Ladies of the Night OMNIBUS Collection: Sizzling Romantic Suspense

by Taylor Lee

  It wasn’t just his artfully styled short dark hair sprinkled with gray at the temples. Or his tailored jacket and creased trousers that had to have been custom made, they fit his body so perfectly. His white silk shirt was open at the collar and revealed a light dusting of crisp black hair that made her stomach clench. Riley thought with a despairing sigh that everything about him screamed sophistication beyond her own, and with a surprising hint of sexuality. Damn, he could’ve been the cover model for a GQ spread featuring wealthy, designer conscious men. Which made her over-the-top dress and matching stiletto high heels even more garish in comparison.

  Interrupting her dismayed assessment, Ross focused an interested gaze on her. In a charming, cultured voice with a hint of an accent that she couldn’t place, he said, “I hope you don’t mind that I invited you to dinner, Riley. According to Gen. Matthias, you have an important proposal for me and I wanted to be certain that we had an appropriate amount of time to discuss it.” He added with a boyish grin, “Besides I can’t think of a better way to get to know one another than over a bottle of wine. In the glow of candles, no less.”

  If she hadn’t been intimidated before, at his openly suggestive remark, Riley didn’t know how she could possibly tell him that she was here to ask for his money, and plenty of it. Fortunately Ian took the decision away from her. Narrowing his gaze, he said, “Well, as they say, enough foreplay. Tell me, Riley, what can I do for you?”

  Rather than being intimidated by his assertive question, Riley was galvanized although even she was surprised at her answer.

  “I need money.”

  If Ross was surprised by her candid response, he merely nodded.

  “I see. How much money?”

  Never thinking they would get to this point in their preliminary meeting, Riley realized she didn’t know. Actually it was worse. She had no idea. The best she could do was to swallow hard and hope that her cheeks weren’t as red hot as they felt. It didn’t help that her voice shook. “I…I’m not sure.”

  Ian raised an eyebrow and narrowed his gaze. “Well, my dear, I can hardly give you money if you don’t know how much you need.”

  Apparently taking pity on her, he added, “I have an idea. How about you tell me what you want it for and I’ll see if I can suggest an amount.”

  Beyond surprised, Riley began to explain. At first stumbling over the words, Ian’s focused attention gave her courage. Five minutes later after she’d poured out her dream to the daunting man she’d just met, she stopped short, realizing he hadn’t said a word during her garbled, breathless recital. After what seemed like an interminable silence but was likely seconds at the most, Ian nodded.

  “That’s an intriguing concept, Riley. What very few people know is that I also own a security company.” He added with a dismissive arch of his brow, “However, we work so far off the grid, not even our competitors know we’re in the arena. I will tell you that finding the level of female operatives you describe is in fact one of my biggest challenges.”

  Thinking that he had misunderstood her, Riley blurted, “B-but I don’t want to work for you.”

  “What do you want, Riley?”

  “I want you to…to invest in me.”

  “Money or time?”

  “Both.” She quickly added, “But you can’t own me. I must own my own company.”

  Horrified that she was setting qualifications for his support, Riley was relieved when Ross nodded in agreement.

  “I won’t own you, but I will take 25% of your gross profits and supervise your hiring practices. In addition, at least in the beginning, I will need to approve each of your contracts. Both the scope of the project and the proposed fee.”

  Seeing the firm set of Ross’ jaw, it had taken Riley a spilt second to know that what the accomplished financier was offering was a take it or leave it deal.

  She took it.

  Chapter 2

  Riley looked up to see Ian studying her, not bothering to hide his grin. Realizing that she’d let the memories of their first meeting keep her from responding to his clear provocation, she wasn’t surprised at his gentle taunt.

  “Really, Col. Davis, you act as though you’ve never received an indecent proposal before. Seriously, my fellow agent, I find that hard to believe.”

  A shout from across the restaurant spared Riley from trying to formulate a coherent response to Ian’s amused jibe.

  “There you are. For a moment, we couldn’t find you. Hell, man, if I didn’t know better, Col. Ross, I would think that you were trying to keep the gorgeous Diamond to yourself and not share her with the rest of us slavering men!”

