Vegas Moon

by R. M. Sotera

  “You’re not so bad yourself.” A brown curl slid from his forehead and swept across her cheek. “As a matter of fact, you are fucking fantastic.”

  His chuckle mingled with hers. His laughter was like a favorite blanket, one that she never wanted to live without. She knew, without a doubt, that he had burrowed a place deep in her soul.

  Chapter 6

  New Orleans

  One week had passed since Cindi, Jordan, Jamison, and Tristan arrived in New Orleans. Victoria, always her hospitable self, put Jordan, Mia, Cindi, and Tristan up at one of the many condos she owned in the Garden District. Jamison stayed with Victoria at her condo in the French Quarter.

  The antique grandfather clock in the foyer of the condo had just struck noon, the chime resonating through the condo when Mia stepped off the last step of the spiral staircase leading from the bedrooms.

  “Morning, Cin.” Mia smiled even though she looked exhausted.

  It ripped Cindi wide open with concern to see her best friend look so tired.

  “You’re looking pretty rough this morning, girlfriend.” Cindi set the newspaper she’d had tucked under her arm onto the coffee table. “Didn’t sleep very good last night, did you?”

  Mia winced and then swept her long dark-brown hair over her shoulder and plopped down on the sofa next to Cindi. “How’d you know?”

  “You look like shit. You want to tell me about it?”

  Mia hesitated briefly and a wince creased her face a second time. “My husband is smothering me. And…so are all of you.”

  Cindi arched a brow, definitely hiding a chuckle. “We care about you, babe. I mean we could probably back off a bit, but your husband is another story. You know how much he loves you. And to think that you may be in danger again, well, it’s making him crazy.”

  Her best friend glanced to the floor and then narrowed her gaze. “How many times is this going to happen to us…men of women he fucked wanting to hurt me? I feel like a prisoner. A prisoner in my own skin.”

  At the moment, Cindi couldn’t find a reason to disagree with her best bud in the world. She was right. Her life had suddenly become like a prison. “Are you having second thoughts about marrying Jordan?” She was sure she’d known the answer to her rather foolish question, but she needed to hear Mia’s reply.

  A shocked expression and then a tint of understanding creased her best bud’s face. “Oh, no, you know how much I love that man. I just wish he wouldn’t have slept with everything that had a pulse.”

  That comment brought full-on laughter from Cindi. “Damned slut that man of yours was. Mia, darlin’, who are we kidding? The entire Stiletto Sanction elders—men and women—were, and still are, whore-dogs. We just happened to catch and calm a few of them.”

  The clearing of a throat sent both their attention to the doorway were Jordan stood leaning against the door jamb. He was a damned sexy man. Cindi understood perfectly Mia’s attraction to Jordan. He was a looker, for sure. His long, blonde hair was pulled back at the nape of his neck, and his white cotton shirt was unbuttoned just enough to show off his tanned skin. “Having a girl powwow I see.” His deep voice stated the mere fact. However, he had part of his assumption wrong, and Cindi felt it her duty to correct him.

  “Correction, a best-friend powwow.”

  Tristan came up behind Jordan, tapped him on the shoulder, gave him an eyebrow raise, and then both men came into the room.

  Two sexy-ass men were those two. Cindi allowed herself a few minutes to drink in the lovely vision of Tristan in his tight blue jeans and black T-shirt. He was such a fine specimen of the male form. Poetry in utter motion.

  Tristan made his way to Cindi and slid into the empty space on the sofa next to her. “Morning, baby.”

  Jordan turned his attention to Mia. “I thought I’d take my lovely wife out for breakfast in the French Quarter,”

  A smile lit up Mia’s face. “I’d love that. Minus the security detail?”

  This time Cindi and Tristan laughed loudly. “Hey, we’re going to take offense at that. We like being your security detail.”

  Mia rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I know. But ya’ll are killing me. I do believe that the New Orleans Police Department and the Levoux voodoo goddesses is enough security for the moment.”

  “Hey don’t forget bad-ass best-friend detail.” Cindi’s expression morphed into an exaggerated pout.

