Fixing Justice

by Halliday, Suzanne

  “It’s early enough that there won’t be much traffic. If that’s the case, we should arrive at the hangar in thirty minutes.” He leaned toward her as he looked out her window. After a moment he straightened in slow motion and Tori could swear she heard him inhale deeply. When he lingered she almost jumped in his lap.

  “I expect we’re looking at wheels up about fifteen minutes after boarding. The flight to Vegas only takes an hour. Are you okay flying, Victoria? I assure you the agency aircraft is quite comfortable, and our flight crews are top notch.” Even with the dark glasses concealing his eyes she could feel genuine concern.

  Turning to the desert landscape passing by because she just couldn’t look at him anymore and keep her dignity intact, Tori smoothed down her dress where it stretched across her thighs trying to distract from the way her knees pressed together each time he spoke. Alone as they were and seated so close together, her body reacted to the deep timbre of his voice like a plant desperate for water. The low throb coming from her womb mirrored the rhythm of his speech as moisture drenched her tiny panties. Concentrate!

  “Actually, I’ve had my own air mileage account since I was a college student so you don’t have to worry about me white knuckling the takeoff. This will be my first time though.”

  She bit back a laugh when he pulled off the dark glasses to reveal eyebrows shot straight to his hairline. “We’re in virgin territory?” he mocked with a lazy smile.

  She reached out and impulsively smacked a palm against his thigh as she giggled and elbowed his big body playfully. “Behave Draegyn!” she laughed. “I meant my first time on a private plane, but I suppose that, yes. Yes, we’re in virgin territory!”

  He laughed along with her, rubbing his hands together with gleeful intent. Snapping his finger for emphasis he grinned like the devil he was, declaring, “Now that’s what I’m talking about! Finally! A virgin to sacrifice.”

  “The only thing you’re going to be sacrificing, mister, is your dignity if you keep this up, so yuk away while you can. I’ll be over here plotting ways to get you back.”

  “Ah. Feel free to plot away woman. And for the record, you only get this one Miss Bennett,” he teased. “I won’t underestimate you again.” She beamed at his admission. “But if I recall, the count is currently two to nothing on the payback list.”

  The lighthearted banter came so easily. Something significant had changed in their relationship, or maybe it had been shifting all along. She still wanted to smack the overconfident grin from the man’s face but less and less was it about him and more about her. She had leveled the playing field by putting on her big girl panties and getting rid of her costume and mask.

  “Hmmm,” he murmured, narrowed eyes fixated on her face. “Something’s different. Wait a minute,” he growled. “Where are your glasses?” he demanded. “Oh my God, woman!” he barked. “You don’t even need them, do you?”

  Oh, come on, she thought. Was he reading my thoughts now? Had he somehow picked up on her silent admission that she didn’t need the props anymore? Before she could come back with a reply that didn’t make her sound like an idiot, he tapped her lightly on the bridge of her nose, the exact spot where her glasses usually sat. With a tone as serious as a heart attack he told her, “You are a fraud Victoria Bennett. “

  She must have looked like a guppy as she sat there opening and closing her mouth over and over while no sound came out. Dammit. He was right. She was a fraud. Hiding away had been the coward’s choice until a certain blond-haired devil appeared and reawakened her fighting spirit. It was no exaggeration to say she wouldn’t be sitting there, dressed as she was, if he hadn’t challenged her.

  “I’m going to enjoy finding out who you really are, Victoria,” he whispered. And just like that, her knees squeezed together again.

  They were set to land at an airstrip catering to the private planes flying in and out of Las Vegas after just over an hour of flight time. For once, Drae regretted the short trip because nothing pleased him more than spending time with Victoria. He thought, quite impossibly, they might at the very least become friends.

