by Alexa Riley
“Hair,” he says from behind me, reaching around me to give me a hair tie. I make a little huffing noise like I’m irritated, but he just nibbles and bites my earlobe softly, making me yelp out.
I’m used to my hair being up, and I mostly like it that way. At first I didn’t question why Charles would randomly ask me to pull up my hair. One day, when I finally asked, he told me he didn’t like others seeing it down. It was just for him. Enticing was the word he used. It was too enticing. How could I say no to that? That he was worried that someone would want to steal me from him because of my hair.
Pulling it up, I grab my phone off the table, but he grabs it from me, putting it back and dropping his next to it.
“No phones today. It’s just you and me.”
“Really?” I raise an eyebrow. He isn’t always on his phone, but he usually has it close.
“I’m going to show you what it would be like if you stayed here with me after the contract is over.”
I’d like to say “all you have to do is ask”, but I want to see what he has up his sleeve today. He looks so laid-back in a plain white shirt and board shorts. It clear we’re going somewhere with water, and if we’re leaving our phones behind, it has to be close.
“Where are we off to?” I ask as he pulls me out of our room and into the elevator. He hits button for the top floor, which also houses the VIP pool area.
When the doors slide open, the normally packed pool is completely empty.
“Where is everyone?”
He grabs my hand, pulling me forward to one of the cabanas.
“I closed it for the day.” He says it like it’s no big deal, and my eyes bug out in surprise.
“I can’t imagine the hell that’s being raised downstairs by some of the guests right now.”
“It’s not our problem. I don’t care—it’s my pool.” He pulls me in, kissing me sweetly. I had no idea this man was underneath all that hardness when I met him almost two months ago.
“Let me spoil you while we spend the day together.”
And he does. We spend the day making love, eating and playing in the pool. It’s utter perfection. I want to pout when the sun starts to set, the Vegas breeze adding a chill to the air.
“Don’t pout, kitten. We can do this any day you want to. Besides, I must have exhausted you by now,” he teases, pulling me up from where I’m lying and slipping my dress back on over my head.
“I think you’ve built up my endurance. I may soon surpass you, and what will you do then?”
“Let you ride me while I just lie back and take whatever you want to work out of me.”
“Yeah, right,” I laugh as he pulls me toward the elevators.
“I need to grab something from the front desk. You want to come with, or would you like me to stop on our floor?”
“I’ll come,” I say, nuzzling myself closer to him.
When we hit the bottom floor, the crowds part, moving out of his way just like normal. When everyone first started seeing us together they would openly stare, not used to seeing Charles with a woman. It was even startling to see him dote on one like he does me. He’d often pull me into his lap at company meetings or at one of the restaurants. I was a little uncomfortable with all the stares at first, but I’m thinking a company email went out or something because people seem to look the other way when we pass now.
When we reach the entryway, I see Stella arguing with one of the people at the front desk.
“Stella? Is everything okay?” I panic thinking something might be wrong. I’d left my phone in the room with no way for anyone to get in touch with me. I look around but don’t see Aaron or Justin anywhere, and they’re normally two feet behind her. I look over and see one of the security guards who works at the Cortez Casino standing a little ways back from her.
“Mandy! They wouldn’t tell me where you were.” She shoots a glare at the front desk clerk who looks to Charles for help. He just shrugs his shoulders.
I break away from Charles’s hand and I feel him tighten it a little before he finally lets go. I go over to Stella and give her a hug. “I’m here. Is everything okay? The baby? The guys?” She looks over at Charles, and I see a spark of something in her eyes.
“No, they’re fine. I just wanted to talk to you. I didn’t have your number so I knew I’d just have to come here.” She’s distressed, and I can tell something is wrong.
“You seem upset.” I squeeze her shoulders and try to show her some comfort.
“I am. I just want to talk to you for a minute. I kind of ran out on the guys when they told me something.”
“Let’s go over here and chat.” I point to an empty table that sits in front of one of the coffee shops.
She throws Charles a glare before making her way to the table. I start to follow her, but Charles grabs my arm, pulling me to look at him.
“Charles, I have to go. She’s my family.”
“I know, I just…” He runs his finger across the collar on my neck. “I’ll be right over here if you need me.”
“I know.” Reaching up on my tip toes, I give him a chaste kiss on the lips. “Order us dinner to the room. When I’m done talking to Stella I’m going to crash.”
He gives me a worried look but nods, and finally lets me go. I make my way over to Stella and join her at the metal table.
“So, how’d you give them the slip?” I ask curiously.
“Oh, I’m sure they’re close, letting me think I got the slip.”
I laugh at her undoubtedly true statement. “What happened?”
“Well, I kept asking them about you because your cell phone kept going to voicemail. I didn’t have any idea where you were and you never called. I knew they would know where you were.”
I cringe a little, feeling bad that I never contacted her after the auction. That was selfish. “I’m sorry. I got so caught up in Charles, and everything has just sort of slipped my mind.” I expect her to smile at my words, but all I see is sadness. “Stella, you’re starting to freak me out.”
