“I’m really getting tired of this,” Ewan said from behind her. “No matter what I do, you push me away. If I want sex, you shut me down. Well, I’ve had enough.” He grabbed her arm as they exited the ballroom and pulled her off to the side of the corridor.
“Fine.”
He leaned toward her. “You’re going to start acting like you’re my woman or it’s over.”
“It’s over then.”
“You know I’m going to marry you, so why the hell are you acting like a bitch all the time?” he snapped.
She gave him a caustic look. “You’re getting on my nerves with your demands.”
“My demands?” he asked tightly. “I’ve been nothing but accommodating with you. You blow me off like last night without an explanation or you tell me you had to work late when I know you didn’t.”
“You have been checking up on me,” Tatiana said in an accusatory tone. “You jerk.”
“Why shouldn’t I?” he demanded, getting in her face. “This relationship is one that can benefit both our families, and last night was one step closer to making that happen, but you blew me off yet again.”
“Our families want this,” she said. “I don’t know what my grandfather and your father will get out of this, so I don’t know why they care. I know our mothers—”
“Are the best of friends and expect a union that I’m not opposed to making happen. You’d be perfect for me once you got over whatever bullshit is going through your mind.”
“Bullshit?” she exclaimed.
“I’m beginning to think you’re screwing around on me, especially after last night and those flowers this morning.”
“I am. That’s why I didn’t show up last night.” The words slipped out before she could censor them. “I had someone better to do.” Rage filled his eyes, and he reached for her but stopped himself.
“Who is he—or maybe it wasn’t a he,” he said, disgust and coldness in his eyes. “The way you were watching Alexi and the woman she was dancing with I’d have to say it was one of them.”
“Maybe you’re right,” she agreed, leaning toward him. “Maybe a woman does it for me far better than you ever could.”
“There’s nothing wrong with me,” he retorted. “You’re the one who can’t get the job done.”
“How would you know?” she asked softly. “You never bothered to try to give me what I wanted or needed, in bed or out.”
“Because I wouldn’t get on my knees for you?” he asked, sneering at her.
“And yet you think I should get on mine for you?” she challenged.
He gave her an irritated look.
“Yeah. Maybe the person I was with last night has no problems keeping me satisfied with her tongue.”
“Fine, you’re bi,” he said, calculation in his eyes. “I’ll give you your girl-toy as long as you fulfill your role as my wife.”
Her mouth dropped. “Are you insane? It’s over. I’m not going to do this, no matter what our families want. It just doesn’t work for me.”
“I say when it’s over.” His eyes filled with menacing darkness that made her shiver in dread.
Tatiana pushed past him. “Not this time.”
Ewan grabbed her arm, and she tried to get free, but he tightened his grip. Ewan gave her a shake and pushed her against the wall. “I’ll be patient with your little games, but you will give me a child, and you will be discreet.”
“Are you deaf?” she demanded, magic flickering to life inside her and rushing out to fill her fingertips. It had always hated his touch and found it absolutely repulsive now. “I’m not marrying you. Now, let me go.”
“You’re going to do as you’re damned well told.”
“Let the lady go,” a hard voice ordered.
Ewan turned his head, and so did Tatiana. She was surprised to see Alexi standing there. She was only a head shorter than Ewan and looked just as threatening as he did.
“Stay out of this, Alexi,” he snapped.
“Now.” Alexi’s voice was low, but a whip all the same. “Unless you want a broken wrist.”
Ewan released her, slowly, anger making his body tense. “Fine. Go back inside, Tatiana. Alexi, you stay out of my business from now on.”
“I’m not going back in,” Tatiana told him.
“Fine, just remember what I said, Tatiana. Alexi, you and I will talk later,” he said and stalked back to the party.
Tatiana exhaled softly. “Thanks.”
“You want a ride home?”
“I thought—you’re not going to the club?”
“I am, but I didn’t think you’d still want to after that,” she said coolly.
