“I can’t have more than two drinks. I have to be at the hotel by six o’clock tomorrow morning. There are a bunch of last-minute things to attend to,” Louisa told Venetia as they sat at the bar at Carlyle’s.
“I’m surprised you even came out. You’ve been a nervous wreck about this.”
“It’s my first event for the hotel and there is a lot at stake if you think about it.”
Venetia took a sip from her martini. “You mean it being the first party as event coordinator?”
“That, and the bosses are good friends, your boyfriends, and I don’t want to disappoint them.”
Venetia glanced over at Titan, Zane, and Ace who were talking to a few guys they knew at the bar “Who are they?” Louisa asked her. Venetia smiled and then nibbled her bottom lip and moved closer to whisper.
“Micah, Jace, and Vaughn. Total sexy-as-damn-hell brothers. They own a security firm, Ultimate Defense, and do private high-risk security details for wealthy people. Actually, you met their brothers,” Venetia said and smirked.
Louisa squinted at her. “Who are their brothers?”
“Cooper, Graham, and Daxton.” Venetia winked and Louisa felt her cheeks warm and then she exhaled. She couldn’t help but stare at the men. They looked like military men, and they were big, tall like Venetia’s men and filled with muscles. One was clean-shaven, one had gruff along his face, making him appear wild, and untamed, and the third had a goatee and a dark, mean expression on his face. They were definitely not approachable and from here she could tell they were harder than Cooper, Graham, and Daxton. She was positive about that.
Venetia cleared her throat and chuckled. “Looks like you found something interesting.”
Louisa shook her head. “Not interesting. Trouble that I am staying clear of.”
“What do you mean?” Venetia asked, narrowing her eyes at her.
“Cooper, Graham, and Daxton have reputations at the hotel.”
“They hit on you?” she asked and Louisa explained about the first week, working there and in the elevator.
“He was going to kiss you?” she asked wide-eyed.
“If I didn’t move and know his type, yeah, he would have kissed me. The thing was I heard the stories.”
“From who?” she asked.
“Eliza.”
Venetia squinted and nibbled her lip. “Hmm…I wouldn’t be too sure about trusting Eliza when it comes to Graham and his brothers.”
“Why?” she asked, feeling curious as she took a sip from her glass of wine.
“I don’t know, it’s just the way the woman rubs me. I’ve met her several times and to be honest, when I first met her she would shoot daggers at me, but then it was like she couldn’t be nice enough. I think she had a thing for my men and I wouldn’t be surprised if she had a thing for Graham and his brothers.”
“I don’t know. She’s a bit older.”
“Not that much. Graham is like thirty-eight.”
“Thirty-eight?” Louisa asked, wide-eyed.
“So you do like them, then?”
“No. What makes you say that?”
“Oh, I don’t know, maybe your response and how your cheeks get all flushed when you talk about them.”
“They do not,” she said.
“Do, too,” Venetia teased and then she stopped chuckling. “Oh God, they’re coming this way.”
Louisa glanced to the right and sure enough Ace, Titan, and Zane were walking toward them with Vaughn, Jace, and Micah.
“I think I’m going to go use the ladies’ room,” Louisa said and stood up. Venetia chuckled.
“Don’t you dare. It’s too late,” she said.
“Venetia, you remember Jace, Vaughn, and Micah,” Ace said and the three men nodded and said hello.
“Hi, guys, good seeing you,” Venetia said and smiled.
All three men looked at Louisa and she felt her entire body heat up. Holy shit, they were the most intimidating men she ever met, and she thought Cooper, Graham, and Daxton were hard.
“This is Louisa Bellino, she’s the new events coordinator at the hotel.” Zane introduced her and she gave a soft smile and looked way up at the three men.
The first one with the goatee reached his hand out. “I’m Micah. Nice meeting you, Louisa,” he said and the way he held her gaze and looked over her breasts he surely was a man capable of seduction.
“Micah,” she said with a nod and then pulled her hand back.
