“Alice, the event is going to be perfect,” Carmen said as Alice scribbled in a notebook.

“I just want to make sure everything is perfect,” Alice said absently as her unicorn pencil scratched along the page. “If it’s not perfect, I have to answer to Mr. Pyre, and I don’t want to answer to Mr. Pyre.”

“You’ve been to his house and threw his wife a baby gender party and baby shower. I’m pretty sure you can call him Gavin.”

“I do,” Janice said as she settled in the booth. “The meeting went well. I think this animal adoption is going to be fantastic. It’s just what we need after what happened at the hospital last week.”

“Yes.” Alice pursed her lips and ran her finger down a two-column list. “After that incident, I need to make sure my events run perfectly. What if Mr. Pyre decided to fire me?”

Carmen nudged her. “Stop, Alice. What happened at the hospital wasn’t your fault, and it was phenomenal. I can’t believe you were able to pull this event together so quickly. You have more than enough volunteers, and everyone’s on the same page.”

“I know,” Alice said but still looked troubled.

They made quite a trio, Carmen thought, as several men paused to study them on their way to the bar. She was overdressed, but that was who she was. Two waiters already dropped trays after she winked at them. Janice was the epitome of a career woman with her power suit and cell phone in hand. She was a savvy shark with glittery pointy-toe Jimmy Choos. Although Alice could more than hold her own in the looks department, she stood out like a sore thumb in her deep purple velvet jeans and a button-up blouse. Carmen’s fingers itched to undo the buttons around her throat. How could she breathe?

A server delivered a round of martinis. Janice and Carmen took theirs gratefully, but Alice scowled and crossed her arms over her chest.

“What?” Janice asked when Carmen snickered.

“Alice is afraid I’ll get her drunk again.”

“You got her drunk?”

“I had to call in for two days,” Alice said irritably.

“Two days?”

“One day to recover and another to clean up my apartment.”

They laughed while Alice gave them a withering glare.

“I gave you two drinks, and you did the rest,” Carmen said and turned to Janice. “I had to cut her off for fear of alcohol poisoning.”

“I didn’t think alcohol would taste so good,” Alice muttered.

“Why were you drinking anyway?” Janice asked.

Alice opened her mouth, but Carmen beat her to it.

“I was trying to get her laid.”

Janice looked intrigued. “Did you hook up?”

Alice’s eyes darted back and forth between them and then away. “No.”

“Did you try?”

Alice played with her utensils. “Yes.”

“And?” Janice pushed.

“He said no.”

“How many did you ask?”

“One.”

Janice sighed. “Well, you can’t expect the one and only guy you ask to say yes.”

“How many should I have asked?” Alice asked.

Carmen bit her lip to stop herself from laughing aloud. Any moment now, she expected Alice to start making notes. She looked too serious by half. Alice was the most sheltered woman she’d ever met.

“I think five is a good number,” Janice said after a moment. “Carmen?”

She’d never had to ask even one to hook up. “Sure, five sounds good.”

Alice and Janice glared at her.

“What?”

“You’ve never had to ask, have you? Bitch.” Janice downed her drink and signaled for another. “I don’t have time in my schedule to get laid. I can afford to take care of a man. All he has to do is cook for me, keep my fridge stocked, and give me an orgasm when I ask for it. That’s not too much to ask for, is it?”

Alice flushed and dug through her purse. “I-I don’t know.”

“That’s not a bad idea, Janice.” Sex on tap. No emotions, just raw sex whenever she wanted it. That sounded amazing. This was Vegas. There had to be a business that catered to busy, successful women who could afford a full-time gigolo. What would be on their menu of sex services? Fifty dollars for every ten minutes of fucking? Surely, she could order—

“What about you, Carmen?”

She jerked her mind out of the gutter. “What?”

Janice bobbed her brows. “What about you and that hunk?”

“Hunk?”

“You and Kody Singer. Have you seen him since the hospital?”

“No, I haven’t.” He had left some voicemails, but she didn’t respond. She asked him to attend the hospital event in exchange for a date. That day, a bubble of frustration caused her to shove Kody into a bathroom and have a heavy makeout and petting session. Kody had been delighted. During their lunch date, she had been blindsided when he asked her to go to Europe with him while he shot a movie. Kody wanted strings, and she didn’t. She wasn’t looking for a full-time man; maybe a part-time one … one that didn’t talk. Maybe the gigolo service had a mute who was a god in the sack …

“He’s still in-house,” Janice said.

“Who?”

“Kody Singer.”

“Oh,” she said without much interest.

“Seriously, you’re not interested in him? He’s polite, prompt, and sexy as all get-out.”

“He’s a great guy, but I’d destroy him.”

Janice pointed her finger at her. “I get you, girl. Us woman beasts need a man who can dominate us in the bedroom if you know what I mean? In our daily lives, we got our shit going on, but when we come home … we need to know our man can make us submit.” She raised one brow. “So Singer’s out. What about Marcus?”