  Diamond was relieved to see the tall, blue-eyed, blond-haired man striding toward their table, an infectious grin lighting his handsome face. Grayson Webb was one of Ian’s premier agents and a close friend of them both. He had his arm draped around the shoulder of a truly stunning woman. Topaz, as Riley Davis had code-named her newest Lady of the Night, had to be one of the most beautiful women in Diamond’s stable of lovely women. She’d decided that she would give all of her agents a code name rather than use their given names. Somewhere out of her imagination had come the notion of using jewels to name her Ladies. She chose the name Diamond for herself and named each of her agents after a jewel she most resembled.

  Seeing the gorgeous Topaz approaching, it wasn’t hard to see why that name called out to her. Her smoky dark brown eyes gleamed like copper but the gold and green flecks that streaked them spoke to the exotic stone, Topaz. The lovely woman’s features spoke to a lush mix of genetic influences. Her wide, slightly tilted eyes, dark brows and sweep of luxurious lashes, spoke to the influence of her Japanese father. But her warm golden brown skin confirmed that Latino and likely African blood also flowed in her exquisite body.

  In addition to being one of Diamond’s agents, Topaz was also Ian’s niece. Leaping to his feet, Ian rounded the table and reached for Topaz. Making a less than subtle move to pull her next to him, Ian eyed Grayson with a mock scowl.

  “I trust I don’t have to remind you, Agent Webb, that just because my lovely niece agreed to marry you—a fact that I am still trying to come to grips with—doesn’t mean that you’ll be able to monopolize her. If anything, the fact that you will soon own her should mean that the rest of us have more time with her now, before you put her in chains.”

  Grayson hooted.

  “First, Boss Man, the idea of needing chains to keep this hot woman in line is almost as ludicrous as her letting me.” He scrubbed the golden beard shadow covering his chin and frowned. “However, come to think of it I shouldn’t dismiss those chains out of hand.” He winked at Topaz and murmured, “The lady does seem to have a passing fancy for ropes and cuffs…”

  He chortled with laughter at Topaz’s outraged cry and ducked to avoid the hard punch she threw at his arm. Pulling her closer, he said, “Now, now my feisty agent and even feistier lover. Be careful or we’ll make Ian and Diamond think that you’re hot as we both know that you are….”

  Ian raised a dismissive hand and brushed Gray’s hand off of Topaz. He pulled her next to him and placed his thumb under her chin. Tipping her head back, he looked into her eyes. He was smiling, but there was a distinctive edge in his voice as he tossed a disparaging glance at Gray.

  Referring to her academic designation he said, “Just remember Dr. Taveras, while this outrageous man may think he can control you, if you ever need help putting him in his place, all you have to do is ask, and I’ll kick his ass.”

  He relinquished her arm when Gray closed in with a chuckle. “Back off, Boss Man. I’ve got this woman covered.”

  Ian smiled at him and stepped back, but Diamond hadn’t missed the somber undercurrent in Ian’s voice as he gazed at his niece.

  Seeing the adoration on Ian’s face, Diamond shoved at the pang of what could only be jealousy tightening her gut. It was understandable that Grayson was clearly ass over elbows in love with his beautiful fiancée. But what surprised Diamond w
as her reaction to Ian’s obvious affection for the exotic woman who was gazing up at him. It wasn’t the mutual adoration between them that struck her. No, it was the realization that the bond between the two of them was something she had never seen Ian acknowledge before. Of course women of all stripes fought to be seen with the urbane financier, to bask in the glow of his polished presence. But Ian had a patina of reserve that made it clear that while he was with his companion of the moment, the adoration was distinctly one-sided. Clearly the warmth between Topaz and her uncle was mutual.

  Diamond understood Ian’s reserve. She had always kept a steel sphere of privacy around herself, ensuring that no one—man or woman—would break through the protective shield. It was one of the things that she’d liked about Ian. It made her feel as though they had something in common, that intuitively he understood her and didn’t push her to reveal herself as men so often did. But seeing him openly adoring Topaz was unnerving. Clearly, unlike Diamond, Ian was capable of letting down his reserve, of allowing someone to get close to him, to love him and for him to love in return. Not in the familial way that he clearly loved his niece, but as a man could love a woman. Diamond was too vulnerable at the moment to wrestle with the implications of that startling realization. She only knew that she felt even more alone than she usually did.