  This two-point-zero version of the mousey little woman, who’d been getting under his skin from their first words, was nothing short of charming. Hell, he thought, they could have flown through the eye of a hurricane, and he would barely have noticed. Drae nearly vapor-locked when he followed her into the plane, up a short flight of stairs that put him face to face with her tight little ass in the seriously short dress. He’d barely had time to recover. The picture she made, sitting opposite him, was female perfection. Crossing her legs pushed the skirt higher than she was comfortable with giving him a satisfying opportunity to sit back and watch her wiggle about, tugging down the dress’s hem. Even their conversation had been like nothing he’d experienced before. Ordinarily, he didn’t open up or explain anything to anybody. With Victoria, he found himself yammering on like a talk-show host.

  Once they were in the air she took him by surprise blurting out, “Explain why Alex kept saying he couldn’t go to Vegas. He put so much emphasis on the couldn’t that it was kind of hard to ignore what was unspoken. You don’t have to tell me,” she quickly added. “I am the last person wanting to poke around in someone’s private life,” she assured him. “But I thought it might be helpful to understand the subtext.”

  When she asked, he took a minute to loosen his tie and unhook the top button of his dress shirt. The story was Alex’s to tell but he supposed a Reader’s Digest version couldn’t hurt.

  “No, you’re right. There is a story, and believe me, Alex wishes there wasn’t. He has a history with the casino owner we’re going to meet. The guy’s name is Anthony Barnes. He’s a weasel, but that’s beside the point. Couple of years ago, Alex was involved with a woman in Sedona. They’d been casually dating for several months when out of the blue an estranged husband appeared on the scene.”

  “Casually hanging out or casually hooking up?”

  “Mmm, I really don’t know. Maybe both.” He shrugged. “It’s hard to read him sometimes. In either case, it was uncomfortable so he tried to distance himself from the situation. After everything he’s been through, Alex has a low tolerance for drama.”

  Victoria frowned at him. “That’s what the messy hair is about, isn’t it? I noticed he rubs at his head when people are being idiots.”

  Drae nodded. “That’s very perceptive of you. It’s his tell, if you know what I mean.” Laughing he added, “We don’t let him play poker anymore because of it! That’s the reason behind Betty’s crazy cart. She got him going over something dumb that his superior intellect just couldn’t fathom. He lost a bet with her ‘cause she could read him like a how-to manual. Next thing anyone knew, she was grinning like a Cheshire cat while zipping around the compound in that ridiculous buggy. Just to needle him over the lost bet she pressed for a classic surrey with the fringe on top model. When the cart was delivered, we all laughed so hard I thought he was going to blow a gasket!”

  “He has a scary temper at times,” she said with mock solemnity.

  “Yes, he does,” Drae agreed in the same tone. “And that’s why the Tony Barnes drama got so messy. Even though Alex tried to stay out of whatever went down, Barnes went out of his way to insinuate that Alex had stolen his wife. How you steal something that you don’t have to begin with is something of a mystery. Obviously the marriage had broken down or the woman wouldn’t have been living on her own in Arizona. In the end, there was an ugly confrontation. Alex took as much as he could and then morphed into the incredible hulk. Some punches were thrown. A shit-ton of yelling and threats flew. Finally, Alex walloped Barnes and broke his jaw. From that moment on, the two have been at each other every time they meet.”

  “I’m surprised that Tony Barnes would let Justice anywhere near his security set-up. With that kind of animosity it can’t be pleasant doing business with him.”

  Drae snorted. “Barnes may be a prick, but he isn’t stupid. He wanted t
he best, and for that, there’s only Justice.”

  “I see,” she offered quietly. “Alex told you to keep him away from me. What did he mean by that? Is the guy still married? What became of the woman Alex was involved with?”

  He almost laughed. She tossed out questions like a seasoned prosecutor. Direct and to the point.

  “I don’t know what became of the woman or if he’s still married although somehow I doubt it. As for keeping him away from you, that’s just Alex being big daddy. My job is to manage Tony Barnes. Part of that involves making sure he doesn’t try to even the score. If he messes with you, just let me know, and I’ll handle it.”