She tried to look casual even though her heartbeat sped up a bit. “What about him?”

“You gonna make a play for him?” Janice pushed.

“What are you talking about?”

“He’s all kinds of hot, right, Alice?”

Alice smoothed her hands down her buttons and shrugged, evading eye contact. “He’s attractive, I guess.”

“He’s sex on a stick is what he is,” Janice said passionately and immediately snatched up the second martini put in front of her.

“Why don’t you make a play for him?” Carmen asked curiously.

Janice was hot, blunt, intelligent, and dressed like she shopped on Fifth Avenue. What man wouldn’t want her?

“I don’t fuck co-workers,” Janice stabbed an olive and munched vigorously. “And I don’t fuck bosses.”

“Is that the voice of experience talking?” Carmen asked.

Janice gave her a deadpan look and sipped without answering. So Janice fucked a boss in the past. Interesting. Alice shifted restlessly in her seat, looking anywhere but at either of them. Poor girl had no idea what she was getting into when she started working at Pyre Casinos.

“Ladies.” A server set down three cosmopolitans. “Compliments from the men at that table.”

The server nodded to three men dressed conservatively in button-up shirts and sports jackets. They appeared to be in their forties, and she pegged them as businessmen on a work trip at a glance.

“Maybe my night’s looking up, after all,” Janice said and raised her glass to salute the men. “One’s a moose, but the other two aren’t bad.”

“Moose?” Carmen and Alice echoed in unison.

Janice frowned at them. “Moose, a cosmetically challenged man.”

Carmen slammed her hand on the table, rattling their glasses and making a commotion, but she didn’t care. She threw back her head and laughed uproariously. She laughed until her belly hurt and her eyes were wet, this time with happy tears.

“Oh, man, I needed that,” she wheezed when she could speak.

“Anytime,” Janice said, all business now. “So who gets the moose?”

Carmen hid her face behind Alice’s back and snickered as their food was served.

“Why don’t you take him, Carmen? Take one for the team?”

“Fuck, no,” she said as she straightened. “I’m not fucking a moose. I don’t care how much you pay me.”

The male server dropped the plate a little too hard on the table. Alice let out a nervous laugh and flapped her hands at them urgently, but they ignored her.

“Usually the moose is better in bed since he has to be. He can’t be ugly and bad in bed, you feel me?” Janice said.

“Why don’t you take him?” Carmen argued.

“I don’t need the guy to be good in bed. I’m good enough for the both of us, and I want something pretty to look at while I’m bringing it home, you know?”

“Makes sense,” Carmen said.

Janice looked at the server who was frozen in place. “Can I help you?”

“Uh, no, ma’am,” he said smartly and gave them a little bow as he left.

“Carmen?” Janice prompted. “Moose?”

“Hell, no.”

Janice gave Alice a megawatt smile. “It’s your lucky day, honey.”

“I, uh, I have things to do,” Alice stammered and began to stuff her face.

It was obvious that Alice was planning to dine and dash to get away from them. Unluckily for her, the men made their way over before she finished her meal. Alice looked like a deer in the headlights. The men were tourists from Germany with great accents and not a clear reason for being in Las Vegas. Carmen added little to the conversation despite the men’s interest. She wasn’t tempted by polite, vanilla businessmen. Besides, watching Alice flounder was much more entertaining.

Carmen paid for the meal and hid her wince when Alice grasped her arm in a death grip. She gave the moose and his friend a polite brush-off as Janice disappeared with the best looking of the trio. Carmen silently wished her a happy fuck. She could feel the night coming to a close. She tried to bury her anxiety as she hooked her arm with Alice. She was wide-awake and ready for anything. The last thing she wanted was to go home to her empty bed and count the hours until daylight. The night was young, and she needed to do something to cure the restlessness thrumming through her body.

“Thanks for that,” Alice said and leaned into her.

“I guess you’re still a virgin.”

Alice straightened and gave her a frosty look. “Do you have to keep bringing it up?”

“Are you planning to be a nun?”

“No.”

“Then what’s the deal?”

“Men don’t look at me the way they look at you.”

“I beg to differ. That guy would have given you a one-night stand in a heartbeat.”

“The moose?” Alice tipped her nose up. “If I wanted a one-night stand, I could get one. Men don’t have to like a woman to have sex with her.”

“True. So you want the white knight?”

“I want a guy who likes me for me. What’s wrong with that?”

Men she dated in the past said they had a hard time keeping up with her. She was restless and manic and always into something, whether it was real estate, cooking, driving race cars, skydiving, or painting. She was a jack-of-all-trades, master of none. Most men saw her as arm candy and a body to fuck. She was much more, but no one cared what was inside her. Vinny was the only one who accepted her, flaws and all.

“Carmen?”

She cleared her throat. “There’s nothing wrong with waiting for the right guy.”

