We washed in a hurry, then I dried my curls into place and slipped my curves into a tight dress that made Luca groan. His eyes traveled up and down my body. He moved his fingers to his lips and whistled.
“Glad you approve,” I said before we headed downstairs.
After Marcello and his team secured the perimeter, we climbed into a stretch limousine. We picked up Sonny and a few of the founders’ sons before we grabbed Kali and headed toward the marina. Unlike the clubhouse where the Belles held their private meetings, the Founders Club was below ground.
Luca slipped his fingers between mine as we descended a flight of stairs, which led to a narrow stone hallway that reminded me of the secret passage in his house. He knocked three times on a metal door, each tap of his knuckles different from the last. Then the heavy door moved inward.
A tall man with broad shoulders and the thick arms of a professional wrestler allowed us entrance. “Mr. Salvatore,” he said with the slight tip of his head as we passed him. “Welcome back to the Founders Club.”
He repeated the same greeting to the rest of his brothers, who followed behind us. Drake and Sonny stopped to talk to the guard while we moved farther into what appeared to be a gentleman’s club, brothel, and illegal casino rolled into one.
Heads turned toward us, one by one, the men at poker and craps tables acknowledged Luca. He garnered respect everywhere we went, and this was no different. All the women were shirtless, some carrying trays of drinks in their hands while others were dancing on stage or straddling the laps of affluent men. Kali and I were the only women fully clothed, but I felt them undressing me with their eyes with how the men stared at us.
“I take it women don’t normally come to this club with you,” I said to Luca.
“Kali’s been here dozens of times with my brothers.”
“So why is everyone staring at us?”
“Because they know who you are,” he said with a wink.
My eyes swept over the crowd once more. They were bowing their heads in reverence to Luca and the new Queen of the Underworld. A shiver rolled down my bare arms at the thought. The ring on my left hand suddenly felt heavier with all of their gazes on me. Our marriage was more than a piece of paper in this world. We would be more than husband and wife.
Luca raised my left hand to his mouth and kissed my skin. Warmth spread down my arm from the sudden contact. Though, it was not a romantic gesture. This was Luca’s way of telling his loyal subjects he respected his queen, and they would, too.
Marcello and Sonny moved in front of us to speak with several security guards. A gray-haired man dressed in a bespoke navy blue suit emerged from the group, fixing the cufflinks on his wrist as he headed toward us.
“Mr. Salvatore.” He extended his hand for Luca to shake. “We have your room prepared to specification.”
I raised a curious eyebrow at Luca.
He smirked, then aimed his focus on the man. “Thank you, Michael. We can take it from here.”
The club manager dipped his head and excused himself, telling Luca to let him know if there was anything he could do to make our stay pleasant. He was a real ass kisser, but so was everyone who entered Luca’s life. They wanted to make the master happy.
Luca slid his arm behind my back and dug his fingers into my hip as he led me through the club. We walked down a long, dimly lit hallway with red carpets and black walls. Luca stopped in front of double doors at the end of the hall. My chest heaved as he removed a key from his pocket and dangled it from a string on the edge of his fingers.
An evil grin tugged at Luca’s mouth as he shoved the key into the lock. My belly churned from the intense wave of emotions sweeping over me. He pushed open the door, and my heart leaped out of my chest. “Shake That” by Eminem and Nate Dog blared through the speakers suspended at the corners of the room.
“You can breathe, baby girl. No one will bite you.”
I peeked up at Luca. “I’m not sharing you with other women.”
“It’s just you in me in this room.” He sucked my earlobe into his mouth. “Don’t pay attention to anyone else. I know I won’t see anyone but you.”
I stared into the expanse of the dimly lit room. A red glow cast its shadow over the space, the walls mirrored, and the floors carpeted. At the center of the VIP room, girls danced from poles on the stage surrounded by leather couches and chairs. Another group of naked, beautiful women waited in front of another set of leather couches. Along the opposite wall, two topless girls stood behind a wooden bar, ready to serve us.