“After what? Ewan doesn’t own me, and it’s time he realized that,” Tatiana replied. It was time she made them all realize she wasn’t going to fall into line on this one.
“I’m not about to make waves for you,” Alexi told her.
“There are no waves to make, Alexi.” She ran her hand up Alexi’s arm, unable to fight the need to touch her. Her magic danced on her fingertips and wove around Alexi’s arm to Tatiana’s surprise.
“I don’t think we should do this,” Alexi said, her expression guarded. “You’re not ready to come out, and I’m not into hiding.”
“I am out, just not to my parents,” she said. “Or Ewan.”
“Besides that, I don’t think you want to handle a fling with me.”
“Why?” Tatiana demanded, staring up into Alexi’s handsome face.
Her blue eyes were azure with hints of intriguing gold. There was something about her that drew Tatiana, made her want to know Alexi’s every thought. She wanted to explore every inch of her, own her in every way she could, even leave her magic embedded in her skin, marking her, consequences be damned.
“Are you guys ready to go?” Veda asked as she and Sabrina joined them. “Darice and Chloe are duty-bound to stay, but Ace and Jas are meeting us there.”
“The Blood Red room is ours tonight,” Alexi said. “Sabrina, do you know where it is?”
“I can find it,” she assured Alexi.
Veda took Tatiana’s arm. “You’ll like Jas. She’s a reporter for Sabrina’s magazine. We’ll all have to get together next week.” She started walking, and Tatiana glanced back at Alexi, wanting to be close to her rather than on Veda’s arm.
“A reporter, huh?”
“I know. Chloe’s a reporter, too. They’re surprisingly normal and not arrogant at all, but Bri’s magazine is pretty cool. Have you read it? Feminine Confidence.”
“I have.”
“It’s a great resource for lesbians, don’t you think?” Veda asked.
“I guess.”
“What happened with Ewan? He looked like a storm ready to blow through.”
“We broke up,” Tatiana answered. “He was upset because I didn’t want to dance.” Not with him anyway. “So, Chloe and Darice are a couple?”
“Engaged,” Veda told her. “I know Darice is hot but only for Chloe.”
“Which one was Chloe?”
“She was dancing with Alexi.”
Yay!
“She seemed to be having a good time with Alexi,” Tatiana said carefully.
“Oh, they’re all friends from my understanding. Well, Darice and Alexi aren’t close or anything, but they know each other.”
She nodded. Sounded like a close-knit group. They stepped out into the coolness of the night.
“Are you riding with us, Tatiana?” Sabrina asked.
“Of course, she is,” Veda exclaimed and pulled her toward Sabrina’s Mustang.
She wanted to say no, even as she threw a look to Alexi, hoping she’d say something.
“Well, I’ll see you guys there,” Alexi said and gave her a lingering look before breaking from them to head to her car.
“Problem?” Sabrina asked as she slung an arm around Veda, pulling her close.
“No.” Tatiana tore her gaze from Alexi. She brushed the wisp of hair from her face.
Only that she felt like she was being torn away from Alexi. Tatiana didn’t understand why and didn’t attempt to try at the moment.
Chapter Eight
“Carrington,” Charles called as he stepped outside the ballroom in hopes of catching up with Alexi. He wanted to settle up with her tonight if possible. Otherwise, he’d send her the check by messenger tomorrow.
“What is it, Charles?” He pulled up short and turned in the empty corridor to face him.
“I’m not going to beat around the bush,” Charles said. “Trevor thinks Alexi Russo is targeting my granddaughter. Why does he think that?”
Carrington sighed. “Ask him,” he said. He doubted Alexi would bother to go after Trevor’s sister. She had nothing to gain by it.
“I’m asking you,” he said insistently.
“He killed a girl at her club last night,” Carrington told him. “Alexi is demanding payment of the funeral as well as fifty thousand from each of us to give to the girl’s family as a life insurance policy.”
