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 Figures, Breede mouthed to Bandit.
Rath s salute to the almighty dollar, power, and wealth lasted a full seven minutes.
The marching band finished their performance, and the members lined the edges of the
circular room.
A hushed quiet shrouded the hall.
The sound system piped the song Money, Money. The crowd roared and hundreds
of shoes hit the carpeted floor when Lionel Rath the Second, accompanied on one hand
by his mother, Valeriya Rath, and his sister, Lisette Prakov nee Rath, on the other,
strolled down a dollar bill-lined path through the middle of the tables.
Bandit grimaced when the standing ovation lasted until Lionel seated his mother
and sister at the head table. Lionel remained standing and gestured for his rapt
audience to sit.
Hundreds of chairs shuffled on the flower decorated gold carpet when the guests
obeyed his command. Thousands of eyes focused on the new CEO and sole owner of
Rath Financial Investments, a firm whose estimated value was rumored to be of Apple
proportions.
Lionel Rath the Second picked up a wireless microphone from the table.  Welcome.
I ll save the speech until dessert. Before we consume The Del s excellent cuisine, let s
raise our glasses.
Crystal tinkled, and murmurs and whispers swept around The Carousel.
 To wealth, the cornerstone of power. To Rath Financial Investments the company
that will guarantee you both.
The marching band resumed their musical rendition of Money for Nothing and did a
circuitous exit. Classical music of the elevator kind replaced the sudden silence.
An army of waiters flooded the room. The five-course dinner that followed the toast
proved scrumptious. Vintage wines accompanied each dish. Servers abounded. The
slightest dip in a wine goblet s level was replenished in seconds.
During the appetizer-soup course pause, Lionel Rath began his rounds of the tables.
He went counter-clockwise from table to table and returned to his seat when dozens of
penguin-suited waiters bearing white soup tureens over their heads did a marching
band pattern to each diner.
Every course pause, Lionel worked the room.
Bandit scented Kata s fear, anxiety, and nervousness escalating. He started a
sexually blatant whispered campaign.  No more mate locking in showers.
Kata almost spit out the sip of wine she d just taken. She dabbed a napkin to her
lips and slid him a side-long glance.  Agreed. But it was fun trying to get through the
doorway and onto the bed.
 I love you, Kata.
Her eyes brimmed.  I love you too.
She had to say the three words he d yearned to hear for what seemed like eternity
in a room filled with over three hundred people, including at least half a dozen Jäegers
at his last count.
 I want inside you so bad. Bandit realized when she cupped her hand over her
mouth that Kata hadn t intended to torture him.
She wrapped her fingers around his forearm and looked right into his eyes.  Let s
go home, right now.
Out of the corner of his vision, he glimpsed Lionel approaching their table. He
brushed his lips to her temple.  Courage, mate.
Lionel walked directly to Viktor, who stood, and the two alphas shook hands. The
men had a brief, susurrated conversation. Lionel greeted Ursla and then kissed the back
of Orlenda s hand. He moved onto Armand, who along with Breede, rose to their feet.
A couple of minutes later, Breede, accompanied by Lionel, strolled to Kydd Kolton,
who had risen in anticipation. Breede introduced the two men.
 I m a big fan. Rumor has it the UFC and MMA are planning a Superbowl-type
championship, and you re the main draw. Lionel and Kydd shook hands.
 Rumor has it you just beat Zuckerberg s billionaire age record. Congratulations.
Allow me to introduce a good friend of mine who s looking to establish a charitable
foundation. We re seeking secure firms to invest in. This is my buddy, Sancté Winston,
and the beauty next to him is Katalina Herrera, his fiancée.
Bandit stood.
Lionel adjusted his stance to face both Kata and Bandit. His glance grazed Kata s
and skipped to Bandit s.
A slight frown marred Rath s bland expression, the action so fleeting only Bandit s
wolf picked up on it. Lionel s nostrils flared, but he didn t hesitate to grasp Bandit s
hand.  A pleasure.
He turned to Kata who, according to Bandit s strict instructions, worried her cross
with one hand and offered him the other. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]