Vanilla and Vice (Empire Sevens Book 1)

by Tabatha Vargo

  “Here,” she said, standing up. “These should fit you perfectly.”

  “Thank you.” I took them, and she left me alone to change.

  They did, in fact, fit perfectly, and as I stared at myself in her floor-length mirror, I felt much better about my outfit. I wanted to make a good first impression.

  Twenty minutes later, we were inside Kennedy’s sleek black sports car. She drove the city streets like a pro, passing slower traffic and getting us to Empire Sevens within a few minutes. Like Kade had the day before, she pulled up at the front of the building and handed her keys to the valet before we went inside.

  6

  ZANDER

  I WOKE BEFORE THE SUN, stretching in front of the large window at the foot of my bed as I looked out over the city. A haze of the impending heat of the day covered the city, promising a scorcher. Past the buildings and the glitz of Vegas was a dry desert, dehydration reaching out on all sides of us.

  Sin City continued to party, and the streets below stayed busy with people welcoming a fresh day with new sinful plans. At times, it was exhausting to live in a town that never slowed down. The need to stay alert and aware of the wave of people could take its toll if you allowed it, but I never did. Nothing broke through my barriers.

  Cold.

  Calculated.

  My eyes stayed on the prize.

  And now that I had reached the top, I had to continue maintenance to stay there. If I could take the crown from the ones I worked for in the past, I was aware the crown could be stolen from me, as well. Over my dead body would that happen, and so, I continued to hustle.

  Scratching at my hard stomach, I spent an hour in the gym, pushing away the exhaustion with seventy-five-pound weights and taking out my frustrations on the punching bag. Once I finished, sweat slicked my dark skin, and I felt satisfied that I had tamed my frustrations for the day.

  Afterward, I made my way to the bathroom for an invigorating shower to wash away my workout and rid myself of the morning wood still throbbing between my thighs. When I emerged from the marble shower, I dressed for the day in a dark suit and ran my fingers through my damp hair. Once I left my penthouse, the sun was up, and I was feeling refreshed and ready to take on the day.

  I rode the elevator down to the first floor, and when the doors opened, the sounds of slot machines and obnoxious laughter spilled into the space around me. I stepped onto the floor, my shiny shoes tapping against the emerald green marble beneath my feet, and the waitstaff smiled as they passed me.

  “Good morning, Mr. Hale,” a few said as they made their way into the back to reload their trays for breakfast.

  I nodded, acknowledging them. I wasn’t much for smiling. The staff knew that about me and didn’t expect much in the way of conversation. It wasn’t my job to be friendly with the staff. It was my job to make sure things ran as smoothly as possible.

  The main lobby was already busy with new guest check-ins and such. I nodded at Amos, the front desk attendant, and he came toward me.

  “Everything good?” I asked, adjusting my sleeve so I didn’t have to make eye contact with him.

  “Yes, sir. A well-oiled machine as usual. Is there anything I can get for you?”

  “No. If you see Kade, send him my way please.”

  “Absolutely, sir. Enjoy your day.”

  I nodded instead of responding before I turned toward the bar to check for any drunks who may have passed out at the bar.

  I stepped into the ample bar space, the green neon lights illuminating my face, and I let my eyes scan the bar. People were still there drinking and laughing. A few danced to the music playing from the speakers overhead, but there were no sleepers at the bar.

  I turned to leave, letting my eyes skim the room once more, and I paused when my sights landed on an angel across the room.

  She was smiling at Kennedy, her face glowing with happiness as she threw her head back and laughed at something.

  I swallowed, my demons beginning to choke me as my addiction reared its ugly head.

  She was beautiful.

  No.

  She was so much more than the word could define.

  Her skin was untouched ivory, no scars, piercings, or tattoos that I could see marring her beautiful flesh. Her cheekbones were high and naturally flushed, her lips thick and pouty and pink.

