She shrugged. “It was fine,” she told him, trying to keep her expression neutral. “Actually, Alex was there, and just so you know, he took the role of bodyguard very seriously.”
“Oh really?” Rafael seemed surprised. “I saw him this morning, and he didn’t mention seeing you. I’ve no doubt he took good care of you.”
A wave of heat flushed throughout her, and she knew exactly how well Alex had “taken care of” her. She still remembered the way his lips felt on hers, how his tongue had stroked hers. He’d made her come, for God’s sake. She’d never experienced anything quite like the wanton need she’d had for Alex. She had a wild streak, but she’d never had a guy get her off on a dance floor. And she wanted more like it. More Alex.
“What time did you get home last night?”
“Early enough, Mom,” she assured him, even though she’d regretted the late hour when she’d woken up tired and hungover that morning. Working with the children at the community center had exhausted her and, with a pounding head, had been a challenge until lunchtime, when her hangover had finally subsided. But she wouldn’t tell Rafael that. Not a chance. “I had fun. And despite having him loom over my shoulder, it was really nice hanging out with Alex again.”
“I know you think I’m overbearing sometimes—”
“All the time. You have to learn to trust me.”
“Maria, I do trust you. It’s men I don’t trust.” When Maria rolled her eyes, he continued. “I worry about you. You don’t know what it’s like out there.”
“I’ve traveled around the world, in some pretty dangerous areas. I think I can handle Las Vegas Boulevard.” Maria scoffed. “And as a woman, I think I may have a better idea than you do what men are like and what it’s like for us out there.”
“I’m not going to win this argument, am I?”
“Do you ever?”
“No,” he said with a laugh. “Fine.” He raised his hands in surrender. “How is the new apartment?”
“I love it! Beth’s a great roommate.” Since she’d returned from her last mission in Haiti, getting her own place and moving out of her parents’ house had been a priority. But with only her meager salary at the community center, as the rent became due each month, her savings had started to dwindle. She loved working at the center, but needed a better job, so she could continue paying her bills.
“It’s not in a good neighborhood, you know.”
“It’s fine,” Maria insisted. “It’s close to the center, and Beth and I carpool. You know there have been hardly any home invasions or carjackings since I moved in.”
Rafael rolled his eyes and smiled, knowing that Maria was making fun. “Okay, I’ll drop it.”
“Thank you. I’m grateful that you want to look after me, but you’ve got to let me go, you know. I have to live my own life.”
“I know. But you’ll always be my little sister. And I will always look out for you, ready to destroy anyone who messes with you.”
She smiled. Maria loved her brother, even though he was frustrating and overbearing. “I appreciate that.”
Their conversation was thankfully cut short when they were joined at the table by Brett and Rebecca. Then Jessica, Rafael’s fiancée and mayor of Las Vegas, showed up, and Maria smiled watching her brother’s face light up when she came into the room. Gabe and Alana, arrived next.
Alex came shortly after, apologizing for being late. Her breath halted in her throat as Alex took his place at the table across from her, at the only empty seat, barely looking at her. She watched him as he studied his menu—she couldn’t get her fill. He was so incredibly sexy in his tailored black pants and white shirt, unbuttoned at his throat and the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, so she could see the black and gray tattoos that swirled over his forearms. Her throat dried, and she drank some wine to quench it.
“So, guys,” Gabe started, looking in Alex and Alana’s direction. “I’m eager to know all about this ‘secret project’ you guys are working on.”
Alex and Alana made eye contact, and they both grinned. “Why do you want to know?” Alex asked.
“As your lawyer and business partner, it might be good for me to know if you’re planning on doing anything that might lead to an indictment.”
“Well, it isn’t exactly a secret project.” Alex’s voice lowered, and the rest of the table leaned in to listen. “But we’re trying to keep it under wraps. At least for a while. The Brotherhood is getting into the hotel business.”
