Empire of Lust (Torrio Empire #1) Read Online J.L. Beck

Categories Genre: Alpha Male, Billionaire, Dark, Mafia, Taboo Tags Authors: Series: Torrio Empire Series by J.L. Beck
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Total pages in book: 120
Estimated words: 113464 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 567(@200wpm)___ 454(@250wpm)___ 378(@300wpm)
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I took a chance then—with Callum. It was thrilling. Intoxicating. For once, I gave into the unsafe bet, rather than fighting what I wanted. Sure, I feel embarrassed now, but mostly because I know it was against the rules.

Not because I didn’t like it.

It was the sort of thrill I could become addicted to. Taking what I want no matter anyone else’s opinions.

Maybe I’ve had too much wine.

Sober Bianca would not be thinking about these things.

I check my phone again to see if Tatum replied. No such luck. Sighing, I look up from my phone, and that’s when I spot her standing in the center of the dance floor.

Like always, she looks fantastic in a short black dress with a halter neckline that leaves nothing to the imagination. It shows off her curvy body to perfection, and there’s nothing a man likes better than a pretty body on display. I wish I had that type of courage to wear something sexy, to show myself off.

Always a good girl.

But not always, right? Not when a certain sexy billionaire is involved.

“Hey!” I call out, waving an arm above my head until she spots me. My smile slips when she fails to return one. I figure she’ll head straight for me, but she scurries across the floor, ducking down a narrow hallway that leads to the restrooms. Fuck. That Kristoff is nowhere to be found gives me a vague idea of what’s going on. What an idiot.

I rush after her to the bathroom. I’m barely through the swinging door before she’s defending herself and trying to laugh off the devastation that’s bleeding through her features.

“Too short. My dress is too short. Did you know that?” She tosses her blonde curls over her shoulder, blowing out a tremendous sigh.

Hello to you, too. “Is that what you were fighting about?”

“We weren’t…” she mutters, her voice softer, her resolve crumbling. “Actually, yes, that’s what we were fighting about. Like I need him to tell me how to dress. The guy would walk around in socks and sandals if I didn’t complain about it. He acts like my father, but one dad is enough for me. I’m a grown-ass woman. I don’t need his approval.”

She’s not wrong. He’s sort of hopeless. He’s also a dick who wants to control her. “I’m sorry he’s being an asshole, but for what it’s worth, you look hot.”

She frowns at her reflection before meeting my eyes in the mirror. “Yeah?” I’m not used to seeing her this insecure. It kills me to know he has the power to break her like this.

“You know you do,” I assure her with a smile. “I’d rather have you to myself, anyway. We need a girls’ night before you abandon me for a month.”

Stepping behind her, I wrap my arms around her middle and give her a hug. “If I had a thing for girls, I’d totally steal you from him.”

“And I wouldn’t stop you.” Her grin is genuine, and there are no longer tears shining in her eyes. “Let’s get drunk.”

“That’s more like it.” I’m laughing as I open the door, prepared to pour my energy into picking her spirits up. Only the floor falls beneath me when I’m greeted by the last person I expected to see here. His familiar, dark eyes widen with shock once he realizes who he’s looking at.

“Lucas?” Tatum bumps into my back, but I barely feel it. I’m too busy staring at my boyfriend. He’s out of place. He shouldn’t be here. “I thought you were working.”

I once caught him jerking off to hardcore BDSM porn with a pair of my panties wrapped around his dick. The look on his face now is a lot like the one he wore that day—a man at a complete loss, shock and guilt competing for control.

He scrubs a hand through his short, sandy hair, probably trying to find an explanation. “What are you doing here?” I demand. “You said you had to close up the gym tonight.”

His eyes light up. “I got out early and came to surprise you,” he explains with a chuckle.

“I would believe that, but I didn’t tell you where we were going.” I fold my arms across my chest.

“I overheard you talking with Tatum about it.” He shrugs, grinning in a way I used to find sexy. Now, it nauseates me. “Surprise?”

No, this isn’t a surprise. That comes two seconds later when the door behind him opens, and a pair of arms snake around his waist.

“Mm, that was fun,” a woman purrs, leaning over and craning her neck to look up at him. “But next time, let’s take it someplace more private than the men’s room.”

From what I can see of her, she’s a petite, curvy redhead. She’s pretty. I’ve never seen her before, but she’s clearly someone my boyfriend knows. My choked groan brings her attention to me. You can practically see the puzzle pieces aligning in her mind. Her gaze ping-pongs between us.


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