  She swung the foot crossed over her leg and fixed him with a stern look. “In case you hadn’t noticed, I can take care of myself, thank you very much.”

  “That may be but know this,” Drae growled. “I protect what’s important, and right now, that would be you.”

  The foot stopped shaking at his declaration and the “Oh” that she muttered hung in the air for long moments.

  As if the short flight into Vegas aboard the private jet wasn’t eye-opening enough, the moment they arrived at their destination, Tori was treated to an up close view of what it was like to be treated like a VIP. It hadn’t taken long to understand that Draegyn St. John didn’t have to snap his fingers to get something done. No, the world he lived in revolved around seeing to his unspoken needs in an invisible but powerfully intoxicating way that had her sitting up and taking notice.

  With Wallace, all that deference was the result of having been born to title in a culture that catered to its aristocracy whether they earned it or not. People had rushed to protect and vindicate his immoral behavior without conscience just because he was an Earl. His brand of conceit was the sort born of entitlement, of feeling that he was somehow better than the common man.

  Draegyn on the other hand wielded an authority that emanated from his DNA. It was part of his emotional makeup and not because he was born to it. She wondered if it was the result of so many years in the military. There was a precision to everything he did, whether adjusting the cuffs of his shirt as he stood buttoning his suit jacket or his posture as he relaxed.

  She was mostly silent, taking in the rush of activity that greeted them. Before the plane even came to a halt, someone from the flight crew had briefed Draegyn on the arrangements for their return. A personal assistant from the casino had been sent to see to their every need. Tori was impressed with how adroitly he managed the endless flow of information and people that came across his radar. Peering from the open door she spied a big black limousine waiting on the tarmac to whisk them off to their hotel.

  He made sure to formally introduce her as his associate, ensuring that she would be treated accordingly. At every turn there were people taking care of the details meaning she didn’t have to see to her carry-on or do anything more strenuous than carry her purse. The ballet of deference shown to him was eye opening and a little exciting. She’d been momentarily stunned when he offered her his arm after descending the steps of the plane, but she’d been quick to slide her hand where he indicated. She’d been even more surprised when he covered her small hand with his much bigger one in a way that seemed possessive. The quiet thrill twinkling along her nerve endings lasted until an employee from the hotel, who was waiting for them by the car, cast her a dismissive glare seconds before she rather pointedly checked out the man at her side in a head to toe inspection that was a bit too brazen for Tori’s liking.

  He didn’t seem to notice, which was a good thing, because she was thrown off by the sudden flare of jealousy that stiffened her spine. Explaining her reaction would not have been easy especially since she couldn’t defend it to herself. He was technically one of her employers. She worked for the man and had no business letting female inclinations cloud the air. She was on his arm because of business. Period.

  That didn’t stop Tori from fixing the unctuous woman ogling Draegyn with an incendiary glare that she noted with satisfaction hit dead-on when the woman found some sense and backed off with haste. It helped that he had been the picture of a gentleman, assisting her being seated in the car and seeing to her every comfort before taking the seat beside her. She was feeling rather smug and full of herself for so neatly having warned off the big-boobed female with just a look. Her days of being minimized and glossed over were through. For all that woman knew she and Draegyn were an item. They might just be business associates, but that didn’t mean she was invisible.

  Why the hell is my skirt so damn short, she wondered, irritated that she had to keep smoothing it over her thighs unless she wanted to show more leg than was prudent. As she wiggled trying to adjust her dress, she was aware that Draegyn’s eyes were watching her every move.

  “Enjoying the show?” she breathlessly bit out once her legs were adequately covered, and she’d settled back in the seat. His eyes glittered with what she hoped was appreciation, but it was so hard to tell with him. “I’m out of practice with all this girly stuff.”

  He smiled into her eyes and laughed. “You look lovely Victoria, as I’ve already said. Stop fishing for compliments.”

