by Sarah Bale
Dev nodded but didn’t reply. He ran his hands through his hair and thought about the look in her eyes. How could she be so…cold about the abortion? Of course she was the one who wanted to get it in the first place so he shouldn’t be surprised. But still…
“Earth to Dev. Come on, man. Get your game face on,” Marco said as the limo stopped in front of the casino.
He could see there was indeed a group of paparazzi waiting to take his picture. He took in a deep breath and then smiled, pushing all other thoughts out of his mind. They wanted to see Devlin James, the bad-boy fighter with a killer smile. It’s what he did and he did his job well.
Chapter Fifteen
Shannon sat at the bar and drank a Diet Coke. The bartender had raised his eyebrow when she asked for the soda but slid the beverage her way nonetheless. She glanced around and wondered what people thought of a woman alone in a bar, not drinking.
They were probably thinking how pathetic she looked and she kind of agreed. Her cell phone rang and she reached into her purse to get it. She expected the caller to be Dev but the number was not his.
“Hello?”
“Shan?”
Molly’s voice echoed and Shannon wondered if her friend was calling from a bathroom.
“What’s up, Molly? Calling for more information to pass on to Johnny?”
A low blow but a well-deserved one.
Molly’s voice caught on a sob. “I’m so sorry. He said he would fire me if I didn’t help him! You know I need this job…”
“Look, I understand why you told on me but your betrayal still hurts. I thought we were friends.”
“We were. We are! I couldn’t tell you. There was a camera on me the whole time. I had to do it…”
Shannon sighed. Molly probably didn’t have a choice in the matter but Shannon didn’t trust her friend anymore.
“What did you call for?”
“I wanted to warn you. Johnny is on his way to Vegas. I heard him on the phone, telling someone he wouldn’t miss the fight for the world.”
Fear slammed in her chest. “He promised he wouldn’t hurt Dev!”
“I’m not sure what he’s going to do but you know as well as I do he rarely misses a night at the club. That’s what has me so worried.”
“Did you hear anything else?”
“He thanked whoever he was talking to for getting him on a list for some exclusive party. I’m not sure if that will affect you but I wanted you to know.”
Shannon glanced around, feeling as if someone was watching her. Two men sat at the other end of the bar and one of them stared right at her. Both men looked like the type of guys Johnny surrounded himself with. Both looked dangerous.
“Hey, I have to go. I’ll talk to you later.”
“Please be careful!”
Shannon didn’t reply and ended the phone call. Picking up her purse, she walked as calmly as she could from the bar. The hairs on the back of her neck prickled and her body tensed. A causal glance over her shoulder confirmed the two men had followed her.
She made her way to the front desk where an employee stood with a fake smile plastered on her face.
“Welcome to MGM Grand, world-renowned hotel and casino. How may I help you?”
Shannon glanced over her shoulder. The two men stood a few feet away. They weren’t close enough to hear her but they could definitely stop her if she tried to run.
“Ma’am?”
“I’m staying with a friend and I believe he already checked in. His name is Devlin James.”
The woman’s face lit up. “Yes, Mr. James checked in already.” She typed on her computer. “May I see your ID so I can verify you are the other guest listed?”
Shannon handed over her ID and tried to remain calm as the woman looked the card over. Finally she handed back the ID.
“Everything seems to check out.” She waved a bellhop over. “Could you show Ms. Bray up to the villa suite?” She gave her another fake smile. “And here is your key. Is there anything else I can do for you?”
Shannon glanced over her shoulder. “Yeah there is. Those two guys over there are following me…I think they are paparazzi…”
She knew damn well they weren’t reporters or photographers but she was hoping the casino had some kind of policy regarding paparazzi bothering their guests.
“We will take care of it for you, Ms. Bray.”
“Thank you. Dev and I appreciate it.”
Okay, using Dev’s name was a little low but if it sealed the deal, then it was worth it.