  Mia pulled Cindi into a hug. “I actually love the bad-ass friend detail. Since I get you, I’ve put up with them.”

  With that Mia met her husband at the door, and they went off hand in hand.

  As soon as Cindi heard the front door slam, she threw her arms around Tristan’s neck and covered his lips with hers. She leaned her body into his until he was rubbing his erection against her thigh. The desire bubbling in her body to suck his cock pushed her fingers to his zipper. He moaned slightly right before someone cleared their throat loudly.

  Damned Jamison stood in the doorway with Victoria on his arm.

  “Geez, you two.” Jamison’s wickedly joking tone made Cindi chuckle. “You do have a room.”

  Tristan sighed.

  Victoria laughed.

  “What happened to people knocking?” Cindi asked.

  “We ran into Mia and Jordan coming down the driveway and they told us to go on inside. They didn’t tell us a porno movie was in the making.” A pretend shocked expression creased Jamison’s face.

  “Oh, fuck off.” Cindi’s kidding tone brought laughter from all parties.

  And then Victoria announced rather proudly, “I think this condo could use a little porno action. Feel free to baptize it with as much porno action as needed.”

  Jamison and Tristan stood there shaking their heads.

  The fun bantering stopped when a stunned Jordan and Mia came back into the condo, followed by a woman who was a spitting image of Mia. A doppelganger with a wicked smile cupped a small white pearl overlay revolver securely in her right hand.

  “I’ve been waiting for this moment for some time now,” the woman said. Her tone was laced with promise and a hint of annoyance. “Today is a good day to die, don’t you think?”

  All movement on Cindi’s frame froze. Paralysis couldn’t begin to describe how her body felt. This was bad, real bad. She stared with wide-eyed fear at the barrel of the small revolver pointed inches from Mia’s head.

  “Kristi. Take it easy.” Jordan’s words came across calm yet demanding. “Let’s talk about this.” Jordan turned to face the woman in back of him, tucking Mia securely behind him.

  An evil grin slid across the brunette’s face. “You are a fool, Jordan. You’d think from all the nights you’d fucked me that you’d realize I’m Kathy, and not my twin.”

  Of course, the twins from hell. Cindi tried to still her erratic breathing, but with the gun pointed at Jordan’s forehead, it was next to impossible. Tristan tightened his grip on her hand.

  “Don’t,” he whispered against her ear. “Jordan can handle this.”

  “Kathy. Lower the gun. You don’t want to shoot anyone. I know you. This isn’t the woman who obeyed me in the blood-play room. Show me her once more.” Jordan’s voice took on a more authoritative tone, and as if he’d performed some magical feat, Kathy’s demeanor slowly changed. She dropped her shoulders as the gun shook in her hand, causing her to lower it. Jordan made his demand one more time, and this time Kathy dropped her gaze to the floor as her lips parted slightly. Confusion crawled across Kathy’s facial landscape only for a moment before she raised the gun once more.

  Jordan cut her a sharp look that dared her to continue her path. “Remember our time together. It’s those moments in the blood room that you want again, isn’t it?”

  It only took a second for Jordan to shove Mia back the few steps into Tristan’s grasp, step forward, and grab Kathy’s wrist.

  As soon as Tristan had hold of Mia, he barricaded her behind him and Cindi. Without succeeding, he’d tried to make Cindi step behind him so he cou
ld block both women. Cindi stood her ground next to her man. She wasn’t about to behave like the weaker sex. She had a black belt in karate and kicked some ass in her time, so although Tristan’s gesture was sweet and all that stuff, she wasn’t about to play the damsel in distress.

  It wasn’t her style. And never would be.

  Kathy’s gaze didn’t leave Jordan’s. As a matter of fact, her gaze sent shards of uneasiness through Cindi’s veins. The damned woman was gazing at him with a strange gleam in her eyes. Fuck if it wasn’t a longing gaze, like he was some kind of god or something. The two of them stood there in that state for what felt like several minutes. It wasn’t until Cindi looked behind her did her heart sink, and her hands want to beat the shit out of Jordan.

  It took every ounce of restraint in her to hold her fist as bay. She’d let her anger go on Jordan once, back when he’d appeared at the Stiletto Party where he’d won Mia back after their fake divorce.

