Playing with Fire

by Graziano, Renee

  Reign took a moment to contemplate how that suggestion might go over and stifled a laugh. “I don’t think he likes being photographed. Besides, he’s an investment banker. I’d guess he doesn’t need whatever we could pay him.”

  A loose description. Maybe Nick was a little bit more than an investment banker, but keep it simple.

  Louise wasn’t buying it. She had some pretty discerning street smarts. “My ass that’s all he is.”

  Reign took in a breath. “He’s a very beautiful man. I agree with that. What else he might be I don’t know, and maybe we should not push to find out. Get it?”

  * * *

  “Of course I would model.”

  It was always fun toying with Reign and this was no exception. She turned and sent him a glare that would incinerate the devil.

  To ashes. In the depths of hell.

  He liked her office. It was business-like, and though he would have never chosen the red-and-white-striped chair she sat in, it worked. There were shelves and filing cabinets, and her desk held the usual clutter of a laptop, pens, and a stack of business cards, but it was definitely an organized mess. He also liked her in a soft pink blouse and a casual skirt, because he was used to seeing her dressed up, or entirely undressed. Both were great, but this was nice too.

  “You were listening?” Her nape looked soft and tempting under a very business-like upsweep of ebony hair secured by a gold clip.

  “I walked out of the bathroom and heard you,” he said with no hint of defensiveness. “Am I supposed to apologize?”

  At least she owned it. “No. I just assumed you’d politely pretend you didn’t hear.”

  “I didn’t know you also designed men’s clothing.”

  “There is a lot about me you don’t know.”

  Don’t count on it, sweetheart.

  Louise chimed in. “Don’t assume anything about Reign. She designed that chair she’s sitting in. Awesome, isn’t it?”

  Nick rested a hip on her desk and crossed his arms over his chest. “She’s very talented. I can attest to that.”

  “She isn’t referring to blow jobs, darling.” Reign said it with false sweetness, leaning back in her chair and twirling a pen between her fingers.

  “You have a younger brother? I give good blow jobs.” The rather eccentric young woman who appeared to be an assistant or secretary was obviously enjoying the exchange, her mouth twitching into a gamine smile.

  “Sorry, honey, his brother’s a priest,” Reign informed her. “Will you excuse us for a second? Maybe go get us lunch? I was thinking Chinese.”

  The young woman left, muttering, “A priest, that’s practically a crime.”

  When the door closed, Reign said quietly, “She was joking. She’s a nice girl.”

  He spread his hands. “You happen to be the one who brought up blow jobs. I merely gave you a compliment. What did Carre want?”

  “Just to say congratulations.” She tilted her head toward the window that faced the street and the café where he’d been all morning. “Everything quiet down there while you were buying and selling stocks and probably making millions?”

  “So far, so good.”

  He hadn’t seen anything suspicious, which was somewhat of a relief, but he couldn’t quite get past the idea that he might be missing something crucial. It bothered him.

  “Want to work in here instead?” Her face held a troubled expression when she turned back. “I don’t like you sitting there exposed at a table on a busy thoroughfare. Anyone could take a shot.”

  “Are you protecting me?”

  “Is there an objection?”

  “No.”

  He leaned forward and let his mouth linger inches from hers. “You sure?”

  She wanted to kiss him. He could tell.

  “Oh, Fattelli, just go back to the café.”

  “I thought you just invited me to stay.” He straightened, still propped on her desk.

  She laid her hand on his thigh and her green eyes were somber. “It isn’t like I care or anything, but maybe you should stay.”

  He was starting to realize that her armor was penetrable, but he really needed to be the right man. Decision time for him, just as much as for her.

  It was comical, when he considered it. Covering her hand with his and entwining their fingers, he was pretty much as afraid of this as he sensed she was.

  Maybe more.

  And he was never afraid.

  “You don’t care about me?” He asked it softly.

