Hard Pursuit

by Sheryl Nantus

  He entwined his fingers and leaned forward, ignoring his coffee. “What else did your research tell you about me?”

  “You played football through high school, defense. Went to college on a scholarship and graduated with a degree in computer science, bounced from that into the military.” She studied his face, watching for any reaction. “Delta Force.”

  He nodded.

  “Tours overseas. You mustered out and ended up here in Las Vegas, working at the Devil’s Playground.”

  His eyes narrowed. “Then you’ve got it all.” He drained his glass and motioned for the check.

  “No. That’s not all.” Ally cleared her throat. “A man like you doesn’t end up playing with security cameras for a living. Not when Dylan McCourt has the same type of background, along with a lot of your co-workers.” She couldn’t stop talking, the words tumbling out. “I did a little research of my own. Overqualified hardly scratches the surface when it comes to the staff.” She lowered her voice, almost afraid to ask. “Tell me who and what you really are, Trey Pierce.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Trey deadpanned. It wasn’t his first time denying the Brotherhood’s existence. “I work at the nightclub. I’m their computer specialist, their security expert. I told you: I set up systems on the side, grab a few extra bucks here and there. You saw my office. As far as the other men go—we tend to gravitate to each other. Steady working partners, so we know what to expect.”

  Ally eyed him. “Don’t try to bullshit me. I sell buildings. I sell contracts. I can smell a lie from a mile away. You’re good, but you’re not that good.” She drummed her fingers on the table. “I did some research. Jessie Lyon—she was in the middle of a crazy casino shoot-out almost a year ago. Made the headlines for a few weeks.”

  “Yes.” There was no use denying publicly documented history. “Trouble with some sort of corrupt businessman, I believe. Don’t remember the details.”

  “You don’t remember what happened to your boss’s girlfriend?” She scoffed. “I go to meet her at a nightclub run by her boyfriend, and he happens to have some of the most interesting men I’ve ever met on staff, ready and willing to help me out.” She narrowed her eyes, glaring at him. “I’m not stupid.”

  “Never said you were.”

  “Then don’t treat me like I am.” She pulled her fingers into a fist. “For years, I’ve fought to get respect in this industry. My father helped build this company, and sometimes I’m treated like the team mascot. What you saw on the construction site, that’s not so bad. It’s the whispers behind my back when I’m at meetings that hurt the most. At least when they say it to my face, I can hear it.”

  “Hey.” He reached over and put his hand over her fist, stilling her motions. “I know your worth. You’re a smart woman. Strong enough to deal with whatever hits you.”

  She softened under his touch, her lips twisting up into a sad smile. “Tell me what’s going on. Tell me who you are,” she asked, her voice a raspy whisper. “Please.”

  He paused, weighing his options.

  “There’s nothing special about us. Jessie figured she couldn’t do this alone and needed our help.”

  “Nice try, but I’m not buying it.” She shook her head slowly. “I’ve learned over the years to know when people tell me half-truths. I’ve also learned sometimes it’s for a valid reason.” Her smile disarmed him. “You’ll tell me the rest when you’re ready. Hopefully before Vincent comes back.”

  Comes back.

  He noted her phrasing.

  “Jessie’s great at what she does. She’ll find him.”

  Ally nodded. “I know. The people who sent me to her said she was one of the best and guaranteed discretion.” Her hand shook. “I want him back. He might be a gambling addict and an asshole at times, but he’s still family.”

  He didn’t say anything.

  “Anyway.” She smiled at him and pulled away. “I’m sure he’ll pop up at the worst possible time. Vincent has a way of doing that.”

  …

  Ally held his hand as they waited for the taxi to arrive, the hot evening breezes whipping around them. Her pulse was racing, the simple sensation of his fingers entwined in hers sending her libido into overdrive.

  She was tired, bone-tired of worrying about Sheldon Construction and about Vincent. Now that he was alive, time to grab onto something for herself.

  Someone.