  She was small—her tiny frame almost swallowed up by the crowds around her—yet she managed to stay afloat in the wave of people, maneuvering around the room like she was a permanent fixture in the room.

  She wasn’t.

  I had never seen her before.

  Her hair was golden silk that cascaded down her back, resting just above her perfectly round ass, and it moved side to side with her walk, brushing across her hips and touching them softly the way I longed to. That was before she swept it up and knotted it in a messy bun on top of her head, exposing her slender neck.

  She was untouched.

  Pure.

  Innocent.

  So sweet I could practically taste her on my tongue.

  She was like an effervescent light in the midst of the black slums surrounding her, illuminating the room in a way the neon and expensive lighting of the room couldn’t.

  Patrons played, downing drinks sloppily as they laughed and accepted drinks from her with cocky grins. It was then I noticed the green and gold Empire Sevens shirt stretched across her perky breasts.

  Anger and need exploded inside me.

  No fucking way.

  She was one of ours, walking the room with Kennedy like a seasoned member of our waitstaff, but there was no way in all the hells on Earth that she was would be allowed to remain working in my casino. Over my dead, hard, needy body would she stay.

  I was clean, living with my addiction the best way I knew how, but I wouldn’t be able to control myself around someone so perfectly untouched—someone so fresh and clean—so untainted by the world around her.

  She was virginal.

  No doubt about that.

  I was already imagining what my cock would feel like breaking through the thin skin keeping her that way.

  I growled, biting my lip to keep myself from howling like a wild beast. Looking at her, I felt crazy. As if I were within an inch of losing control of myself and swooping in and snatching her up like a starving bird would their prey.

  She was just a tiny mouse.

  An innocent angel scampering down the corrupt streets of Sin City.

  Fire flickered inside my groin, rekindling the flames of my addiction as if I hadn’t just spent the past six months of my life clean and surviving. Just one look at her and I tumbled off the metaphorical wagon, relapsing right back into my role of a sex junkie. Craving just a hit of her touch. Yearning for the feel of her body and the release her tightness could give me.

  I didn’t need anyone to tell me she was a virgin.

  I fucking knew it.

  Just looking at her was all it took. I could practically smell her virgin blood like a vampire needing to feed and starving out of my fucking mind.

  Reaching up, I ran my fingers through my thick hair and tugged, feeling more tortured than I ever had in my entire life. Not even being prodded with a red-hot poker for information had burned me as badly, and I had a feeling this girl would scar me far worse than any hot poker ever could.

  Mentally.

  Physically.

  If she stayed, she would fuck me up.

  My skin itched, my fingertips throbbing to touch her. My heartbeat drilled behind my ribs, making my adrenaline spike. I was like a heroin addict seconds away from scoring.

  Turning, I slammed my finger against the button of the closest elevator. Once it opened, I escaped inside and pressed myself against the back wall as if I were trying to get away from Satan himself. I didn’t breathe again until the door closed, and she was blocked from my view.

  Waving my access pass, I pressed the button for the top floor, and when the elevator doors opened once again, I turned rig
ht to Kade’s place instead of left for my own, eating up the space to his door with quick, angry strides.

  He had something to do with the angel downstairs.

  I just knew it.

  I didn’t bother knocking when I reached his door. Instead, I waved my access card in front of the pad and pushed open the heavy wooden door.

  As if he expected my arrival, Ben Cole stood in the hallway, guarding it against an invasion. Cole and Kade went way back.

  Kade kept the details about their friendship to a minimum, but I knew something had gone down when they were younger, and Kade had been the one to bail Cole out. Ever since, he had been Kade’s number two. Doing anything Kade needed.

  “Is he in there?” I nodded toward the living space.

  “Yes. He’s got company.” I knew what that meant, and I could feel the itch I tried so hard to ignore just under the surface of my control.

  I entered the main living room to find Kade receiving a blow job from one of his regular hookups.

  He looked up when I stepped inside, and a grin tugged at his lips.

