by Mia Knight
Awakened by Sin
Crime Lord Series, Book 4
Mia Knight
Copyright
Copyright © 2018 Mia Knight
All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law. For permissions contact:
[email protected]
Dedication
To Maile, my shadow who taught me my first lesson on heartbreak and loss and the true meaning of unconditional love.
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Author’s Note
Books by Mia Knight
About the Author
1
Seven Months Ago
From her vantage point in the VIP section, Carmen Pyre took in Incognito, the newest nightclub to open on the infamous Strip. The grand sweeping staircase and elegant chandeliers gave the club an upper-class feel, but the staff’s uniform of leather and lace put off any notions that this was a run-of-the-mill club. An unholy crimson light set the mood and transformed the club into a decadent hell that encouraged them to indulge in their darkest fantasies. The atmosphere reeked of mystery and carnal delights, but she felt none of it.
Her nails dug into her leather clad thighs. It felt as if someone had picked up the blueprint for the dream house she planned with her late husband and invited her to do a walk-through without warning her that they picked up her discarded plans. Every detail was achingly familiar. She could feel it, those fucking tears just beneath the surface. The night she came up with the concept for Incognito played out in her mind in vivid detail. She’d always had a thing for costumes and had Vinny’s full support in role playing. One night while ‘serving’ Vinny as a flight attendant, she came up with the idea of a club that would encourage people to conceal their identities and take advantage of the “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas” mentality. Incognito was her husband’s last project, one he never finished before he was murdered.
You look beautiful, baby.
Her body locked as Vinny’s familiar, reassuring voice drifted through her mind. She hung her head as memories cascaded through her. She spent a year and a half trying to outrun the memories of her husband. Now that she was back in Vegas, there was no escaping him. He was stamped into every square inch of this place. His voice whispered in her ears, stirring up a flurry of pain and loss that caused her chest to contract with the need to scream. She had been looking forward to attending this event, to let loose and forget her troubles. The Strip was her playground, an environment where she had thrived in since she was sixteen. She’d hoped to be invigorated by the manic energy from the crowd, not be reminded of everything she had lost.
A striking couple made their way in her direction, distracting her before she lost her shit. The woman had honey blond hair, a slinky black halter dress, and a black lace mask with diamonds highlighting silver blue eyes. The man at her side was built like a linebacker and wore a dashing tux and black mask that made him seem even more dangerous than normal.
Lyla’s eyes lit up as she rushed forward with a big smile. “You look great!”
Carmen hugged her cousin like a child in desperate need of reassurance. Lyla was the sister she never had and a beacon of hope in her otherwise dreary world. It had only been a few hours since they parted ways, but she wouldn’t take anything for granted, not anymore. She pulled back and felt her pain recede as she took in Lyla’s sparkling eyes. Her cousin was happy. No one looking at her would guess she’d been viciously attacked by a psychotic killer or that the high-necked gown she wore covered gruesome scars. The image of Lyla lying lifelessly in a hospital bed would be etched into her memory for all time.
She dredged up a smile and gave Lyla’s ass a sharp smack. “You too.”
She switched her gaze to Lyla’s husband. Gavin Pyre, CEO of Pyre Casinos and former crime lord of Las Vegas, glowered at her. She had known Gavin for nearly a decade, long enough to see the good, the bad, and the downright evil in him. Gavin was on her shit list at the moment, despite Lyla’s reassurances that her new husband wasn’t abusing her.
Vinny’s murder kicked off a series of bloody events, which left Uncle Manny dead, Lyla mutilated, and Gavin in prison. She spirited Lyla out of Las Vegas, and they went on the road. Four months ago, Gavin showed up in Montana and forced Lyla to marry him while also announcing that her father had died from a heart attack. They returned to Las Vegas, and she moved in with her grief-stricken mother. She hadn’t recovered from losing Vinny and now had to cope with another staggering loss.
“Carmen,” Gavin said, voice tight.
She gave him a cool look to show that he didn’t intimidate her. “Gavin.”
“Don’t get into trouble tonight, Carmen.”
Her temper, which had begun a slow burn the second she saw him, ignited. “Excuse me?”
“You look like—”
Lyla clapped a hand over her husband’s mouth. “You look hot, and you’re going to cause a commotion. He’s nervous.”
She flipped her hair and adjusted her boobs in her lace bustier. “He should be.” There was a two-inch gap between the bottom of her top and the skintight leather pants. A glance in the mirror before she left the house told her that she looked sexy, confident, and in control. No one would see beneath the slutty exterior to her shredded insides. The white mask she’d been handed before she entered the club added just the right touch to her outfit.
Gavin yanked Lyla’s hand from his mouth. “I just want to get through tonight without drama. Got me?”