  “How do you live here?” she asked. “It’s hot even now, in the middle of the night.”

  “You get used to it. Like New York smog.”

  She eyed him. “It’s not that bad in New York.”

  Trey coughed into his fist. “Choking-gasp-oxygen mask.”

  “Smart-ass.” She looked around her. “I can see the appeal here. Come out and build a whole new world, build something out of nothing for yourself.”

  “Not exactly what the founding fathers of Las Vegas said, but yeah.” He squeezed her hand. “There’s something about it. Come out and be someone different. That saying, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas? Not just a promotional slogan.”

  “Interesting.” She felt her heart race, a giddiness coming over her. “Well, the least I can do is live up to it.”

  She turned toward him and moved in, rising on her toes to kiss him.

  He didn’t hesitate, taking her other hand in his as he deepened the kiss, his tongue dueling with hers for dominance.

  Ally’s head began to swim. A hunger she’d never experienced before drove her to match his passion stroke for stroke, as his hands tightened on hers.

  He broke first, pulling free to grip her waist, his strength holding her in place. His teeth skimmed her lower lip, tugging lightly as he ravished her mouth.

  She was gasping for air when Trey drew back.

  “The car’s here.”

  “What?”

  “The car.” He looked at the waiting vehicle.

  She stared at it.

  “Here.” Trey opened the door. “How about I show you the nighttime sights?”

  She laughed and slid in over the leather seat. Trey moved beside her, one hand on her shoulder. He leaned forward to the driver, giving the hotel address. “I want to take a certain route. Hit the Strip. Low and slow, and if you take an hour to get back to the hotel, I’ll give you a hundred-dollar tip.”

  The man beamed, catching Ally’s eye in the rearview mirror. “Yes, sir.”

  The divider rose between the seats, cutting them off from the front.

  “Now,” Trey said. “Where were we?”

  “You were about to give me a tour,” she said, unable to keep from smiling.

  “I was.” He pointed out the window as the car began moving. “Over there is the skyline. Big hotels. Big stars. And here.” Trey turned back to her and drew a finger along her cheek. “Is the most beautiful woman in the entire city.”

  …

  He wasn’t thinking straight. He must have had some sort of stroke, some sort of mental or physical crisis that impaired his senses.

  Because he was sitting here in the back of a car making out as if he were a teenager again at the local drive-in.

  Trey groaned as Ally ran her hand over his chest, deftly unbuttoning his shirt and sliding her hand inside.

  He was as hard as he’d ever been in his life, his cock straining against the front of his jeans. One touch, one gentle brush by those delicate long fingers, and he’d be undone.

  Part of him was impressed she’d made the first move, was brave enough to take matters into her own hands.

  The other part was snarly and grumpy at his reaction, shaking an imaginary finger even as Trey cupped the back of Ally’s neck and drew her in again for another kiss.

  The argument continued in his mind.

  This isn’t the right time or place.

  If not now, when?

  He groaned into her mouth as she dragged her nails over his bare chest, scraping the skin. Her hand stop
ped on a puckered scar.

  “What’s this from?”

  He pulled away long enough to whisper. “IED.”

  “Hmm.” She lowered her head, tugging the shirt open wider. “I want to see.”

  Trey held back a growl as she pressed her lips over the white line.

  “Least I can do is kiss it all better.”

  “I have a lot of scars,” he choked out. “All over.”

  She moved back up to smile at him. “Well, then. I guess I’ll be very, very busy.” Her tongue flicked out to wet her lips, the simple gesture sending a lightning bolt of desire shooting down his spine.

  His hips thrust forward of their own volition as she moved to straddle him, her head brushing the roof of the car.

  As he slipped his hands around to grip her ass, slipping them inside her jeans pockets, Trey made a note to tip the driver double for keeping a slow, steady pace.

  She groaned and kissed him again, settling in his lap.

  He moved one hand to tangle in her blond hair, taking hold in a vain attempt to control her.

