“I don’t want you involved, or Cena for that matter,” Vin told him.
“Honey, we’re already involved. You’ve also placed Cena into danger, too, so we need to know everything in order to protect both of you. Now I want the truth from beginning to end, and don’t leave a damn thing out,” Brian stated firmly.
Vin looked at Cena, and Cena nodded her head for Vin to tell them everything. They spent the next two hours docked in the marina, drinking some beers and discussing Vin’s life story. By the time they were finished, Cena knew that her boyfriends would do whatever was necessary to protect her and her cousin, but she also knew they were angry at her for not sharing what was going on or letting them in on the potential danger. Cena was in for one hell of a long night of begging for forgiveness. Her ass cheeks already felt the stinging.
Chapter 6
Zane looked at his military watch. Two more hours to go. He looked across the field to where his brother Ace was conducting training and maneuvers with a group of thirty recruits. He could hear his loud voice giving commands. To the left was another set of two teams. Some were negotiating obstacles while others were working on hand-to-hand combat techniques with Titan. He took a deep breath and thought about Venetia. It would be a week tomorrow since the boat party and barbecue. She had yet to call them.
Zane was getting frustrated as well as concerned. The sleepless nights, the wild circumstances he assumed Venetia had gone through with this ex of hers really got under his skin. What had the guy done to her? How badly had he hurt her that she was avoiding an attraction as unique and strong as the one they all shared with her? It was crazy, but he wasn’t easily affected by women, no matter how good-looking or hot. It had been different from the start with Venetia.
That gorgeous deep red hair, her green eyes, and sensual lips, never mind that body. She was totally his type. Then her name. Vin. He wondered what was up with that, and he wasn’t certain if she was playing a game, pretending to be shy one moment then the life of the party the next. It confused him, but the magnetic attraction didn’t. He was drawn to her, and so were Titan and Ace, and that was just a shocker.
Ace and Titan didn’t date. They were particular about women they slept what, and he didn’t think they did that too often. So what a shocker it was to find that he and his brothers all found Venetia attractive and with the same intensity.
Hell, they were talking about sharing her. About taking care of her and making her their woman. Where the hell had that come from?
He gave a salute to a soldier walking by and felt his cell phone vibrate. He glanced at the face and saw it was Roman. He scanned the text message.
Not a word from her. Growing impatient. Apollo is contacting her to see if she can assist with a small job in order to get her to come here. Will update you when we confirm time.
So it seemed he wasn’t the only one affected by her lack of response. He also didn’t like how his friends Ken, Brian, and Ned had asked them to back off. They hinted about learning some information and talking to Venetia and agreeing that she needed time and her space. What was up with that? Before the boat ride, they’d been all for he and his brothers liking her and possibly asking her out. What had changed between the actual barbecue on the beach and the end of the day when they parted ways on the water? He’d asked himself that question so many times.
As he heard the whistle and saw the troops begin to line up in formation, he prepared to lead them on the twelve-mile run to end the training regimen. Then he could go home and think about Venetia some more. Lucky him.
* * * *
Venetia tried to act completely professional when she walked into Corb Enterprises. Cena and her men had told her she would be insane to give up the opportunity to work for the Corbias men on something that would give her photography business more exposure and promote her talents. All the while remaining somewhat anonymous.
She was feeling both embarrassed and encouraged after getting the thirty thousand dollar check for the first job she’d done for the business. What would they have in mind now, and was this a huge mistake? Staying away from them had been painful, and it wasn’t quite a week until tomorrow morning.
As she was escorted by Lisa, their personal assistant, to a different room than when she had first visited there weeks ago, the woman smiled wide, was very cordial and got her something to drink, and asked if she needed anything at all. What she hadn’t expected as she waited alone in the room looking out toward beautiful landscaped gardens was her reaction to seeing Apollo, Garvan, and Roman in person.
She recovered quickly though, having given herself the pep talk for the last several hours as she decided what the hell to wear.
The cream-colored dress complemented her tan and her figure, hugging the curves and dipping slightly into a V in front. She wore large jewelry to take the attention away from the deep cleavage she couldn’t avoid showing no matter what she wore except something from the neck up. Not in this hot weather. No way.
“Venetia, it’s a pleasure seeing you again. Thank you for giving us the time on such short notice,” Apollo said to her.
He was cold, distant, and professional. She’d hoped for that, but now that she was here, it kind of hurt.
Garvan and Roman stared at her body, and she felt it. She actually felt their eyes roam over her figure, and damn it, her nipples hardened, and she had to shift her feet and pretend they didn’t affect her. Why did they have to be so sexy and attractive?
“You sounded like you needed help right away and were in a jam.”
Apollo stared at her. “We are in a jam. Come take a look at this, please.”
She walked over to the large table, where he opened up a folder and displayed various copies of proofs from another photographer.
“Look at this, Vin. We’re trying to run upscale, professional luxury hotels, and we can’t possibly use this slop. These, too. Do you see this? What about this brochure? And the company wants a hundred for this.” He carried on, and she could see the sloppy work that had been done. There was no direction, no indicator as to what the pictures were selling or promoting unless it was the outdoors.