His orders never failed to get on her nerves. He ordered everyone around. Vinny had always deferred to him. How Lyla put up with his autocratic ass, she would never know. The only way she could handle him was to view him as an overbearing, annoying big brother. And like any irritating sister, she did her best to irritate the hell out of him.
“I’m not making any promises,” she said.
His eyes narrowed into slits. He opened his mouth to threaten her but was distracted when a man joined their group. The newcomer was dressed in a scarlet tux, cape, and red mask. He kissed Lyla on the cheek. Carmen glanced at Gavin, the possessive psycho. His jaw clenched, but he didn’t go for the guy’s throat, which piqued her interest. Vinny was the only man Gavin allowed to touch Lyla. Who was this guy?
“You look great,” the stranger said to Lyla and turned toward her. “I don’t think we’ve met.”
Dark green eyes glittered through the slits of his mask. The man gave her a once-over that was curious rather than slimy. She was used to getting a reaction out of men, but he wasn’t giving her one. Maybe her outfit wasn’t slutty enough?
“This is Vinny’s widow, Carmen,” Gavin said.
Widow. The label smacked her in the face, causing a combination of pain and anger to tangle in her belly. Before she could snap at Gavin, the man in the red mask distracted her by taking her hand. Before she could pull
away, he kissed her knuckles. It was a dignified, old-world gesture.
“My condolences,” he said.
She shot Gavin an irritated glance before she focused on the mysterious stranger. “Thank you. And you are?”
“Marcus. I’m the new COO.”
Gavin’s new partner. “Vinny’s replacement. Nice to meet you. You finished Incognito. It looks great.”
“I’d like to talk to you if you don’t mind.”
She blinked. Talk to her about what? “I’m here to have fun and keep Lyla company. I don’t want to discuss my husband.”
“We don’t have to discuss him. We can talk about something else,” Marcus said.
Before she could think of something to say, Gavin interrupted. “Marcus, can I talk to you?”
“Sure.” Marcus nodded to her. “I’ll look for you later.”
“For what?” she asked empty air since Marcus and Gavin had lost themselves in the crowd.
“Marcus is blunt and a bit strange, but I like him,” Lyla said.
“But why would he want to talk to me? As Gavin said, I’m just a widow.” God, she wanted to punch him, but that was nothing new. She slapped him the night she found out Vinny had been murdered, but she doubted he would let another assault pass without consequences. “As if that’s all I am, a dead man’s wife. Jesus, I’m a person, dammit.”
“You know Gavin has no tact,” Lyla said consolingly.
“And no manners.”
“Let’s get a drink.”
Right. A drink. That’s what she should have done the second she walked into the club.
“What’s the special tonight?” she asked the well-endowed bartender.
“We have a drink called the Hookup that has tequila and—”
“I’ll get two.”
“You got it.”
She watched the bartender’s tits jiggle as she paraded along the bar. “Who’s your doctor?”
“Dr. Hosen.”
Carmen recognized the name and mentally filed it away for future reference. Years ago, she got a boob job to make her waist appear smaller, and now … now, she didn’t give a crap about her waist. The Playboy look she’d favored since high school didn’t do it for her anymore. On a recent trip to the salon, she dyed her platinum locks black, and now she was considering the unthinkable—going back to her natural breasts.
“Yours look amazing,” the bartender said.
“They’re okay, but they don’t look as soft as yours. Let’s see.” She reached out, and the bartender did the same so they could compare.
The bartender nodded. “I’d say they feel about the same.”
Carmen jumped when someone kicked her in the butt. She glanced over her shoulder and found Lyla glaring at her. “What?”
“Carmen, this is Alice, the community outreach coordinator.” Lyla gestured to a woman standing nearby. “Alice, this is my cousin, Carmen. She’s coming with us to the dog shelter next week to volunteer.”
She was transfixed by the hideous, ill-fitted satin dress Alice wore. She looked like she just left an 80s high school prom. All that was missing were the braces and a metallic scrunchy in her hair. She looked as out of place in Incognito as a kindergartener at a strip club. Alice’s mousy brown hair was pulled back in a halfhearted, messy twist, and her amber earrings didn’t match her outfit.
“Nice to meet you,” she said and shook Alice’s hand. “You work for Pyre Casinos?”
“Yes. I just moved from Utah.” Alice’s eyes flicked over Carmen before she flushed and looked away.
“Mormon?” Carmen prodded, wondering if this woman was from a strict religious background that didn’t allow modern clothing or makeup. It would explain her horrible fashion choices.
Alice frowned. “No. Why?”
“Just wondering.” Surely, Alice owned a mirror.
Lyla shot her a repressive look. She sipped her drink as she listened to them talk about the volunteer events that Alice was organizing. She didn’t look tough enough to be in Las Vegas, much less working for Gavin.