“Really? What brought that on? The rooms at Di Terrestres aren’t enough anymore?” Rebecca asked of the exclusive, erotic club the group owned.
“After the recent exposure given to Di Terrestres when that tape of Rafael and Jessica leaked, membership applications have tripled.”
Rafael rolled his eyes. “Glad we could help,” he said, wrapping his arm around Jessica’s shoulders and pulling her closer. Their “help” had come in the form of a sex tape that had leaked of them in Rafael’s private suite. The club where they’d been secretly recorded belonged to the entire group and allowed their high-end clientele to explore their desires in a safe, discreet environment. They’d thought that the leak would spell doom for the club, but instead, it had had the opposite effect. It had garnered a ton of interest and been more profitable than they could have imagined.
Alana laughed. “We don’t have the capacity to accept everyone, even after the extreme vetting process we have. So we’re expanding. A couple of weeks ago, Alex and I brainstormed over a whiteboard and a bottle of whiskey. And we came up with Hedo.”
“Hedo?” Gabe asked.
“We want to take the erotically charged theme of the club and create a full-service hotel. The first adults-only playground in Las Vegas, right here on the Strip. Hedo will be a place where our guests can indulge in their fantasies. Each floor will have a distinct theme, and people can choose, depending on what they like. Unlike Di Terrestres, people won’t have to be members. Anyone can come and partake. It’ll draw people from all over the world, looking for some good, safe debauchery. You know, what they come to expect from the City of Sin. We’re thinking hip, but seductive, sexy overtones. Something completely new to Las Vegas. Like a luxurious adult playground. Only the finest offerings, the most beautiful people, luxurious, handpicked tapestries and decor, the hottest DJs, everything that one would come to expect from a nightclub experience before they head up to their rooms.”
Gabe nodded, a smile turning his lips upward. “I like it. Why all the secrecy?”
“You know nothing gets done in this city without everyone hearing about it. Alana and I want to keep it on the down-low for as long as possible. In case anyone else gets a similar idea. We’ve even got a property picked out to buy and develop.” He leaned in closer, and lowered his voice, not wanting anyone else to hear the next part of their plan. “And that’s just the first step in our plan to buy up, redevelop and revitalize the north end of the Strip.”
“Lofty goals.” Rafael nodded. “I’m on board. This is big.”
“We’re on track for The Brotherhood to be the next big name on the Strip. If we all focus on this one goal in the next several years, we can be bigger, better, richer than anyone who’s ever had a piece of Las Vegas Boulevard. We’re going to make everyone at this table a lot of money.”
“Put me down for some of that.” Gabe chuckled and extended his glass in cheers. “Let me know if you need anything.”
Maria couldn’t help but stare at Alex as he dived into talking about their new project. His passion and fire for his new hotel was infectious, and it spread around the table. She leaned closer. There was nothing sexier to her than a passionate man who could hold a group in the palm of his hand.
“And you should see the designs we came up with,” Alana said. “Hedo’s going to be amazing. Kind of a throwback to the hedonism of ancient Greece, and in keeping with the themes
of our other businesses.”
“Clothing optional,” Alex added, cocking an eyebrow. “It’s going to be large, but intimate. Very sexy. Especially since the increase we’ve seen in membership at Di Terrestres, we need more space and more services.” He smiled at Rafael and Jessica. “And again, you guys, we can’t thank you enough.”
Rafael and Jessica shared a wry look, but they both laughed. While Maria had felt bad for Rafael and Jessica, having their privacy invaded by a local reporter, it had been refreshing seeing her older brother as something other than the serious and infallible golden child.
“But speaking about that,” Rafael said, turning to Gabe. “I’m going to need that blind trust set up again. With the Senate run coming up, I need to be kept as clean as possible, which means not associating with you known degenerates.”
“I don’t know, Rafa,” Maria interrupted. “Of the group, you’re the only one with the leaked sex tape.”