  “He’s returned,” he announced as if I wasn’t interrupting anything.

  “It’s a little early for the bullshit, don’t you think?” I asked, annoyed and, honestly, a little jealous.

  He laughed. “It’s never too early for a decent blow job.”

  He was relaxing on his couch, his arms behind his head while he watched his large flat screen in front of him.

  The girl paused, looking up at me with a sexy grin as if she was excited about the prospect of a threesome.

  “Out,” I barked, pointing at the door.

  She looked up at Kade with a confused expression. “Kade?”

  He chuckled, sitting up and pulling his pants up with him. “You heard the man, sweetheart.”

  Pouting, she snatched her clothes and rushed past me.

  Kade reached over and grabbed his pack of smokes from the table before pulling one out and lighting it. “How was New York?”

  I moved into the room, going to the window with the view opposite of mine. “New York was cold. Who is she?” I asked, getting straight to the point.

  “Who?” he asked, taking another drag from his smoke.

  The smoke curled from his lips as he leaned his head back with relaxation I was sure I would never feel again.

  I ran my fingers through my hair in aggravation, tugging at the ends until my scalp stung. “The blond angel. Where did she fucking come from?”

  He chuckled. “Oh, yeah. I was wondering how long it would take you to see her. She’s beautiful, right?”

  “She’s a problem is what she is,” I snapped, leaving the window and falling onto the couch across from him.

  He tapped his cigarette on the ashtray beside him. “Yeah. I thought you might say that.”

  “Then why did you hire her? You know she can’t stay here, right? I leave for one fucking week, and this is what you do. Toss temptation right in my fucking path. What the hell, Kade?”

  He held his hands up and shook his head. “Hey, man, it wasn’t me. If you want someone to blame, blame Kennedy.”

  “Kennedy hired her? She wouldn’t do that. She knows my number one rule.”

  “Yeah, yeah, yeah. No innocent blondes, but this time, it’s a little different.”

  “Oh, yeah? How so?”

  “The angel didn’t just walk in off the streets looking for a job. She’s Kennedy’s niece.”

  7

  EDEN

  ONCE WE WERE BACK at the casino, I followed Kennedy around as she explained my job duties and gave me a tour of the massive building.

  Empire Sevens was the real deal.

  So much more than a casino, it had a full spa and resort, as well.

  Lavish hotel rooms swathed in beautiful shades of emerald green and gold. The bathrooms were luxurious with golden sinks and large whirlpool baths. Massive king-size beds centered the rooms, and large flat-screen televisions hung on the wall in front of the bed. Each place we passed had its own beautiful view of the city, and the world outside those windows looked green, thanks to the tint on the glass.

  After showing me the essential parts of the casino, the bar, a few of the rooms, and the relaxing spa, I followed her outside.

  While I had thought the inside of the place was gorgeous, the outdoors really stole the show. Scantily clad woman surrounded the tropical getaway just outside the casino doors. A large pool with a waterfall on the side centered the space, and shaded cabanas and palms filled every available space. If I hadn’t known any better, I would have sworn I was on the coast instead of in the middle of the desert.

  “Wow,” I said as my eyes scanned the sunny space, taking in the tiki bar and the waitresses as they passed with trays full of tropical drinks.

  “I know, right? A lot of the workers spend time here on their days off. You’re welcome to do the same,” Aunt Kennedy said.

  After the full tour, we ended up in a locker room of sorts where the waitresses changed into their uniforms.

  “This will be your locker,” Kennedy said, tapping her perfectly manicured nails against a locker at the end of the row. “You can store all of your things in here while you’re working.” She popped opened the locker so I could see inside. “See? Plenty of space. Now, let’s get you a uniform.”

  She moved around the lockers and into a back room, and I followed, smiling at the workers I passed.

  Once in the back room, she began digging through a few boxes lined against the rear wall. “We usually keep a few uniforms in every size in case one of the girls needs to change, so I should have something here for you.”

