One Shot [IAD Agency 2] (Siren Publishing Classic)

by Laurie Roma

  “Good point.” Tara glanced over to the right as a shout of victory sounded at one of the craps tables. “Looks like someone is taking some of that money back.”

  “They’ll put it back.” Julian sounded confident. “Do you play?”

  Tara shook her head. “Not really. Never been much of a gambler.”

  “I’m surprised,” Julian commented. “You don’t seem like the type to shy away from a game.”

  “Depends on what I’m playing.”

  Their eyes met with a jolt like the crack of the whip as energy linked them. He found himself unable to look away from the secret depths of those dark brown eyes. It was as if an intangible connection had formed between them, tying them together so no one else in the crowded room existed. Minutes seem to pass before Tara finally broke the tie between them by looking away. Strangely, Julian immediately felt bereft at the loss.

  “In reality it’s the dream of winning people come here for. That chance to hit it big. This is the place that holds their one shot at doing the impossible.”

  “Attaining the impossible is just asking for disappointment, isn’t it?”

  “Ah, such a pragmatist,” Julian chided with a chuckle. “I would have never guessed that of you. I’m usually good at reading people, but you and your colleagues…you’re a challenge.”

  “You have no idea.” Tara laughed softly.

  Chapter Four

  He was being punished, he was sure of it.

  Over the last few days Julian’s clever plan of freeing up some of Tara’s time had completely backfired on him. Julian sat in his office located down in the security center two floors below the opulent splendor of the casino while he brooded over that thought.

  The security center was all sleek, streamlined modern technology with the stainless steel being accentuated with black, white, and grays. Flat-screen monitors were everywhere, showing all the activity of the casino. He had spared no expense making his security department the finest in the world.

  Outside the closed glass doors of his office, the main floor was a beehive of activity. People moved back and forth through the room, talking to one another or sitting at desks, manning computer stations. From his position behind his desk Julian could see the action, like the king on a throne he had been named after.

  His office was comfortable place, with sleek black leather chairs and a long table off to the side of the room. There were monitors on the wall showing various locations of the casino floor and a fully stocked bar on the other side of the room. Julian felt at home here. He kept an office upstairs, which was mostly used for meetings, but his office down here was his main hub. Down here he had easy access and could see everything.

  Down here was where he ran his empire.

  “Am I boring you?” Devon asked.

  The grin on his friend Devon’s face made Julian want to punch him.

  Devon Buchanan was a large, imposing figure, which suited him perfectly as the head of security. His overall posture screamed jarhead. Since he had started working for Julian straight out of the Marines, he proved the old saying, once a marine always a marine, true. His all-American, pretty-boy looks made him popular with the ladies, but he took his position too seriously to fuck around on the job.

  In an industry riddled with liars and cheats, Julian was glad to have a man like Devon working at his side. Not just an employee, Julian counted Devon as one of his closest friends. He trusted Devon completely.

  “I’m sorry, what did you say?” Julian forced himself back to the conversation they were having about the current upgrades being installed.

  Over the last few days the Mac Securities specialists had met with each of the top-tier managers within the hotel and casino to ensure that any changes implemented would benefit the various departments. Suggestions were made, ideas were outlined, and plans were changed accordingly.

  Julian had sat in on as many of the meetings as he could, but he had other work that needed his attention as well. When he wasn’t available, he knew Devon would keep him updated on whatever he needed to know. But even when he was in attendance he had a hard time keeping his mind on track. Overall, Julian was pleased with the progress they had made with the upgrades, but that didn’t help his growing sexual frustration.

  Julian enjoyed the time he had been able to spend with Tara, even if it was in the company of others. She had a quick wit and sharp eyes. Unlike other women he had chosen to spend time with in the past, Tara was earthy rather than polished. She swore like a sailor and never hesitated to tell it like it was. There was no pretension in her and he liked that. He loved the sound of her laughter and found himself eagerly anticipating her every smile.

  He could tell Tara was an asset to Mac Securities. If he thought he had a chance in hell, he would have offered her a job. Too bad she was way overqualified for any position he may offer her, with the exception for something more personal…but he wasn’t going there. Yet.

  Devon placed the papers down on the desk that sat between him and Julian. Leaning back in his chair, he propped a foot on his other knee. In a casual gesture, he pulled out a cigar and lit it, puffing slowly until the embers burned a bright cherry-red. It was a good thing that Julian had thought to install the top-of-the-line ventilation system down in the security center as well as inside the casino above. Julian hated the smell of smoke, but it was a necessary evil in his business.

  “I thought we were going over the upgrade schedule for next week, but obviously you weren’t listening. Something else seems to be on your mind. Or should I say someone with a kickin’ body and a smart mouth, if my guess is right.” Devon laughed at the scowl on Julian’s face. “Man, that little girl has you running in circles.”

  “What she is, is a pain in the ass.”

  Devon grinned. “You’re just saying that ’cause you ain’t had a chance to tap that ass yet.”

  “Don’t talk about her like that,” Julian snapped automatically. Irritated that he had instinctively defended her, his scowl deepened.