  She glanced away at the window. The view of the cars going by was about the same, the street busy, the apartment building above the café baked by the sun. “Maybe I didn’t say that the right way. ‘Care’ implies something I don’t want to imply, and you don’t want to hear, so—”

  “Hey, that’s the second time this afternoon you’ve decided what I do or do not want. Speaking of which, I keep in shape, so let me model something. I might not be twenty-five or anything, but I might be useful. Don’t overlook the possibilities right in front of you.”

  “Really? You’re serious?” It was Reign’s turn to cross her arms in front her chest, freeing her hand first. “Down a catwalk, jacket flung over your shoulder?”

  “I might.” His smile crinkled the corner of his eyes.

  “You might even like it. You might not be twenty-five, but you know how you look. All the women would be drooling on themselves. Uhm, no. Rule one: I don’t share. That happens to be my dick unless you choose to put it somewhere else, in which case, it is all yours again.”

  She wasn’t so much difficult to understand—he had some personal issues himself—as she was hard to handle. Their relationship was starting to make her wary, and he was wary as hell too, and … where was this going?

  “Your ex-husband cheated?” He asked it cautiously.

  “My ex-husband did almost everything possible wrong.” Her eyes were like glittering green diamonds, but then she softened. “Except I do think he loves his son. He just doesn’t understand how to do it the right way, and I’m sorry, as hard as I tried, I couldn’t teach him. That’s a path he’s going to have figure out for himself if he ever makes the effort. It’ll be fine. Vince knows we both love him. He’s very bright. He gets it. I’ve got to say he’s one kid that knows the tension is between his father and me and not anything really to do with him. He’s never blamed himself like some kids of divorced parents.”

  Nick reached out and did what he’d been wanting to do since he walked in, which was loosen the clip in her raven hair. It spilled over her shoulders in an inky fall.

  “Nicky,” she said in reproof, trying to gather it up, the action lifting her breasts in an enticing fashion. “What are you doing?”

  “Yes, Nicky,” a voice said, silky smooth. “What are you doing?”

  Chapter

  TWENTY-ONE

  Reign turned her head and stared at the woman standing in the doorway.

  She recognized her from the night on the yacht when Sal was shot. Blond, very pretty, her make up done perfectly, and wearing a green dress definitely not off the rack.

  Why the hell is she here?

  Nick looked just as startled. He cast Reign an inquiring glance and moved casually to block any direct view. Luckily he had very nice wide shoulders. Pleasantly, he said, “I think we met before on the Arianos’ yacht.”

  “I’m Carmen.”

  “Right.”

  She sauntered in and glanced around at the cinder block walls, the spools of fabric resting against them, and the factory window, and said, “I kind of expected more, you know? This big designer thing, so I’d have expected something really chic, ya know. But I’m not all that impressed. I’m not getting it.” The words were slightly slurred.

  What Reign didn’t get was what the visit might be about. She edged a view around Nick’s shoulder. “Sorry to disappoint. We work here.”

  She suddenly understood Nick’s protective stance. The woman was carrying a gun casually in her h
and. Reign’s entire body chilled.

  Okay. Easy.

  Sal had mentioned her before. Reign knew her family, but she was quite a bit younger, not that much older than Vince, and they’d never been introduced. This was beyond awkward and into some zone she’d never visited before.

  Nick moved again to obstruct her view, and apparently use his body as a shield, so she no longer had any grasp on the situation. “I’m not sure what you thought you might see.” His voice was utterly calm. “First time I’ve been here too, but like you it just seems like an office to me. But then again, like she said, people do work here.”

  Reign whispered, “She’s obsessed with Sal.”

  Sal had mentioned once that Carmen texted him so often it had started to make him uncomfortable, and that even as a teenager she’d been pretty sexually aggressive.

  Nick said quietly, “I’m getting there is something going on. I have never hurt a woman, so this could get interesting, but if she swings that weapon our way, all bets are off. I’ll take her down.”