Alice looked surprised. “Really? I thought you said—”

“Forget what I said. I don’t know anything.”

“Are you okay?”

Before she could answer, two hands gripped her waist and lifted her. She aimed her heels down to impale the buffoon holding her aloft, but her irritation disappeared when she recognized him.

“Connie!” she squealed.

“Jesus, woman.” Cormac, aka The Heat, didn’t look pleased. “Don’t be saying that pansy ass name so loud. It’s Mac or The Heat.” He bobbed his brows. “Or the man who’s gonna make your dreams come true.” He set her down and then tucked her under one arm. “I caught a glimpse of your ass and told The Punisher it was mine until I realized it was you. Gavin would have my hide, wouldn’t he?”

“He would,” she agreed and smiled at The Punisher, aka Walter, who she hadn’t seen since Incognito’s opening night. “What are you assholes doing here?”

“My buddy’s having a get-together in the penthouse, and we’re bringing the party.”

Behind Cormac and Walter was an entourage of men who had the bodies of Chippendale dancers. Alice stared at Cormac as if he was the devil incarnate. Carmen had to admit that Cormac looked outlandish in a ridiculous white fur coat, baby blue sunglasses, thick gold chain and red Mohawk. He wore jeans and no shirt beneath the fur coat. His abs and beautiful tattoos were on full display. Cormac was brash, uncouth, flashy, and a shit talker of the highest order, which was justified since he was the reigning UFC Lightweight Champion. She met Cormac years ago and watched him get his ass whooped more times than she cared to remember. But Cormac was a stubborn bastard and kept getting in the ring. Now, he was a millionaire and a champion determined to suck life dry. She could relate to that. A night with Cormac was just what she needed.

“And who’s this?” Cormac asked, following her gaze to Alice.

“This is my friend, Alice. She works for Gavin.”

Cormac raised his ridiculous sunglasses to examine Alice with dark eyes. “What do you do for Pyre, honey?”

Alice opened and closed her mouth without uttering a word.

“She’s the community outreach coordinator for the Pyre Foundation. You know, Connie,” Carmen said, stroking his bare chest absently, “you could really help Alice out. We always need huge celebs to up the ante for press at her events.”

“No problem,” Cormac said and flexed his pecs.

Alice looked like she might faint.

“Of course,” Carmen drawled, “you’d have to be a gentleman and not cause a ruckus.”

“I thought you wanted press,” he said with a wink and focused on Alice. “You want to come with us, sweetheart?”

“Uh, no, I have—” Alice began.

“Great.” Cormac yanked her under his other arm and propelled them through the casino.

“Uh, I have stuff to do,” Alice stammered.

Cormac held up her bare left hand. “No ring, no claim.”

“Claim?”

“No man, so you have no reason not to come with us.” Cormac surveyed her and gave her a broad smile. “You have potential, sweetheart.”

“Potential?” Alice echoed.

Carmen was about to intervene but decided to let it play out when she noticed that Alice no longer looked nervous but offended.

“You dress like you’re forty, but you can’t be older twenty-five. Why are you hiding your body under these ugly ass clothes?”

Alice dug her heels in. “I’m not going anywhere with you.”

Cormac released Carmen, so he could pick up Alice who let out a piercing squeal. “Wanna bet?”

Carmen laughed and fell into step beside Walter. “Cormac hasn’t changed. He’s more arrogant and obnoxious than ever.”

“That’s part of his charm,” Walter said and tossed an arm over her shoulders. “By the way, you are looking fine.”

As they passed Partition, a popular Pyre nightclub, the people in line spotted Cormac, Walter, and the other fighters. Several women jumped over the gold ropes and rushed them, screaming and begging to take selfies. Cormac smiled broadly and let a woman suck his nipple while she took a picture. Alice struggled madly to get away, but Cormac held her despite being fawned over by admirers. In less than a minute, the crowd that headed for the elevators swelled to over fifty people. Cormac led the way with Alice clamped to his side. They jammed into three elevators while the rest had to wait for the next set.

What looked like two NFL players with earpieces guarded the penthouse. They opened double doors into complete mayhem. Carmen was familiar with this particular penthouse. It was three stories of chrome and glass with five master suites, two pools, three bars (one for each floor), a bowling alley, billiard table, around-the-clock butler service, and more. At the moment, every square inch of the penthouse was filled with people. The energy saturating the room urged her to throw herself headlong into trouble.

“The party’s arrived!” Cormac crowed, and everyone converged on him.

Carmen lost her grip on Walter in the scuffle. She looked over the railing at the first story below. The pool that took up most of the floor was filled with people dancing, laughing, and drinking. She heard the crack of balls from a billiard game while strippers danced on tables. Servers dressed in lingerie with body jewelry strutted. The heavy bass made the floor vibrate beneath her heels.

Alice appeared at her side, looking panicked. “We have to get out of here! This is out of control!” She focused on a fighter getting a lap dance and flushed. “They’re heathens!”