  Within minutes, the other agents had joined their planned celebration. Noah Walker, the debonair African American superstar, and his diminutive red-haired partner, Ruby Harper, aka Ruby, were next to arrive. They’d barely been seated when Grayson rose to his feet and shouted over the crowd of upscale diners.

  “Over here, you Irish mobster. Get that gorgeous woman to the table where I can protect her from the leering men who look as though they’re going to try and take you out at any minute.”

  As the two agents neared the table, Grayson grabbed Gabriella Shaw’s (aka Sapphire’s) arm and pulled her next to him, planting a noisy smooch on her rosy cheek. The lovely blonde, blue-eyed beauty flushed a rosier red at Gray’s blatant silliness and looked up pleadingly at the Irish agent, Jase Malone, who was glaring in mock anger at his outrageous partner. Jase’s voice was harsh.

  “Dammit, Gray, someday Noah and I are going to double team your exotic fiancée and teach you what it feels like to see another man slobber all over your bride to be.”

  He turned to Topaz with a predatory gleam in his eyes. “What do you think, shy, lovely hot woman? How about Noah and I capture you and save you from this rapacious clown? We’ll take you in the backroom and show you what real men do to a warm-skinned Zoe Saldano look-alike that we’ve been lusting over for faaar too long. Sound good?”

  Topaz laughed a luscious peal of throaty laughter that had men across the room rubbernecking to see the source of the glorious sound.

  Placing a finger against her full lips, Topaz assumed a thoughtful frown and pretended to be considering.

  “Hmm, let me think. Double-teamed by a Mafia don and a ghetto bad boy? Instead of a solitary, scruffy all-American surfer dude?”

  She glanced from Noah to Jase then gazed up at Gray.

  “Ahh, Agent Walker and Agent Malone, as hard as this decision is, I’ll take the surfer dude. If for no other reason than to make 90% of the women in this restaurant green with envy, wishing they were me.”

  Gray gave a triumphant shout and grasped Topaz under her arms and swung her in a circle. Turning to his fellow agents, he crowed over his shoulder, “Sorry, fellows. It’s clear the lady knows quality when she sees it.”

  Noah laughed and quirked a finger at Ruby, who had a mock scowl on her face.

  “Whoa, Agent Harper. Take a breath, feisty fire woman. Surely you know that even though Grayson deserves to be taken down several pegs, Jase and I will do so exclusively in the MMA ring, not with his woman—inviting though she is.”

  Ruby gave a dramatic sniff as she poked a stiff finger into Noah’s muscular chest.

  “I trust you know how useless you would be in any fighting ring without those cajones all of you cock jocks are so proud of. So lover boy, don’t tempt me. Remember there is no fury—”

  Noah scooped her up in his arms and cut her off. Holding her squirming body tight against him, he murmured, “Uh uh, Ruby, my love. Never fear. As lovely as the fair Topaz is, I have an insatiable hunger for a green-eyed, fiery haired woman who is proof of what they say about redheads.”

  Ruby twisted in his arms and glared up at him.

  Referring to him by the name Noah’d been christened with by the many women who’d known the studly agent before Ruby captured him, she said mockingly, “Hmm, what do they say, TDH—Tall, Dark and Handsome?”

  Noah put his mouth next to her ear and whispered something that caused Ruby’s cheeks to flare bright scarlet. Ducking her head against his broad chest, she whispered loud enough to be heard, “You…wouldn’t dare…”

  Noah’s jaw tightened and his obsidian eyes flashed.

  “You want to put that to a test, fire woman?”

  Ian raised his hands and shook his head.

  “Please. Ladies and Gentlemen. And I do use those terms advisedly. As the ostensible commander of this extraordinarily rowdy group of men, and on behalf of Diamond who is in charge of the almost as outrageous women agents, I suggest we all take our seats before Pedro throws us out.”

  He clapped his hands and nodded to the wait staff standing to the side, not hiding their wide grins.