“I’m Jace,” the clean-shaven, very tan one said and she shook his hand, felt the same instant attraction and gave a nod as she pulled back.
“Vaughn,” the one with the gruff along his face said and gave her a wink that totally made her pussy spasm. Holy shit, they were each more appealing than the next and, boy, did they know it. She gave herself a mental shake, reminding herself that men like this get women to spread their thighs in a flash. She wasn’t that kind of woman or interested in that kind of man.
She looked at Ace. “How is the training going? Venetia mentioned that you have a new troop starting next week and it’s pretty large,” she said, not bothering to even glance at the three Hunt men. She could feel their eyes on her, but she was ignoring them. She straightened out her shoulders and was glad she wore a sexy outfit tonight.
“I think it’s going to be a tough group. There are a lot of young guys and they think the military is like the video games they played. When it comes to doing the moves and learning the vulnerability of certain positions things change quickly,” Ace said to her.
“I could imagine, but it’s promising to know there are still people interested in joining the military and taking on the challenges,” she replied.
“You sound surprised that men still enlist,” Vaughn said to her. She glanced up at him as Zane pulled Venetia into his arms and kissed her neck and Titan moved closer and now she had her back against the bar and Jace, Micah, and Vaughn in front of her and Ace on her right. She wasn’t a claustrophobic person but, boy, did she feel that way right now.
“I suppose a little,” she said to him.
“Don’t think people should serve their country?” Jace asked her and looked her over. When did she become the interrogated here?
“On the contrary, I think it’s a noble position and profession that takes a special kind of person. I’ve learned a lot from soldiers,” she said and looked back at Ace.
“You sure have. You really enjoyed that self-defense sequence the base offered last year. I heard it came in handy recently,” he said to her and her cheeks flushed. She looked away.
Ace touched her shoulder. “You should have told us about that guy bothering you and how long it was going on for.”
“Ace, now is not the time to discuss it. Besides, as I told Apollo and Venetia, I handled it.”
“Yeah, but how is what I want to know.”
“Does it matter, Ace? Let’s not discuss it,” she said and then took a sip from her wineglass.
Titan asked Ace something and Ace stepped away from the bar and toward them. Jace took his place on her left and now Micah was on her right and Vaughn stood in front of her.
“So how do you like working for the hotel?” Jace asked her.
She looked up at him and held his gaze a moment. “I like it so far. I hadn’t expected to get thrown right into such a huge event as the one tomorrow, but everyone seems professional,” she replied.
“They are very professional. Especially our brothers,” Vaughn said firmly.
She swallowed hard. Did that mean Graham, Cooper, and Daxton told them about her and her reaction to them?
She felt Jace lean closer and now his shoulder pressed against hers. “Don’t believe everything you hear. People make shit up all the time, doll,” he said and she almost lost all train of thought. Jesus, he was good-looking. She had to think fast and she looked at Micah, then Vaughn before she looked back at Jace.
“So I shouldn’t believe that the three of you are some kind of badass soldiers who take on
dangerous security details in foreign countries, and your brothers aren’t out to initiate the new female employee at the hotel?” she asked and raised one of her eyebrows up at Jace in challenge.
His crew-cut brown hair, firm, dark brown eyes, and chiseled jaw were sexy. But the way he turned, placed his palm on her hip, then leaned closer and whispered into her ear just brought this encounter to an entirely different level.
“Oh no, baby, believe what you heard about us. We live for danger,” he said, and his warm breath attacked her sensitive earlobe and she nearly shivered, but instead she chuckled, which sounded pretty good. He pulled back and stared down into her eyes.
“Out of curiosity, Jace, how many times has that line gotten you and your brothers laid?” she asked, then took a sip from her glass of wine.
He licked his lower lip and, boy, she couldn’t resist following it and he pressed closer, caressed her hip, and then she felt his long, thick fingertips graze her ribs. It felt incredible. Holy shit she suddenly wished she was a slut and could throw inhibition to the wind and indulge in what she knew would be mind-blowing sex with these men.
“What game are you playing, doll?” he asked, surprising her. She expected a response to leave his lips or another flirty retort.
