Fueled by Lust: Severus (Siren Publishing Classic)

by Celeste Prater

  The valet took several shots and handed the phone back. “Have a nice evening.”

  Severus watched the boy drive off with his baby. At least the kid was handling it like he was in love, so that was a good sign. Turning back to Cassie, he caught her looking at her phone and smiling. She glanced up and the smile didn’t leave her face.

  “Lina said we’re too hot to be at, and I quote, ‘a rinky-dink-do-dah dinner.’ Said we should be doing it up big in Hollywood. That girl is crazy.” Shaking her head, she stuffed the phone in her clutch and tilted her head toward the front doors. “Come on, big guy. Let’s get this over with.”

  Severus was immediately impressed with the Bank Tower. He could tell the main lobby had been recently remodeled just from the overall newness and smell of the place. The lobby showcased a fantastic terrazzo flooring, the marble and quartz inlay glinting within the extremely polished finish. The Duroplex walls and wood finishes brought a welcoming ambiance despite the sheer size of the place. Cassie’s heels clicked along the floor surface as they headed to the bank of elevators. Catching sight of an outdoor garden, Severus gently grabbed her elbow and gestured to the exterior doors. She followed him outside without comment.

  “This is beautiful, Cassie.” Cleverly hidden ground lights highlighted a large center fountain. The gurgling water was pristine and clear. Patterned-stone walkways meandered around the courtyard, some circular and other rectangular, each lined with artfully placed sculpted hedges and colorful flowerbeds. A few of the walkways revealed additional offshoots extending directly into the fountain before curving away and connecting to others. Gracefully arched columns lining the perimeter revealed dimly lit alcoves for privacy. It was a little bit of paradise among a concrete-and-glass giant. When he turned back to Cassie, she was smiling at him.

  “You found my hideaway. I love coming here with my lunch sometimes. It can perk an overworked secretary right up.”

  Severus swore he was going to keep this date light and casual, but looking at her here in this beautiful place with her eyes picking up the sparkle from the blue water, he couldn’t help but reach up and trace the delicate curve of her jaw and run a strand of that silky hair against his fingertips.

  “I tell you what. If it gets too stuffy for you we can always escape down here and hide. Just kick me under the table and I will take it from there.” Her laughter mingled with the tinkling of the waterfall.

  “You have a deal. Now let’s get up there before we’re way over the fashionably late line.”

  * * * *

  Severus watched Cassie’s face, trying to gauge how she was reacting to being in a room full of wealthy business men and their significant others. One could never tell whether it was a wife, mistress, or high-dollar call girl latched on the arm of the rich and famous. So far she was holding her own. She was uncharacteristically quiet, yet friendly. He knew exactly how she felt. When he had first branched off into the escort side of the business, he had some help navigating the shark-infested water from one Sarah Lawrence-educated socialite named Monica Sewell. He had met her at Heat Seekers when she had “lowered” her standards and attended a bachelorette party for her cousin. She had latched onto him thirty minutes after his set, telling him he had the face and mannerisms suited for modeling or escort work. In a boring, loveless marriage, as she told it, she spent quite a bit of time preparing him for handling situations such as these. However, it wasn’t like he was completely clueless, having spent his whole life among the royals and senate elders on Insedivertus. Their intrigue, backstabbing, and snobbery were not far off from that of Earth. Human nature was inherent in the Insedi, so the training had more to do with knowing the players rather than the plays. He wasn’t surprised to see Monica here with her balding, thick-bellied, rich husband. Nor was he surprised when she immediately made her way over to them.

  Ever aware of others’ impressions of her, Monica was the definition of perfect arm-candy. Flawless skin, professionally-applied makeup, sleek, black hair falling to her waist, and vintage gray Versace accenting eyes of the same color, allowed her to stand out among the crowd. She was as beautiful on the outside as she was tarnished at the core. He hoped she would be civil for Cassie’s sake. They had not parted on friendly terms when he had repeatedly refused to become her lover. He had perceived them as friends, but Monica had wanted to take it much further. The smoky scent of her growing desire for him became harder to ignore and he had ended the training. She had been nice to him the last several times they had crossed paths, so hopefully that would continue tonight. He reached out and placed his hand to the small of Cassie’s back. He didn’t miss Monica’s slightly raised brow when Cassie leaned closer.

