Leo's walking through the giant casino with his arm around my waist.

I'm shining in my Chanel dress and we must look like a power couple because virtually every head turns our way as we walk by.

Leo’s still in his black Gucci suit from the day, and damn, does he look good. His ass is perfectly showcased, and I swear, you can practically see his rippling muscles beneath the clean lines of the suit.

I'm still mad at him, though.

He moved all my things to his penthouse without even asking. I guess I’m basically living with him now, which is surreal. Not to mention awkward to reconcile in my mind considering what I used to dream of when I was a foolish girl.

We had one wild night, yes, but that doesn't mean I'm ready to move in with him full time.

Yes, I know it's for show and to keep this prostitution thing at bay, but I still have to be around him all the time now, and that makes my stomach knot up in nervous anticipation.

Leo’s not the kind of guy that you can just relax around. His looks and domineering presence make feel on edge and jittery in that butterflies swirling kind of way. Last night was explosive, and I can’t help but wonder if he’ll take things to that level again tonight? And I must still be somewhat of a fool because, God help me, I want him to.

He confidently leads me to our destination. His hand gripping tightly, possessively on my hip. 

"Where are we dining?" I inquire.

"You'll see. It's somewhere that we can be on display."

He's sticking to his role pretty boldly.

I imagine this isn't much more to him than a facade to keep up appearances. In spite of my best efforts, though, my feelings are running deeper. I can't help but want to spend more time with Leo.

A part of me still cares for him deeply. But the wound of betrayal and abandonment is still there. It may be scarred over by now, but I’ll never forget how burned I got by straying too close to the flame that is Leo Asher.

I need to resist him at all costs.

"Your casino is really beautiful. You must be so proud," I say, trying to be nice and distract myself with small talk.

"It's a far cry from that dilapidated house I grew up in, right?" He grins cynically.

I'm surprised he would even mention that. His house and family were nothing great but that shouldn’t be a concern for him now.

His humble roots certainly never bothered me then. And yet I wonder if it bothers him.

"Your house? Oh yeah, well it's probably the inspiration for your success. I mean, Leo, you rose to the top, to the highest tier of society. You should be proud of that."

"I am," he says dismissively, his tone clearly shutting down any further discussion of it.

I take him at his word and try to forget about it, too.

The energy in the air in Vegas is always exciting. It's electrifying. The city never sleeps. And there are always any number of vices going on behind closed doors.

We get to the restaurant, and it's five-star high-class all the way. I should have known. Nothing less for this version of Leo Asher.

Instead of obscuring ourselves from sight behind the VIP section, he has us seated at a table above the casino floor where everyone can see us. 

I try to just enjoy the experience, but I can’t stop looking at Leo. He’s so fucking hot in his suit. I can’t get over how he’s turned from a charming boy into this hulking frame of masculinity.

Or how much I want to crawl beneath him and spread my legs wide so that he can drive me wild over and over again with his huge cock. I imagine riding him until the sun comes up.

It's hard to be around a man like Leo and to think of anything other than sex. I lick my lips just thinking about it.

It doesn’t go unnoticed. Leo’s eyes are full of cocky amusement.

"So," he says as we take our table. "How was your day?"

"How was my day?" I laugh. "Um, let's see. My latest business acquaintance had me locked up in his apartment. He moved all of my stuff into his place and I feel like a prisoner. How was your day?"

He smiles. "Well, I had to deal with a hopeless situation involving one very famous call girl and I was on the phone with lawyers all day. Sound fun to you?"

We both laugh, in spite of the situation.

Leo calls over the bartender and has him make us a drink. Two Smoky Martinis arrive and we toast to being reunited and then I settle in for a very liquid dinner.

I feel like getting tipsy tonight. It's been a long day but somehow being reconciled with Leo makes me feel happy again and at ease, even if it’s all just for show.

"You think everyone can see us? Do I look like a girlfriend and not a prostitute?" I say it as a joke, but he takes my comment very seriously.

"Never say that again. You’re nothing like a prostitute. Hell, you’re the classiest girl I know. Always have been."

His statement makes me feel warm inside.

But at the same time, it flies in the face of everything he said to me the last two days. He acted like he wanted to make me feel cheap, like nothing more than a whore.

Yet now he’s saying the complete opposite. I can’t keep up.

"I'm serious," he says when I don’t respond. "When I would come home with your brother and see you, well, you were all I could think about. You're stunning, Sienna. To this day, you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen."