“A hundred thousand?” she asked, shocked at the price tag.
“Yes,” Roman added to the conversation, taking position beside her and crossing his arms in front of his chest.
She bent over slightly to look at the other material the company included, as well as brochure examples and some tropical flowers with people standing nearby. They weren’t even smiling or looking at the camera.
“Where were these taken?” she asked, looking at each of them and trying to figure out if it were in South Carolina or even Florida.
“Take a guess. That’s the even bigger kicker,” Garvan said to her. She looked up from the photos and stared at him. “If I had to guess, maybe Florida, if not Georgia or some place southern.”
“Hawaii.” Apollo closed up the folder and shoved it across the table.
“Hawaii? No way. I mean I’ve never been to Hawaii, but I’ve seen lots of ads and pictures for resort hotels and attractions in Hawaii. None of these would make me think Hawaii.”
“I told you not to use them,” Roman said to Apollo.
“Well, we lost the best photographer we ever had and one we felt understood what we wanted and were looking for in spending so much money on.” Apollo looked at her.
She felt bad. She’d done a great job for them with the local hotel, and if things were different, she could do an amazing job with this project.
She went to turn away, but Roman placed his hands on her hips.
“We need you on this. We trust you and have confidence in you to give us what we want. What will be perfect.”
Why did she have a feeling they were talking about a relationship with her?
“I don’t know if I can do this. I mean not with the feelings we all have, and with me needing time.”
“We’ll give you all the time in the world. This could be positive in so many way
s, Vin,” Garvan added.
“Two weeks. Two weeks for you to spend at the resort and hotel. To research the best aspects of it, to photograph it and the people, just like you did for the last hotel here,” Apollo said to her.
“Wait, you mean stay at the resort in Hawaii?” she asked, shocked at their proposal.
“Not just at the resort. At the private, full-service suites along the outskirts of the island on the water. Room service, private masseuse, everything at your fingertips and the total experience so that you can bring it all out in the photographs, the videos, and brochures. We’re talking commercial ads here if it goes as planned,” Apollo said.
Roman gave her hip a tap. “We want you to enjoy it all.”
“Two weeks in Hawaii? I’m not sure I can do that and definitely can’t afford it unless I use the money you just sent me from the last project. I have rent to pay and other expenses.”
“We’re sending you there. We’re paying for everything. We have to go there in three days and conduct meetings, confirm the hiring of new staff, discuss adding and eliminating aspects of the amenities,” Apollo told her.
She stepped from Roman’s hold and walked a few feet away from them. Garvan was a foot away.
“So you’ll be there, too?” she asked.
“You can be alone as much as you want. You have free range there. So many beautiful flowers, ones you’ve never seen before or have gotten to photograph. Plus the people, the Polynesian culture is amazing to see. It’s an opportunity and a half, and we need you. We can’t possibly let this other company handle this,” Garvan said to her.
“God, this is huge. What if I screw it up? Or you don’t like what I come up with at the end of the two weeks?”
“That isn’t going to happen. By the end of the two weeks, you’ll have enough material, experience, and knowledge to complete this project and every aspect of it. We have the upmost confidence in you Venetia,” Apollo said.
“Three days to get all the film equipment I need, a videographer, flight arrangements, packing, clothes. God, three days is crazy.”
“We’ll help with it all. Just pack up the equipment you need and make a list of anything you don’t have. We’ll get the videographer, although he won’t be needed until the final days. We’ll organize the flight arrangements with Lisa, and she will fill you in then have a car pick you up early Sunday morning for the departure. This is going to be perfect. We trust you with this, and when all is said and done, you’ll have a hundred thousand dollars in your savings account. That should help your business and personal expenses big time.” Apollo winked.
She wasn’t too sure about this, but she couldn’t contain her excitement about going to Hawaii.
“I’ve never been so far. It’s supposed to be like paradise.”
“Oh, it is, and the fact that you have never been there or have seen the hotel, the island, hell everything, I think it will make this project really stand out and allow you to show your experience to the world,” Garvan added.
“So what do you say? Deal?” Roman asked and then slowly stuck out his hand.
She took a deep breath and looked at him, then Apollo, and then Garvan.
“Why the hell not? Deal.” She shook Roman’s hand, then Garvan’s, and finally Apollo’s. When he didn’t release her hand right away, she felt the goosebumps travel along her skin.
“You won’t regret this. I promise you.”
“I hope I won’t either. Thank you for the opportunity to work for your company again.”
Apollo winked. “I think this might be the first of many other projects, Venetia. Many other projects.”
* * * *
Apollo had a meeting at the Fairmont Hotel. When he finished up, he was having some drinks at the bar with some of the other businessmen and friends he knew. Lester, one of the guys he hung out with often, gave his arm a tap. He scrunched his eyes and looked at him.
“Your stalker is here.”
Apollo turned to see Clarette making her way toward the bar. She wore a sexy, short red dress that showed off more than it covered. Many men in the place spotted her and looked interested, but she headed straight for him.