She followed the bellhop to the elevators and didn’t look back once. Angry shouts let her know the men were being escorted out. Now all she had to do was keep her end of the deal with Johnny and make sure Dev stayed distracted.
They reached the fortieth floor and the bellhop led Shannon to the villa suite. At the door she reached into her purse and pulled out a twenty and a five. She wasn’t sure how much money he expected her to tip him for just showing her to the room but the man shook his head, saving her from deciding.
“It has already been taken care of, ma’am,” he said with a smile.
She smiled back and walked through the door. Sounds of the TV came from the other room but she took the time to look around. The villa suite was so much bigger than her apartment. Her shoes clicked on the cream-colored Italian clay tiles as she walked down the hallway to a large living room.
The room could easily hold a hundred people and was decorated in neutral colors that added warmth. Marco sat on the beige couch with his feet propped up on a glass coffee table. Behind him a large wet bar with an espresso machine stood tucked in the corner.
“Where’s Dev?”
He didn’t even take his eyes from the TV. “In the steam room. He needed to unwind.”
A steam room? Just how big was the suite? Feeling dismissed, she left the living room and passed a massive dining room. Fresh lilies sat in two large vases on the table and she stopped in shock. Had Dev ordered the lilies or were the flowers a coincidence?
She shook her head and went into another large room, which she guessed was the master suite. Her bag sat at the foot of the bed next to Dev’s designer luggage and looked so out of place she had to smile.
Her humor quickly evaporated as she thought about the two men in the lobby. Johnny made his demands clear. She was to keep Dev so busy he couldn’t focus on his upcoming fight in Colorado. As much as she hated to deceive him she knew she must. But he would never trust her by the time they got to Loveland unless she did something now.
Taking a deep breath, she pulled her shirt off over her head. Dev was worth saving. She just had to keep that in mind. She quickly stripped off the rest of her clothing and grabbed a towel to wrap around her body. Hurrying from the room, she hoped Marco wouldn’t see her before she found Dev. Luckily Marco stayed in the living room and Shannon found the sauna at the other end of the hallway.
She reached the closed door and paused before entering an upscale locker room. Dev’s clothes were lying neatly over one of the wooden benches but she didn’t see him.
Another closed door on the other side of the room had a lit sign next to it that read “In Use”. She pulled the towel tighter around her body and opened the sauna door. Warm steam surrounded her and she quickly closed the door behind her.
Thick, moist air filled the room and it took a moment for her eyes to adjust. She could vaguely see the outline of Dev across the room. Slowly she made her way toward him. He sat on a wooden bench with a towel wrapped around his waist. His eyes were closed and his head rested against the wall.
“Marco, I told you I didn’t want to be disturbed right now,” he said without opening his eyes.
She wetted her lips with her tongue. “It’s not Marco.”
His head snapped toward her and before he could speak she let the towel fall to the floor. His eyes hungrily looked her up and down, making her feel powerful. The steam caressed her skin as it wrapped around her and she took in a slow, de
ep breath.
“Shannon,” Dev said in a raspy voice. “What are you doing?”
She smiled and walked toward him, letting her hips sway. “What am I doing? Why the same thing you are, Mr. James. I am here to enjoy the steam room.”
“I don’t have time for games. I only have thirty minutes before I train and then head to a meeting.”
“Who’s playing games?”
She stopped in front of him, just inches out of his reach. Sweat glistened on his body and her fingers itched to touch his skin but she resisted the urge. She was there on a mission and nothing was going to stop her.
“Shan—”
She leaned down and captured his lips in a slow, calculated kiss. He didn’t move so she ran her fingers through his hair. With her other hand she traced a trail down his flat stomach to the rim of the towel.
She broke the kiss and he watched her with dark eyes, obviously content to wait to see what she did next. Her lips lifted into a smile and she took the edge of the towel that was tucked against his skin and pulled, causing it to fall open. His cock sprang forward and she was secretly glad to find he was aroused.
“You were so good to me the other night that I decided to return the favor.”