  “Severus. Nice to see you, again. It’s been a long time.”

  Severus endured the lingering kiss to each cheek before directing Monica’s attention to Cassie. “Monica Sewell, this is Cassie Wells. She is associated with Scofell, Leander, and Sturdivant. She was kind enough to invite me to welcome Mr. Petrocana. Cassie, Mrs. Sewell’s husband owns several of the premier restaurants spanning the southern region of the U.S., so I can only surmise he has great interest in the arrival of the sought-after Petrocana vintage.”

  Monica surprised him by smiling warmly at Cassie.

  “It’s very nice to meet you, Cassie. Severus is very observant and correct. My husband was practically drooling when he found out that Petrocana was being considered for U.S. import. It would be a great coup to be the first to showcase its arrival. Speaking of which, I see him signaling for me. Again, nice meeting you and I hope you enjoy your evening.”

  Cassie smiled at the warm reception. “Thank you, Mrs. Sewell. It was nice to meet you as well.”

  Monica leaned closer, her smile widening. “No. Please call me Monica. Any friend of Severus’s is a friend of mine.” Stepping back, she motioned to the bar area. “Perhaps my husband and I will see you both in the bar area later. I hear there will be a wonderful band.”

  Severus nodded. “Yes, perhaps. Good seeing you again, Monica.” Her gaze lingered on his for a few beats then she smiled at them both and rejoined her husband.

  Cassie turned to him and grinned. “Bet that felt awkward, didn’t it?”

  Chapter 13

  Cassie laughed as those gorgeous, hazel eyes widened. Reaching out, she snagged two champagne glasses from a passing waiter and handed one to Severus. “Relax, will you? You have to learn, Severus. Women are good at reading another woman’s tell.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Please, it was so obvious. She has to be either a former lover or a former client, maybe both. I’m betting on client though. She had that look of a woman that hadn’t achieved her goal, yet, which in this instance is you, Mr. Clueless.”

  Severus shook his head and chuckled. “You constantly amaze me, Cassie. Yes, she’s a former client. I escorted her to numerous events when I first arrived here. We were never lovers, but not for her lack of trying. I stopped taking her calls well over two years ago. I heard she started using another escort service, so I’m officially off the hook.” He paused to listen to the staff directing everyone to the dining area. “Good. Time to eat. I’m starving.”

  Cassie put her hand on his arm to stop him. “Thanks, Severus—for telling me the truth about her. Most guys would have hedged and dodged, but you just let it all out. That’s important to me…to be able to trust what you say.” She loved watching his eyes crinkle at the corner when he smiled.

  “Cassie, I cannot find it within myself to ever lie to you. You are unfailingly forthright and honest, sometimes to the point of pain I might add, that I have the same desire to tell you absolutely everything. Come on. Let us get seated before they serve the first course.”

  At any other time, Cassie would have been stunned by the panoramic view of downtown Austin, the UT Tower, and the Capitol, but after being in Drusus and Lina’s home so often, it had become natural to expect the beautiful scene. However, she was immediately intimidated by the elega
nt dining area. Even though she knew it was ridiculous to be nervous about having a meal, it was the thought of sitting with people she didn’t know and especially with the huge distance between her bank account and theirs.

  Cassie suddenly felt like a fraud standing among those she had absolutely nothing in common with, who would probably turn away from her in disgust if they had any inkling of her upbringing. She immediately wished for a small table in a dark corner to appear. As the panic took hold and began to crawl across her skin, she tensed when Severus’s arm wrapped around her waist and his warm breath caressed her ear.

  “Breathe, Cassie. Ignore everything around you. They are just people. Each with a story to tell. Some good and some not so much. Money does not make them better than you. Relax. I will not let anything or anyone make you feel uncomfortable. We will enjoy our meal and each other’s company. To hell with them all.”