“I think it’s you and your brothers that play games.”
“Jace.” Micah said his name and Jace moved his hands away from her and put a little space, but not much, between her and him. She looked at Micah.
“I’m just sticking up for Cooper, Graham, and Daxton. I can understand they’re upset that Louisa would believe some hotel gossip,” Jace added.
“Gossip, huh?” she asked.
“What my brother is trying to say is not to necessarily believe everything you hear. People talk and make stuff up. A lot of the time it’s because they were ignored or are jealous,” Vaughn told her. She stared at him. His haircut was so short that the sides looked bald. That firm jaw he shared with Micah and even Graham was attractive. He had a dark mysterious look about him and add in the designer blue dress shirt and large gold watch he looked important.
“Well, Vaughn, it’s nice of you guys to stick up for them, but it really doesn’t matter. I’ve learned enough through observation,” she said and took another sip of wine.
“What did you learn in observing our brothers?” Jace pushed.
She looked at him. “Well, ultimately they thought I would be an easy piece of ass. If they hadn’t, then they would have taken their time getting to know me instead of caging me inside an elevator and practically trying to steal a kiss. Call me old-fashioned, but there’s a process in getting to know someone.”
“Even if the attraction is instant and so damn powerful you want to bypass the bullshit and get down to the intimate part?” Jace asked and licked his lower lip as he gave her body the once-over. Her cheeks felt flush, but she held her ground. She looked him over, put her glass down, and then stepped closer.
“Yes, Jace, because some women have enough self-respect and care enough about their bodies, hearts, and souls that they don’t just spread their legs the moment some sexy, experienced soldiers decide they want in.” She looked to the right to where a bunch of young women were laughing and drunk. She pointed at them.
“Maybe that corner over there is where you three and your other brothers should be shopping. Excuse me,” she said and walked away from them and headed to the ladies’ room. She heard the chuckle and then a slow whistle and knew she hit them hard. She was pissed off instantly as a disappointed feeling consumed her. Had she just made a huge mistake? Could she have let go and just had sex with those intimidatingly handsome sex gods? She gave her forehead a smack.
“Jesus, woman. You got no guts.” She looked into the mirror and saw her flushed cheeks, her hard nipples, and knew they saw them, too. She had to get the hell out of here and hope she wouldn’t need to face them anytime soon.
* * * *
“God damn, she is incredible. My dick is so fucking hard right now. You have no idea what’s going through my head,” Jace said to his brothers.
Micah chuckled. “I totally see what Cooper, Graham, and Daxton saw in her. She’s beautiful, and those damn eyes. Jesus, you can get caught up in them. I could hardly speak,” Micah said.
“You pissed her off, Jace,” Vaughn said.
“You helped, Vaughn.” They chuckled.
“Now what?” Jace asked and looked down toward the hallway she disappeared to.
“Nothing. She seemed stuck-up to me. Probably thinks she’s too good for a bunch of soldiers,” Micah replied. He was feeling annoyed and he knew it was because she had the wrong impression of his brothers and walked away despite the obvious attraction. He didn’t even date, and she definitely wasn’t the kind of woman to sleep around. Not his type at all. The commitment type. As Micah thought that he felt wrong.
“What makes you think that?” Jace asked. Micah shrugged his shoulders then took a slug of beer but looked toward the hallway where she went.
“Who cares?” Micah replied.
“That’s a record for you guys. I think you beat out Cooper, Graham, and Daxton,” Ace said to them and chuckled.
“What is that supposed to mean?” Vaughn asked.
“You just met Louisa and in all of about ten minutes made her take off for the ladies’ room. I think you Hunt men have lost your touch with the ladies,” Ace said and smirked.
“Maybe the problem is her. She wasn’t exactly friendly. Seemed a bit stuck-up and argumentative,” Vaughn added.
“No way. She’s so sweet and caring. She’s always putting others first. Why do you think we got upset about her not telling us her boss was sexually harassing her?” Ace asked.