“Let’s get you a drink,” Carmen suggested and started toward the bar, which she could barely make out since so many people were in front of it.

“I’m going to get fired! I’m leaving.”

“You’re off duty,” Carmen pointed out. “And Cormac will be disappointed.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. He’s disgusting,” Alice snapped.

Carmen grinned appreciatively. Seeing Alice riled was a pastime of hers that she hadn’t indulged in enough lately. “He’s really sweet once you get to know him.”

Alice shot her a disbelieving glance. “I doubt it. Come on, let’s get out of here.”

“I’m going to stay.”

Alice shook her head. “He’s no good for you, Carmen.”

She had no intention of fucking Cormac. She just wasn’t ready to go home and lay in her empty bed. No, she wanted to join in the chaos and forget about tomorrow. Alice could go home to her peaceful apartment and relax. She would indulge in excess until the fire in her gut was gone.

“Carmen?” Alice tugged on her hand. “I can help you.”

That warmed her. She hugged her friend and gave her a small push toward the exit. “If I need someone to post bond, I’ll give you a call.”

Her eyes bugged. “Post bond? Why—?”

“I’m kidding. I’ve only been arrested three times, and I’m not planning to get into that kind of trouble tonight.”

“What kind of trouble are you planning to get into?” Alice asked, hands on her hips like a disapproving parent.

“That’s not for your innocent ears. Scat, babe.”

Alice sighed. “I’ll keep my phone on just in case.”

“You’re the best.”

Alice gave her a worried look before she dodged through the crowd to make her getaway. Carmen snatched two glasses of champagne from the half-naked server and downed it. She welcomed the flush of heat and gave the empty glass to the server before she made her way through the crowd with her second glass in the air, so it wouldn’t spill. She received many admiring glances and ignored the catcalls as she made her way to the pool. She was debating whether she wanted to strip out of her dress and get in when a muscled arm wrapped around her waist and drew her back against a hard body.

“I thought you left,” Cormac said.

“Me, miss a party? Not a chance.”

“Where’d Alice go?”

“She slipped away. She has to work tomorrow, and you scared the crap out of her.” She glanced back at him and smiled. “She called you a heathen.”

Cormac grinned. “I like that.” He cupped her face. “I heard about Vinny. Did Gavin get the fucker?”

“Yeah.”

Cormac searched her eyes. “You good?”

“I’m getting there,” she said and drained the rest of her glass.

He tossed his fur coat on a couch covered in people dry humping and pulled her flush against him.

“Time to live, babe,” he said before he began to move.

Like everything else about him, he danced outrageously. His athleticism showed as he switched from Latin to break dancing. He kept her laughing and entertained and sipping champagne. She was having a great time until they were interrupted by a woman in a swimsuit who gripped his arm.

“I want to suck you off,” the woman said loud enough for those around them to hear.

Cormac tapped Carmen’s ass. “I’ll be back,” he said and followed the woman through the crowd.

Those around them catcalled and hooted. She felt a twinge of envy. How many times had she dragged Vinny off during a party to have sex? Vinny. Fuck.

She snatched a shot from a passing server and downed it. Patrón. Not a favorite of hers, but it made her pleasantly cloudy, and that was all that mattered. Thick arms wrapped around her. She didn’t look to see who it was because it didn’t matter. Men had always come easy to her. Finding one wasn’t the problem. It was finding a man who didn’t bore her to tears and could give her what she needed that was the problem. She leaned back against a massive chest. She felt small and feminine but not safe. Witnessing the shit she had, size meant nothing. What really mattered was how accurate you were with a gun and what you were willing to do to survive. Now she knew how far she’d go. She’d kill.

A sharp blast made her jump. She was about to go apeshit until she spotted the lingerie-clad servers opening more champagne bottles. She huddled against the mountain behind her, who pulled her even closer. Her need for human contact was pathetic, but at the moment, she didn’t care. Whatever she needed to do to keep her demons at bay, she would do.

The man behind her smelled of whiskey and cigars. It wasn’t unpleasant. His hands smoothed over her hips and gripped. His hands were huge, which made her mind shift gears. She rotated her ass against his groin to cop a feel and felt the hard length press between her cheeks. Okay, if he was a moose, he had a big dick to compensate. Despite how eager he was, he hadn’t done anything sleazy or perverted. Maybe he was the unicorn she’d been looking for—the mute gigolo with a massive penis.

Lips touched her ear. Her eyes flared when he sucked her earlobe into his mouth. Okay, that was hawt—

“Do you work at Subway?” he murmured.

The beginning pangs of lust dimmed. “What?”

“Because you gave me a foot long.”

She whirled and glared at the man who could have been the perfect man for her and Janice. He was over six feet and had an open dress shirt that revealed a body that rivaled Cormac’s. He was a gorgeous black man with a beard, perfect teeth, and hazel eyes. Gah!

She put her hands on her hips. “Really?”