  “Why are you whispering?” Carmen turned from inspecting a bolt of scarlet silk that was pooled on the floor. Her eyes were visibly dilated, even from a distance, and Reign got the first jolt that told her maybe something besides Sal was a part of this impromptu visit.

  Drugs. Great. Perfect.

  “What do you want?” Nick asked it casually, like he was inquiring if she wanted some iced tea.

  “Just to talk to Reign. You’re in the way.”

  Reign couldn’t even remember being quite so cold. She’d been shot at enough lately. This was becoming surreal. Nick merely asked, “Why?”

  “Sal and I. It won’t happen while she’s in the picture. I’m being practical.” Carmen’s sandals scraped the floor, but Reign couldn’t see what she was doing. “Tell me, why do you like her so much, Mr. Fattelli? Or should I call you Nicky like she does?”

  He said gently, “I think you might be a little under the influence”

  “Of?”

  “I’m not quite sure. Apparently it is a substance that makes you think it is acceptable to walk into a design business carrying a gun before lunch and threaten the owner. Sort of like robbing a convenience store, but with a little more class. You do realize the weapon you have pointing my direction is much more likely to take out a window if you fire it? You can’t even hold it steady.”

  “Are you sure?” Carmen sounded a little less hostile and more confused.

  Maybe time to do something to help as well. Someone else might have wanted to call 911, but she wasn’t that person. Reign took out her phone and pushed a different button. When Sal answered she said, “Carmen is here. Maybe you could call her parents.”

  “Oh shit.” His voice was thick. “I was asleep.… Yeah, give me a minute to wake up … these painkillers. Why exactly is she there?”

  “I’m not sure, but she has a gun and I think it has something to do with you.”

  “Reign. Shit.” He obviously woke up.

  “Nick is here too and it is fairly under control.… But call them? She seems pretty high and really wants to point that gun at me, but at the moment, Nick gets that honor.”

  She could hear Nick talking in the background in that same even voice, and Carmen was responding, but with him between them Reign wasn’t quite sure what was happening. She was only barely able to hear him since her heart was pounding so hard the beat echoed in her ears.

  Sal said, “Are you fucking kidding me? I’ll be right there.”

  “No.” Reign kept her voice low. “First of all, you are in no shape to drive and we both know it. Maybe just talk to her a little?” She tapped Nick on the shoulder. “Would you mind handing her my phone? It’s Sal.”

  “I’ll set your phone on the edge of the desk, but she’ll have to come get it.” He reached behind with an open palm but didn’t as much as look anywhere except, apparently, at Carmen, who Reign couldn’t really see. He leaned forward and then straightened again. “Sal wants to talk to you. Maybe you could set down the gun when you pick up the phone.”

  “How do I know that’s Sal?” she asked suspiciously. “You’re trying to trick me.”

  “I don’t try and trick anyone. Since you know my name, maybe you know my reputation. Tricks just aren’t my thing. By the way, your father is a pretty no-nonsense kind of man. He isn’t going to be happy with you over this little stunt. Now, just set down the gun and talk to Sal. No harm, no foul, Carmen.”

  “He’s only interested in her.” There was a definite wobble of tears in her voice. “I don’t even want to talk to him.”

  “If you don’t pick it up and at least give him a chance, the other option is the police and they are going to bust you not just for attempted assault and possibly even attempted murder, but for taking whatever it is that has you thinking this was a viable option. If you drove here, and I sure am hoping you didn’t, they’ll get you for DUI too. Jail time isn’t fun. I visited way too many people in prison. None of them seem very happy with the situation.”

  To his credit, the man was persuasive and utterly unruffled. Reign had to give him that. A moment later, he moved with lightning speed, and she saw he was in possession of the gun and Carmen had her phone, and she was speaking incoherently into it, tears running down her pale face.

  Louise chose that moment to walk back in, her hands full of paper bags. She stopped short, taking in the sobbing woman on the phone and Nick holding the gun. Eyes wide, she said, “Holy crap, a girl steps out for two seconds to grab some Chinese food and she misses everything.”