I blush.

He's being kind, very much like the old Leo I knew. A sweet Leo. He used to have a very caring soul and right now it's shining through.

Unless this is just all part of the act, the show we’re putting on for the public.

Maybe he just knows what to say to get me to give him his desired response.

The thought makes me uncomfortable, and I quickly finish my cocktail and order another.

"You'd better have a bite to eat if you're going to be drinking like that.”

He orders me a steak when the server comes by again.

We dine, and it's actually really fun to catch up with him and to relax in his presence. He's a very funny, charming guy when he's not being domineering and bossy.

We finish dinner but Leo doesn't seem satisfied that enough eyes have seen us together.

"How about hitting the casino?"

"Why not?"

He takes my hand and leads me into the main casino lounge this time. Not the Inner Sanctum. We stop at the craps tables.

A waitress comes and serves us a steady supply of cocktails, bringing new ones before we even need to ask. It's anything for the boss.

"Hey, you better not have this rigged to win."

He puts his hands up. "I promise I don't. I couldn't if I tried."

"Should we play up the girlfriend element?"

I hang on his arm as he throws the dice over and over again. We win some, we lose some, but ultimately we just have a good time.

Soon word gets out that Leo Asher is in the casino. He's famous for being a billionaire casino mogul and for being a playboy, so it doesn’t take long for a crowd to start forming around us.

For whatever reason, Leo decides then it's time to leave. He flashes his million-dollar smile to the onlookers and we walk by, his arm firmly around my waist.

"You must be satisfied now that we've been seen," I say, disappointed that the night’s coming to an end. I had much more fun than I anticipated.

"Indeed,” he says brusquely. “I think some people might have even taken some pictures."

We walk across the marble floors and enter the mall that's connected to the casino. Most of the high-end boutiques are closed now and we're mostly alone, even in the depths of Sin City.

He stops by a fountain and pulls me towards him, holding me in his strong arms. It feels so good and it feels so safe. I’m confused because we’re supposed to be putting on a show, yet there’s almost no one around to see us.

Why is he holding me close and staring at me like that, his eyes searing into me like he’s trying to see straight into my soul?

My heart’s pounding and all I can think of is how much I want him but also how much I don't want to be hurt again. I have to keep things surface level with Leo. He broke my heart once before and I will never let happen to me again.

I need to protect myself.

For the moment, though, it feels good to be with him. I allow myself to sink into his masculine embrace, and it dissolves all pain and fear. I feel like I’m home.

"You okay?" he whispers into my hair.

"Yeah, I had a great time. I'm just tired."

"Okay, we can go." He takes my hand and intertwines his fingers with mine, the leads me back the way we came.

But as we go, an onlooker approaches. It's some drunk guy and a couple of his friends. He looks like a frat boy who’s extremely cocky yet with not much to brag about.

"Oh look, it's the billionaire and his whore." The guy laughs to his friends like he thinks he's just said the funniest thing ever.

Before anyone sees it coming, Leo tackles him to the ground. I gasp, my hands flying to my mouth.

Leo chokes the guy and says, "Apologize to Sienna. Right fucking now."

He bears down on the skinny guy, and I know his weight must be crushing him.

The twenty-something asshole spits out, "I'm sorry."

“Say it like you mean it,” he growls.

“I’m sorry, lady. Really,” he chokes out.

Leo slams his head back into the floor and then releases him.

"Remember that, kid."

We walk away and Leo takes my hand again, saying, "I'm sorry, baby. I didn't mean for that to happen. Don't listen to him or anybody else."

I have to admit my heart is heavy that the consensus around the city is that I'm some kind of whore.

As much as we've tried to mask it, people will think what they want, especially about rich, hot men whose names are splashed all over the internet.

Leo has a reputation to maintain, and I'm actually quite honored that he would risk that to help me and to help my brother.

The night was going so perfectly, but now I'm just depressed and tired, and I let Leo lead me to a different elevator that only he has access to.

Once the doors close, he’s all over me, gripping my breasts and kissing my neck.

I’m taken aback for a moment.

For a while there, I was thinking it could be like old times. I thought Leo was the same caring guy I once knew. But now that the show’s over, he’s right back to the same man I know he’s become.

I know that he's changed. He's back to domination mode. But what’s most confusing is that I can't say I'm entirely disappointed. Anticipation for Leo comes in two dancing flavors that don’t always conflict.