“A whore?” He frowned. “She wants you to pay restitution to a whore’s family?”
“He killed her, Charles,” Carrington told him in a hard tone. “He beat and raped her. Then, he killed her because she was going to report it.”
Charles sighed. “And Alexi thinks she can do what with this? Were the police called in?”
“No, but our mutual friends advised me to stay off her bad side.”
“She’s nothing more than a madam. I’ll go talk to her and make her see reason.”
“You think it’s okay for him to rape and kill someone?” Carrington demanded. “Hell, Charles, I can’t believe you’d think that when you’d be the first one going after anyone who raped your granddaughters.”
“That’s different,” Charles retorted. “They aren’t whores. The woman was there for sex.”
“Yeah, well, what about the other girls?” he demanded softly. “The ones from his college days and the one he picked up at a party a few months ago?”
“Trevor says it was mutual. They just want money.”
“Right,” Carrington muttered, glad he didn’t have a daughter for Trevor to rape or this conversation would be going in a very different manner. “That’s not what the lawyer was saying until that girl came up dead.”
“Don’t be a moralistic prick,” Charles growled. “Your boys aren’t saints.”
“But they never forced anyone,” he said. “Because they know I’d beat them senseless. There was no reason for him go after her unless she had something on him.”
“Like what?” Charles asked in a silky tone that sent chills down his spine.
“I heard Alexi protects her girls,” Carrington said, changing the subject. He didn’t want to go down that road. He was already in too deep, and getting out without losing his life might not be possible. “And she’ll collect if she’s not paid what she’s due.”
“She won’t go to the police.”
“Do what you want,” Carrington told him. “I’m paying her what she asked from me and getting my bacon out of the fire. You can back Trevor if you want.”
“You’re not going to pay her a dime,” Charles ordered coldly. “I’ll handle this.”
Carrington glared at him. “He was wrong, and I’m not backing that.” Somewhere along the line after getting mixed up in business with Charles he’d lost himself, his scruples, his morals, and part of his good sense.
“You’ll do as I say, or I’ll let your wife know what kind of man you really are,” Charles warned pointing a finger in his face. “If you stand together, the madam will back down and slink away like the trash she is.”
“Your grandson is just like you,” Carrington muttered. “I was crazy to ever get in business with you, and I’m getting out as soon as I can.” He walked away, despite Charles calling his name.
“Don’t cross me, Carrington, or you’ll lose everything,” Charles called after him.
He didn’t care about losing everything; he just wanted his life and his sanity back.
****
Alexi reached her club ahead of her guests and arranged for drinks and appetizers to be delivered to the Blood Red room. Ace and Jasmia arrived just as she finished ordering the food and drinks and gave her a grin and fist bump.
“What’s been up with you?” Alexi asked.
“Work.” Ace shrugged. “And you?”
“Pretty much the same,” she replied and glanced to the door at the sound of Sabrina and the other two women. “Jas, can you give us a minute?” Alexi gave Jasmia a faint smile, ignoring the frown marring her brows.
Ace didn’t talk business with her woman around, and Alexi knew it was because she didn’t want to risk striking fear of her in her lover’s heart.
“Sure,” she said and headed to greet her friends.
“What’s going on?” Ace asked as Alexi pulled her to the side of the mid-size room decorated in red and black.
“I can do it myself, but I might need a job done.”
“What are you talking?”
“A hit on two men,” she said, thinking of Trevor and Carrington.
Ace nodded. She was one half of an agency that did covert work for governments and private citizens alike. She told her the story of the dead girl.
“You have the tapes, so why not just hang him out to dry?”
“You know it won’t be that easy. His family’s politically connected and from what I hear in bed with a cartel.”
“You don’t say,” Ace murmured. “Which one?”
“Breakers,” she replied. “Money laundering through their dry cleaners.”
