“I believe Nolan understands all of that, but it’s worth it to him.” She looked at the art as they walked.
“He wants this school, the museum to be a success for artists and viewers alike.”
“And you support his ideas and enjoy the art, as well? Or do you prefer other artists?”
“I like many of the pieces that interest him. My personal favorite pieces are of Italian art besides those I mentioned earlier. In fact, I do believe that some pieces are on display in the secured rooms.”
He licked his lip and smiled at her. “I have a pass for those rooms and would be happy to bring you through.”
“Seriously?” she asked, unable to hide her excitement.
“Of course, and we can discuss more aspects of this museum and school Nolan is interested in opening up.” He squeezed her hips and guided her toward the crowd, as if knowing which hallway led to the private rooms of art.
As they walked toward a door with a guard standing at it, Tougher showed his ID and the guard punched in a code on the keypad and opened the door.
“Wow, this is impressive,” she told him, and he guided her down the short hallway. She had often wondered what specific pieces were on display in these rooms at such events. She could have gotten into many of them, but the men who asked her to join them were also interested in taking her to bed, and that wasn’t an option for her. This was different. Despite Tougher’s hold on her hip and him keeping her close, it was still business.
They made their way to the first open doorway, and Pina was pleasantly surprised. There was a bar set up and a few men lingering around it drinking and chatting about the venue and about the artwork. They all seemed to check her out as she entered, and even though she was the only female in the room, she wasn’t intimidated. She’d learned long ago that there was nothing to fear but fear itself. She was at the point where even danger wasn’t a threat to her newfound courage.
“Good evening, gentleman,” she said as they greeted her and smiled.
“Tougher, how in the world did you land this beauty by your side? You’ve only been here less than an hour,” one man said to him.
“Ah, Henry, as much as I would like to say she is mine, I’ve only just met Miss Leonie, but the hope is to make further plans by the end of the evening.” They chuckled and smiled.
“Well, Miss Leonie, when you get bored of Tougher throwing around his successes and money, come back to see us. We’d love to get to know you better,” the man said, and the three men around him raised their glasses to her as they ate her body up with their eyes.
She felt a little flushed but chuckled as Tougher offered to get her a drink. She declined, and they walked around the small room, taking in the sights of some antique vases, small sculptures, and one large portrait of a scene in Italy by a vineyard.
“Shall we continue? I believe that Italian art you mentioned you like so much is in one of the other rooms.”
She nodded, and they made their way out of that room, then down the hallway to a second room decorated in ornate burgundy colors and brass fixtures. Her eyes landed on one amazing painting after another.
“Sistine Madonna by Raphael. My God, look at it,” she said, moving closer.
There were a few other paintings around the small room, and then she heard Tougher speaking. Looking toward him she saw him on his cell phone.
“Right now?” he asked, then exhaled and pursed his lips. “Fine. I’ll meet him in the main area.” He put his phone back into his jacket pocket and reached for her hands. He stared down into her eyes, and she thought he wasn’t so bad of a guy.
“I need to meet someone. Please keep looking around and take your time. I’ll be back as soon as I can.” He then released one of her hands and cupped her cheek. She was afraid he might kiss her, and she turned away.
“I’ll be fine, Mr. Jerrico.”
“Tougher,” he said and then winked before he exited the room.
She exhaled as he left and felt a bit relieved. She strolled along the room, taking in one gorgeous masterpiece after another, and then she stopped in front of a spectacular oil painting. Gorgeous vineyards, a large older-looking home in the distance, and four men and one woman walking while two others gathered grapes in baskets. The sight made her imagine the scene. She loved looking at pictures and figuring out the stories behind them, or at least imagining what the artist may have seen and felt.
“A lovely painting indeed.”
She turned to the right and caught sight of Niall and his other brother, not Jonah. She swallowed hard.
“Didn’t mean to scare you, Pina,” the other brother, whose name she didn’t know, said to her.
“I didn’t get your name.”
“You didn’t give me an opportunity to tell you.” He reached out his hand. “Trace Mondave.”
She shook his hand. The moment they touched she felt the spark of interest just as she had when she’d bumped into Jonah. This wasn’t good. They were trouble, and she wouldn’t get herself involved with men who did illegal activities.
“Pleasure to meet you, Trace. So what do you think?” She turned back toward the panting, trying for nonchalant and acting as if their superior good looks and tall, muscular bodies didn’t make her heart race and her nipples tighten. It wasn’t so easy in the strapless dress she wore, and she had to try very hard not to raise her arm and rub along her breasts to relieve some of the pressure there.
“It’s interesting,” Niall said and stood closer as Trace took a position on her other side.
She glanced up at Niall who had thick dark eyebrows that enhanced dark brown eyes, a clean-shaven face, and wore his hair black and slicked back. He wore a tux well, and it was custom-made just like his brothers’ tuxes were. Trace’s was different though, and he wore a dark burgundy bow tie instead of a traditional black one.
He held her gaze, towering over her, despite the high heels.
“What do you mean ‘interesting’?” she asked him and then looked back at the painting.
“Well, the scene is nice, the bold colors of the vines and grapes stand out, but not as much as the people in it.”
