn’t brute force or indulgence—it was cohesion. A united front. Without it, everything weakened.
After leaving work, I went straight to Dominion.
Seeing Ella on duty pulled my attention instantly. It brought me back to that evening in Rowan’s office—the way she’d followed instruction without hesitation, the way she’d adapted. Talented. Diligent.
A natural at sucking cock.
She finished giving directions to a customer just as I slipped in behind her. Quietly. It was a habit of mine. She always noticed, though—always sensed me before I spoke.
I wrapped my arms around her waist and lowered my chin to her shoulder, close enough to feel her warmth through the fabric. Her body went rigid for half a second. Then she softened, tension draining as recognition set in.
“Hello, Ella,” I murmured, rolling my hips just enough to make the point.
“Alec,” she breathed.
I smiled against her hair, inhaling the clean scent of her shampoo—dark strands brushing my cheek.
“I do enjoy my name on your lips,” I said quietly.“I enjoy it even more when I’m buried deep inside you.”
Her breath hitched—sharp, involuntary.
That was enough for now.
If the meeting unfolded the way it should, we’d all be leaving early tonight. Together.
Reluctantly, I pulled away, already missing her warmth.
“I’ll see you later,” I said.
And this time, I meant it.
???
Nick had his feet up on a stool, relaxed in that careless way of his, as we wrapped up the meeting. The office was thick with the smell of smoke and whiskey—familiar, grounding. Rowan shut his laptop with a soft click and leaned back in his chair.
He looked at both of us, but his gaze lingered on Nick when he finally spoke.
“We’ve built quite an empire,” he said, almost casually.
“Hustle’s grown legs,” Nick grunted.
He wasn’t wrong. There were more desperate gamblers crawling through the pits of London than ever, and we didn’t share that market with anyone. Hustle stood alone. Dominion, on the other hand, was constrained—regulations, optics, competition from other high-end establishments constantly nipping at its heels.
Rowan steepled his fingers, eyes thoughtful.
“What are we building it for?”
Nick’s brow furrowed, bemused. The expression made me smile.
“So we’re at the top of the game,” Nick replied.
“Sure,” Rowan said calmly.“And when we’re dead and gone?”
Nick’s feet dropped from the stool. He leaned forward, resting his weight on the edge of his chair now, his gaze flicking between us.