He grinned and looked down at the bulge in his pants. “Well, it’s true.”

“Seriously?”

“Are you a mirror?”

She took a step back. He was smoking hot but off his rocker. “What?”

“Because I can see myself inside you,” he said with a boyish grin. When she stared at him, he asked, “No?”

“No!”

He held up both hands. “Fine. We can play Titanic. I’ll be the iceberg, and you can go down.”

Her mouth dropped open. She would have if he hadn’t opened his mouth. “You did not just say that!”

He grabbed his junk and bobbed his brows. “Come on, baby.”

When he opened his mouth again, she clapped her hand over it and leaned in close.

“Let me tell you something that will get you more pussy in future, okay? Women don’t like pickup lines, especially sleazy ones. When a woman wants to have sex, don’t joke with her, just give her what she wants. I could have made your eyes roll from what I can do between the sheets.” Her hand tightened on his face, pruning up his skin. “I would have let you do me rough and dirty, and you had to fucking ruin it. No more pickup lines unless you want to fuck blow up dolls. Got it?”

He stared at her for a moment before he nodded. She dropped her hand and turned away.

“Wait, that’s it?” he called.

She stopped and turned back. “Were you born on a highway?”

“What?”

“Because that’s where most accidents happen.” She snatched another glass of champagne and made her way through the crowd. God, men always had to open their mouths and ruin everything. If he’d just kept silent, she might have screwed his brains out, and they’d both be feeling like a million dollars right now, but nooooo. Some men were ridiculously clueless.

She passed a half-naked poker game in progress, strippers giving private shows, and people having sex in shadowed corners. She watched a couple going at it, but the fact that they were spit swapping a pill turned her off.

Dissatisfaction ate at her soul. Yesterday, she felt shiny and new, and already, she was beginning to tarnish. The high that carried her through partying with Shonda and the gang and then dance class with her mother this morning was waning. She finished her champagne and wandered. The same desperate craving that hit her the night Lyla was in Hell was back. She was sliding into destruct mode.

A stripper abandoned her pole when a man flashed a one-hundred-dollar bill. Carmen set her glass down, climbed onto the round platform, and gripped the shiny silver pole. No one paid her any mind as she reached high over her head, lifted her legs, and slowly rotated around the pole. An R&B song with a heavy, sultry beat filled the room. She closed her eyes and tried to lose herself in the moment. She climbed the pole and used her momentum to do a lazy spiral to the platform where she came to a graceful landing. She closed her eyes and focused on the music as she used the pole to pull herself up and let her body take over. The middle panel and high slits of her dress weren’t a hindrance as she danced. Her skirt floated dreamily around her as she spun. Her mind quieted as every fiber of her being focused on the physicality of what she was doing. She definitely had to get back to pole workouts. They kept her fit, strong, and tuned in to her sexuality. Her muscles protested as she held her position at the top of the pole, but she embraced the burn. She had taken ballet classes when she was younger, but when she heard hip-hop music pouring from another studio, she ditched the tutu and never looked back. She moved sinuously from one pose to another, allowing the beat to mold her. Her skin was slick with sweat, and her body began to tremble as her muscles begged for a break, but she kept moving.

The last song she and Vinny made love to boomed from the speakers, and she froze. She rested her forehead against the pole. Fuck. She would never be able to forget him. Bittersweet memories threatened to kill her buzz.

She raised her head and found that a crowd had gathered around her. Apparently, she hadn’t lost her skill on the pole. A stripper glared up at her and tapped her clear heel, clearly annoyed that she stole the show. Well, she would finish her fucking performance. She forced herself to move to the beat even though her heart wasn’t in it. Her hands shook as she slid down the pole. Men crowded close, but no one dared touch. For the moment, she was still a fantasy, but when she stopped moving, she was up for grabs.

She surveyed her options as she leaned back against the pole and continued to move. The heat coming off the stripper made her smile. Her gaze moved over the men, but no one stood out. They were all the same. One man made his way forward, capturing her attention. His easy, unhurried stride was unthreatening enough that the other men let him pass. Marcus stopped in front of her and held out a hand. Even though he wasn’t wearing a smile and looked unusually grim, her inner hellion was intrigued. He might be wearing a light gray suit and matching tie, but she knew for a fact that he was more dominant than the men standing around him in basketball jerseys or swim trunks.

Carmen took his hand and heard the grumble of the others as they dispersed to find action elsewhere. Dirty thoughts traipsed through her mind as she met Marcus’s hooded green gaze.

“Hey,” she said.

“Hey, yourself. I wasn’t expecting to find you dancing on a pole.”

“I’m full of surprises,” she purred and wrapped her arms around him. “What are you doing here?”

“I bumped into Alice.”

That explained his appearance. “Lucky me.”

This was her opportunity to question him about his weird connection to Gavin, but right now, she didn’t give a shit. She was feeling restless and needy, and Marcus offered himself as sacrifice, and she would take advantage. She was a bit shaky from dancing, so she leaned into him. He took her weight and moved them to an empty space against the wall.