  * * *

  “Well, I will say Reign Grazi is never boring.” Nick held the door for Reign later that afternoon and watched as she gracefully kicked off her shoes and sank down on the couch in their hotel suite.

  Reign shut her eyes. “I suppose that’s something.”

  “Can I make her a cocktail?”

  “You know my tipple.”

  “Yes I do. Pink and delicious. Fits perfectly into my mouth.” He grinned and moved toward the bar.

  “I didn’t say ‘nipple.’” She opened one eye. A good sign. She did seem a little wiped out. Who could blame her? If he hadn’t happened to be there, it could have gone south pretty fast. He wasn’t giving himself the credit for a fairly amicable resolution, but unfortunately it could easily have been tragic. Reign wasn’t the type to call for assistance, so who knows what might have happened.

  He murmured, “Oh, my mistake. The usual?”

  “Of course.” She sat up. “Do you think that maybe all this time, Carmen has been the one? Maybe she’s the one who hired the man you shot in my closet.”

  He reached up and took a bottle off the top shelf, carefully poured two fingers of Johnnie Walker Black into a glass, and added ice from the drawer. “No.”

  She didn’t either, he could tell as he walked around to hand the glass to her. Reign at least offered a faint smile. “It would be nice if it was that easy, right?”

  “She’s just a little messed up.” Nick settled down next to her. For himself he’d grabbed a cold Corona, and he took a drink. “Sal Ariano doesn’t do too much for me, but it seems he did at one time for you, and she sure seems like she’s into the idea of a relationship with him.”

  “He’d like to know what I see in you that I don’t see in him.” Reign propped her now bare feet on the coffee table.

  “My charm, I suppose.”

  She stared at her bare toes, which were nicely tinted with pink polish. “As I haven’t quite figured it out yet myself, I avoided that answer.”

  “No comment, but I doubt if she hired them they would have accidentally shot Salvatore Ariano unless they are completely inept.”

  No, they’d merely shot the tall man standing next to Reign Grazi.

  Him. Seconds after Sal had come over to talk to her, but they’d thought it was him.

  It was hard to deny he might have been the target that night, but she’d definitely been the goal this afternoon. He also un
derstood why. She looked delectable in the soft blouse, her hair tumbling everywhere.

  Ariano was in love with her.

  And so was he.

  It stopped Nick as he sat there, like a moment frozen in time. That wasn’t why he’d stepped between Reign and Carmen’s murderous tendencies this afternoon.… He would have done that for quite a few people, and truly, he’d felt in charge of the situation once he’d known what was going on.

  It wasn’t even why he’d insisted she stay with him, and it wasn’t really anything about their relationship, except he liked her there next to him. Not just because he desired her—he did, but that was a little different.

  It felt like the right fit. She was fiery and sexy and brave, but also compassionate and caring in many ways.

  Her sense of independence was something they had in common. He’d had his since his father was killed, so on that level, they really understood each other. Right now he was protecting her, but never would she ask him to take care of her. That was not Reign and it never would be, and he understood it.

  Simple, but true.

  He loved her.

  Oh shit. This was going to freak her out, because he wasn’t about to give her up to Ariano or anyone else, yet she didn’t want a man involved in her life in a permanent way. He hadn’t even met her son yet, but he wanted to, which was a first in his life.

  “Nicky?”

  He realized she was looking at him expectantly. “What did you just say?”

  Her brows drew together. “I said that it was nice of Sal to meet them at the hospital when her parents decided to take Carmen in. He called me when I was on my way here. That pretty doctor came and picked him up and took him to the Emergency Department, since Carmen was incoherent and they thought seeing him might calm her down until they figured out what she was on.”

  “What was it?”

  “Cocaine, I take it, or that’s what she thought it was. A couple of the friends she was sharing that particular recreational experience with had a similar bizarre reaction. She’s doing pretty well, or that’s what he said. They don’t think it was very pure, but when dealing with people who sell drugs, who can you trust?”