“You know that for sure or are you assuming? She seems capable of handling herself,” Micah said to Ace.
“Venetia wouldn’t divulge much, but considering he came on so strong his pants were undone and she needed to use some defense moves, I’d say he was sexually harassing her. Also it wasn’t the first time,” Ace said and he looked pissed off. Micah felt angry, too.
“She’s a beautiful woman,” Jace said and glanced back toward the hallway.
“Looks like you really missed your opportunity,” Ace said and nodded behind them. Micah turned to look and sure enough some tall guy was standing there talking to her. He watched her body language to see if she was flirting, but then he saw her cross her arms in front of her chest and the guy immediately looked at her breasts. He was a big guy. Heavyset, tattoos along both arms. And now his two friends approached.
Her expression changed as she looked toward them and then shook her head and turned to walk past them. The guy snagged his arm out, stopping her and when she pushed it down, the guy’s arm didn’t move. He was a big guy, but not as big as Micah. Micah was already heading that way when the guy stopped her, pressed his hand over her belly, and had her backing against the wall with his other arm over her shoulder caging her in. By the time he got to her he heard her raise her voice.
“I’m not interested, buddy. Get your hand off of me and there won’t be a scene,” she said. He chuckled and his friends blocked Micah from seeing what happened. As he slapped the guy on the shoulder he heard a roar of pain from the one who had her pinned against the wall.
“Get away from her right now,” Micah told the first guy as Jace grabbed the other guy and Vaughn reached for Louisa just as the guy she slammed in the balls went to retaliate. Vaughn pulled her into his arms and moved her away from the scene as the guy she kicked in the nuts punched the wall and broke his hand. He roared again and at this point the bouncers, guys Micah knew well, grabbed the three men and escorted them out of the bar. Micah looked at Jace, who was pissed off.
“He was going to slug her,” he said sounding shocked.
Micah looked passed him and saw Vaughn holding Louisa in his arms as Venetia and her men surrounded them. Something clicked. The way things went down and how instantly he was compelled to get to her. How pissed
off he was and jealous of other men wanting her, touching her, and how much it turned him on that she stood her ground, kicked the guy in the nuts, and now was in his brother’s arms. The sight instantly took away the concerned feelings he had when he didn’t immediately see her. No wonder Cooper, Graham, and Daxton were in such a state yesterday. The woman was perfect for them, and she was going to fight it tooth and nail. Go figure.
* * * *
Louisa was shaking. She couldn’t believe how that just happened to her. What the hell. Did she wear some neon sign asking for trouble?
“You’re okay. My God, you’re shaking,” Vaughn said in a deep, yet soothing tone. His hands felt incredible on her. His hold secure, firm. She locked gazes with Venetia.
“Are you sure you’re okay, honey? My God, they were so big, and the one swung at you,” Venetia said to her.
“I’m fine. I guess I enraged him,” she said.
“You’re lucky he didn’t hit you or God knows what damage he could have done to your face,” Micah said in a reprimanding tone. She pulled back from Vaughn but he didn’t release her. She looked at him and then Micah and Jace. Titan pulled Venetia away. She felt anxious, still shaky, and on the defensive.
“I had to kick him.”
“We were coming over to help,” Jace said, squinting at her like she did something wrong.
“Oh, I get it. I was supposed to wait until you guys came to my rescue because, well, it’s suddenly your responsibility?” she asked with attitude. She went to pull back and Vaughn pulled her hard against his chest. She felt his palm slide from the center of her back to her ass.
“You could have gotten hurt. A woman as beautiful and sexy as you needs protection.” Sweet mother, she just felt her pussy spasm. Her lips parted as she tilted her head back to look at Vaughn.
“So how long was I to wait for him to grope my breast, maybe slide his thumb along my nipple as I waited for help?”
Hands landed on her shoulders and Micah pressed his body against hers. “He touched your breast?” he asked through clenched teeth.
“He paid the price for it,” she replied.
Kamikaze Nights [Love on the Rocks 3] (Siren Publishing LoveXtreme Forever) Page 7