  Devon’s foot hit the floor with a thud as he sat up in his chair, his gaze speculative. “You really like this woman, don’t you?”

  “How the hell do I know? I haven’t been in the same room with her alone for more than five minutes.” So far every effort he had made to get her alone had failed miserably. Being in the same room with Tara and not being able to touch her was starting to wear on him.

  Even when he wasn’t with her, she was never far from his thoughts. Not that he had been able to do anything about it. Sure, he had seen her on the security screens popping up all over the casino when she wasn’t in meetings, but every time he had tried to catch up with her she had disappeared like smoke before he could find her.

  Damn the woman.

  He needed to find her and fuck her out of his system.

  “Oh man, you do like her. Tara Toshi isn’t what she seems, Julian. None of those Mac Securities guys are,” Devon cautioned. “Back in the Marines, we came across a few people like them. It’s in the way they carry themselves. Their skills, their training, even the way they are in stillness. It’s downright eerie.”

  Julian agreed. “I know. I’ve thought that from the moment I met them. Something has been tugging at my gut…”

  Immediately, Devon was on guard. “Your gut is rarely wrong. They’re operators…ghosts, I’m sure of it. We have their security clearance and bios sent by the company, but you want me to do some more digging?”

  Julian thought for a moment before nodding his head. “Yes, see what you can find. I have a working theory, but we can talk about that after you come back with more information.”

  “On it.”

  Devon crushed his cigar into the crystal ashtray Julian kept on his desk specifically for his friend before leaving the room. Julian absently turned in his chair, hitting a button that had the glass panels of his office going opaque as he studied the various TV screens behind his desk.

  From his office he could see everything that hap
pened in his kingdom and yet still remain apart from it all. Normally, time meant very little in Las Vegas. Inside the walls of a casino no one could tell whether it was day or night, but the sexual need throbbed inside him like an open wound and made each second seem like an eternity.

  Usually when he wanted to have sex he could go and easily find someone to fulfill his needs. Women lined up for the chance to be with him anytime he walked through the casino, and if his interest was piqued, he would take a lady up on her offer. He knew that this time it wouldn’t work.

  This time he wanted Tara and no other woman would do.

  What was it about her that pulled at him? Was it that hint of sadness that he saw in her dark, mysterious eyes even when she was smiling? Or maybe it was the way she demanded attention without speaking a word. She commanded a room when she walked in but could easily fade into the background and go unnoticed if she wanted.

  Tara Toshi was an enigma, wrapped in a mystery, covered in a fucking cloak of invisibility.

  He was surrounded by beautiful women every day, and yet something about her made him want to seek her out. He had made up his mind to get to know her better, away from the watchful eyes of her friends. Thoughts drifting back to the day Tara Toshi and her colleagues had arrived, he had found it strange that they had all requested different floors. He hadn’t complained since the floor requests had given him the perfect opportunity to put Tara on the fortieth floor.

  His floor.

  He had personally chosen her room, not only to keep her close, but because the suite held a large conference room where the team could work privately. Not that the men would be complaining. All of the rooms at the Palace Hotel and Casino were suites, big enough to accommodate anyone who stayed within the walls of his hotel.

  Julian frowned as he once again remembered that his careful planning had still failed to produce any results. Even down the hall from him Tara had remained out of his reach. Christ, he had even gone as far as to knock on the door to her room last night, but she hadn’t answered. Either she had been sleeping or she wasn’t there.

  But if she wasn’t there last night where the hell had she been? And with whom?

  Julian stopped trying to fool himself as he surveyed the screens. He knew exactly what he was doing. Tara and the twins had just gotten back about an hour ago from whatever mysterious outing had kept them out for most of the day. Julian knew because he had been watching for them as he was now.

  This need he had for her wasn’t natural. He should simply stay away from her, hold what little of his sanity he still had intact, but even the thought of that was abhorrent to him. She was a craving, a hunger he had to sate, and he would when the time was right. It was just a matter of when.

  Casually scanning the screens, he flicked back to one of the cameras monitoring the employee gym. The gym was large and took up half of an entire floor in the sublevel of the hotel. He had provided the best equipment possible for his people far beyond what was offered to guests at the hotel’s main gym.

  The employees’ gym consisted mainly of two extra-large mirrored rooms. One was a large room with treadmills, elliptical, step, bike, and a few regular weight machines that seemed to be the favorite for most of the regular staff. The other larger room consisted of extensive weight machines, free weights, kicking bags and a large padded mat area that was mostly used by his security staff to spar. There was a women’s and men’s locker room and also a large pool for those who preferred to swim laps.

  Julian jerked in his chair as he used the controls to enlarge the picture onto the larger center screen in front of him, watching as people snapped to attention when the Mac Securities team walked into the larger room. Tara, Rock, and Adrian were scheduled to begin training his security personnel in the morning, but it seemed like they wanted to start a little early. He watched as Rock separated from the group, moving to the far corner straight to the weight lifting machines. Julian wasn’t surprised to see others scurry out of his way. The man’s taciturn attitude was intimidating to say the least.