She rubs her hands over her eyes before continuing. “I was getting worried and I kept asking them to find out where you were. I was pushing. When it didn’t work, I used some waterworks to get them to crack.”
“Shocking.”
Rolling her eyes, she pushes on. “They told me you were with Charles Townsend, and I remembered the name. A while back I remember them saying he was the man who bid on me against them, and that he had something against Justin. I also heard them say they didn’t understand why Charles wanted to take them down. This all happened so long ago that I’d thought nothing of it until they said he bought you. Not only that, but they were there when he did it! I can’t believe they would do that, just let him take you.”
Her words seem to rain down on me. Each one a blow to my heart. Charles said he’d do anything to have something he wanted. Maybe using me was a means to achieve something. That this all was just another move in a game he was playing with my brothers. One I thought I’d made up in my head. One he told me wasn’t happening. That he had no vendetta against them.
“What does he have on them? What does he want?” I can’t help but ask. What was so important that he’d rip my heart out like this? That he’d work so hard to get close to me? And for what? To use me against them? I told him about my past, something I’d never even told anyone. How could I be so stupid? Everything he’s done for me, with me, it was all so perfect. I should have known a man could never be that perfect. It was all an act.
“I don’t know. I kind of stormed out. These baby hormones are killer,” she says in her own defense.
“I have to get out of here.” The words are ripped from me. “I can’t be here. Please. We have to go before…” I want to say “before I start to cry”, but I can’t get the words out. If I say it, I’ll do it.
“The car is right outside.”
“Can you move fast? He’ll try to stop me. I can’t look at him right now.”
“I’m re
ady when you are.”
“Go.” Both of us bolt up from our seats, making a dash for the front doors of the casino.
“Mandy!” I hear him yell behind me, “Stop!” I feel my body jerk at his command, wanting to do as he says, and a tear slips free. He’s ingrained himself so deep in me I don’t think I’ll ever be able to get him out.
We make our way past the taxis and Stella jumps into the back of a Lincoln. I follow suit.
“Drive. Now!”
The driver pulls out onto the strip, leaving behind the one true happiness I thought would be mine forever.
Chapter Ten
Charles
I bolt out of the glass doors, just as the black sedan Mandy and Stella got in drives off, leaving me behind on the sidewalk. I turn around and see Cupid grabbing a set of keys and tossing them to me. I grab them and go to the car in front of me, getting and in and taking off. I don’t know whose it is, nor do I give a fuck. I’m going after what’s mine.
The tires screech as I floor it out of the casino and I take the first turn. I run a red light, then another, eating up the distance between me and Mandy. I don’t know what Stella said to her, but they’re both crazy if they think they can get away from me. Mandy is mine, and I won’t have anyone trying to take what’s mine.
I round the corner and see the front of the Cortez casino. I have to swerve to keep from hitting an oncoming truck, and I look up in time to see Mandy and Stella rushing inside. I honk my horn and the truck moves, the driver giving me the finger. I pull in and throw open my door, seeing Aaron and Justin exiting a car just beside me. Obviously, they had been following the girls too.
Bolting out of the car, I run to the casino, but the brothers grab my arms to halt me.
“Get your fucking hands off me now. Both of you.” I twist my arms as I try to break free, the strength of my rage helping me in my efforts.
The two of them can’t hold me for long, and they let go, throwing me back and blocking the entrance.
“Calm down, Charles. We want to know what the fuck is going on just as much as you do, but Stella is pregnant, and we can’t have you around her like this. It’s not safe for the baby,” Aaron says, holding up both hands in surrender.
“I came for Mandy. Once I get her, I’m out of here.” I try to push past them, not giving a fuck who sees this. They both hold their ground, not letting me by. “Get the fuck out of my way before I burn this goddamn place to the ground.”
Justin steps in front of me, but I can see hesitation in his eyes. “The only way you’re getting into our casino is if you calm down and come with us. We’ll let you talk to Mandy, but we will be there.”
I weigh my options and don’t see that I have many. I need to take her, and to do that I’ve got to get next to her. “Fine.” The word tastes like dirt on my tongue.
The brothers look at one another and they nod, turning to lead the way. I follow closely on their heels as they lead me inside the casino to a set of elevators. Once inside, I start to work out a plan, and when we hit the top floor, I take a breath to ready myself.
The doors open and we walk into their home. I step inside behind them, and immediately I see Mandy over their shoulders in the living room with her head down. Stella walks in from the kitchen with a glass of water in her hand. She sees the three of us standing there.
“Oh shit, that was fast,” she says, the shock clear on her face. I don’t know why she’s surprised. Like we wouldn’t find them.
I go to move around the brothers to get to Mandy when Aaron sticks his arm out to block my way. “This is far enough.”
Looking over his shoulder, Mandy makes eye contact with me just long enough for me to see her tears. Seeing her like this and not being able to get to her sends me into a rage. I need to go to her, but I look at the guys blocking my way and I know I need to be smart about it. They’re both as big as I am, and getting past them won’t be easy. But anger is on my side.