“How long have you worked at Pyre Casinos?” she asked.
“A year. My position was created after…” Alice flushed and looked away.
“After Gavin went to jail and my husband and Manny Pyre were murdered?” Being politically correct had never interested her. It was a waste of time.
Her eyes flared with remorse. “Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry.”
“It’s okay, Alice,” Lyla said, squeezing her hand. “I’m glad your position was created. It’s great that Pyre Casinos created the Pyre Foundation and are giving back to the community.”
“Yes,” Alice said, clearly relieved. “Mr. Pyre has given me free rein really. I’m so excited that I get to make a difference through his generosity.”
Alice’s transparency was alarming. She was a goldfish among great white sharks. The men in this city would eat her alive. Alice wouldn’t last long if she continued to broadcast her feelings on her face. She had to give this poor girl lessons on how to be a badass bitch.
“Here come the masses,” Lyla said.
Carmen looked up as the VIPs descended into the club from the grand staircase with their entourage and a swarm of paparazzi. One figure stood out to her among the others. “Kody Singer’s here?”
“The movie star?” Alice asked, going on tiptoe to get a better look.
“He better not come by me.” She didn’t need the drama tonight.
“Why?” Alice asked.
“He used to drunk call me all the time, that asshole. It used to piss Vinny off.” Kody caused a shitload of problems in her marriage.
Alice’s mouth dropped. “You used to date …?”
“He was a week-long fling when Vinny and I were on a break.”
“She broke his heart,” Lyla said. “Kody is a pretty nice guy for a movie star. Come on, Carmen, he was really romantic.”
“He doesn’t know how to take no for an answer,” she said sourly and switched her attention to the next VIP. “Douchebag in the house! Carter Raymond is here. Seriously, when’s the last time he even played football? What a fucking show-off.”
“You know him personally?” Alice asked.
“When your husband is COO of Pyre Casinos, you’re obligated to go to a lot of events. You meet people.” Before, it had been a game to acquire famous contacts. Now, she couldn’t care less about who she brushed shoulders with.
“You stay around long enough; you’ll know celebrities personally,” Lyla said.
“Me? Celebrities?” Alice let out a nervous giggle-snort. “I don’t think so.”
Carmen signaled to the bartender with the great fake tits for another Hookup cocktail. “Getting celebrities involved in your community projects would be great publicity.”
“I’m having a hard time recruiting volunteers, much less a celebrity.”
To gain the media’s attention, Alice needed celebrities to join her community events. Tonight, there was an exclusive pool to manipulate and exploit. Carmen eyed the crowd and decided it was time to call in some favors.
“I’ll see what I can do,” she said as she finished her drink.
She sauntered into the crowd and headed for the VIP tables. She nodded to the publicists, agents, and managers who recognized and waved her through. Unfortunately, the first celebrity who noticed her was Carter Raymond, a football player who retired in his prime and had been riding the sponsorship wave ever since.
“Yo, Carmen, you looking for me?”
He placed his hands on her hips as if he had every right to touch her.
“No, I’m not,” she said flatly.
“Aw, girl, don’t be so cold,” he chided and flashed a smile that did nothing for her.
She patted his chest and gave him a patronizing smile. “Don’t worry. I’m sure you won’t be sleeping alone tonight. I can practically smell the hoes making their way to you right now.”
“And if they aren’t what I want?”
“That’
s your tough shit,” she said and slapped his hands away.
“When you’re ready, Carmen, you know where to find me!” he called after her.
She didn’t acknowledge his statement. Men with money and power couldn’t stand being denied something they wanted. Of course, once they acquired that something, they lost interest. That’s how men of Carter’s caliber worked. She wasn’t interested in being someone’s plaything. If anything, she wanted to be the one pulling strings and calling the shots. She was a fucking millionaire. She didn’t have to dance to anyone’s tune, especially not a selfish asshole with an ego.
The crowd erupted into excited screams as the stage lights flared, revealing a popular band. She tried to absorb the excitement emanating from the crowd. Tonight was about living in the moment. Drinks, superficial talk, and a good time. That was what she came for.
“Carmen!”
She kissed both cheeks of Bridgette Mackee, an up-and-coming actress. “Bridgette, it’s been a long time!”
“It has! Where have you been?” Before Carmen could answer, Bridgette continued, “You know Gavin Pyre, right? Can you introduce me?”
Bridgette looked like a woman on a mission. Clearly, she was ready to take her career to the next level and was tired of her good girl image. Being seen with a notorious billionaire would give her the publicity boost she needed, but she chose the wrong target. Gavin was no one’s fool, and despite the fact that she opposed Lyla’s marriage, she wasn’t going to allow Bridgette to sabotage it.
“He’s married,” Carmen said, and when Bridgette shrugged that off, she added, “to my cousin.”