  There was no hope of that. She was hungry and enthusiastic and everything he could imagine and want.

  Her hands tugged open his shirt even more as her lips moved to his neck, nipping and biting as she flexed against him.

  He gritted his teeth in a last-ditch try to keep some small strand of self-discipline. God help him, much more of this and he was going to come in his jeans like a horny teenager on his first date.

  …

  Ally whimpered as he continued his slow conquest of her body, his hand snaking up to unclip the bra with expert precision.

  He tugged her head back, taking command long enough for him to cup her breast and squeeze it, hold it steady for his approach. His mouth landed on her nipple, tongue flicking out over the tiny nub.

  For a second she feared she was going to fall apart right there right then, screaming in the back of a car. A mixture of anticipation and raw desire pushed her forward, breaking down all barriers.

  He pulled free with a loud pop and moved his attention to the other breast, still fondling the first one. A low, primitive growl escaped him, and she shivered, knowing she was both predator and prey in this game.

  She moaned into his hair, gripping his shoulders for balance. Between the slow sway of the car and the sensual movement of his hips, she was going mad, all thought vanishing under the demanding need washing over her.

  Here. Now.

  She couldn’t form any other coherent words in her mind.

  Trey pulled her down for a deep kiss, plundering her mouth with a dominance that shot straight to her core, the heat almost burning through her panties.

  This was a man who knew what he wanted.

  And he wanted her.

  The thought made Ally giddy, the rocking of the car and her hips sending the world spinning around her.

  She whimpered as he pulled her closer, his fingers working the front button of her jeans.

  Yes.

  He slipped a hand inside, brushing over the thin damp fabric of her panties. The teasing went on for a few seconds longer, her skin tingling with every pass he made over the sensitive folds.

  Ally shook, biting her lower lip to keep back the moan. All she needed was one more touch, one more swipe of his fingers, and she’d come. It was a welcome shock to her system. She knew what it would take to arouse her. The slow, steady rise to plateau after plateau before hitting that emotional high.

  She gasped for air and heard a whimper—her own. The guttural sound came from deep inside her, the urgent need overriding any and every barrier she’d set up in her mind.

  It should have been awkward, a first date filled with fumbling and apologizing, muttered curses and missteps.

  But Trey, this man… He was connecting with her on an almost telepathic level, anticipating her needs and wants. It was like she’d gone from driving a Model T to a slick race car, racing along the track at supersonic speeds.

  It was intoxicating.

  Her head swam as he kissed her again, cupping the back of her neck as his fingers pushed the flimsy barrier of her underwear aside. His knuckles pressed against her core and she broke, flying apart into a thousand pieces.

  …

  He swallowed her scream, pressing his lips to hers as she shook against him, her fingers digging into his shoulders. Her fingernails clawed through the shirt, and he accepted the pain, embracing the mark she’d leave on him. His cock strained against his briefs, eager for release, his enthusiasm beginning to override his senses.

  Ally slumped against him, lips against his ear as she tried to catch her breath, her uneven gasps stroking his need as effectively as if she’d touched his cock.

  A single thought fought through his addled mind as he pulled his hand free, resisting the urge to bring his fingers to his mouth and find out how she tasted, how she smelled.

  Wrong.

  This was wrong.

  There was a high chance he was going to destroy Ally’s world, tear it down about her shoulders. He was already in too deep.

  He couldn’t do that to her heart and soul.

  No matter how desperately he hungered for her, need driving him like a man crawling across the desert and seeing an oasis.

  Because he was about to poison the water.

  He pulled back, shutting down his desire with a painful grunt.

  “What?” She looked at him, her lips swollen from his rough kisses. Her pupils were still unfocused as she settled against him. “What?”

  “I can’t do this. It’s not right.” Trey cursed inside. “I don’t want to do this to you.”

  “The car? Yeah, this is a little small.” She cupped his cheek, dragging a moan out of him as he leaned into her hand. “Let’s go back to my room. Your room. Edgar’s used to Vincent bringing women back. He’ll discreetly disappear.”