Dev leaned back against the wall and his legs opened wide, as if he was daring her. She put her hands on his thighs and lowered to the tiled floor. Her knees ached in protest but she ignored the discomfort.
Steam swirled around her as she leaned forward and kissed the head of his cock. The purple tip glistened with pre-cum and she licked it off slowly, letting the salty flavor burst across her taste buds. Dev moaned in approval.
“I was always too shy to try this before,” she admitted.
His eyes opened and he looked down at her. “Oh? What’s changed?”
She shrugged. “Age? Experience? I’m not sure.”
His eyebrow lifted. “Have a lot of experience giving blowjobs?”
She wondered what he would say if she admitted he was her first. Would he laugh her off? Would he tell her to stop? Would he be honored? Would he even believe her? No, she doubted he would.
“Shan?”
She smiled up at him. “Don’t worry about it, Dev. You are all that matters right now.”
Dev opened his mouth to speak but Shannon’s full lips closed around the tip of his cock. Air hissed through his teeth as she gently sucked. A moan escaped her and he felt the vibrations against his sensitive flesh.
“You taste so good.”
Her lips opened wider and she took more of him into her mouth. The steam around them cleared for a moment and he caught a glimpse of her bright red lipstick as she moved her head back and forth. The sight before him was one of the hottest things he had seen in his life.
“Fuck yeah, Shannon. Suck me like that.”
She scooted closer and cupped his balls in her hand. Gently she massaged them while she fucked his cock with her mouth. His hips lifted instinctively. Her eyes met his and she took him farther in. Fuck, he could feel the tightness of her throat as he guided his cock past her tonsils but she didn’t gag or tell him to stop.
“You are so fucking sexy.” His voice sounded hoarse.
She winked at him and moved her head back until her tongue was lapping the tip of his cock. She licked the underside as if she were sucking on a Popsicle, never breaking eye contact. Then slowly she eased her head forward until there was no doubt he was touching the back of her throat.
“Oh God.”
His lower stomach began to tingle and his balls tightened.
“I’m going to come!”
He felt a soft vibration in Shannon’s throat and knew she’d moaned a response. The sensation sent shockwaves around his sensitive cock and he grabbed onto her hair as he came, holding her in place. Her throat worked around him, swallowing his cum until there was nothing left.
His heart pounded in his ears and for a moment it was all he could hear. Shannon slowly pulled back and he shivered as his cock left her warm mouth. Her erect nipple brushed his leg as she started to stand. So the blowjob had affected her too.
Without thinking, he reached down and pulled her into his lap. She gasped as she looked up at him.
“You are fucking amazing,” he said as his lips caught her red ones.
He could taste himself on her and he moaned deep in his throat. Her fingers laced through his hair and pulled him closer.
“I’m so turned-on right now,” she whispered against his mouth. “Giving you a blowjob was everything I thought it would be.”
His blood pumped with fire and he felt his cock stirring to life. She wiggled against him, her bare ass teasing him.
“Dev, I want you to fuck me.”
Oh, what a naughty girl she could be. Steam licked their skin, making both of them damp with perspiration. He reached between her legs and found that her flesh wasn’t the only thing damp. Fuck, she was so ready for him but if he didn’t go, he was going to be late for training…
Shannon stood and for a moment he thought she was going to leave. Instead she pushed his legs apart with her own and straddled him. His cock hardened just as she slid down onto him with a satisfied sigh. Slowly she began to move and her slick pussy glided up and down the length of his cock.
Her head fell back as his hips lifted to meet her slow thrusts. Her soft moans were the only sounds in the room and he watched as she used his body to pleasure herself.
“Play with my breasts,” she said with her head still tilted back. “Please…”
He leaned forward and caught her nipple with his lips. He sucked lightly and then grazed his teeth over it. Her hips bucked in response and she increased her pace. His free hand moved between them and he rolled her hard clit between his fingers.