  Outraged, she gasped at his comment and spit out the first thing that came to mind. “I am so not fishing for compliments!”

  That had him laughing even more. “You’re so easy to wind up! That smart mouth is going to get you in trouble some day. Relax, I was trying to yank your chain woman!”

  God, men were dense at times. “Oh. Well, you succeeded,” she sniffed dismissively. “Maybe you could use a signal to let me know when you’re being an ass so I don’t have to play into your hand each time.” The one finger salute he swiftly gave in response to her suggestion had her choking back a wicked snicker.

  “Will that one do?” he asked with mock lechery that forced the laugh.

  “Oh, shut up!” She grinned at him, biting the inside of her cheek to keep from dissolving in a fit of giggles.

  “Thank you,” he muttered softly into her smiling expression.

  “For what?”

  He propped his torso on the armrest separating their seats and leaned into her, wiping the smile from her lips, and making her eyes widen. “For saving me from being swallowed whole by that set of fake fun bags who met the plane.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “Nice try. You know exactly what I’m talking about,” he teased. “You stopped her dead with nothing more than a look. I’m impressed.” When she didn’t answer, he chuckled softly and made like he intended to tickle her. “Paybacks are a bitch!” he warned which triggered a blast of laughter from both of them as she playfully slapped his hands away and suggested he mind his damn manners.

  Draegyn was enjoying himself. This gentler, less snarky person kept surprising him at every turn. The way she put the double D woman on blast with a dark look had intrigued him and re-ignited the heat growing in his groin. Maybe these couple of days working together wouldn’t be such a hardship after all.

  Their limousine bypassed the busy, brightly lit entrance to the hotel casino and pulled in to a secured area reserved for VIPs. As if on cue, just as the car stopped, both their cell phones went off. Drae’s gaze dropped to the incoming info and muttered, “Barnes,” as Victoria sighed, clicked the talk button, mouthing Alex a second before answering her call. He and Victoria exited their car and made their way inside the building to a bank of elevators, while each of them conducted phone business.

  Once in the elevator he turned and told her they would stop briefly in their suite to make sure everything was in order and then immediately head off to the hotel’s operations center. As he was speaking, Drae caught their reflection in the highly polished steel panels of the elevator’s interior. She was looking up at him with her head tilted back, both hands resting in the small of her back. He watched as the purse she clutched by a golden chain, sway against the back of her legs.

  His part of the reflection showed him leaning in clos
e, almost looming over her, even though the added inches from her heels brought her closer to eye-level. He watched as her chest rose and fell quickly, bringing her breasts surging close to him with each rapid inhale. A few strands had escaped the hair gathered at the nape of her neck, making loose tendrils of brown mixed with muted gold highlights frame her face. His words halted and thoughts shut down on the vision forming in his mind of sliding his hands up her neck and into her hair, releasing the locks and spreading them over her shoulders. With his fingers planted firmly in her hair he could angle her head just so as his mouth leaned the rest of the way in to feast on her tempting lips.

  A pithy swear word erupted in his overactive brain making him jerk suddenly upright, away from the insane temptation that was Victoria Bennett. Now that they weren’t hissing and snarling at each other, their dynamic had turned blatantly sensual. Somehow the little brown mouse had become a desirable, although surprisingly innocent, temptress who no longer fit into the mold of avaricious female that was his default impression when it came to the fairer sex.

  The elevator swooshed open to a sumptuously decorated foyer with ornate, doublewide carved wood doors for each of the three suites on their floor. A personal assistant, assigned by Tony Barnes himself, stood with a practiced smile by the entrance to their suite. “Mr. St. John, Ms. Bennett,” she nodded to each of them. “I think you’ll find everything in order.” Opening the doors with a flourish she escorted them with businesslike efficiency around the suite pointing out amenities and comforts that were reserved for the hotel’s elite guests. “The master en suite is equipped with a large spa tub and electronic shower while the second bedroom features a French boudoir design.”