by Mia Knight
Besides selling her family home, she reconnected with old friends, went back to pole dancing workouts, coaxed Lyla out of the house, trained with Blade, checked on her business ventures, and fucked Marcus’s brains out. With no action from the Black Vipers, she was down to one guard a day. Mickey didn’t mind and had become an enjoyable companion. Frederick was a grump and ignored her as much as possible. She forced him to do fast food runs just to irritate him.
Carmen paused in front of a glass case that held a necklace fit for a royal. The necklace glittered like a fallen star and silently begged to be worn. Diamond encrusted leaves gave way to a pear-shaped drop diamond that was extra as fuck. She stared at it long enough to get the sales woman’s attention.
“You have excellent taste, ma’am,” she said eagerly.
“I know,” Carmen said with a wink. “May I see it?”
“Of course.”
The saleswoman set the necklace on the counter. It sparkled like a living, breathing thing on black velvet.
“This is a three-carat diamond.” The sales clerk gestured to the massive pendant.
Carmen lifted the heavy necklace and put it on. She posed in a massive mirror. Her off the shoulder rock band top and ripped jeans clashed with the elegant piece, but she didn’t care. She took a breath, which made the necklace sparkle and shine. Her updo showed off the necklace to perfection.
“It’s amazing,” she said reverently.
“It sure is. Are you attending something special?”
“Always.” Diamonds made every day special. Just the other night, she decked herself out in almost every piece of jewelry she had while she soaked in the tub. This necklace would be her crowning glory. It had been years since she’d added a new piece to her collection.
She pulled out her phone and took a selfie. She sent the picture to Marcus and bounced on her tiptoes as she waited for a response.
“Of course, you had to pick the most expensive thing in the shop,” Lyla said as she joined her. She shook her head ruefully. “You look amazing.”
“Of course, I do. Diamonds love me, and I love them.” She fiddled with her phone. “Do you know if Marcus and Gavin are in a meeting?”
“I have no idea. Why?”
“I just sent Marcus a picture.”
Lyla frowned. “Okay …?”
“I want to see if he likes it.”
Her face lit up. “You send him pictures of what you want, and he buys it for you like Vinny?”
She froze. In her excitement, she reverted to an old game she used to play with her husband. She would go shopping and send him pictures of things she wanted. He would send his assistant to buy the items and present them to her gift wrapped. She would gush about his excellent taste and thank him for being so thoughtful. It was a habit, one she fell back on without even realizing it.
“Carmen?” Lyla touched her arm. “What is it?”
“Help me take it off,” she whispered.
“Okay.” Lyla unclasped it and held both ends of the beautiful necklace. “Are you going to get it?”
“Thank you for letting me try it on,” she said to the confused and disappointed clerk.
Lyla surrendered it and took her hand as they walked out of the shop.
“What was that about?” Lyla asked.
“Old habits die hard,” she said and tried to play off her blunder. Her phone chimed, and she clenched her teeth.
“Are you gonna check if that’s him?”
“No.”
“Does he buy you gifts?”
“No. Why would he? We’re just friends … and I have my own money.”
“Of course, you do, but that’s not the point, right?”
“I need something sweet,” she said and steered Lyla into an ice-cream parlor.
Mickey and another guard accepted her offer to buy them ice cream while the others turned her down with poorly concealed impatience. She ignored them and licked an ice-cream cone overflowing with chocolate, sprinkles, and bits of brownie.
They parted ways shortly after. It wasn’t until Mickey was driving her home to get ready for the party that she glanced at her messages. Marcus responded, You look beautiful. She tossed the phone in her purse and stared out the window. Marcus wasn’t Vinny. She knew that, though, there were definitely similarities between the two men. They were both reserved, easygoing, affectionate. On the surface, Vinny appeared confident, but that was a carefully preserved image he worked hard to maintain. With Marcus, she couldn’t discern any weakness. He showed no signs of fatigue, frustration, anger. She was drawn to his strength and steadfast calm. No matter her mood, he never missed a beat. If she wanted to be in control, he was happy to give up the reins. If she wanted to be dominated, he was happy to oblige. He countered everything she did with an ease that stunned her. No man had ever been able to keep up with her. Vinny didn’t even try. He just allowed her to be herself; he never tried to match her like Marcus. Some nights, he came home only long enough to sleep for a few hours before he was off to work again. He was up for whatever she offered and never turned her down. He was an enigma.