  The intensity of the hurt in Mia’s face pounded at her heart and gave her no choice but to look away. When she looked back at Jordan, he had the gun in his hand and Kathy kneeled on the floor beside him, her gaze glued to knees and her head bowed.

  “You’ve disappointed me with your actions here today, Kathy.” Jordan stroked the back of Kathy’s hair and wrapped his hand in her hair until he had enough of hair to pull back her head and hold her in place.

  “I’m sorry.” Her voice hitched, as if tears would spill any second.

  “You’re sorry, what?” Jordan demanded. Still grasping her by the back of the head, he pulled back once until her gaze met his and held her place.

  In a tearful whisper she replied, “I’m sorry, my blood Master, sir.”

  From behind Cindi and Tristan, Mia blew out a breath. The breath whooshed out of her as if she’d been sucker punched. Cindi turned and pulled her best friend into her arms, cheek against cheek.

  And then the reality of what Jordan was doing, the game he played, dawned brightly against the confusion of the moment and she gave Mia a tight squeeze. “It’s not what you think, sweetie. He’s doing what he must to control her. It’s the only card he has to play. I know it hurts you to see this, but she was going to hurt you badly.”

  Mia swallowed back her tears but said nothing. The hollow look in her eyes was enough to almost bring Cindi to tears. She had to make her best bud in the world understand that her husband had no choice but to channel his blood-play Master tendencies. It was the only way to control this situation since the cops had yet to arrive.

  Speaking of cops, where the hell where they?

  “Tristan,” Jordan called, his eyes still glued to Kathy’s. “I need you to do two things for me. Call the police and get me four zip ties.

  “I’m on it,” Tristan assured him and left the room.

  “Cindi, take my wife upstairs.”

  Cindi started across the room with Mia. Mia halted. “I want to stay here, with you.” The words were meant for her husband, but he didn’t glance at her, only replied, “You need to go upstairs. Now.”

  Mia opened her mouth to say something, her annoyance surrounding her like a bright light, but closed it when Cindi gave her the “not now, sister” look.

  Cindi nudged her, and they headed toward the doorway. “You will have plenty of time to discuss this with Jordan later. Right now, let’s get the hell out of dodge while Tristan and Jordan keep her controlled until the police get here.

  And with that, Cindi led her best friend from the living room and out the front door onto the porch where they would wait for the authorities to arrive.

  “Are our men going to be all right in there? Alone. With her?” Mia plopped down on the porch step and folded her hands in her lap.

  Cindi sat beside her. “It’s Jordan and Tristan. She’s probably tied up by now, and don’t forget your hubby has her at gunpoint.”

  Mia blew out a breath. “Yeah and at blood Master Dom point.”

  Wanting to reassure her best friend that it wasn’t what it appeared, she slid her arm around her and pulled her close. “Girlfriend, you know I’d never lie to you. Hell, and you know I’d maim anyone male or female that tried to hurt you. It isn’t what you fear. Jordan’s controlling the situation the only way he could think.”

  After further reflection on Cindi’s words, Mia let a slight smile change her serious expression. “Yeah. You’re right.”

  “Of course I am. And by the way, It’s blood-play Master. Your hubby is all that, but a Dom he’s not.”

  Mia giggled, a sound that made Cindi downright happy to hear. “Thanks for making me feel better. For helping me to understand.”

  “You bet. That man loves you more than anything. Don’t you ever forget it.”

  A slight breeze sent the thick smell of jasmine through the air. Cindi took in a long breath, letting the sweet floral smell fill her nostrils.

  Mia patted Cindi’s thigh. “And what about that man that loves you more than anything? Are you going to completely give into his charms? Admit how you really feel about him?”

  A poignant moment it was. Was she going to admit how she felt about Tristan? Ever?

  She covered her hand over Mia’s. “I don’t know. I guess time will tell.”

  And with that answer, she sat with Mia, both of them engrossed in the sounds of nature and approaching sirens.

