by Sarah Curtis
River heard Silvia sigh, and she opened one eye, turning her head to look at her.
"What?" Silvia gave her a defiant expression. "The guy is seriously hot. I can't help but sigh when his name is mentioned."
River couldn't argue that. She found herself sighing a lot, too. Not good. The last thing she needed was to fall for a guy like Alec. Poker player aside, he had heartbreak written all over him. River relented with a smile, pulling a returned one from Silvia.
Silvia took the last sip of her Bloody Mary before giving the glass a shimmy. "I feel almost human again. One more of these, and I should be all set." She stood from the lounger. "Can I get you anything?"
River held up her cup. "I'm good. Still got coffee left."
"Okay." After pushing her drooping sunglasses to the bridge of her nose, she said, "I'll be back."
River giggled at her poor attempt at a Schwarzenegger impersonation before closing her eyes and resting her head back again. She released a sigh. A girl could get used to this. Lazing in the sun with nothing more important to worry about than whether she should flip over onto her stomach to get an even tan.
She'd never had much down time. After pushing her way through college, she'd been fortunate to land her job at Handler Investments. The pay was semi-decent, but not enough to afford anything more than a small apartment in a mid-priced neighborhood. So for two years she'd worked her butt off, sacrificing weekends and holidays, desperate to become a portfolio manager and help people invest their money to plan for a comfortable retirement.
And it was within her grasp. So close she could feel it. She just hoped this little stunt Royal pulled didn't set her back.
Hearing movement at her side alerted her to Silvia's return. "That was fast."
When she didn't get a reply, River turned her head, opening her eyes. A man in a suit sat on Silvia's lounger, facing her.
"River Kingston."
The way he said her name sent a shiver down her spine. It wasn't a question, so she didn't respond, just quietly assessed him. He was definitely out of place in his black suit and dress shoes, but you wouldn't know it by the way he held himself. Legs bent at the knees, leaning slightly forward, elbows resting on his thighs, chin resting on his entwined fingers, he looked relaxed and casual. But it was all a facade. Under the calm exterior was a predator, and River could see it in the subtle nuances of his expression and read it in the depths of his cold, dark eyes.
Needing to break the uncomfortable silence, River sat up straighter and asked, "Do I know you?" Dumb question. She knew she didn't. He was someone who'd be remembered.
He gave her a small smile, and it transformed his face. Already good looking to start, with dark hair, chiseled features, and olive skin, the smile turned his menacing handsomeness into male perfection. But the transformation was anything but comforting, for the smile never reached his eyes.
"Know me?" He shook his head slightly. "No."
"But you know me."
River had been stating a fact, but he answered her with a small head nod anyway.
"What do you want?" The strangeness of the situation mixed with a slight tingle of fear made her words harsher than she intended.
"Nothing. Just making my presence known and keeping an eye on my investment."
Light bulb flashing, she quickly made the connection, realizing she'd been wise to be so wary. "Your investment? If you're implying what I think you are, isn't keeping an eye on me beneath your pay grade?"
Oh, look, she'd made the scary mobster-boss laugh. So not her intention.
Standing, he held out a hand. "Your friend is returning. Nice meeting you, River Kingston. Good luck in the tournament tomorrow. Maybe we'll chat again soon."
Refusing to be intimidated, she ignored his hand, crossing her arms over her chest. "No offense, but I'd rather we didn't."
"I like you, River. You're refreshingly honest." A smirk tilted his lips, and he gave her a wink before doing the impossible, disappearing into the crowd.
Chapter Nine
With thoughts that a high-powered mob was floating somewhere around the hotel, River couldn't help but scan the crowd for any sign of him as she walked into the elegantly decorated ballroom. She recognized a few faces from the auction, but the rest were strangers, and she felt her shoulders relax.
Alec led them to a round table for ten that bore their place cards, gallantly pulling out her chair and seating her before sitting himself. One couple were already seated at their table. Older, maybe in their early fifties, they greeted Alec and River once they were settled.
"I'm Cheryl, and this is my husband, Hank."
"Nice to meet you both. I'm River and this is my..." River faltered not sure how to label Alec. She quickly settled on just his name. "Alec."
Alec leaned into her, whispering in her ear, "I like being introduced as your Alec."
Cheryl interrupted before River could give him a snarky reply. Giving Alec a once, then a twice look over, she asked, "Were you one of the participants at the bachelor auction? Being a married woman, I, of course, didn't go. But had I known you were on the menu, I would've ditched this big lug and bid on you myself."
River looked at Alec to gauge his reaction. He gave Cheryl a polite smile. "While I appreciate the compliment," he said, slinging an arm around River's shoulders and pulling her close, "I'm afraid I wouldn't have let anyone outbid my River."
He looked down, giving her a smirk. She gave him a broad smile in return while reaching under the table and giving the inside of his thigh a pinch.
"You'll pay for that later," he whispered in her ear, sending tingles down her spine.
"Cheryl, quit flirting with the boy and leave him in peace to enjoy his date." Hank's booming voice captured the attention of nearby tables, and River gave a few polite smiles to the people who'd turned to stare in their direction.