  She couldn’t have heard better words. Tension began to seep from her muscles and she leaned into his body. As they arrived at their table, he moved his arm from around her but grasped her hand and lightly squeezed, causing her to look up at him. He was gracing her with a gorgeous smile and she practically melted into the chair he pulled out for her. She whispered, “Thank you, Severus.”

  “You are quite welcome, sweetness,” he whispered back.

  Three other couples joined the table and Cassie was relieved to see one of the lawyers from her office. Thomas Braswell was a tall man in his late fifties, slightly balding with a ruddy face and laughing eyes. He had always been nice to her at the office. His wife, Anna, was a petite woman with a cap of light-brown curls and also carried the same happiness within her pale-blue eyes. She could tell the couple was comfortable with each other as they settled into their chairs and gave each other a warm smile.

  “Hi, Cassie. It looks like Sturdivant roped you into taking his spot tonight. Glad to see you outside of the office, finally. You look very nice tonight.”

  “Thank you, Mr. Braswell. Nice to see you again, Mrs. Braswell.”

  “Please, call me Anna, Cassie. Thomas is correct, you look very lovely tonight. Great dress.”

  Cassie felt herself blush. “Thank you, Anna. Love your dress, too. That particular color of blue suits you well.”

  The other couples introduced themselves while a waiter filled everyone’s glasses with choices of expensive wine, iced tea, or sparkling water. She met a local surgeon and his timid wife and another lawyer from a competing firm with his much younger girlfriend clinging to his arm.

  Cassie soon learned that the surgeon’s wife wasn’t really timid, but aloof. She offered a slight smile and nod at the introductions, but kept her back ramrod-straight and barely made eye contact. When the giggling girlfriend tried to make polite conversation with her, she received an arched brow and a quick up-and-down glance before she haughtily turned away. Cassie felt bad for the snubbed girlfriend as she glanced helplessly at her shrugging boyfriend before slouching back against her chair. Cassie glanced over to Severus and squelched a laugh when he casually lifted his hand and discreetly slid his finger from the base of his nose to the tip, the universal sign for having spotted an upper-crust snob among the common folk.

  “Say, Severus. What line of work are you in?”

  Cassie inwardly cringed at Braswell’s question. This could turn into an uncomfortable conversation very quickly.

  “Entertainment,” he said with all seriousness.

  “Interesting. Anything particular?”

  “Dancing, to be precise. I also dabble a little in match-making. I manage Seekers Dating Service.”

  That little tidbit caught everyone’s attention, even the snob.

  Good diversion, Severus, she thought.

  Braswell leaned forward, a friendly smile crossing his face. “It goes to show how small this world really is. I know of your agency. Our niece, Alexa, met a fine, young man through your service. They’re getting married next month. Unfortunately, she’s going back to Greece with him, so we won’t get to see much of her. At least she’s happy, that’s all that matters.”

  Severus smiled warmly at them. “That is wonderful news. I’m glad we were of service. Please wish her my best.”

  All conversation thankfully ended the moment the wait-staff surrounded their table and laid the first course on the pristine, white cloth. What in holy hell is this stuff? A wide plate-bowl filled with a green, indefinable liquid glared back at her. There was a little slice of toast, with a heap of dark-green leaves perched on top, sitting in the middle of the liquid. She darted a discreet glance over to Severus and watched as he picked up his spoon and dipped the side into what looked like soup. She did the same and brought the spoon up to her lips. It smelled okay. Before she could open her mouth, she heard Mrs. Braswell’s sweet voice.

  “Oh! Look, Thomas. It’s the puree of zucchini and mushroom soup. We haven’t had this since our twentieth anniversary. How delightful!”

  Cassie froze. Ah, hell! It would have to be mushrooms. She couldn’t stand the damn things. She looked helplessly at the full spoon hovering in front of her face. She didn’t know if it was proper to just place the spoon back in the bowl and leave it or remove the vile liquid and then put the spoon to the side. Shit! She opted for the latter and immediately wished she had gone with the first option.

