Read Secrets of New Pompeii for Free Online Page A

upstairs after the fight.”
    Naloni’s hands clenched and she turned to
berate the woman but realized the woman had been talking to her
male companion.
    “I’ll find out, darling,” the man assured. “I
would love to watch you ‘wrestle’ with one or the other, or were
you thinking both?”
    Needing to be away from their disquieting
speculation, Naloni eased between two tittering women and
maneuvered her way closer to the stage. She didn’t want to think
about Max with other women. She didn’t want to think about Max. But
here he was in all his savage glory, even more captivating than
he’d been in her dreams.
    “This is a full-contact bout. No mercy will
be given. One or the other must be pinned before the winner will be
declared,” Mikko explained.
    Naloni’s gaze gravitated toward Max’s groin.
He wasn’t even hard yet. How did he expect to pin Dario if he
couldn’t get an erection? She caught her bottom lip between her
teeth and crossed her arms over her chest.
    Her gaze slowly worked its way back up his
body and found his crystal blue gaze staring back at her. She took
an automatic step back, but the person behind her pushed her
forward again. There were two rows of people between her and the
stage. Was Max really looking at her? Did he recognize her in this
ridiculous wig?
    Did he even remember her after all these
years?

    Max fought back the urge to jump off the
stage and rip the wig off Naloni’s head. The elaborate style
distracted from the purity of her features, but nothing could deter
from her clear hazel eyes. So bright and open for someone so
conniving. She obviously hadn’t changed much. She still loved
disguises and pretending she was someone other than the emperor’s
daughter.
    Memories bombarded his mind, unwanted and
dangerously distracting. He could not think about her right now. He
would not! His chin shot up and he raised his gaze, looking out
over the heads of the onlookers. Mikko was still babbling. Would
the man never cease and let them begin?
    Finally Mikko grabbed their arms and forced
them to face each other. “You both know the rules. Any part of your
body touches the floor and you’re disqualified. I’m sure neither of
you wants to win that way, so keep it on the stage. There are no
time limits and no breaks. You wrestle until one of you is pinned.”
He looked down at Max’s cock and shook his head. “Do you need a
nice warm mouth to harden that up? I’m sure any one of these ladies
would be happy to oblige.”
    “My cock has never failed to rise, sir. There
is no reason for concern.”
    Dario smirked and thrust his hips forward,
causing his erection to bob.
    “Begin!” Mikko leapt off the stage as the
combatants charged.
    The oil made it harder than hell to grasp
Dario. Max’s hands slid down his arms and across his back without
ever finding purchase. Luckily, Dario was having the same problem.
Their shoulders smacked against each other and Dario wrapped his
arms around Max’s back.
    “I make my move tonight. Are you with me?”
Dario’s harsh, urgent whisper sounded in Max’s ear.
    They repositioned, arms sliding as they
slowly circled. “What move?”
    Dario lodged his shoulder into Max’s armpit
and tightly clasped his arm. With surprising ease, he bent his
knees and flipped Max up and over his body, slamming him down on
the stage with a resounding bang.
    The breath whooshed out of Max and spots of
light burst behind his eyes. After one moment of shocked
immobility, he grappled for some sort of hold, twisting and
thrashing to prevent Dario from controlling him.
    He forced his legs beneath him and lifted
Dario while angling sharply to the side. Dario slid off and landed
on his side, Max lunged for him, forcing Dario over as he landed
sideways across his body.
    “They will listen. They will have no choice,”
Dario went on in a hoarse whisper.
    “You’ll get yourself killed,” Max hissed in
return.
    “No. Trust me. This is foolproof.”
    Only a fool ever