Introductions and chitchat commenced as their table began to fill. Dinner was a drawn-out affair consisting of several courses, but River wasn't bored. She was having a really good time just being by Alec's side.
Dessert finished, Alec scooted his chair out and stood, holding out his hand. "Come dance with me."
River took his hand, and he helped her to her feet. Looking up at him, she said with a laugh, "I thought you didn't dance."
"I don't dance to that techno shit, but this," he waved a hand at the string quartet playing in the corner, "I can dance to." He pulled her against his chest. "All it requires is holding you close and swaying to the music."
They blended into the couples already on the dance floor. True to his word, Alec just held her close, lightly swaying her to the music with no fancy footwork that she, with her two left feet, had to keep up with. In her heels, her head fit snugly under his chin. Eyes closed, wrapped tight in Alec's arms, the moment had an almost dreamlike quality, and she got lost in the music and his embrace.
"What would it take for me to get you naked?"
She giggled against his chest, refusing to move from her comfortable position. "Considerably less people around would be a good start."
His chuckle vibrated through her ear. "You look exquisite tonight. When you opened your door for me, you took my breath away, and I lost every thought in my head."
His words caused warmth to fill her belly. But a little niggling in the back of her mind had her wondering how many times he'd said them before. "I'm sure you say that to all the girls." She added a playful note to her tone, wanting to impart she wasn't taking him too seriously.
Head resting against his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart, she took his silence as acquiescence so was a little surprised when a few minutes later he denied her words.
"Actually, I'm not known to hand out compliments. That I can't help but do so with you is out of character for me. I'm not sure what that means yet, but I do know I spoke the truth. You're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen."
The sincerity behind his words caused her steps to falter, and she trod on his foot. She leaned back to apologize, but the words died in her throat when she noticed the look on his face. He wasn't looking at her. She followed the direction of his gaze and felt her stomach knot.
Dressed in a black suit while sitting by the pool, the mob boss had looked out of place. There in the elegant ballroom dressed in a tux surrounded by equally well-dressed people, he still stood out. With a blonde on his arm, he stood talking with another gentleman who didn't look thrilled to be involved in the conversation.
River turned back to Alec. "Do you know him?"
Alec's jaw tensed, and his eyes darkened at her question, but he didn't answer. Then, in a blink, he seemed to shut down all his emotions. Poker face firmly in place, he transferred his gaze to her, giving her a small smile when he finally replied, "No, not really." Placing his hand at the small of her back, he led her off the dance floor. "Let's get out of here."
River sat in her customary spot on her room's balcony, watching the same, now darkened, view as earlier that morning. Alec had pulled a disappearing act on her again, walking her to her door then leaving without an explanation. She'd watched his retreating back, too stunned to form a coherent thought, much less call him out on his behavior. And loudly call out is what she would've had to do if she'd wanted any kind of answers, as his long stride had eaten the distance down the hall, taking him from her sight in a matter of seconds.
But unlike last night, she knew she wasn't reading his signals wrong—it was hard to misconstrue what would it take for me to get you naked—though she was still left confused. When he'd led her off the dance floor, out of the ballroom, and up to her room, it had been with purpose, just not the purpose she'd expected. She'd mistaken their hasty departure and his purposeful fervency for anticipation and eagerness. Her own desires obviously distorting his true intentions.
She got up from her seat, reinforcing the belt of her robe while walking to the balcony railing. Standing for a while, she gazed at the ocean, growing hypnotized watching the waves gently roll onto the sand. She knew she should go inside and try to get some sleep, needing to be refreshed for the tournament tomorrow. But her mind was in turmoil agonizing over something out of her control.
Alec's behavior.
The chance of something disrupting her game was a risk she couldn't take. And knowing she wouldn't have peace until she solved the mystery, she needed to talk to Alec, and have him explain his actions. Only then would she stop obsessing and be able to rest.
Mind made up, she turned from the railing, intent on finding her phone and calling him. Sliding open the balcony glass door, she was met by a forceful pounding reverberating through her room.
* * * * *
What the fuck was Nico doing at the hotel? Alec smashed his finger against the L button, descending the elevator to the lobby. He just hoped Nico was still in the ballroom. The last thing he wanted to do was track him down. He had better things he'd rather be doing with his time. Things that involved River and a bed.
The party was still thriving by the time he returned to the ballroom, but standing a head above the crowd, he had no trouble spotting Nico. Weaving his way through a few small clusters of people, he stopped just within the boundary of Nico's periphery. It didn't take long for the man to notice him.
After their eyes clashed, he watched as Nico excused himself from both the gentleman he was talking with and the date he had on his arm before Alec turned his back to the man and headed for the garden exit, sure he would be followed. He wasn't disappointed. In less than a minute, the mobster was at his side.
"Alec."
"Nico." His jaw ached, and he realized he was clenching his teeth. He forced his muscles to relax, replacing them with a bland expression. "What are you doing here?"