It didn’t take long to get ready for the impromptu dinner. She slipped on a slinky sapphire gown with a high slit and silver sling-back heels. Chandelier earrings completed her look along with a cat eye and a soft rose lip. Mickey eyed her appreciatively as she climbed in the back seat.
When she arrived at the Pyre fortress, it was business as usual with milling guards everywhere. When Mickey helped her out of the car, she felt the eyes of every man on her. She sashayed into the house and heard a, “Damn,” in her wake, which gave her an extra spring in her step.
The smell of cooking meat and tangy sauces assailed her nose as she walked through the house. Workers prepared amazing dishes in the kitchen. A long table was set with candles and bouquets of peach-colored roses beside the pool. Mom, Lyla, and Maddie chatted off to the side while Marv, Gavin, Blade, and Angel conversed. Honey and Beau sat near the waterfall, playing contentedly with a mountain of doggy toys.
Marcus wasn’t there. She ignored her disappointment. She’d invited him earlier, but he didn’t confirm that he would make it. He must be really busy. As she approached the women, she felt Angel’s eyes on her. She hadn’t seen him since he finger fucked that woman in Lux. She hadn’t expected him to be here, but it shouldn’t surprise her that Gavin invited him.
“Hi!” She hugged Mom and Maddie, who were both dressed up. “The food smells amazing!”
“Yes, they’ll start serving any minute now,” Lyla said.
“You met Gavin?” she asked Maddie as she slid an arm around her waist.
She felt as if she’d known Maddie all her life. Maddie was smart, practical, and ecstatic to have her and mom in the family. She might have lost Dad and Vinny, but she now had the Armstrongs. Seeing them here tonight with the Pyres felt right. Marv didn’t have the hard edge that her father had, but he had the same heart.
“I met Gavin,” Maddie said quietly.
“Did you tell him you want to intern there?”
Maddie paled. “No!”
“Let me—” When she would have walked away, Maddie grasped her arm.
“I already talked to Marcus about it. You don’t have to ask him,” Maddie hissed.
Apparently, Maddie wasn’t comfortable with Gavin. No surprise. “Okay, Marcus will take care of it.”
“Dinner’s ready!” the chef called.
The men sat on one end of the table and the women on the other. The mood was lighthearted, the food was amazing, and the conversation was varied and interesting. Nora was passed from person to person. When Carmen got her turn, she balanced her goddaughter on her lap as Nora jumped and tried to grab everything, including her earrings. She held Nora at arm’s length. Nora Pyre would be a terror. She was a fearless hellion who was putting Lyla through the wringer. Nora hated having bows in her hair, so her black locks flowed wild and free around her face. Her silver blue eyes were piercing and filled with ze
al. Carmen snuck a kiss and jerked back before Nora could grab a handful of hair. She laughed when Nora glared at her. Vinny would have doted on her. Vinny loved kids, and for a few months, he bothered her daily about having their own, but eventually bowed to her wishes to wait. If they had a child together, she would still have a piece of him. She shook herself and passed Nora to Blade, her favorite person. Blade took the baby and gave Nora a blank stare. This didn’t deter the baby in the least. Nora grinned at him and smacked his broad chest.
Long after they finished eating, everyone stayed seated under the blanket of stars. Carmen sipped wine and rested her cheek on her mom’s shoulder and hugged her tight. After all she’d lost, moments like this had so much more impact. She silently willed everyone to stay put, to prolong the moment. She kept looking at the door, expecting Marcus to arrive, but he didn’t. Mom, Marv, and Maddie were the first to call it a night. She hid her disappointment even though it was late and they had a great time. She hugged and kissed them goodbye.