  Not only did the tiny bits of mushroom tease her gag reflex, but the soup was cold as ice. Who in the hell would ever want cold soup? She was immensely proud of herself for keeping the liquid down without outwardly showing everyone in the immediate vicinity that her body preferred to spew it across the table. She gently placed the clean spoon on the plate beneath the bowl. At least her table manners had improved over the years. Looking over to Severus to assure herself that the perceived, outward calm had really taken place, she smiled to see his clean spoon sat below his bowl as well.

  “You two don’t like the soup?”

  Cassie’s eyes flipped up to meet Mr. Braswell’s. Severus spoke before she could come up with a plausible denial.

  “I was never a fan of cold soup. It is very pretty, though.”

  Mr. Braswell chuckled and nodded his head. “Yes, I had to learn to get used to it. Especially how to work my way around that toast.”

  Everyone laughed easily at his observation, except Mrs. Snob, of course. Cassie just wanted to throw her arms around Severus and thank him for voicing her own distaste and making her feel normal.

  None too soon, the staff removed the horrid soup from the table and placed a dish in front of her that made her smile. Her happiness grew as the staff announced the main course as Prosciutto-wrapped chicken breasts with eggplant panzanella and raisin, pine nut vinaigrette. She recognized, and liked, every ingredient. How nice of them to have already sliced the chicken into rounded medallions. She thoroughly enjoyed this portion of the meal. Everyone, except the snob of course, engaged in idle chatter about the local sports team and the continued increase in Austin tourism.

  As the empty dishes were removed from the table, she heard light raps of metal on glass as all heads swiveled to Mr. Scofell standing by his table.

  “Good evening, everyone. I hope you have all been enjoying yourselves. As you are all aware, we are here tonight to welcome a very special guest to our country, as well as a valued new client to Scofell, Leander, and Sturdivant Law Firm. We are very excited at assisting our new friend in bringing his prestigious, award-winning wine selections to the U.S.” He turned and smiled toward an older gentleman to his left. “Please help me welcome Antonio Petrocana.”

  A large man with shock-white hair and laugh lines crinkling the edges of his friendly eyes stood and nodded. After the clapping dwindled, Mr. Scofell continued. “Please. Everyone enjoy the dessert the staff is now serving and afterwards, if you like, you can retire to the bar area to enjoy the band. Thank you all for coming.”

  “Petrocana is in for a pretty good battle. I hope he gets through all the red tape quickly because I’m dying to try that wine aga
in. I was in Italy last year and was lucky enough to taste his Riserva category wine. It will spoil you from all others.”

  Everyone, except the surgeon, stared openmouthed at the snob. She actually spoke. The previously snubbed girlfriend took a shot and encouraged her to continue.

  “What is a Riserva category?”

  Thankfully, the snob had become friendlier after three glasses of wine because she actually smiled.

  “My dear, it is the highest classification of Italian wine.” She waved a long, lacquered fingernail at the glass being refilled with her fourth pour. “This chardonnay is a Vini Varietali. Better than your average, store-bought wine, but still four steps down from the best. No, you ever get a taste of a Petrocana Vini DOP Riserva, you will know the difference. Vini versus DOP is like comparing a mule to a pedigreed thoroughbred. Riserva wine is produced in one of the oldest parts of Italy and earns its guaranteed reputation from the length of aging and the limited amount of grapes used to produce it. His Petrocana Valpolicella is equivalent to winning the Triple Crown.”

  Encouraged by her lessons on wine, snubbed girlfriend ventured another question. “You said he was in a battle. For what exactly?”

  Snob took a sip from her full glass, wrinkled her nose, but took another sip anyway. “Some of his competitors in Italy don’t want his top product stateside. They know he’ll cut deep into their American profit margins. They’re contesting his classification, which in effect snags his import process until the Italian wine committee, Comitato, makes a decision. That could take months, if not years.”

  Braswell spoke up. “That’s why our law firm is working to get the Comitato to hurry the process along. It’ll be a big coup if we can pull it off. They’re a stickler bunch of fellows.”

  The topic was interesting enough, but Cassie could do nothing else but stare at the fragile little dessert placed on the table before each of them. It looked like chocolate pudding released from an upside-down mold. Three raspberries topped the little creation with a small mint-sprig to give it additional color. It looked too pretty to eat.