  Victoria and Jamison had returned just as the police department pulled away with Kathy in the backseat and Jordan in the front of the cruiser. Jordan decided to go along with law enforcement since Kathy had continued to respond only to him. Tristan and Cindi had filled Victoria and Jamison in on what went down—Mia’s stalker being another of Jordan’s ex-lover’s—before the verbal tongue lashing they’d received for not calling them to come back to the condo when the event happened. When it came to how Jordan apprehended Kathy, both Tristan and Cindi tried to ease over the details only to have Mia spill every detail. Her anger and confusion had calmed, but there was still unrest in her tone.

  Victoria studied Mia a short few minutes before a compassionate smile swept across her face. “Mia, why don’t the two of us have lunch. I’m hungry, are you?”

  Cindi went to open her mouth only to have Victoria give her a small warning with the shake of her head. Then she whispered, “Let her come with me. I can help her.”

  Jamison titled his head in agreement.

  Perhaps Victoria was right. Cindi racked her brain for what she’d really say to her best friend when they were alone just the two of them, about what went down in the house between Jordan and Kathy. It was blatantly obvious that Kathy is still in love with Jordan., and that Jordan still had a hold on her. It was always public knowledge, well known within the Sanction, that Jordan was a sort of Master in the blood-play room, but what happened here today was more than what went on behind the closed doors of Stiletto Sanction. She did try her best earlier to ease Mia’s mind, to somehow make her understand the situation even if it was temporary. Would her best friend ever be safe from the skeletons in Jordan’s closet?

  “I’m really not hungry.” Mia glanced toward the house. “I’m tired.”

  Victoria walked across the porch until she was next to Mia. “You don’t have to eat. I’d like to show you something. Something that I think will help you understand what happened here today.”

  “Something that will help me to understand my husband’s Dom tendencies? Oh wait, I mean blood-play Master tendencies.” Her sarcastic whisper brought a tinge of a smile to the lips of all parties present.

  “Something like that,” Victoria promised.

  “How about a voodoo doll? Can you show me how to make one of those?” Mia asked.

  Cindi tried to stifle a laugh to no avail. At least her best friend still had her quirky sense of humor. “Dang, girlfriend.”

  It was Victoria’s turn to chuckle. “Sure, I can give you a crash course in doll making, too.” Victoria surveyed the crowd and then added, “Speaking of food, would all of you like to have lunch
with us in the Quarter?”

  Jamison kissed Victoria on the cheek. “I love ya both, babe, but I do believe my place is with Jordan. I’ll take a rain check on lunch. I’m going to head to the police station.”

  Tristan didn’t reply, only glanced at Cindi. Past events told her that Tristan expected her to say yes to Victoria’s invite, that way it meant she didn’t have to admit she wanted to spend time alone with Tristan. And he knew how much Mia meant to her. But not this time, this time, she was going to admit what was true. Mia would be fine with Victoria. Not to mention, all of the excitement today make her just want to enjoy her man. Today she wanted to dine on sausage, but it wasn’t the kind she’d find in a restaurant. “If you two don’t mind, I think we’ll pass. I want to spend the day with my boyfriend.”

  Victoria shot a glance at Jamison, before her attention landed on Tristan, and then back to Cindi. A wide smile creased her lips. “Ma cherie, you finally admit what we’ve all known for a long time now. You do care deeply about this young man.”

  The look on Tristan’s face was priceless. Ultimate shock in the form of his mouth flung open and still remaining that way. She hoped her next words didn’t drop him to the floor.

  “Minor correction, Victoria, I love this man.”

  “About time you’ve admitted it, Cindi.” Jamison clapped and pulled Victoria into his embrace. “You’ve had this poor man acting like a crazy lunatic. I was starting to think that love was frying his brain.”

  And Tristan’s face lit up like the sky on the Fourth of July.

  Cindi slipped her hand into his. “We’ll see you four later tonight in the Quarter. As I recall, we’d planned dinner at Monroe’s.”

  “Sounds good,” Jamison promised as he escorted Victoria and Mia down the driveway toward Victoria’s black Cadillac. Once he’d secured them both inside the car, he headed toward the white pickup farther down the driveway.

  As the last of the gang drove away from view, Tristan and Cindi disappeared into the condo.