“Where’s Marcus?” she asked Gavin as he took a sleeping Nora from her.
“Working,” he said shortly.
“I know, but on what?”
He gave her a long look. “You two are still fucking around?”
She grit her teeth. “We’re friends.”
“Who are fucking.” He glared at her. “He’s not Vinny.”
“You think I don’t know that?”
“He doesn’t have time for your games.”
“Shut up, Gavin. We’re happy. Go to Bora Bora, visit the spa, and ask them to pull the stick out of your ass.” She took a few steps away and then turned back. “And when you come back, Marcus is taking a vacation, got it?”
“Marcus can do what he wants.”
“Then he’s taking a vacation.”
Gavin shrugged. “I want to hear it from him, not you.”
“Fine.”
Knowing her departure would be imminent, she moseyed over to Honey and Beau who lounged near the pool. As she approached, Beau met her halfway. She scratched him behind his ears and watched Honey debate whether she wanted to be touched. In the end, her competitive nature won out. Honey nudged Beau aside and took his place. It was amazing what a few weeks in a loving, safe environment could do.
“You’re such a good girl,” she praised. “I told you, only good from now on, baby.”
“Ready for dessert?”
She turned and found Angel standing behind her with two slices of cake. She stared from the cake to him and back.
“Where’d you get that?” she asked.
“It’s the last two pieces of a cake that Blade wants out of the house.”
Angel was back to his relaxed vibe—jeans and a black tee, but neither his appearance nor the cake fooled her. But if he wanted to play nice and bring her cake, why not enjoy?
“Thanks,” she said and took the plate. “I think you can take Mickey and Frederick off babysitting duty.”
“Not yet.”
“You haven’t killed all the Black Vipers yet?”
“Getting there, although they reconnected with the Spade gang from California. They’ve been quite entertaining.” He shrugged. “It’s only a matter of time before they flee.”
Beau and Honey ran toward the house as Gavin and Lyla went inside. Honey had really bonded with her new family. She was a whole new dog. Gavin seemed taken with her in particular. According to Lyla, the dog’s favorite place was his office.
The staff cleared the table, leaving them alone on the patio. The tranquil sound of the waterfall and the dim light made this strangely intimate. She ignored all of that and took a bite of cake.
Her eyes fluttered shut. “Oh my God. What is this and how do I get more of it?”
“You’re with Fletcher.”
Her eyes popped open. “What?”
“You live together.”
It wasn’t a question.
“We’re friends, and I’m staying at his place. He’s mostly at the hotel.”
He tilted his head to the side. “And that’s working for you?”
His incredulous tone made her tense. “It’s working perfectly. Why?”
He ignored his fork and picked up the cake with his hands. “I didn’t think vanilla would do it for you.”
“Who said he’s vanilla?”
“Come on. We both know he isn’t like us.”
“There is no us.”
“Of course, there is. You’re just playing hard to get.”
“Excuse me?”
“You want me.”
He finished his cake and licked frosting off his thumb while he stared at her. She ignored the tummy clench. The same thing would happen if she was watching a cologne commercial. Any hot guy could get a reaction out of a woman.
“I don’t want you.” Her voice didn’t come out as nonchalant as she wanted.
“You do,” he said with an arrogance that made her want to slap him.
“You know what I really want?”
He tensed. “What?”
“More of this cake.” She held his gaze as she forked up a piece and opened her mouth wider than necessary to accept the spongy piece of heaven. Angel watched silently as she chewed and hummed in delight. Her tongue flicked out to catch a smear of frosting on the fork.
“You’re fucking with me,” he growled.
She grinned, unable to hold a straight face. “You deserve it.”
He dropped the easygoing façade and stepped into her space. She had to lock her muscles against the instinctive urge to retreat. He was so close that she could smell his cologne. Clean, fresh, inviting. It didn’t match the man who wore it. He should be wearing something spicy, musky, with bite.