  Vincent.

  The single word cracked across his consciousness like a whip, ripping his heart open.

  “I…” He drew a ragged breath. “I can’t do this.” He leaned forward and knocked on the glass. “Back to the hotel, please.” His hands rested on her hips. “I’m sorry.”

  Trey lifted her off him and maneuvered her to the seat, avoiding her gaze.

  The car slowed and turned, the bright neon lights of the Strip twisting away as they navigated to the hotel.

  Trey struggled to catch his breath, every nerve in his body screaming for him to take Ally back to his room and do whatever she wanted, whatever he wanted, until they collapsed in a hot, sweaty, satisfied mess.

  But he couldn’t.

  Ally ran a hand through her hair as she sat back, doing up her jeans. “What’s wrong? What did I do?” Her hand landed on his thigh. “What didn’t I do?”

  “Nothing. Nothing at all. This is all on me. I’m sorry.” He buttoned his shirt and tucked it into his jeans. “You’re under a lot of stress. I don’t want to take advantage of you. I won’t.”

  She glared at him. “I’m a fully-grown woman. I do what I want, when I want.” She grabbed his hand and placed it on her breast.

  He flinched inside, her heated skin tempting him to pick up where he’d left off. It took the last of his control to pull away. “I know that. It’s the wrong time for this.”

  Ally shook her head. “I don’t understand. Do you know how hard it was for me to take this step? I don’t get to have the same life most women my age do. I’m expected to maintain certain standards, to be better than everyone else. When I see a chance to cut loose, I do.”

  She swiped at her eyes. “First you can’t stop looking at me, at the nightclub and at the office. I think you’re mad at me. Then you look at me, and it melts me inside and out, that sexy glare killing me, daring me to do something. Then when I do something, you push me away.”

  His heart ached at her words.

  He took her hands in his. “Ally. I like you. But this isn’t right. You’ve got a company to run, and I’m only here as long as it tak
es to find Vincent. Add in the emotional stress you’re under, and I don’t want you doing something you’ll regret later.” He gritted his teeth, pushing the last of his desire deep inside. “When Vincent comes back, we’ll figure this out. Except we can’t right now. We can’t.”

  She pulled away, turning to look out the window in silence. Her hands went to her blouse, adjusting her bra and doing up the buttons. A quick shuffle of her hips had the jeans zipped up, the top button secured and hiding paradise from sight.

  Trey flinched but stayed silent for the rest of the ride back to the hotel.

  It’s for your own good.

  He choked on the cliché, feeling it burn in his belly.

  I might be right. But it doesn’t mean I’m not an asshole for doing it.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Her cheeks burned as the car came to a stop. The doorman stepped forward and opened the door, the warm dry air rushing into the car.

  Deep in her heart she knew Trey was right. She scrubbed her eyes again, brushing away the last tears she’d shed over Trey Pierce.

  Before he got out of the car, Ally turned away from the hotel entrance, heading down the sidewalk with long, quick steps.

  She didn’t want to be near him.

  She didn’t want to be near anyone.

  A hot breeze whipped across her face as she walked down a side street.

  Ally stopped after a few minutes, steadying herself. Tears burned her eyes, but she wasn’t going to give in. She was stronger than that. She was better than that. She wasn’t going to sit on the curb and sob like some schoolgirl who got turned down by her favorite football quarterback.

  No matter how she felt.

  “Hey, lady. You okay?”

  A short, dumpy man stepped out of the shadows to her left, wearing a long trench coat and a baseball cap.

  Oh, crap.

  “I’m fine, thank you.” She risked a look over her shoulder, mapping her escape route. “Needed a little fresh air. I’ll be heading back to my hotel now. I’ve got people waiting for me—they’ll come looking if I’m not back soon.”

  The middle-aged man stuck his hands in his pockets. “You’re Ally Sheldon. Saw your picture on the website.” He nodded. “Image don’t do you justice.”