“Hey, Apollo, I thought you might be here.”
“Take a hike, Clarette. I’m not interested in anything that you have to say.” He turned away from her.
She hugged him from behind and whispered into this ear. “I need you though. I have a problem, and only you can fix it.” She ran her hands up his chest, and he grabbed her wrist to stop her.
“I’m not interested.”
She pulled back slightly but didn’t stop hugging him.
“Is it because of that redheaded photographer?” she asked, and he snarled at her.
“I don’t know why you’re even here, Clarette. We were never an item. I have no interest in you, and all my friends here know that, too. Go stalk some other guy.” He turned away, and then she came by his other side.
“She isn’t worth your time. She’s using you, and you’re playing right into her games.”
Apollo had enough. He stood up and put money down on the bar.
“I’m out of here.”
“I’ll go with you.”
“No, you’ll stay and bother some other guy. I’m not interested, never was interested, so leave me the hell alone.”
He got the hell out of there. As he got into his car after the valet pulled it upfront, he thought about what Clarette said. That Vin was using him and his brothers. Was she just trying to cause trouble? He never had difficulty getting a woman in his bed, but Venetia wasn’t biting. Was her talk about a bad relationship some sort of game? Was he letting his ego do the thinking right now? It had to be because every part of his gut told him that Venetia was the one. She wouldn’t be playing a game or double-crossing them. She was an honest and good person. Clarette was a troublemaker.
So why did he suddenly have concerns about Venetia’s loyalty?
Because I’m basing it on the simple fact she’s the only woman I’ve ever met that I didn’t have in my bed within minutes or hours of meeting her, never mind days. Is she playing hard to get? Is she drawing us in for the kill? What could she get out of us? Why would she be after us?
Apollo didn’t know, and he didn’t really trust anyone but his brothers. Perhaps taking precautions was best after all.
* * * *
“You are so damn lucky. I can’t even believe this. Hawaii, and with six freaking millionaires that are sexy as damn hell. Jesus, Vin, I want to be you,” Cherie said as she sat by the bar next to Vin.
Vin had to head home early to finish packing but wanted to meet her best friend and update her on everything.
“I know it’s insane, but this is business, and they know I’m not ready to date or get serious.”
“I know that you feel you aren’t ready, but by the way you talk about each of them and how you smile and your eyes light up, I can’t help but think they’re right for you. They could help you get over New York and that guy you dated.”
“I wish it were that easy. To just let go and allow them to kiss me, to pleasure me, and for me to do the same to them, but then I get scared. I fear the control they’ll have. I fear their sizes and capabilities, and I fear that six totally wealthy, sexy men who can have anyone and anything they want would get tired of me and leave me with nothing but a broken heart and empty soul. One man was capable of doing so much damage. Six?” She raised her eyebrows up at Cherie.
Cherie took a sip from her Margarita. “I know what it’s like to love with all your heart. I had my whole life planned out with Randy. The wedding, the house, kids, buying a fucking minivan.” She shook her head, smirking.
Vin chuckled. “You in a minivan? That would be a sight.” They laughed.
“I want to meet someone and start over, but as much as I pretend to be brazen enough to do it, I think, like you, I’m overly cautious and scared to death to be played again. That pain, that betrayal I felt was horrible. I thought I
could die of a broken heart, Vin. You know what I mean?” Cherie asked with tears in her eyes.
Vin’s eyes welled up, too, and she nodded.
“I know exactly what you mean, and here I am attracted to six seemingly perfect men and I’m too scared to take a chance.”
“This sucks that we’re the ones sitting here all brokenhearted and afraid to like or even be with another man when the ones who hurt us continue on with their lives with no regrets, no apologies, just pompous attitudes. I didn’t tell you, and I didn’t want to say anything to the others, but Randy called me two nights ago.”
“He what?”
“He did.” She looked at her lap and played with her cuticles before looking back at Vin.
“I think he was looking for a booty call.”
“Asshole.”
“Exactly.”
“What did you do?”
She smirked. “I lied and told him I was with my boyfriend in bed and to never call me again and hung up.”
Vin smiled. “That’s great.”
She saw Cherie’s smile fade away.
“Cherie?”
“I cried for the entire night. I even thought of calling him back.”
“No.”
“I didn’t though. I just kept thinking of how perfect I thought things were and how he’d cheated on me. I don’t know how I’ll ever be able to like, never mind love, another man. I don’t.” Tears rolled down her cheeks, and she quickly wiped them away.
Vin caressed her back. “I thought the same thing for months after I left Conan. Then when I went to New York and he said those things to me, told me that he would always own me because he’d taken my virginity, I was so disgusted and angry. He was a manipulative bastard who used people I thought were my friends and set me up. I had to leave New York, or he would have hounded me until I was back in his bed.”
“Then this is a new beginning for both of us. I think you should give the Corbias brothers a shot. It isn’t like this type of relationship comes about all the time.”
A Six-Pack & a Shot at Love [Love on the Rocks 1] (Siren Publishing LoveXtreme Forever) Page 10