  “Gentlemen, will you be so kind as to bring in the Krug Grand Kuvee champagne? While the last thing this group needs is liquid encouragement, at least Col. Davis and I could use a glass or three of the bubbly to catch up with this outrageous group. This is after all a celebration. It’s not often that a commander is faced with the prospect of not one or two but three of his top agents going over to the dark side of the pussy whipped. Which as we all know is what happens to once-formidable men who slip a ring on the finger of their beloved.”

  In the chorus of laughter and flippant rejoinders that followed, Diamond sat back and sipped on the champagne that Ian reached over to pour for her. She was glad that Gray and Topaz had chosen to sit between her and Ian. It was a given that Topaz would want to be between her two most important men. For Diamond, having the ebullient Grayson Webb on one side of her and the courteous Noah Walker on the other was a relief. Both men were excellent raconteurs and the rousing conversation which Ian skillfully managed from the head of the table, allowed her to participate in the celebration without uttering a syllable.

  As she had been all of her life, Diamond was struck by how little she was able to fit into the raucous group. She admitted that it wasn’t just in this group of high powered agents that she was the odd man out. If anything given that she was the boss of the three striking women at the table, she should have felt as though she belonged in this particular group. But she didn’t. She felt more out of place than she ever had. The constant reference to the fact that all three agents were engaged to marry men that they’d met on missions that she’d assigned them to, didn’t help. It was ironic that she’d made a point of warning each of her agents of the danger of falling under the spell of the handsome and openly promiscuous men who populated Ian’s company. But unsurprisingly none of the three hard-headed women had heeded her admonitions, and had each fallen cooingly in love with their megastar counterparts. The fact that the men were as enraptured as the women were only made Riley’s solitude more glaring.

  At one point as Jase and Grayson were arguing over which of the latest UZi’s was preferable, the Vector or the IMI, Ian rose and came over to stand between Riley and Noah. Diamond was embarrassed that she wasn’t able to hide her start when Ian gently placed a casual hand on her shoulder. She didn’t have to look up to know that he was amused by her involuntary reaction. She was relieved when Ian spoke to Noah.

  “What do you hear from your father, Noah?”

  Noah pushed back his chair and rose to his feet facing Ian.

  “Other than the fact that apparently t
he campaign season has begun in earnest if the increasingly heated insults that my father and Representative Brunson are throwing at each other is evidence.”

  Ian agreed.

  “Yes, I’ve noticed that Senator Walker seems even more acerbic than usual. You think the Representative is getting under his skin?”

  Noah sighed. “Remember Ian, my father lives for insults. He thrives on the give and take of the campaign stage. It feeds his righteous anger and gives him the opportunity to spout every provocative quotation he knows to bolster his case.” He added pensively, “Although both my mother and I have commented that dear old dad seems to be particularly incensed this time around. At least this early in the campaign, he isn’t usually as shrill.”

  “Hmm, interesting that you say that, Noah. I’ve noticed the same thing. Diamond and I are going to D.C. this week. I’ll make a point of meeting with Senator Walker and let you know my assessment.”

  “Thanks, Ian. You’re one of the few people my father listens to. I sure as hell am not. If you could convince him to lower the rhetoric a few dozen decibels both my mother and I would be grateful.”

  As the group broke up, Diamond was trying to grapple with Ian’s calm assertion that she was going to Washington D.C.—with him. She’d said her peremptory good byes to each of the three couples and was preparing to leave when she felt Ian’s hand on her arm. Startled, she looked up to see him staring at her, a slight frown lining his brow.

  “I wonder if I could have a word with you before you leave, Diamond?”

  Unable to do more than nod at the unexpected request, Diamond acquiesced. She stood to the side while Ian spoke to each of the agents then hugged Topaz.

  Glancing at Grayson over his niece’s head, Ian said with mock seriousness, “Don’t forget, Agent Webb, who pays your salary.”

  Gray pulled Topaz against him and grinned. “Hell, man, looking at the expensive shindig your niece is planning, you can be sure I won’t do anything to jeopardize that outrageous amount of money you send my way.” He added, his grin widening, “An amount which is quite rightly and richly deserved, I might add.”