“Breakers is bad news despite the blow they suffered,” Ace muttered. “Felix is moving in now that Five by Five has been forced out. Do you think Felix will actually get involved in a minor issue?”
“I know Felix isn’t averse to helping out those who help him,” Alexi said. “I’m not running from a fight. I’m just considering some possible other interests.”
“What’s that mean?” Ace asked carefully. “You’ve got something going on with a member of the family?” Ace’s gaze shot to Tatiana.
“Not yet, but I don’t know if I can control this,” she admitted. “The animal part of me wants Tatiana as much as the human half.” Even as she said the words, her animal surged forward to look out of her eyes.
It was already considering Tia its territory.
“She could be your mate,” Ace said. “She marked you.”
Like her, Ace was a cat shifter, too.
“What?” Alexi frowned.
“Magic. I can smell the residue of it. It smells like her and feels like power. No other woman will make a real move on you until it fades.”
Alexi had heard some witches could mark with their power. She just hadn’t ever met one who could.
“It’s old magic with a razor edge to it,” Ace said. “I heard about it a time or two in the past, but I’ve never encountered it. So, I can’t say if it’s true.”
Once a woman marked her target it was a matter of time before she killed her or claimed her.
Ace nodded slowly. “The girl’s watching you pretty hard. Is she the reason you want me to take the shot?”
“Maybe,” she said and raked her fingers through her hair. “I can’t bed the girl and kill her brother, too.”
“It’ll be hard to look her in the eye, but if you have to take him out, you have to,” Ace replied. “Are you prepared for what that could do to your relationship if she found out?”
She didn’t want to touch Tia with family blood on her hands, but the jaguar snarled at the concern. The animal knew no such emotional dilemmas and didn’t take them into consideration.
She’d always been cautious, knowing her lifestyle could be hard on a mate. In turn, a mate’s rejection could rip her heart out.
“I don’t deny it. I’m hoping to just put a beat down on him, but I don’t think that prick will get the point without running to grandpa and turning
this into an all-out war.”
“I heard Rayne was a prick. Charles Rayne.”
“He is,” Alexi said. She hadn’t dealt with him a great deal. However, she had crossed swords with him and a few of his cop buddies over territory and dope dealing.
“He’s dirty as fuck and thinks this city is his,” Alexi murmured, thinking of the girl she knew Charles had killed years ago when he was mayor. She’d threatened to tell his wife if he didn’t leave her.
“I’ll put Blade on it,” Ace said. “She’s a good shot from a distance. The work keeps her head screwed on straight.”
“I thought Kya was doing that.”
Ace snorted. “Kya makes her horny as hell, and with Nikita hanging around, it just creates more tension.”
“Send her back,” Alexi said. “I’d rather have her breathing than keeping your grounds safe.”
“She likes the work I can provide,” Ace replied. “She’s already asked for a case, and Devin’s decided to put her on one. I was going to call you tomorrow before we did to see if you’d consider releasing her.”
“We talked about it,” Alexi admitted.
“So, you’re down with it?” Ace asked.
“I don’t own her, Ace,” she said with a little laugh. “She’s free to leave whenever she wants. Besides, Zoe is the keeper of my secrets, not Kita.”
Ace nodded. “I figured. I even thought you two were lovers at one point.”
“Long time ago.” That hadn’t lasted, even though Zoe had been perfect for her lifestyle. She understood the darkness Alexi lived in and the necessity for secrets.
The problem with them had been that Zoe was never going to own her heart. They were too much alike where it mattered, and Alexi needed a more submissive woman in her bed and her romantic life.
“I’ll have Blade give you a call, so you can work things out.”
“I’ll call you when I’m ready,” Alexi said, glancing across the room to where Tatiana was engaged in conversation with Veda and Jasmia. Something was going to happen between them, but the battle between her and the Raynes might kill anything real that could develop.
Chapter Nine
Tatiana took another drink of the wine she’d poured herself as she watched Alexi grin at something one of her friends said to her.
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