  Adrian and Tara spoke to a few of the security staff. Julian felt his muscles tense at the image of her laughing on his screen. His eyes greedily roved over her form as she unzipped a light jacket, revealing a tight-fitting black tank top that matched black shorts that hugged her thighs like a lover’s hands. Then his heart nearly stopped.

  Christ, what was she doing bending over like that?

  Feeling like a pervert he nearly groaned as she began to stretch. His eyes narrowed dangerously as he caught sight of several of his men standing behind her, focused on her ass. Not thinking about what he was doing Julian stood up and stalked out of his office.

  No, it seemed like staying away from her just wasn’t an option.

  * * * *

  “I don’t fight girls.”

  Tara stretched her arms leisurely over her head and slowly bent down to the floor until her hands touched the ground. She heard the sharp intake of breath from several of the men present and had to hold back a sound of disgust.

  Men, flash a little ass their way and they can’t help but drool.

  It had been a frustrating day of trying to track down leads over the city that had netted them a big, fat nothing. Now all she wanted to do was try out some of the security staff to see what they were made of before their training began in earnest, but they didn’t want to fight her. They would rather try and fight Adrian to test their skills, even though they were wary of his big, muscular form.

  Watching them, she could tell that most were sufficient for their cushy job here at the casino but they could still use more work. Most of the security staff they had met had been decent enough, some were even pleased that they were there, but a few of them seemed resentful that the Mac Securities team had been brought in to train them. Well, they could just suck it up. Part of the security upgrade was to improve the skills of the security personnel and she was damn well going to train them.

  Even if it killed them.

  She straightened as the biggest of the group stated his stance about fighting girls. The men with him muttered their agreement quietly, but she still heard them.

  Tara slowly perused the group. These were the alpha dogs. Most of the other men and women in the security team continued their own workouts, but these few were the problem children of the group.

  Oh boy, this was going to be fun.

  “Well,” she drawled out as she eyed the big security man over. “You don’t fight girls…neither do I.” She shot one of the other big men a sly smile. “How ’bout you, sugar? You man enough to try me on?”

  Just as she knew he would, the first guy bristled indignantly. The insulted security man pushed the man she had spoken to back and puffed out his chest. “You’re foolish to challenge a man twice as big as you. Security is a man’s business, babe, but I know something else we can do instead of fight if you really wanna take me on.” He sneered, grabbing his crotch in a suggestive gesture, making his men laugh.

  Adrian abruptly turned from where he was talking to another man a few feet away, his friendly demeanor gone. “You’re gonna want to watch the way you speak to her or I’ll shut your jaw, permanently.”

  The big man paled slightly but Tara waved Adrian off before he could pound the man into bloody dust. “Don’t kill him for being an asshole,” she murmured. This would not help her train these idiots. Trying for patience, she sighed, directing her attention back to the asshole in question. “If you want to warm me up before my workout, let’s see what you got on the mat so we know how much we need to train you.”

  The man’s eyes narrowed, pissed at being called out but unwilling to take Adrian on. He glared at Tara. “Just don’t cry when you get hurt.”

  Adrian grinned evilly. “Aw shit, son, now she’s gonna kick your ass on principle. She would have gone easy on you if you hadn’t said that.”

  Tara ignored them and simply walked over to the center of the mat, waiting patiently as the man swung his arms back and forth.
He grinned at her as he stepped into position.

  Arms in position, legs bent, she motioned him forward with an arrogant flick of her fingers. When the man took an aggressive step forward, Tara cleared her mind and went into combat mode. Strike out. Kick fast. Back to position. Kick up, connect, bend down, sweep out, step back. He was going to regret that girl fight comment. She’d make damn sure of it.

  “Come on, bitch!”

  Julian walked into the gym to hear one of his security guard call out and quickly moved to where the sounds of fighting were coming from on the mats. Damn it, just thinking about Tara getting hurt was pissing him off.

  He came to an abrupt halt, his brain barely able to compute what he was seeing as Tara systematically worked over one of his best fighters without missing a beat.

  It was a brutal lesson she was dishing out and she wasn’t even breathing hard. Adding insult to injury, she wasn’t even throwing punches. She was slapping him open-handed and tossing him on his ass by moving out of the way as he charged her. She would strike out, make contact then step back to let her opponent get back on his feet or to regroup before starting in on him again.

  His man, Charlie, used to be in the army and knew how to fight, but Tara was slapping him around with little to no effort at all. Charlie was breathing heavy, anger making him miss over and over again while Tara moved gracefully in a deadly dance, evading his feet and fists as she kicked out and slapped him over and over again.

  Adrian silently moved to stand next to Julian, never taking his eyes off the fight as it continued. “Your men need discipline. He’s got the basics, but a temper doesn’t do anyone good in a fight,” he murmured. “Plus that fucker needs to learn how to watch his mouth.”

  “What did he say?” Julian demanded.

  “Nothing she can’t handle,” Adrian promised, “and if she couldn’t, you can be damn sure I would.”

  Julian started to respond but Adrian shouted out, “Enough playing around, T-rex, finish it.”