  She went through the sizes until she found a shirt, vest, and skirt for me to change into.

  “This should work. Why don’t you try it on, and I’ll get started on the paperwork, okay?”

  I nodded, taking the clothes from her. “Sounds like a plan.”

  “Do you think you can find your way back to my office?”

  “Yep.” I wasn’t entirely confident I could, but I needed her to think I could handle this without her holding my hand.

  I already knew my aunt; she would want to protect me, and I loved her for that, but I didn’t want anyone else to think I was getting special treatment.

  It didn’t take me long to dress because the uniforms weren’t anything outrageous. A white button-down shirt, a black vest with the EMPIRE SEVENS logo on the front, and a black skirt that went nearly down to my knees. I was happy it wasn’t anything too Vegas cheesy.

  Putting away my clothes in the locker, I didn’t worry that someone would steal my pants and Empire T-shirt as I closed the door without locking it.

  Stepping out of the locker room, I looked up and down the hall, trying to remember which direction we had come in. Both ends looked relatively similar, so I had no choice but to guess my way out of here. I would either end up in Aunt Kennedy’s office or Emerald City.

  I went left because I was pretty sure right would take me out onto the hotel floor, and I made my way down the long hallway. Coming to an end, I could either go right or left. I was about to randomly choose a direction when I saw someone wearing an Empire Sevens uniform.

  “Excuse me,” I called out, stopping a guy dressed in something similar to what I was wearing minus the skirt and instead a pair of dark slacks.

  He turned toward me, and I quickly moved in his direction.

  “Hi,” he said with a smile. “Do you need help with something?”

  “Hi. Yes, please. I’m looking for Kennedy Vaughn’s office. Could you point me in the right direction?”

  He chuckled. “This place is massive. How about I take you there instead?”

  I smiled, feeling a massive amount of relief. “I don’t want to keep you.”

  “You’re not. I’m actually on a break. Come on,” he said, starting in the direction opposite of what I was about to choose.

  “So you work here?” I asked.

  It was a silly que
stion, seeing as how he was dressed in the Empire Sevens uniform and had just told me he was on his break, but I was nervous, and I tended to talk a lot when my nerves got the best of me. But he seemed nice enough. There was something about the softness of his brown eyes, or maybe it was the way his dark hair fell over his forehead.

  “I do. You?”

  “Yep. Today’s my first day actually.” He was tall, and I had to look up at him.

  “Well, welcome to Empire Sevens. You’ll like it here. It’s a nice place to work. I’m Luke, by the way.”

  “Eden Vaughn.”

  He stopped, looking at me sideways. “Vaughn? Are you related to Kennedy?”

  “Would you believe it’s just a coincidence?”

  He laughed. “Okay. So are you from Vegas?”

  “No, Arizona. You?”

  “Born and raised, but I’ve been to Arizona a few times. It’s nice.”

  “It’s okay, but I was ready for a change.”

  “Have you ever worked in a hotel and casino before? I know they have some in Arizona.”

  “Never, but I’m excited. How about you?” I asked, turning the questions on him. “Have you worked here long?”

  “About two years. Right now, I’m a bar back, but I’m hoping to become one of the bartenders soon.”

  “Bar back?”

  “Yeah. I basically work behind the bar. Keeping it stocked. Making sure the alcohol and glasses are full. Stuff like that.”

  “That sounds interesting. All of this is new to me.”

  “I assume you’ll be a waitress?” He eyed my uniform.

  “Yep. I’ve never waitressed before, so I’m a little nervous.”

  “I’m sure you’ll do great. Zander and Kade are really cool. Strict but cool. You’ll like working for them.”

  “I hope so.”

  “Well, here we are.”

  We stopped in front of Kennedy’s office door. I realized I probably should have paid more attention to how we got there.

  “Well, it was nice meeting you, Eden Vaughn, no relation,” he teased with a wink.

  “Nice to meet you, too, Luke.”