“Are you all right?”

“Uh-huh.” His silk suit felt great beneath her tingling palms. She burrowed against him and felt him stiffen a moment before she discovered his bulge. She looked up and found him staring at her intently. She couldn’t stop the delighted grin that broke across her face.

“How long were you watching me?” she murmured as she ran her hands over his back.

He shifted against her. “Long enough.”

He was so fucking cute. She nuzzled his neck and licked. His hands bit into her hips. “Do you have a stripper fantasy, Marcus?”

A hand skated over her ass cheek. “Now I do.”

“It’s your lucky night, Marcus,” she panted against his ear and felt him shudder. “The stripper’s easy.”

“How drunk are you?” he growled.

“Why don’t you find out,” she whispered and kissed him. She swept her tongue into his mouth and dug her nails into his back as the dark taste of him combined with a hint of lime hit her starved senses. She moaned into his mouth and drank deep—classy sin. She didn’t care about the crowd. All she cared about was making Marcus feel a modicum of the desperation that consumed her. She wanted him as he’d been the other night—stripped of all civilization and unwilling to take no for an answer.

He pulled back. “Carmen.”

She kissed his cheek. “You woke me up, Marcus, and now I need. How much do you want me?”

When she tried to kiss him again, he tried to avoid her mouth as his eyes moved around the room. She surveyed her prim businessman with giddy anticipation. Marcus liked control. That much was obvious. His image was very important to him, which made him the perfect challenge. Like any man, she didn’t care for anything that came easy. She liked the chase, and she respected a man who didn’t bend easily to her will. The other night, she got a taste of what lay beneath his smooth professionalism, and she wanted more. She wanted to bait the beast he kept under such rigid control. This was the perfect setting for her seduction.

She kissed the curve of his jaw as she loosened his tie and undid the top buttons of his shirt so she could reach his neck.

“Carmen, let’s get out of here. I have a suite ...” He trailed off as she sucked on his pulse. “Carmen.”

“Watch the stripper, Marcus,” she breathed against his pulse.

“You should give her lessons. She doesn’t hold a candle to you.”

She smiled and nipped his neck. He jumped and gripped her hip.

“What are you doing?” he growled.

She leaned back to survey her hickey. “I’m having fun.”

“We can have fun elsewhere.”

She leaned against him to keep him in place and slipped her hand into his jacket. He opened his mouth but stiffened when she rubbed her hand over his nipple. She kissed the corner of his mouth. “Let me, Marcus.” The muscle in his jaw flexed, and she laved it with her tongue.

“Let you what?” he growled.

“Let me pay you back for the other night.”

“You don’t owe me anything.”

Her hand moved from his chest, down his rock-hard abs, and past his belt to his dick. He tensed, but he didn’t push her away. She traced his length and watched his face and enjoyed the shudder he tried to suppress. She leaned into him while she teased him through the material. She was pleased to see that he was now one hundred percent focused on what she was doing to him.

“I’ve always had a thing for a man who knows how to dress,” she said as her hand left his dick and traveled along his zipper. Her fingers trailed up and down, up and down. A muscle twitched near his eye. “I like the way you dress, the way you smell, the way you taste …”

When she leaned toward him, he turned his head, but she went for his neck and her hickey. She would make it big as fuck. He’d be wearing her mark for a couple of days. He shifted, rubbing his erection against her. She obliged and sent her hand back to his junk and gripped harder this time. He dropped his face into her hair and let out a heartfelt groan.

She moved from his neck to his ear and nipped. “How’d you know doggy’s my favorite position?” She cupped his face and brushed teasing kisses over his smooth skin. “Can you give me what I need?”

He pierced her with lusty green eyes. “What do you want, Carmen?”

She leaned close, so their lips brushed as she said, “I want you mindless.”

His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed. “Why?”

“I want the real you.”

“This is the real me?”

“There’s more.” She was sure of it, and the best way to uncover who he really was by calling out his inner caveman. “How much do you want me?”

His lips firmed, and he didn’t answer. She was ready for him, but he still had a modicum of control. It was time to break him. She placed her hands on his chest and ran them slowly down his body as she dropped to her knees. His eyes bulged. He glanced at those around them, but when she ran her hands along the inside of his thighs, his eyes came back to her.

Carmen kept eye contact as she nuzzled his erection through his slacks. She traced his cock with her tongue, leaving a damp trail in her wake. She found the head of his cock and kept eye contact as she gripped it between her lips, which was quite a feat since his slacks were stretched to the breaking point. His eyes went blind with need, and she knew she had him.

Even as he reached for her, she was already rising. He opened his mouth, and she slipped her pointer and middle finger into his mouth. He grabbed her wrist to hold her hand still as he sucked on her finger, tongue swirling between both digits. Her body felt as if it was going up in flames.

