Dance Of Devils

Six - Nadia

Chapter six

Nadia

It seemed to Nadia that she would forever be finding herself in cheap shitty strip clubs at every turn of her life, as if every single interaction with the underworld had to be shrouded in cigarette smoke, the stench of vodka and heavy bass lined music. She considered asking Leo if they could stop at one of the many dive bars they had passed on the way instead, forget this mythical Oracle who knew all and just grab a pint and a burger. Then the thought of Lorenzo in his thousand-dollar suit sitting in a dive bar drinking a pint and scrounging on a burger was so ridiculous, that she vetoed the idea altogether. Perhaps on a different day, under different circumstances.

Piero explained to her on the drive over that Sam Anderson was the current Oracle for New York from a long line of Oracles that, he claimed, dated back to the dawn of time. Lorenzo snorted but muttered, with the knowledge the Oracle kept, he wouldn't be surprised if that were true. Nadia was sceptical at best. It seemed like bullshit to her, that one person could hold so much knowledge on a world that no one knew about. A world that changed constantly.

But bullshit was her only shot at finding out some truths.

Walking through the crowded bar with Lorenzo at her side shouldered some of her discomforts. His ease settled her, the casual power he wore filling the room as another reminder that she wasn't in this alone anymore. The way people stopped to take a good look at Lorenzo sent an odd wave of pride through her. He was hers, that power was hers, he bowed for no one but her.

Silently, she promised herself to make him bow for her again later if they got through this in one piece. Memories of him on his knees before her in his room before they left sent heatwaves through her body. Nothing was hotter than seeing such a powerful man on his knees for her and only her.

Lorenzo shot her a look, almost as if he read her thoughts, eyeing her up and down in the jeans and leather jacket combo she had settled on for this meeting, drinking in her form in the dark approvingly, settling his hand on the small of her back as he lent into her side, lips brushing the shell of her ear. "If you keep looking at me like that, passerotta, the people in this club will be getting quite the show."

"Didn't take you for the exhibitionist type, Leo," she shot back with a smirk.

"Don't try me, darling," he mumbled against her skin, lightly nipping her ear before pulling away and walking on without another word.  

That settled that then.

Piero, who had stayed two paces behind them, the weapons master acting bodyguard for the night, scoffed at their little display, folding his arms like a scolded child. Nadia turned to look at him, sticking out her tongue back at him in an equally childish manner.

"Despite how much I adore the pair of you," Piero announced through a heavy sigh, "I don't fancy meeting the Oracle for the first time with a raging hard-on. Imagine what that would do to my reputation."

Nadia howled a laugh, Lorenzo rolling his eyes but fighting back a smile at his brother's expense.

"I can't imagine it would work against you," Lorenzo rumbled back, "your reputation already paints you as the frivolous type. I imagine meeting the Oracle with a boner will only work in your favour at this point."

"Your boyfriend just called me a whore, Miss Regarzza."

"And you're yet to deny these accusations, Piero," she told him in a matter-of-fact tone that had Lorenzo chuckling deeply, winking at Piero with a cheeky grin.