****

Jeremy

“That was one hell of a speech.” The words are said to my back, but I know the owner of that voice.

“Senator Nathaniel Roberts, how nice of you to join us this evening.” I smugly turn to greet the senator.

He’s standing a few feet away from me, at the exact, same height. His eyes are shooting daggers at me. He’s lucky Coral and Liam left just moments ago, needing to get back to the hotel for LJ’s next feeding. I scan over the crowd to see Andre is schmoozing with some other business associates.

“I’m just waiting for my date to finish speaking with her agent and sister. How can I help you, Senator?” I barely pay him a glance as I look down at the time on my watch. LaTasha is in the restroom with Camille and Stacey, which means she may be in there for a while. That agent of hers can talk a mile a minute.

“Coral’s sister?” Nate’s eyebrow lifts high.

I shrug not without saying a word.

“Don’t think I forgot what you did,” he says low enough so passersby don’t hear him.

“What I did? What exactly was that?” I know what he’s referring to, but I want him to say it.

“Don’t play dumb. Setting up my woman with that cousin of yours.”

At that I scoff. “Nate, you know damn well Coral was never yours.”

“I was working on it,” he shoots back.

“No. You were losing. You were always going to lose that battle for two reasons.” I pause and wait for him to ask.

“What might those two reasons be?”

“One, Coral has always belonged to Liam. That’s a fact of life whether they were together or not, they would’ve made their way back to one another with or without my help. And two,” I say, moving closer to him. “Coral could never give you what you need. You know it and I do too.”

His eyes narrow on me. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You know damn well what it means. Coral’s nobody’s sub. You could try to suppress it all you want, but you need someone who’ll submit to you. It’s your nature to be a Dom the same way it’s in me.” I continue to stare him down the same way he glares at me. Senator Nathaniel Roberts may be the all-American, articulate, well-groomed guy from the picture perfect family, but behind closed doors, he’s anything but. We both have been in this life for a long time. He’s even deeper in than I am.

“Hey, Nate, what are you doing here? Don’t you have some business in D.C. to tend to?” Camille sounds off behind me, alerting us of the women’s arrival.

I step back at the same time Nate does as well, his face morphing into a friendlier one as he sets his sights behind me. “I just wanted to congratulate the woman of the evening and my favorite cousin.” He steps around me to press a kiss to Camille’s cheek before grabbing LaTasha’s hand and pressing his lips to it. “A pleasure, Ms. Jones and congratulations,” he says, calling LaTasha by her pen name. “And you must be Stacey,” he greets. “Your sister speaks highly of you.”

Stacey’s brows crinkle in confusion, looking toward LaTasha.

Tasha quickly shakes her head.

“Oh! You mean, Coral.” Stacey concludes. “How do you know my sister, Senator?”

“We served together,” he answers swiftly.

LaTasha looks to me, knowingly. I had a feeling she knew about Nate and Coral’s little fling.

“Camille, I didn’t know Senator Roberts was your cousin,” LaTasha states.

“Ugh…” Camille waves her hand dismissively. “I try to keep it under wraps. Do you know how many women would hound me if they knew I was related to this man? They would drive me crazy trying to get hooked up. No, thank you!” Camille teases and we laugh.

“We’ll have to discuss how you’ve been cock blocking a brother later, cousin. Right now, I have a ride to catch to our nation’s capital. Ladies, it was a pleasure. Bennett,” he says my name with a tinge of scorn in his voice, resulting in my cocky grin.

I know he’s still pissed because he thinks I came between him and Coral. But the truth is the truth. She was never his to begin with, and it would have never worked between them. Neither one of them was what the other needed.

“I’m going to go grab my husband and head back to the hotel. Celebratory brunch tomorrow, right?” Stacey asks, looking at LaTasha and me.

“Eleven o’clock sharp,” I confirm.

“Great. I’m so proud of you! Congratulations again,” Stacey gushes and pulls LaTasha into a hug before sauntering off.

“What was that about?” LaTasha asks once Camille and Stacey depart.

“What was what about?” I play dumb.

LaTasha stops short in front of me, folding her arms causing her breasts to poke out even more. I grin, licking my bottom lip, imagining the taste of her soft skin. “Jeremy, the senator… He seemed mad at you for some reason.”

“Nothing important,” I say, reaching out a finger to caress the silky skin on her neck and chest. “I can think of about a hundred other things I’d like to do with you besides talk about Nate Roberts.”

“Only a hundred?” The way she bats her long lashes at me causes stiffening in my groin area.

“You’re in so much damn trouble tonight,” I growl, pulling her close to my side to make our way out to the waiting vehicle. I’ve got plans that will not be denied tonight.