Marcus pulled her hand from his mouth and clasped it in his before he pulled her through the crowd. He charged down a hallway and tried both master suites, which were occupied. The bathroom had a line, and she was beginning to feel feverish. She needed him now. Marcus seemed to be feeling the same because he opened a random door and they were greeted with the sight of an unused laundry room complete with a marble island to fold clothes and two sets of stainless steel washers and dryers.

“There’s no lock on the door,” Marcus snapped.

“Who cares?” She grabbed handfuls of his jacket. “Fuck me.”

He glared at her. Desire warred with reason.

She cupped his face. “Marcus.” Her voice was harsh with need.

He picked her up and placed her on the marble table. The icy surface under her ass made her hiss in surprise. He tossed the middle panel of her dress to one side and paused to look at the damp lace between her thighs.

“You’re a dangerous woman,” he said as he slipped two fingers past her underwear. She braced her hands on the table and tossed her head back as his fingers stretched her and then curled. “You’re soaked.”

“I told you,” she panted, “I need you.”

Marcus withdrew his fingers and dropped. His head went between her legs, and she spread wide. She moaned when she felt the first swipe of his tongue. She was too hungry and needy to play coy. She mashed his face against her pussy and rocked her hips against his mouth. When his tongue slipped inside her, she dropped her head back as pleasure wiped her mind clean.

Someone in the hallway cheered. Marcus didn’t pause. He was too far gone, and so was she. There was only a door between their hookup and one hundred guests, and she didn’t fucking care. All that mattered was that he kept doing that with his tongue. She shuddered and grabbed a handful of his hair as ecstasy nipped at her.

Marcus raised his head, and she screamed, “No!”

“I’m not going to last,” he bit out as he undid his buckle and slacks. He pulled his cock out of his boxers and yanked her to the edge of the table. He pressed the head of his cock to her entrance, and she held her breath. She wasn’t prepared when he grabbed her by the throat and yanked her forward so they were nose to nose. His face was drawn with lust, and his hot breath fanned her face. She went for his mouth, but he held her in place.

“Have you been with anyone since me?” he growled.

She couldn’t think past the lust. “What?”

His hand flexed on her throat while the other slid his dick up and down her slit. She moaned and tried to take him, but his grip on her throat kept her at his mercy.

“Have you fucked anyone since me?” he said against her mouth.

“No. Now fuck me!”

His hand disappeared from her throat, and then he was sinking into her, stretching her deliciously. She grasped handfuls of his shirt as he pressed his forehead against hers and panted as he sheathed himself to the hilt. They stared at one another in the dim light as the party carried on mere feet away.

“Would you have given me a blowjob in front of everyone?”

“You’ll never know, will you,” she whispered.

“You make me crazy,” he said as he dropped his head onto her shoulder.

“That’s how I want you.”

“How do you want me to fuck you?” he whispered in her ear.

“Surprise me.”

He raised his head. She had a split second to see his grin before he shoved her on her back on the table. Before she knew what was happening, he climbed on with her. He knelt, spread her legs, and dragged her ass along his hard thighs until he slid inside her. His hands spanned her waist and controlled her involuntary jerk as he impaled her. She couldn’t hold back a loud groan as the position caused him to rub against her G-spot. She tried to grab onto something, but nothing but the cold marble was beneath her hands.

“Holy shit. Marcus, I—”

He gripped her hips and began to move her on him. Hard, grinding thrusts that made her kick and jerk. She was flat on her back with her legs splayed wide on either side of him. The contrast of cold marble beneath her bare back, the soft material of his slacks under her ass, and the heel of his hand which landed on top of her pussy and began to apply pressure made her crazy. She tried to lever her ass up so she could hit the right spot and bring it home, but he wasn’t allowing it. He was toying with her, controlling her.

“Marcus, I swear I’m going to—” she began hoarsely, but a hard thrust made her clamp her mouth shut.

He hit that spot again, and she screamed. The door opened, and she closed her eyes against the flood of bright light.

“Holy fuck!”

Marcus hauled her up to straddle his lap. “Get the fuck out and close the door.”

Carmen was too far gone to care about their audience. She wrapped her arms around him and kept riding him, so lost in her high that nothing would stop her.

“I’ll pay to watch,” the voice tried to bargain.

“Get out.”

“Fuck,” the man grumbled before the door closed, and they were once again locked in semi-darkness.

“I’m going to bring it home,” she said and launched herself at him so he tipped backward. She didn’t pause to savor the sight of Marcus Fletcher splayed out beneath her, hair a mess, clothes in disarray. She was too hungry. She braced her hands on his chest and began to move. She tipped her head back as she rode him, seeking her pleasure.

He yanked her down so her hands were braced on either side of his head. He latched onto her breast through the thin material and bit. She cupped the back of his head, holding him to her as she fucked him. He bucked beneath her, going deeper than she believed possible. She swiveled her hips and had the pleasure of watching his eyes roll and then flutter shut.