Her gasp filled the room and he knew she was close to coming. He held onto her hips with both hands and began to thrust short and shallow, knowing it would send her over the edge.
“Oh yes, Dev! Like that,” she said as she bounced up and down on his cock.
Her breasts jiggled from the force and suddenly he felt her inner muscles tighten as she came. Her throaty cries set him off and he came too, filling her until their mixed juices dripped onto his thighs.
She fell against him with a sigh as her body still trembled around him. In that moment he realized two very important things. One—he was going to be late to his training session. Two—they hadn’t used a condom.
Chapter Sixteen
Shannon closed her eyes in bliss. If only they could stay like this forever, with nothing between them. No Johnny Ice. No sordid past. Nothing but flesh.
Dev drew a sharp breath. “Get the fuck off me. Now!”
She lifted her head, confused. A second ago they had been…happy. He pushed at her until she fell backward onto the ground and he stood, looking down at her in disgust.
She scrambled to her feet. “Dev, what is it? What’s wrong?”
His eyes bulged and a vein popped out in his neck. Oh crap. That was never good.
“I know what you are up to. God, I can’t believe I fell for this!”
She took a step back. “What are you talking about? What did I do?”
Did he really know? Was she that transparent?
“We didn’t use a condom, Shannon,” he sneered.
Her heart fell. She had never intended to screw him in the steam room so she didn’t think to bring a condom. Her throat filled with bile and she swallowed it down, willing herself not to be sick.
“Dev… I…”
She didn’t know why he was so angry. Wasn’t that what he wanted when he asked her to be at his beck and call for a month? He held up his hand to silence her.
“I don’t want to fucking hear it. I already missed my training session because of your tricks. I’m not going to miss my meeting to hear your lies.”
He pushed past her, leaving her alone, lost in the steam. How could she have been so fucking stupid? She prayed her birth control worked. She didn’t know if she cou
ld handle that kind of heartbreak twice.
She took in a deep breath. She needed to focus. It was going to be harder than ever to keep Dev distracted. She prayed he still planned on going to the Cirque show with her. If he didn’t…well, she’d rather not think about that.
Stumbling from the room, she made her way to the master suite with a towel wrapped haphazardly around her body. Dev wasn’t there and she was relieved. Sometimes the best approach to his foul moods was avoiding him altogether.
Her bag still sat next to his and she opened it, wanting to get her clothes out for tonight. As soon as she unzipped the bag she realized her mistake. She had forgotten to pack the cocktail dresses.
Tears welled up in her eyes and she blinked them away. Why couldn’t anything ever work out in her favor? There was only one solution she could think of…and he was sitting in the living room watching TV. She grabbed her jeans and shirt and went to the bathroom. She showered and quickly got dressed. If she were lucky, Marco would agree to help her. She needed an ally, now.
* * * * *
“Shannon, please stop crying. I…I can’t understand anything you’re saying,” Marco said as he backed away from her with his hands held up in surrender.
Shit, this wasn’t going how she had expected. As soon as she opened her mouth to speak, tears had started falling down her face. Then the sobs started. Now she was nothing but tears and snot standing in front of Marco.
She took in a deep, shaky breath and tried again. “I forgot to pack my dresses…” She wiped her tears away and went on. “I don’t have anything to wear and I don’t want to embarrass Dev. He is already so mad at me…” Her voice started to break again so she closed her mouth, willing the tears away.
Marco’s eyes softened and he nodded. “That does present a problem. Let me call a friend. If we’re lucky, she’s back in town.”
“Thank you,” she whispered.
He didn’t reply but pulled his cell phone out and made a call.
“Kit-Kat! How are you, baby? No shit? That’s great. No, I’m not mad about the other night. It was a madhouse inside that club. Yeah. Actually that’s what I was calling about.” He glanced at Shannon and smiled. “I have a friend who is in need of some party dresses. I don’t know but I think three would be enough. Yeah, we are at MGM Grand. Okay. Thanks, babe!”