Virtue & Vengeance

by Tabatha Vargo

  He was enjoying the control he had over me, and I hated it, but I had to do what I had to do to get back on a level playing ground with Zander.

  “Fine,” I snapped, my spine stiffening. “I won’t leave Vegas, but I’m staying at Kennedy’s.”

  He lifted a brow like he was going to push for me to stay at Empire, but that wasn’t going to happen. Finally, he gave a little. “Fine. As long as you stay in Vegas.”

  I nodded, pushing him away from me and crossing my arms over my chest. “Fine.”

  “For someone so hell-bent on leaving before, you’re giving in easier than I thought you would.”

  I gritted my teeth, my jaws so tight I was sure they would pop.

  I didn’t want to be anywhere near Zander, and the thought of staying at Empire Sevens with him made my stomach feel heavy with anger and nerves, so that wasn’t going to happen, but he was right about one thing … staying at Aunt Kennedy’s wasn’t safe.

  I would have to be on guard if I continued to stay there. So until I paid him back, made enough to get the Oldsmobile out of impound again, and saved a bit more for the road, I would stay in Vegas. Still, that didn’t mean I needed to be anywhere near him.

  If I had to stay in Vegas then fine, but I wasn’t working for him anymore. I would find another job and make sure I stayed far away from Zander.

  “Oh, and before you start thinking otherwise, you will continue to work for me.”

  My mouth popped open at his words. It was like he was inside my head.

  His demanding demeanor just infuriated me even more.

  “And if I don’t want to work for you anymore?”

  He chuckled, the deep sound echoing off of the brick walls around us. “Like you have any other choice.”

  Then he turned and stepped outside the cell knowing I would follow behind him.

  He was right.

  I had limited choices at the moment, but that wouldn’t always be the case. And as soon as I could, I was leaving Vegas.

  I was no longer just running from Allen.

  I would also be running from Zander, too.

  “Oh, and, angel,” he said, turning back toward me. “Keep defying me all you want. It only turns me on more.”

  I hated his little nickname for me, yet at the same time, it was like he was caressing me with sweet words.

  “Again, my name’s Eden.”

  He waved away my words. “Angel … Eden. Same difference.”

  And then he was gone, leaving me alone in the jail cell that he had put me in.

  Bastard.

  No.

  Asshole.

  5

  ZANDER

  WHEN I SAID she wasn’t going anywhere, that’s precisely what I meant. First of all, I hadn’t decided if I was finished with her or not. And secondly, she was obviously in some sort of danger. The safest place she could be was near me because the people of Vegas knew I wasn’t one to be fucked with.

  Even if I was finished with her, she was still Kennedy’s niece, and Kennedy would have my balls if I let anything happen to Eden while she was in New York.

  It had more to do with Kennedy than it did with me and my wants. At least that’s what I kept telling myself.

  The truth was, I didn’t know which end was up when it came to Eden, and until I figured it out, she wasn’t leaving.

  I paid her bail, most of which went into Officer Carl Johnson’s pocket, and then I stepped outside and waited for her to join me.

  She came out of the police department with her arms crossed over her chest, and her eyes narrowed in my direction.

  “All done?” I asked.

  She walked past me and toward the parking lot like she had another ride.

  I followed her, a grin plastered on my lips.

  “Where do you think you’re going?”

  The back of her hair shifted as she shook her head. I couldn’t see her face, but I could only imagine the expression she was wearing.

  Lips pinched in anger.

  Narrowed accusing eyes.

  All fire and ice.

  It was sexy.

  “Not that it’s any of your business, but I’m going to my …” She stopped and dropped her head as she remembered her car had been impounded.

  “So I take it you’ll be needing a ride?” I asked, keeping the amusement out of my tone.

  She was already pissed off.

  I didn’t want to push her too far.

  She spun around, her eyes cutting me like daggers.

  “I guess I don’t have a choice since my car is stuck at the impound lot again. For no good reason at all, might I add.”

  I chuckled. “I guess not,” I said, stepping up beside my car. “Get in.”

  She stood there staring back at me before finally giving in and getting into my car.

  I slid my shades over my eyes and sped out of the parking lot.

  Things were quiet at first until finally, she broke the silence.

  “You sure went through a lot to make sure I didn’t leave town. Thanks for that by the way,” she said sarcastically as she stared out of the window.

  Putting on my blinker, I ran my fingers along the top of the steering wheel. “Truly. It was my pleasure.”

  At that, she turned my way and rolled her eyes. She shook her head and turned away.

  She was feisty.

  I’d give her that.

  But what she didn’t know was I lived for a challenge.

  The drive to Kennedy’s condo didn’t take long, and when I parked and began to get out of the car with her, she stopped me.

  “You don’t need to get out.”

  “Sure I do. There could be a monster hiding inside waiting for you.”

  It was a joke.

  Kind of.

  The fact was I could have been telling the truth, but it didn’t matter. What mattered was my gut was telling me to check Kennedy’s place before I left Eden alone there.

  “I’m not a baby, Zander,” she spat.

  “Of course you’re not. I’m not a pedophile.”