His eye contact was so direct that it felt like a physical touch. She stared into dark, fathomless blue. His beast was in his eyes. Being around Gavin for over a decade, she should have been immune to Angel’s brand of badassery and sex appeal. He was his own brand of psycho in a pretty package. On the surface, he appeared as affable as Marcus, but she knew better. He had a cruel streak that made him the perfect candidate to bring Las Vegas to heel.
“You wanted what I gave that slut.”
His coarse words matched the dark hunger in his eyes. It evoked memories of him finger fucking that woman. She gave a one-shoulder shrug.
“I’m not into group sex.”
“What are you into?”
“You’ll never know now, will you?”
They stared at one another, a silent battle of wills. She refused to walk away. She wasn’t a weakling, and she wouldn’t bow down to him because of his title.
“I was letting off steam after a few kills,” he said in a goaded tone.
That explained his pathological behavior that night. “Well, I hope that got you off.”
“It didn’t.”
The implication was obvious. He was still hungry. She felt warmer than she had a minute ago. “What a shame.”
“Yes,” he drawled as his eyes traveled over her face and landed on her lips. “You made your point at Lux.”
“So did you. You can’t have everything you want, Roman.”
“Fletcher can’t handle you.”
“He’s handling me just fine.” His energy cloyed the air and made the sweet cream of her dessert taste like dirt. She took a step back. “Well, I better get—”
“Not up to the challenge, Carmen?”
He was baiting her. Again. He thought he could provoke her into a night of angry, dirty sex? “I don’t see a reward worth fighting for,” she said tartly.
He clutched his chest. “Not nice, Carmen.”
“You aren’t either.”
“No, I’m not nice, but you already know that.” He lowered his voice. “Come with me.”
Goose bumps traveled over her skin. “I’m with Marcus.”
“You said you’re friends.”
“Yes. Friends with benefits.”
“Then what does it matter?”
“We�
��re exclusive … friends,” she said lamely.
Angel raised a brow. “Exclusive friends? He doesn’t even have the balls to claim you for himself? Why are you wasting your time?”
She went toe to chest with him. “You think every woman wants you because you’re the bad boy? That I would give up what I have so you can do me dirty and leave me when you’re bored?”
“What makes you think I’d get bored?”
“Because I’m a hunter too,” she said quietly. “I understand the chase and the disappointment when it’s over.”
“Then why are you with Fletcher?”
“Because he’s the unattainable.” Marcus didn’t give himself freely, and because of that, he was a prize. He was too good for the likes of her, but she would steep herself in him as long as he allowed it.
“You’re taking the safe route.” His eyes roved over her face. “How disappointing. We could have helped each other out.”
“I’m getting mine. And I’m sure you have a plethora of volunteers to do whatever you want in bed.”
“Yes, I’ve made my way through some of the best-looking women the town has to offer. A good selection.” His eyes slid down her body. “But not quite what I’m looking for. He won’t be able to give you what you need. You know that, right?”
“He already is.”
“For now,” Angel allowed. “But your need for more will come back, and when it does, he won’t be able to satisfy you. Wild doesn’t go away, Carmen. You’re with a guy who’s more focused on business than you.”
“Marcus is responsible for thousands of jobs and billions in revenue.”
Angel shook his head. “You think you’re safe because you’re with him, but you can still get burned.”
“What are you talking about?” She saw movement over his shoulder and spotted Marcus watching them. “My ride’s here.”
“When you’re ready, you know where I live.”
His words drifted to her as she walked toward Marcus.
“Everything all right?” Marcus asked, but his gaze wasn’t on her.
“Yes, are you hungry?”
“Lyla made me something to take home.”
“Great. You ready to leave?” She took his arm and pulled him toward the house, but he didn’t move. She turned back and saw he was staring at Angel. She yanked on his arm. “Marcus.”