“Someone explain to me what the fuck happened in my casino and why my Mandy is upset.”
At my words, Mandy stands up and glares at me. “Our contract is up. We’re finished. You can go.”
I start to speak, but Justin turns and looks at Stella. “Lucky, explain what happened.” She looks nervous and won’t make eye contact with me, so Justin tries again. “Lucky, tell us what you told Mandy.”
“Nothing, just the truth. That Charles bid on me at the auction, and that he was holding something over your heads and using it to take you both down.”
“What?” Aaron and Justin say at the same time.
I don’t give a fuck what she told them or what her reasoning was. I won’t have Mandy taken from me.
“It was just what you guys were telling me earlier.” Stella looks between the brothers, suddenly not so sure.
Justin raises his hands and takes a step towards her. “Lucky, that’s not how it happened, and that’s not what we told you. Baby, I’m going to try and be gentle when I say this, but you’re in a cloud of pregnancy emotions. You scare the shit out of us half the time”
Aaron goes over to Stella and raises his hands in defense too. “We had that all sorted out with Charles weeks ago. We were just telling you about how we knew him.” Stella blushes, looking embarrassed as they walk over to make sure she’s okay.
It’s then I have my opening, and I take three long strides toward Mandy. I grab her and throw her over my shoulder.
Immediately, all hell breaks loose.
Aaron and Justin are on me, and Mandy is screaming for me to put her down. Aaron pushes me towards the couch and I’m able to toss Mandy on it as I go to the ground with the two guys.
I elbow Justin in the face and roll over, taking a punch from Aaron. I sit up and knock him back, giving him my left hook. Suddenly, Justin is up and tackles me to the floor, but I knee him in the ribs and he goes down.
I stand up and watch the two guys groaning on the ground. I look over at Mandy. She’s fallen off the couch in the scuffle and is on the floor, looking at me with wide eyes.
“You’re coming with me.” I can feel the blood from my split lip running down my chin as I say this, and I’m sure I look menacing.
She just sits on the floor, not moving, but I can see the indecision on her face. She knows me well enough to know that I won’t stop until she’s back in my bed. After another second of hesitation, I go over and pick her up, throwing her over my shoulder again.
When I turn around, the brothers have stood up and are standing in front of the elevator door.
I don’t have time for this bullshit so I get to the point. “Get out of my way.”
“You’re not taking her,” Aaron says, Justin nodding beside him.
“Get out of my way,” I growl again.
I start walking to the elevator, and I hear Stella behind me. “Charles!”
When I turn around, I see her standing there, holding her belly.
“Do you love her?”
“Yes.” My response is immediate and completely without hesitation. I feel Mandy stiffen under me, but this shouldn’t be a surprise to her. Everything I’ve done has been because I love her.
Stella nods her head and looks to the guys behind me. “Let him go.” When they start to protest, Stella interrupts, “He’s doing the same thing you two did for me. You did it because you love me. Let them go.”
I turn around, and after a second the guys move away from the elevator.
I walk toward it with Mandy still on my shoulder, only now she’s silent. Once I get in the elevator, I don’t put her down. Instead I smile and flip off Aaron and Justin as they stand there, not wanting to let us leave.
“Put me down, asshole.”
I reach up and smack her ass hard enough to make her squeak in pain.
“You ran from me.”
“You used me!”
Mandy tries to kick out and push off my shoulder, but I pull my hand back and give her three loud smacks on her ass again. This time she screams, but
her body stops fighting against me.
“You’ll listen to every word I have to say, kitten.”
“I’m listening now.”
“No you’re not. You ran from me. You didn’t talk to me, you just ran.”
“Is it true?” I can hear the pleading in her voice.
“That I love you?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll tell you when you’re cuffed to our bed.”
She starts kicking again, and then the elevator doors open.
“Listen to me, kitten. I’m about to carry you out of this very nice casino over my shoulder. If you want me to spank you the whole way I will, and if you don’t calm down I’m going to do just that.”
“Put me down, I can walk.”
“That’s not happening. You ran from me, so you gave up the privilege of walking. Your choice now is a public spanking or to come quietly.”
I step out of the elevator and wait. It only takes a moment before I feel her deflate against me.
“Fine. I’ll come quietly.”
I carry her through the casino and out the front door, placing her in the car and locking the door. When I walk around to the driver side, I unlock it and get in, driving us back to the Snake Eyes.
The drive is silent, and I’m doing everything I can to keep from coming apart. I want to yell and scream and hold her to me to make sure she never leaves again.
Once we pull up, I keep her door locked until I walk around and pull her out, throwing her over my shoulder again. She starts to kick and hit my back, but we’re in my casino now, and I don’t give a fuck.
I land three more smacks on her ass as I walk into my elevator.
“This is so embarrassing,” she moans against my back.
“You remember that the next time you think about running away from me.”
When we get to the penthouse, I punch in the code and go straight for the bedroom. I don’t hesitate to throw her in the middle of the bed and jump on top of her, pinning her flailing arms down while I cuff them.