The rest of The Brotherhood laughed, and Maria heated when she heard Alex’s chuckle over the others.
“Maria, I love you, but kindly shut up,” Rafael said, pulling her close and dropping a fraternal kiss on the top of her head. He sobered. “Anyway, I’ve got to keep myself out of the headlines, so I’ll still work with the businesses, but publicly, it needs to look like I’m taking a back seat.” He turned to Alex and said, “Especially with that new hotel on the horizon.”
“Don’t worry about it. We’ve got it covered. And we’ll help you out with your campaign in any way we can,” Alex said. Maria could feel the bond between Alex and Rafael; it had always been there. Their eyes connected briefly, before he looked down and grasped his glass in his hand, bringing it to his lips and downing the drink.
Maria briefly let her mind wander as she thought about him. The illicit thoughts took over, and her fantasies ran rampant. She remembered the way his lips had whispered against hers, how his strong hands felt on her body. His hard thigh, as he guided her over it... Reality then made way to fantasy, as she imagined his naked body hovering over hers as he entered her—
“How are you, Maria? I haven’t seen you in a while,” Brett said from across the table, pulling her attention from Alex, and all of the dirty things she wanted to do to him and have him do to her.
She shook free mentally and quickly recovered. “I’m great,” she told him. “I’m working at one of the community centers downtown. We’re running breakfast, after-school and recreation programs. It’s fun and fulfilling, but I still need to look for something that pays a little more.” She looked around the table at some of the top earners in the city—hell, the country. She wondered how long it had been since any of them had worried about paying rent. Even though Rafael had offered to help her out financially, there was no way she would accept it.
“How’s the job hunt going?” Alana asked.
“Tiresome. There aren’t a lot of paying positions in community health. Lots of volunteer job and internships. Because heaven forbid people get paid for working. But I’m looking, pounding the pavement. I’ll find something.”
“I wanted her to come work for me,” Rafael explained.
“But I refuse to because politics isn’t my thing. And if I think he’s overbearing now, I can’t imagine him signing my paychecks.”
“Payroll is all done electronically these days,” he assured her, his voice wry. “I wouldn’t have to sign anything.”
“Why don’t you come work for us at Collins/Fischer?” Brett asked casually.
Maria’s eyes widened and whipped to Alex’s. He played it cool, didn’t react, even though she did. “What?”
“With the hotel project coming up, we’ve got a lot going on,” Brett explained. “We’ll need another assistant.”
“But—” Alex tried to interrupt.
“Man, we talked about this earlier. I don’t think we should stretch ourselves too thin,” Brett said to Alex. “It would be great to have an assistant. We take on too much as it is.” He turned back to her. “So how about it? You could start next week.”
Maria glanced quickly at Alex, whose eyes burned, looking at her with the same intensity that they had the night before, but she wasn’t sure which emotion was at play behind them. He gave nothing away, and Maria would have given anything to know what he was thinking.
She knew that working for Rafael’s friends was just a step removed from working directly for her brother with how tightly their enterprises were interwoven. But who was she to turn down a job offer? “Uh, yeah, sure. I’d like that. Thanks.”
“Awesome. That’s great.” Brett turned to Alex. “Isn’t that great?”
“It’s fantastic,” Alex responded, his voice deadpan, obviously trying to look like he didn’t care if she accepted the offer or not.
Maria smiled at what she knew was an act. He wasn’t so disinterested last night. Maybe it was time to have a little fun. As the rest of the group conversed, she sat back in her chair and covertly slipped off her shoe. She extended her leg under the table until she felt the smooth material of Alex’s pants against the pads of her toes. She felt him tense at the contact. Then she ran her foot up the outside of his calf. That got his attention as he sat up straight and blinked, his eyes gripping hers.
