Crown Jewel Read Online Free PDF

resumed his seat. Before Celeste could speak, someone else entered the room—a dark, handsome man with a foreign touch to his features. He spoke in a language Celeste only vaguely recognized; he knew just enough of it to know when he was being propositioned and how to explain just how much he cost.
    "You still have a regrettable fondness for drama," Celeste drawled when the man had gone. "But I suppose you would fare poorly here in the Theatre District if you did not."
    Marco snorted. "I find it interesting that a jewel mocks me for being dramatic."
    Celeste smiled. "The art of the jewel is the art of subtlety."
    "If you call your behavior tonight subtle, I would be interested to see how you behave when you are being obvious," Marco replied.
    Laughing, Celeste tossed his hair again and leaned back against the pillows, putting his body on display. Marco might think he was not being subtly manipulated, but he was as foolish as anybody in that respect. Peasant, prince, duke, or drug lord—all were susceptible to the shine of a jewel. Marco believed he was only mildly interested, but he was already half-seduced. "Why should I need to be subtle with an old friend? As I said, you like drama." He licked his lips, tasting cinnamon. "So are we dealing or not, bello ?"
    "Maybe you should spell the deal out," Marco replied, sipping his wine, looking amused—and hungry.
    "Seven months. No drugs go to Pio."
    Marco sipped his wine. "He makes me two sovereigns a night. That is a healthy sum of money to lose."
    Celeste laughed, even if he was alarmed to learn that Pio was wasting so much money—if he was spending that much already, he would only spend more and more, and bleed the house dry. "I am worth ten sovereigns a night. I am busy six out of seven days. You do the math."
    Marco smirked in a smug little way that he had possessed since they were children. Strange, and a little funny, how people never really changed at all. "Maybe I prefer the money to fucking you."
    "Maybe you do," Celeste conceded. "But I never knew of 'Lord Marco' to lose a chance to brag." Marco had always wanted power, status, and all the fine things that went with being the man in charge. But even a man as powerful and wealthy as Marco, who controlled all dream smoke trade in the city, could not afford regular appointments with someone like Celeste.
    Everyone tonight would wonder why the Crown Jewel wanted a private word with Marco. Later, when Celeste had gone, Marco would ensure everyone believed that Celeste had come to him on orders, that Marco had the Crown Jewel at his beck and call. It would do things for his reputation that fear and violence could not. Marco would thrive on having Celeste in his power for seven months—not that Celeste cared; he could handle Marco for seven months, and after that he would own the House of Peace and be able to retire from actively tending clients.
    Silence stretched on between them and Celeste did not break it. The next move was Marco's. He would come to Celeste or send him away, and that would be that. Finally, just when he was getting fed up with the game, Marco finished his wine and abruptly shoved the table out of the way. He reached out and snagged Celeste's wrist, pulling him close and pushing him down into the pile of pillows. "A deal, then," he rumbled. "Now show me what makes you worth ten sovereigns a night, when the best dream smoke cannot get more than two a measure."
    "Gladly," Celeste murmured. He pushed away all useless thoughts and emotions, focusing solely on being a crown jewel, determined to add Marco to the list of men who would do almost anything for just one more night in his bed.
    *~*~*
    Lazzaro finished his wine and beckoned for a fresh pitcher, smiling faintly at the serving maid who winked at him before scampering off to fetch the wine. Lazzaro was not typically one to indulge, but the Festival of Secrets existed solely for that purpose and Benito would not hear of him remaining behind.  Given