“I-I can’t,” he said through clenched teeth.

He didn’t have to because she was already there. She pumped her hips, impaling herself on him and moaned as she fell headlong into one of the most intense orgasms she ever experienced. His groan echoed in the small space. He gripped her ass and rocked her on him, and she hissed through her teeth.

“You’re going to kill me,” he puffed.

She laughed weakly as she slumped on top of him. “You’re a wonderful man, Marcus Fletcher.”

Her body was one throbbing mess, but she didn’t care. If anyone walked in, they’d have no doubt what they’d been doing, but they were both fully clothed, which made the whole encounter that much more titillating.

All worries faded into the ether. Those dark emotions clawing at her throat, threatening to drag her under, were banished for the moment. She basked in the glow. Her body ached from the pounding she took, but it was worth it.

Someone hit the door, making them both jolt, but the door didn’t open. Raucous, drunken laughter slipped through the door as the assholes continued down the hallway.

“We better get out of here,” Marcus said.

She rolled off him. He slipped off the table and ran his hands through his disheveled hair. He made an attempt to look presentable and turned to her.

“All right?” he asked.

Carmen gave him a lazy smile. “Fabulous.”

He grinned as he dragged her across the table and made her stand. He straightened her clothes.

“How did you end up at this party?” he asked.

“Cormac got me in.”

“Cormac?”

“Cormac Hart.”

Marcus’s brows rose. “The UFC Lightweight Champion?”

“Of course.”

“Of course,” he echoed and cupped her chin. “You good?”

“Now I am.”

He fingered her hair. “I like the red. It suits you.”

The door opened, and a man with a woman under each arm entered. He scanned them while the women giggled uncontrollably.

“Dude,” he drawled and bobbed his brows.

Marcus grasped her hand and tugged her out of the room. She leaned into him as he navigated through the mayhem. It wasn’t until she saw the familiar double doors guarded by security that she realized he intended to leave.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“You’re done for the night.”

“I’m not.”

“Yeah, you are.” When she tried to dig in her heels, he wrapped an arm around her waist and propelled her past the security guards. “What have you had to drink?”

“Champagne … and a shot of Patrón, but I have a high alcohol tolerance,” she said with a shrug and added, “And I sweat out most of it when I dance.”

“Of course, you’re drunk on champagne.”

“Who said I’m drunk?”

“I do,” he said and pulled her into the elevator.

Her head was pleasantly fuzzy, so she leaned into him. He pulled her under his arm and kissed her temple.

“You smell amazing,” he said.

“So do you.” She yawned and nuzzled his neck. “Like classy sin.”

“Classy sin,” he repeated and shook his head. “Whatever you say, babe. I’m glad I didn’t find you wrapped around some loser this time.”

The champagne prompted her to admit, “I was going to bang someone, but he ruined the moment with a lame pickup line.”

“How bad was it?”

“He asked if I worked at Subway because I gave him a footlong.”

Marcus grinned. “Accurate, but poorly put, hmm?”

He led her through the casino. A man screaming his head off roused her from her walking slumber. At first, she thought the man was in a fight but then realized he hit the jackpot. She craned her neck to get a look at his machine, but Marcus directed her in another direction.

“Hey!”

“Tonight’s not a good night,” he said and shrugged back his sleeve to look at his watch. “I’m late, and I have to change.”

“Don’t let me hold you up,” she said and tried to get away, but Marcus didn’t release her.

“You’re going home where I don’t have to worry about you.” He marched her outside and towed her toward a waiting taxi.

“I brought my car. I’m not drunk, Marcus!”

“You can barely keep your eyes open.”

“I’m tired.”

He settled her in the back of the taxi. When she tried to go out the other end, he stopped her with a grip on her thigh and cupped her cheek.

“I don’t have time tonight. I’m late for my meeting.”

He kissed her, and she forgot to struggle. Her hand fisted in his shirt. He pulled back, searched her face, and then kissed her twice more.

“You know where to find me,” he said and slammed the door in her dazed face.

He gave her address to the cabbie and strode back into the casino. Carmen slumped against the seat and closed her eyes as exhaustion pulled her under. Her demons were quiet for the moment. She wasn’t sure what to think of Marcus’s highhandedness, but she couldn’t find it in herself to be truly angry. He sated her inner demon. He would be dynamite if she ever got him in bed.

She must have fallen asleep because the cabbie had to yell to wake her up. He told her Marcus slipped him money. When did that happen? She stumbled to the house and realized she was blitzed because she couldn’t walk a straight line. She knocked on the door for Mom to open, but the house remained dark and silent. Odd. She unearthed the key from a flowerpot. It took every ounce of concentration she possessed to unlock the door. She could feel herself losing her battle with consciousness as she trudged upstairs. She fell face first into bed and moaned. She was drifting off to sleep when it occurred to her that Marcus shouldn’t know her home address.