“I agree. It’s almost telling a story. Like perhaps those men are courting the young woman and interested in getting to know her,” Trace said.
She looked at him and that scruff along his cheeks that made him appear as if he’d thrown on the tux but hadn’t bothered to shave for the occasion and didn’t need to. The man was super-sexy, almost a mess of assumptions. He was wealthy, assertive, and couldn’t give a shit about anything but what mattered to him. She got that vibe instantly, yet it didn’t turn her off. It aroused her.
“Could be, or they could all be friends, family even.” She felt the hand glide along her waist and then up her arms to her shoulders.
Niall whispered against her neck and ear. “Or they’re all lovers, sharing her, caring for her, and working together on their own vineyard.”
She shivered from the thought but then quickly snapped out of the spell he was trying to put her under. My God, he was good, but she was a pro at evading seduction from any man. She chuckled and moved to the side and continued to walk.
“What? You don’t think it’s a possibility?” Trace asked her.
She glanced at them. “I suppose, like any other painting, interpretation is sometimes left to the obvious appearance or even one’s own desires. Like this one,” she quickly added, thinking that perhaps she was making it sound as though they saw what they wanted to see and that they were letting her know they shared women. Yikes, was it getting hot in here?
She pointed to a painting of a woman sitting on a bench alongside two men. One of the men had his foot on the bench and was talking to her, and the other man was siting sideways smiling at her. Behind them, three men stood talking, looking serious.
“What do you see here?” She faced the painting.
“Ah, another interesting one. A stroll in the park, then a rest while her lovers surround her.” Tra
ce stepped up behind her, placed his hand on her hip, and then pointed to something else.
She tightened up and exhaled as the scent of his cologne, different from that of his brothers’ but just as appealing, attacked her senses.
“Seriously? I don’t see that at all.”
“Well, what do you see, Pina?” Niall asked her, but Trace kept a hand on her hip and pressed against her back.
She felt instantly overheated, aroused and protected between the two men like this.
“I think she’s just enjoying some alone time at the park when these two men come over to flirt, simply after a good time.” She turned to the left and started to head out of the room when Niall grabbed her hand to stop her.
“Don’t go. My brother and I are just teasing you.”
“Why is that? Do I look easy?”
“Oh, you are anything but easy. We wanted to talk with you and get to know you,” Niall said to her.
“Come on and we’ll look at the other rooms together,” Trace suggested as Niall pulled her along and out of this room.
“Oh, Mr. Jerrico should be back soon.”
“I think he’ll take quite some time,” Trace told her.
“Why would you say that?” she asked.
“You don’t seriously like the man, do you?” Trace asked her.
“What? No, I just met him, and this is business, which isn’t really any of your business.”
“Perhaps it is?” Niall said to her.
“There you two are. I thought you took off.” Jonah had shown up now, too, and she felt her throat close up and her cheeks became warm. Jesus, they were a lethal set of men.
“Well, I should probably head back to the party to check on my boss.”
Trace looped his arm through hers and turned her toward the hallway. “Nonsense, he’s a grown man. He’ll be just fine.”
She stopped him and unhooked her arm. “Listen, Trace, I’m sure you’re used to women who would find these tactics appealing and make them putty in your hands, but that isn’t me. If you’ll excuse me. I’m here for work, not to play games.” As she walked past them and heard a low chuckle from Jonah, she saw the door open. Tougher had returned.
“Are you all through? I was hoping to look at the art with you, Pina.” She glanced over her shoulder at the Mondave men, who Tougher squinted at as if jealous or angry they were alone with her.
“No, I’ve seen enough. Sometimes it’s just the same old things,” she said loud enough for the Mondave men to hear as Tougher escorted her back to the gala.
* * * *
Trace whistled as he watched Pina walk out the door with Tougher Jerrico. “She is amazingly sexy. Strawberry-blonde hair, those incredible hazel-green eyes, and sexy, perfect figure.” Trace smirked.
“Kind of has an attitude. Maybe playing hard to get. I’d be careful,” Jonah told him.
“Really, Jonah? You know you find her absolutely stunning,” Niall said to him and smirked as they headed toward the door.
“I’m not too sure about that. I’m trying to stay focused on the guests that seem to be showing up around here, and it’s making me concerned,” Jonah said.
“What guests have you concerned?” Niall asked.
“Men who just arrived to speak with Tougher Jerrico. They’re Russian I believe.”
Trace’s eyes widened. “Why would they be here?”
“I don’t know, but I would say if Liam Russell shows up, too, and they wind up together, it’s more than just coincidence and perhaps our little side deals with the government are coming back to haunt us,” Jonah said.
“Mercury would know. He’d have caught wind of something.”
“Not necessarily, Trace. Let’s keep our eyes open,” Jonas said as they exited the hallway and reentered the main room to the gala.
“I’ll keep my eyes open, especially for another opportunity to speak with the lovely Pina Leonie,” Trace said, and Niall chuckled.
* * * *
“There is someone I would like you to meet. I can’t even believe that he is here tonight because he rarely shows his face at events this small,” Tougher told Pina as he guided her with a hand at her lower back.