Nico took his time pulling a pack of cigarettes and gold lighter from an inside jacket pocket. He held the pack out, and Alec shook his head. "Never took you for a quitter." He put a cigarette between his lips and with a flick of his thumb the glow of the lighter's flame illuminated his face as he lit the tip.
"Where did you get those?" Alec asked as Nico pulled a pack of cigarettes from the front pocket of his jeans. At fifteen, Nico thought he was cool, and Alec would have to agree.
"I swiped them from Mr. Sweeney's desk," he said, making his way to their dorm room window and pulling it open. "He has a whole drawerful. He won't miss them."
A cool evening breeze coated Alec's face, ruffling his bangs as he neared the open window. He took the cigarette Nico held out. "You got a light?"
"Crap. I forgot."
"It's cool. I have one in my backpack."
"You keep matches in your backpack?"
Alec pulled open the zipper on the front pocket of his backpack and rummaged inside. "I've got a lighter and pocketknife for emergencies."
"Wow, you're a regular fuckin' boy scout."
Alec flipped Nico the bird over his shoulder. "And what would you have done if I didn't have a light?" he asked, reaching the window and handing Nico the disposable lighter.
Nico shrugged. "I don't know. Rubbed two sticks together?" With a laugh, he put a cigarette between his lips and with a flick of his thumb the glow of the lighter's flame illuminated his face as he lit the tip.
Pulling himself from his thoughts, Alec reminded himself he wasn't there for small talk. Growing impatient, he repeated his question. "Why are you here?"
Blowing a stream of smoke from his mouth, he shrugged. "It's a free country, and I like the Bahamas."
"So you're not here on business?"
Nico raised a brow and gave Alec a smirk. "Now, I didn't exactly say that."
Alec's temper spiked, and he didn't hesitate to let it show. "Then what exactly are you saying?"
"Careful, Alec, you forget who you're talking to."
"Fuck you, Nico."
Something flashed in Nico's eyes, but just as fast, it was gone, and the man tipped his head back and laughed. "I'd forgotten how much I liked you. You always had more balls than sense."
"Then you must have also forgotten how I scored higher than you on all our exams."
"Never said you weren't smart. You're one of the smartest fuckers I know. But book smarts and street smarts are two different things."
He let that comment slide. For one, it was true. Although he wasn't a pushover, he didn't have the seasoning Nico had, either. And two, he was tired of their bullshit conversation. He wanted answers. Calming his tone so he didn't let his impatience show, he asked one more time, "Why are you here, Nico?"
He gave another of his exasperating shrugs before dropping his cigarette and crushing it under the sole of his shoe. "I'm here for the tournament, of course. Let's just say, I'm keeping an eye on an investment."
"You backing one of the players?"
"In a roundabout way, I suppose you could call it that."
It didn't take him long to put two and two together, after all, as Nico had said, he was a smart fucker. "Royal Kingston owes you money."
Surprise flickered across the man's eyes before a smile tugged at his lips. "I didn't realize you were so well connected. Should I be worried?"
"I don't give a fuck about your business, but I do care about River." He didn't care if he showed his hand. He wanted Nico to know he'd staked his claim on her.
Nico's smile turned into a grin. "Ah, the elusive River Kingston. She is quite beautiful, isn't she? We
had such a lovely chat earlier today."
If Nico were fishing for a reaction, he wouldn't be disappointed. Red hot heat surged through Alec's veins and he could taste the venom coating his words. "Stay the fuck away from her, Nico."
"Look at you. If I didn't know better, I'd say you had feelings for this woman."
"Keeping tabs on my love life? Should I be flattered or concerned?"
Nico flashed his pearly whites, but his smile was far from friendly. "I keep tabs on everything, Alec. Don't forget that."
Nico let the monster behind the mask slip. Once upon a time, Alec had been best friends with that monster, secure in the knowledge it would never reach out and bite him. Now, he wasn't so sure. Nico wasn't someone to fuck with. "I'll pay Royal's debt. I want you off the island by morning."
Nico studied him, but Alec had his emotions firmly back under control. "Now, why would I want to go and cut my vacation short?"
Alec knew he was fishing for a reaction again, but this time he wouldn't get one. He'd made his feelings clear. It was his turn to shrug nonchalantly. "Business concluded, no need to stick around, right?" Alec stared directly into his eyes, refusing to look away.
Nico's lips curled up into a half smile before he slowly said, "Right."
"And no more loans extended to Kingston."
Nico tipped his head. "You have my word."
"Good." With a curt nod, Alec turned on his heel, and for the second time that night, turned his back on the high-powered Capo and walked away.
His anger hadn't dissipated by the time he reached River's door and pounded on it. He shouldn't let Nico get under his skin, but he did. They'd been best friends once—closer than brothers—and it was that fact that had allowed Nico's betrayal to score such a deep gouge in his heart. Him choosing family over their friendship even after Alec had pleaded with him not to turn to that life. Had tried to convince him he could make something better for himself. But his words had fallen on deaf ears, and Nico's decision had been a slap in the face that had stung for a long time.