  I shut my car door behind me and started inside the building without checking if she was following me or not.

  She would.

  “This is stupid,” she said when reached my side. “I’m not a child.”

  I stopped.

  “As I said, I’m aware that you’re not a child, but I’m not dumping you here alone without at least checking the condo. Quit bitching already. As far as I’m concerned you’re my responsibility until Kennedy gets back.”

  Without waiting for her to respond, I pressed the elevator button and got on when the doors opened.

  She followed.

  I determined the condo was empty after checking every square inch of the place.

  Eden sat on the couch downstairs pouting with her arms crossed over her chest.

  She could stay pissed for all I cared. As long as she was safe while she did so.

  Once I was finished with my inspection, I went into the kitchen, opened the refrigerator, and snagged a bottle of water from the top shelf.

  “I wish you’d consider staying at Empire until Kennedy gets home,” I said, taking a gulp from the bottle.

  “Not going to happen.”

  “Suit yourself, but be aware I’ll be checking on you constantly.”

  Finishing off my water, I tossed the empty bottle in the trash and started toward the door. She was on my heels, ready to be rid of me.

  “That won’t be necessary. I can take care of myself.”

  I turned on her so fast, she bumped into me, and my arm went around her waist, holding her tight.

  “I wasn’t asking. I was telling you.”

  She grinned, but it wasn’t a pleasant smile.

  It was sarcasm and anger mixed into something that was attempting to be sweet.

  “If you’re so insistent that I need a bodyguard, then I can ask a friend to stay over until my aunt gets home.”

  What the fuck?

  No.r />
  My eyes narrowed, and my arm tightened like a snake around her. The defiant turn of her chin and the spark in her eyes told me exactly which friend she was talking about.

  The bar back.

  Luke.

  Or whatever the fuck his name was.

  “Unless you want to stay behind bars until Kennedy gets home, you’ll do no such fucking thing.”

  I let her go suddenly, and she fell back a step, taking a deep breath.

  I turned and walked toward the door.

  “Oh and angel,” I said, turning with a grin.

  “Eden,” she corrected.

  I ignored her. “Don’t even think about trying to run. You’ll only find yourself with Officer Johnson again. You fail to remember one very vital thing.”

  “And what’s that?” she asked.

  “This is my city, and I know everyone. Nothing gets past me.”

  She shook her head. “Sir yes, sir.”

  Then she did something that shocked even me.

  She slammed the door in my face.

  I laughed, stepping away from the door and starting toward the elevator. My little angel had a touch of the devil in her veins. The fight in her was hot as fuck, and I couldn’t wait to break her in.

  I WENT BACK TO WORK, but my mind stayed on Eden. Things were happening to her, even if she didn’t want to admit it.

  One thing was for sure; I wanted to make sure she remained safe. No one was as vigilant as me, but I couldn’t be everywhere, and I wanted to hire extra help to watch over her when I couldn’t.

  I made the call, listening while the other line rang.

  “Hello,” Rafael finally answered.

  He was my go-to when I wanted Intel. He stayed on my payroll so when I called I was priority one.

  He didn’t come around much, but he was the largest Spanish man I’d ever met. Most men were afraid of him. Not I, since I knew things about Rafael that others didn’t.

  Like the fact that he did almost anything for money. And since I had enough to run all of Vegas, he and I were square.

  “Rafael, it’s Zander. I need two of your best guys.”

  “What kind of job is this?”

  “I need someone watched … a girl. She needs protection.”

  There was a long pause, and I knew my request surprised him. Usually, when I called, it was for underground shit.

  Never.

  And I do mean never.

  Had I ever used one of my guys for a woman.

  He cleared his throat, and I heard him shuffling paper in the background.

  “I need the location of where she’ll be.”

  No questions asked.

  That was my favorite thing about Rafael.

  A job was a job.

  Consequences be damned.

  After I gave him the information he needed, I made sure to express one significant detail. “It’s crucial that your guys are discreet. She can’t know she’s being watched or followed, under no circumstances.”

  “My guys will be discreet.”

  We went over a few other things before we hung up.

  This wasn’t how I wanted to do things, and I knew if Eden found out she would have my balls in a vice-grip. I trusted Rafael wouldn’t let me down.

  I spent the rest of the day making sure everything was settled at Empire before I left for Kennedy’s condo to keep my eye on Eden. I didn’t entirely trust her not to try and leave town again, and until I was sure there wasn’t a threat to her, I planned on being there every night.

  As I drove the short drive to Kennedy’s place, I wondered how she would feel if she knew the relationship between her niece and I had taken a drastic turn.

  Thoughts of Kennedy and her reaction didn’t settle well. The feeling sat at the bottom of my stomach making me feel queasy. No matter how this ended, someone was going to get hurt.

  As I arrived at Kennedy’s, I pushed all those pesky feelings aside and rode the elevator up to her floor. Standing in front of the condo they shared, I grinned. Eden wasn’t going to be happy to see me again so soon.

  I knocked several times before she finally answered the door.

  “You again,” she said, turning and leaving me in the open doorway.

