“There she is,” I said as I watched her swallow the hard liquor without wincing.
She slammed the small glass back onto the bar, pulled that silly baseball cap down over her forehead, and then narrowed her eyes at me. “Another.”
I tilted my head and gave her a look. “Probably time to slow down.”
“Why?”
“Well, I don’t want you too drunk.” She knew exactly what I was insinuating, but I didn’t give a fuck. That was the point of this whole charade anyway.
“Oh, please. It’s not like I’m hooking up with you tonight…or any night for that matter.”
“Harsher than you used to be.” I chuckled, but my dick jumped. It was how I already knew we were going to have problems and that my plan to get her out of my system was shit.
Keelani wasn’t a woman I could get out of my system. She instead got in there, rearranged it all, and rewrote my DNA. I knew it the second I saw her on that stage tonight, singing a song that wasn’t on any of her albums. I was ashamed to admit I knew them all by heart.
“We’ll have two more shots of tequila.” She pointed to the glasses, and the bartender obeyed immediately. I liked to think it was because she stood there with me, but most men would have given into her the second she pouted out those soft lips. “Actually, just leave the bottle.”
He frowned and glanced at me. “Sir?”
I nodded and waved him away.
She swiped the bottle off the counter and said, “Your room or mine?”
“We moving that quick?” I raised an eyebrow.
“Dex, I know you can barely stand me, and I’ve had the urge to stomp on your foot more than once tonight, so we both know this isn’t going down that rabbit hole. That said, I can’t be seen out here in the middle of the night drinking with you when I just got engaged.”
“Most people in this casino are celebrities or want their own privacy. My security systems won’t allow for anything to go out without our consent. When I put together the system, I made sure videography within—”
“Dex.” She cut me off and took a breath to probably calm herself. “I’ve been promised privacy all my adult life. People always find a way to get around it.”
“Not around me. If anyone’s going to get footage in my resorts, it’s going to be me.”
She chuckled. “I wish it was only you. At least you used to know me.”
“As opposed to…?”
“As opposed to a stalker here and there. Obsessive fans. Men with too much time on their hands. Women ready to tear down other women in any fashion. Someone looking to make a quick buck. The list goes on and on.”
“I’m happy to control some of that when you’re with me.”
“You can’t.”
I hummed. I didn’t think Keelani was aware of how powerful I’d become. “We’ll see.”
“You think you can control everything, Dex.” She shook her head at me.
“Are you saying I can’t?”
“You’ve never controlled me.” Her eyes were so dark, I could never classify them as chocolate or violet. I couldn’t see exactly what emotion she felt, either, as I stared at her. She wasn’t like most people I dealt with now who I could put specifically into one box. Instead, she jumbled the way I lived, the way I categorized my life, the way I survived in it.
“And yet, here you are, in my resort, under my contract.” That meant she was mine. It had to mean that now.
“Technically, you and your brothers and Bane own this—”
“They’re going to let me handle your contract, and we both know it.”
She couldn’t argue with that, so she changed tactics. “It’s not worth us getting involved when—”
I sighed at her circling a drain. She knew she was going to go down it with me. “Stop arguing with me and say yes.”
“No.”
“That answer will change by the end of the night.” I nodded at the bottle the bartender had left. “Take it and let’s go.”
She took a deep breath before she stood in that flowy dress that still somehow showed all her curves when she walked and swiped the bottle off the counter before walking past me. I loved that she wanted to lead the way, even when she didn’t know which elevator we were going to. Still, my hand found the small of her back and steered her in the right direction. Even after all these years, our bodies worked together and complemented each other.
On the elevator, we were silent as I swiped my watch to get us onto the restricted level where few people had access. High-profile clients, Bane, and myself. We were the only ones who had penthouses on this floor. We went down the hall to French doors, and my fingerprints unlocked them as I turned the handles. Keelani gasped when I pushed them open.