With the exception of the heavy breath that lifted his shoulders, Alex’s reaction was unreadable, but he didn’t push her away as she inched her foot up his leg, continuing her pace past his knee, moving to the inside of his thigh. Alex glared a warning at her. But she didn’t heed it. Without anyone paying attention, she ventured farther up his thigh until she met his crotch. He was already hard, and from what she could feel, just as she’d felt the night before, he was quite large. There was no doubt that Alex wanted her, and it made her feel powerful. He might act like a tough guy, like he wasn’t affected by her, but she knew it was a lie. She had the power, and she would use it to get what she wanted. And what she wanted was Alex.
While the rest of the people at the table chatted among themselves, she noticed how Alex tried to engage in the conversation and ignore her. But whether he wanted to or not, his attention just kept focusing on her. He took a drink from his water, and as her toes traced his rigid length, he coughed, earning him the attention of everyone at the table. He shoved her foot away, and she picked up her wine and smiled at her success behind her glass. Who isn’t interested now?
“Excuse me, guys, I have to go to the ladies’ room,” Maria said, slipping her foot back into her shoe before she stood and walked away.
She met Alex’s eyes as she sauntered away, making sure to put an extra bit of swivel into her hips. She knew Alex was watching when she turned the corner where the restrooms were located. She stood there, leaning against the wall, waiting.
Just as she’d suspected, she didn’t have to wait long. Alex turned the corner, walking stiffly. He pushed his fingers through his hair. She’d frustrated him. “Maria, what was that about?”
“You didn’t like it?” She looked down at his crotch, and she could see the bulge in his black pants. “It felt like you did. The way you liked what happened between us last night.”
He ignored her question. “I don’t know what you think happened last night.”
“What do you think happened?”
“A mistake. One you’d better forget.”
She shook her head. “I don’t know if I can.”
“Maria,” he warned her, his voice dark and holding an amount of malice under all of the frustration. But despite the meanness in his voice, he took a step toward her, closing the distance between them. “You’d better be careful not to provoke me.”
She squared her shoulders and pushed closer to him. The movement brought her nipples against his chest. They ached; her whole body wanted, needed him. She looked up into his eyes and wet her lips. His eyes followed the movement of her tongue. “Maybe I want to provoke you,” she whispered, puttin
g her hand on his groin, and satisfied, she found him still hard. “It seems as if you might like it.”
With a growl, he was on her. His hands cupped her cheeks and he pulled her lips to his. He kissed her again. It wasn’t timid or slow. There was nothing shy or tentative about the touch of his lips on hers. Alex’s mouth was hard and demanding, and he tasted rich, like bourbon, cigars, but those flavors were no more potent than the pure taste of Alex. She curled her fingers around the back of his head and threaded her hands in his hair, holding him in place. He pushed her to the wall and pressed his hips against her so that she could again feel his arousal against her stomach, as if she’d had any question of his desires. She wanted him. Wanted to feel his weight on top of her, feel him inside her. And she knew he wanted her, too.
Maria lifted her leg so that her inner thigh brushed against the outside of his. And he gripped her and pressed into her again. A moan passed from her mouth to his, and it turned into a surprised gasp when he dropped her leg and broke away from her. Stepping back, he put more than a foot of empty space between them.
“Jesus, I’m sorry.” His voice was a rough whisper as he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.
“I’m not.”
“I shouldn’t have done that.”
“It’s not like I wasn’t a willing participant.”
“I’ve got to get out of here. Go back to the table, Maria,” he ordered her through heavy breaths. “Your brother is waiting for you.”
“You’re leaving?”
“Fuck, I’ve got to stay away from you,” he said, low, quiet, as if he were talking to himself.
“That’s going to be hard, seeing as how I’ll be working for you next week.”
“You won’t be working for me,” he assured her. “You’re Brett’s assistant. Not mine.”
“Alex, don’t be ridiculous—”
He pointed a finger at her. “Don’t, Maria.” His whisper was fierce. “This can’t be anything more. I’ve already crossed too many goddamn lines here with you. Just forget it ever happened.”
Sweet as Sin Page 3