  “Stop pretending you’re not excited to see me. Even if your mind doesn’t want me here, your body does.”

  “God your ego is huge.”

  “So is my cock. As you’re already aware.”

  “And you’re only making it worse.”

  “I’d stop if I thought you wanted me to.” Leaning in, I whispered. “We both know that’s not what you want though, Eden.”

  She glared at me. “You were just here a few hours ago. What do you want now? Want to make sure I brush my teeth before bed?”

  I grinned at her and that only managed to piss her off more. I knew she was being sarcastic. She thought I was treating her like a child.

  ”Something like that and maybe if you’re a good girl, I’ll tuck myself into you real tight before bed.”

  She gasped and pulled back like I’d tried to slap her.

  Her cheeks were red, her lips moist. I wanted to feel her wrath and kiss her at the same time, which worried me. I was never much for kissing, but her mouth was practically begging me.

  “You’re making it easy for me to hate you, Zander.”

  “Am I? You know they say angry sex is the best kind. Want to test the theory?”

  “I wouldn’t sleep with you again if someone paid me to.”

  “That could be arranged. I’m loaded.”

  “I think you should go, Zander, now before you walk out with one less testicle than you arrived with.” Her eyes sparked.

  At that, I laughed. “There you go. Thinking about my cock again.”

  Her face turned several shades of red before she pointed at the door and shouted, “Out!”

  I couldn’t keep the grin off of my lips. I was having way too much fun with her.

  “Are you sure you don’t want me to tuck you in before I leave?”

  “I’m positive I’ve never wanted something less.”

  “You’re lucky that cute little nose of yours doesn’t grow when you lie.”

  “And you’re lucky I haven’t made good on my threat. Now, leave, Mr. Hale.”

  I smirked, feeling my cheeks ache. I loved the little cat and mouse game she was trying to play. The only problem was, I was no fucking cat.

  I was a lion.

  6

  EDEN

  THE NEXT FEW DAYS I was on edge. It was like I was waiting for Allen to appear. I was continually checking my back and keeping my head low. My eyes scanned every room I was in, looking for his face.

  It was a waiting game, and it was no fun.

  Even though it was the last thing I wanted to do, I went to work. I wanted to find another job, but the timing was terrible. Not to mention, everyone at Empire Sevens knew me. I had friends there, which meant I felt safe when I was at work.

  Still, I kept checking myself and the spaces around me. I made sure never to get caught alone anywhere, and when I left to go home, I made sure someone else was leaving, as well.

  I walked to the condo the first few days, staying in well-lit areas until Zander found out and insisted on having Jerome, a security member, take me home every night.

  He was such a controlling ass. He consistently showed up at the condo to check on me and to make sure I wasn’t trying to leave.

  Every night when I got home, I kept the doors locked and stayed downstairs as much as possible. Being downstairs meant I was close to the front door in case someone tried to come in.

  And when I was at work, I moved through the room, worried that every table I went to Allen would be there looking back at me. Hustling around the room, I kept myself occupied, taking as many tables as I could, and feeling like my chances of running into him went up with each table.

  After a few days, I finally started to calm down a bit, but no matter what, I stayed on guard.
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  Still, I kept my back to the tiled wall of the shower, so there was no chance of anyone catching me off guard.

  I’d just finished rinsing and was about to turn off the water when I heard my cell ringing on the bathroom counter. Quickly, I shut off the water and wrapped a large plush towel around my body.

  Snatching the phone from the counter, I saw Aunt Kennedy’s name lighting up the screen.

  “Hello,” I answered.

  “Hey, sweetie. How are you doing?”

  I smiled, happy to hear her voice. “I’m good. Just staying busy at work. What about you? Is New York as fabulous as everyone says it is?”

  “I don’t know that I would call it fabulous, but it’s got some fine points.”

  “Like what?”

  “The food for one. I have yet to go to a restaurant I didn’t like.”

  “I’m so jealous. I wish I could’ve gone with you.” I sighed.

  “How about I fly you up here one of these weekends?”

  “What?” I was sure I hadn’t heard her right. “You’re joking, right?”

  “I’m not. Just for the weekend. I know I can work around your schedule and we can shop and eat our weight in carbs. It’ll be fun.”

  “That sounds amazing, Aunt Kennedy. But a roundtrip ticket to New York is going to be expensive.”

  “It’s a work expense. I can write it off. I won’t take no for an answer, Eden. Remember, Vaughn stubbornness and all.”

  I laughed, and we both knew I’d just given in.

  “I’m so excited,” she continued. “You’re going to have an amazing time. Let me go over my planner and see when the best time is to have you fly out.”

  We chatted for another thirty minutes before we said our goodbyes and she promised to call me the next night at the same time. She had been calling me every night to check on me and make sure I was okay. I missed her terribly, and I was counting down the days until she would finally be home.

  It seemed a quick business trip was turning into much more, but she seemed excited about the new prospects for Empire. No matter how sad I was that she was gone, I couldn’t help but feel happy for her when she chatted about how great things were turning out to be in New York.

  After hanging up, I dressed in my Empire uniform, blow dried my hair, and gathered everything I would need for the night at work.