The view out of the hotel was that of the Vegas Strip, lit up, alive, and beautiful. She flung her cap off her head and tousled her long hair out before striding over to the floor-to-ceiling windows. They allowed for the city lights to pour in, shining light on the sleek furniture within the living room space. She saw how the world was still alive out there, dancing in the night and giving us a show. “It’s beautiful what people can make sometimes,” she murmured.
“Dom helped design that building over there.” I pointed to one of the big skyscrapers.
“I’m sure he did. And I’m sure you endorsed it.” She hesitated, brushing a small hand against the windowpane before she continued. “And I’m sure your brothers have profited off it.”
I couldn’t tell if her tone was angry or not. “Should I be ashamed of that?”
“No.” She shrugged and turned to me. “I’m ashamed I can’t control my life the way you all seem to control the world. The way Mitchell has controlled me. The way you all morph it into what you want, no matter the casualties.”
I hummed and stared out at the city lights. Getting a glimpse of how she saw the world was tragic. “We’re not all monsters.”
She narrowed her eyes at me. “I’m not so sure about that.”
“Well, you’ll have to find out.”
“If I don’t?”
“I’ll be the monster you think I am. I’ll dissolve your contract with our resort. You going to sing somewhere else?”
She chewed her cheek. I knew she didn’t want to do that. If nothing else, Dimitri had helped her get this deal and her record label wanted that for her.
“I don’t have all night, Kee.”
“If I do this…”
Who was she kidding? I scoffed and said, “You’re doing it.”
“If I do this, you let me sing what I want and do what I want on stage… Let me change my brand here.”
“Change it into what?’
“Not the all-American sweetheart I’m sick of being.”
“Interesting. Don’t want to be a good girl anymore, huh?” She’d shown me her hand. I had her dreams and hopes in mine to hold over her head. Her brand was important to her obviously, and she wanted more control than she’d ever had before. I could offer her freedom, and in return, I’d hopefully find a way to be free of her.
“Oh my God. You know what? Just figure it out with the record label if you want this to happen, because they’ll balk. I was with Ethan a few hours ago, and their all-American sweetheart should never be seen jumping from guy to guy.”
“No one will care.” I shrugged.
“No one… No one…” she stuttered. “You realize I’m a woman? I’ll get slaughtered for breaking Ethan’s heart, and they’ll claim I cheated on him with you.”
“Maybe you should admit it was the other way around.” Saying that one out loud hurt, but it was true.
Her eyes widened as she gasped and then stepped back like I’d hit her. Her face contorted in pain. “You can’t honestly believe that.”
“What else should I believe?” Fuck, I hated to admit that my palms were sweating as I waited to hear if she’d lie.
She shut her eyes hard, squeezed them so her long lashes curled up on her beautiful skin and then opened them with tears glistening. “I need to finish out this contract, Dex. I’m not going to change your mind about me. So, believe what you want. I don’t care.”
I stepped close to her. I did it so fast, my chest came to her chest, and immediately, she whipped her head up to meet my eyes. “You don’t care? You don’t care that for years I’ve had nightmares about you with him? And then dreams of fucking you away from him? You don’t care that I’m about to make that happen now?”
“Just because I’d get fake engaged to you doesn’t mean I’m going to sleep with—”
My hand went to her neck, and I practically pulled her off the ground so I could reach her lips more quickly. I didn’t kiss her. I fucked her mouth. I destroyed it, took what I wanted and longed for. It wasn’t nice or kind or subtle in need. It was a kiss full of fire and hate and vengeance. I branded her with the emotions we’d probably both felt for years.
My tongue still commanded her, thrusting around her mouth, claiming every part of it. My length hardened against her stomach, and she whimpered as she clawed at my shirt. Tonight, we were both being reckless. Her probably more so. She had a reputation to uphold, after all.
It was dangerous.
Defiant.
And exactly what I wanted us to be.
She pulled back, breathless, to glare at me and make her point known. “I hate that I’m doing this. Hate you for even pushing us here where we don’t belong.”
“We’ve always belonged together, and you know it.”
She shook her head. “You’d better make this worth it, Dex.” And then she dove back in.