As they approached a group of men, her boss, Nolan, looked at the two of them and smiled wide.
“Pina.” He took her hand and moved her in front of the group of men.
Tougher watched the men’s eyes eat her up. She was so lovely and voluptuous. He felt his own desire to have her increase the longer he was with her, but one look at Aurik Archimbald and he felt as if he’d been sucker punched in the gut.
“Mr. Archimbald, this is my CFO, Pina Leonie. Pina, Mr. Archimbald has just been discussing the possibility of supporting the new art school and museum by donation and possibly adding some rare German artwork to the collection to be displayed as well,” Nolan said, smiling wide.
“That’s so wonderful, sir. It’s a pleasure meeting you.” Pina shook Archimbald’s hand, but then he gripped hers and brought the top to his lips to kiss. Aurik held her gaze as he slowly let his lips touch her hand. “Well, we were just discussing some ideas. I’m not a hundred percent certain about this investment, but Nolan assures me that you can fill me in on the details and answer any questions I might have.”
Tougher saw the expression on Pina’s face as her cheeks turned a little pink, and she shyly looked away from Aurik, then back at him, indicating the man got to her.
Archimbald was a successful entrepreneur and German businessman investing in whatever he damn well pleased. He had power and connections to the military, and Tougher knew he was associated with certain criminal elements.
“I would be happy to answer any questions you might have,” she said, and Aurik looked down at her and nodded.
“Very well, then. Shall we walk?” he asked her and offered his arm for her to take.
Pina looked at Nolan and then at Tougher.
“I was discussing some details with Tougher Jerrico. Maybe he can join us, Mr. Archimbald?” Pina asked.
Aurik didn’t even give him a glance. “You can maybe discuss things with him later.”
“Go on and answer all his questions, Pina,” Nolan said, and Tougher gave her a small smile, but his anger began to boil.
What was Aurik doing here, and what was he up to?
* * * *
“Do you see who is talking to her now? Who is that guy?” Niall asked Jonah.
“I don’t know. I’ve never seen him before.” Jonah glanced at Trace, who pretended to run his fingers through his hair but instead took some pictures with his watch.
“What do you know about Pina and her business connections to Jerrico and Potts? Louisa said she works for Potts,” Niall said.
“She’s his CFO.” Jonah took a sip from his glass of champagne.
“CFO? Seriously?” Niall asked.
“Sexy, gorgeous, and intelligent. My kind of woman,” Trace whispered.
“Not really. You usually go for blonde bimbos drooling over you and hanging on like an ornament. Pina has class, sophistication, and a toughness about her,” Niall stated.
“And, most importantly, she didn’t seem to be impressed with us or our status. Peculiar, don’t you think?” Jonah asked.
“Not if Louisa gave some information about us. After all, we do have our reputations, and she was there when I patched up Louisa and was sworn to not let anyone know my medical abilities,” Niall added.
“Trustworthy, too, perhaps, considering she didn’t call you Doctor.”
Jonah’s cell phone buzzed. He reached for it. “It’s Knox.”
“I sent him the pictures of Aurik to identify since they’re sitting home instead of hanging out with us,” Trace said, and Niall chuckled.
“Yeah, Knox, what do you got?” he asked.
“The man is Aurik Archimbald. He’s a German businessman and entrepreneur, and from what I found, he has connections to the military. I got a bad feeling here, Jonah. I’m going to dig deeper considering
the list of some of his investments in importing and exporting. He could be a problem we don’t need.”
“Like a threat to the business?” Jonah asked.
“That, and considering the recent series of events and bumps, I wouldn’t take his presence at that gala as coincidence, especially if Liam Russell is there.”
Jonah looked around. “I haven’t seen Liam.”
He spotted Liam Russell standing with his guard and partner Keno, that piece of shit.
“He’s there, isn’t he?” Knox asked.
“Sure the fuck is.”
“What has them so interested in being there? I mean I know there are some rooms with special art, but really? You can see those anywhere,” Knox said.
“There is this project that Nolan Potts is working on. He’s building a museum and art school and is looking for contributions, scholarship backings, and art to be placed on display. Perhaps that’s why this Aurik guy is here, and you know Liam. If there’s exposure to be had for his name and business, he will be in the front.”
“Doesn’t matter. You know he’s still considered a suspect as far as we’re concerned and the James brothers are concerned. He could be the one behind these little bumps we’ve had. No German or Russian investors like these have shown their faces around South Carolina. Something big is going on.”
“You seriously think so?” Jonah asked.
“It wouldn’t surprise me. I’d keep on top of things if there’s a way to do it without being obvious, considering people always try to come to you for business. It would be suspicious for you to initiate an interest.”
“That won’t be a problem. There is an interest we can work with.”
“Wonderful. Who is she?” Knox asked, and Jonah chuckled.
“Smart, gorgeous, and not completely uninterested in Niall, Trace, and me.”
“The woman turned you down? I like her already,” Knox said.
Tequila Sunrise [Love on the Rocks 4] (Siren Publishing LoveXtreme Forever) Page 4