Carmen cracked open one eye and surveyed her bare surroundings for a full minute before she remembered where she was. She was with Marcus in her future house. She stretched beneath the sheets and found that she was alone in bed. She padded into the amazing bathroom and gave the bathtub a longing glance before she stepped into the shower big enough for four people.

Her mind was cloudy from sex and sleep, but she felt better than she had in days. Sex had always been her drug of choice. She liked sex with food, sex with alcohol, sex with costumes … She wasn’t picky. Sex made her feel alive, wanted, powerful, sensual. Marcus was doing a damn good job of keeping her topped up.

She stepped out of the shower and felt no qualms about going through Marcus’s closet to find something to wear. She settled on a thin white tee with a small V neck. It was soft and rode high on her thighs. Her stomach rumbled as she made her way to the kitchen. She turned on the lights and fell in love all over again. The house wasn’t too big or too small; it was just right. Everything was strategically placed and tailor-made for her. This was her house; she just needed to convince Marcus of that.

She heard the rumble of his voice coming from the office. She went into the garage to fetch her phone from his car. She had three missed phone calls from her mom, one from Lyla, and one from an unknown number. She dialed her mom as she walked into the house.

“Carmen, are you all right?” Mom asked quickly.

“Yes. Sorry, I forgot to call. Mickey and Frederick are with me,” she said as she peeked through the curtains. They sat in their SUV, staring straight ahead. When and where did they pee?

“Where are you?”

She hesitated only a second before she said, “I’m at Marcus’s house.”

“Marcus Fletcher?”

That managed to surprise her mother.

“Yes. He heard about my trouble and offered to let me stay at his place.”

“You’re going to live with Marcus?” Mom sounded stunned.

“He doesn’t live here. He lives in the casino, and I’m going to buy it from him.”

“I didn’t know you two were so close. This is great news.”

“It is?”

“You sound happy, and that makes me happy. Are you coming home tonight?”

Mom sounded supremely unconcerned now.

“I don’t know. I’ll keep you posted.”

“Okay. Tell Marcus I said hi.”

“I will,” she said.

“Carmen?”

“Yeah?”

“I always liked him,” Mom said.

“I know you have.”

“Okay, baby. Have fun.”

Carmen hung up, shaking her head. She had seen Mom and Marcus talking at several get-togethers. He was a natural charmer, and her mother wasn’t immune to him. She listened to her voicemail as she headed toward the kitchen. It was the volunteer from the event. The terrified pit bull hadn’t been adopted.

She paced around the living room. Gavin put her things in storage before selling the house she shared with Vinny. She had no idea what was in the storage unit since she never had the balls to go through it, but now that she had a house to decorate, she was eager to comb through her old belongings. She could imagine several pieces that would be perfect here.

“Hey.”

Marcus gave her a sweet kiss while one hand slipped under her shirt and cupped her ass.

“You had a good nap?” he asked.

“Yes, I did.” She took in his workout shorts and white tee, which was identical to the one she wore. “This must be the longest you’ve ever been away from work.”

He chuckled and gave her ass a squeeze before he let her go. “I come here maybe once every two weeks.”

“How long have you had this house?”

“Almost two years.”

“And you don’t have a dining table or something to sit on?”

“All I need is a desk and bed. Everything else is unnecessary.”

“Spoken like a true workaholic.”

“And proud of it. I can make us sandwiches or call for takeout.”

“A sandwich is fine.” It sounded amazing, actually. She was starving.

She leaned against the counter and watched Marcus pull out the fixings for sandwiches. He poured pretzels into a bowl and slid them across the counter to her. Amused, she took one and munched.

“Since you’re my new landlord, I guess I should run this by you,” she hedged.

He glanced at her as he arranged bread on a cutting board. “You’re not going to pay me rent, so you can’t call me your landlord.”

“What am I supposed to call you?”

“A friend.”

Friend. She silently tested the word and liked it. “Okay, friend, I want to get a dog.”

Marcus carefully smeared mayo on bread. “A dog?”

“There was this dog at the event today. No one will adopt her. She’s a wreck. She needs a second chance, and I want to give it to her.”

Marcus carefully placed thin slices of turkey on top of the bread. “What breed?”

She crossed her arms. “What kind of dog do you think I’d pick?”

“A Pomeranian?”

She smacked his arm. “Seriously?”

“It’s not?”

“No, she’s a pit bull.”

He shook his head. “If the dog has been abused—”

“Beau was abused, but he’s one of the best things that happened to Lyla. Even Gavin loves him. Besides, you can’t judge from the outside, and everyone deserves a second chance.” Like me, she thought.

“I should’ve known you’d choose a breed no one would imagine you with. Always doing the unexpected.”

He spent an inordinate amount of time choosing the right pickles. She had to admit, the sandwich he was building looked delicious.

“Is that a yes?”

“You can do whatever you want,” Marcus said as he slapped a slice of provolone on top of a stack of turkey.

“You’ll let me take over your house? What if I end up staying here longer than a month or two?”

Marcus slid her sandwich over and took a bite of his own. “Fine with me.”

“What about when you want to get away from the hotels and need somewhere to go?”

“Then I’ll come here.”

“What if our sex turns to shit before Gavin and Angel kill all the Black Vipers?”

“We’ll still be friends, and you can still live here.”

“What if I annoy the hell out of you?”

He grinned. “I’m sure I can handle it.

“You’re right. It’s more likely you’ll annoy me.”

He frowned. “Why would I annoy you?”

She examined his sandwich, which was commercial worthy. “You’re too perfect.”

“I’m far from perfect.”

“I have yet to see your bad. It’s fucking annoying.”

He laughed. “Trust me, I have a lot of bad traits.”

“Well, let’s hear it.”

“I’m competitive.”

She frowned. “You think that’s a bad trait?”

“It is when you’re as obsessive about it as I am. I want to be the best in every aspect, especially business.”

“You need to be competitive to be successful in business. That doesn’t count.”

“I’m hyper focused.”

“Not impressed.”

“I’m selfish.”

“There’s no proof of that. You go out of your way for everyone, and you’re offering to let me stay at your house.”

“I don’t want anything to distract me from work, which is why I’m not in a relationship,” he said.

“Okay …” she drawled. “That’s a little selfish but not surprising. You’ve been carrying the load for a long time, so I’m not surprised you haven’t had time for a relationship. Come on, what else?”

“Gavin says I’m never satisfied. I’m obsessed with improving everything.”

She fake yawned. “Also not a bad trait. Seriously, you have no idea what a bad trait is.”

“Okay, what are your bad traits?”

She blew out a breath. “Where do I start? I’m impulsive, manic, have a hair trigger temper, I love things that glitter and shine, I love presents, and I have a hard time letting go.” She sped past that last one. “I’m also high-maintenance, vain, selfish, arrogant, bitchy, bratty, lusty, and according to you, occasionally go on benders. And that’s just off the top of my head.”

“Is that all?”

She grinned at his dry tone. “I believe in embracing one’s flaws. It’s what makes me irresistible.”

“I’ll remember that when you start being bratty. What does that mean, by the way?”

“That I may throw tantrums and want to be babied when I feel like it.”

“Thanks for the heads-up,” he said as he finished off his sandwich.

Unruffled, as usual. “You aren’t concerned with what people will think about me being here?”

“No. Are you?”

“No, but you have a squeaky-clean image.”

“I’ll survive.”

She munched on pretzels between bites of her sandwich. “What if I refuse to move if you don’t sell it to me?”

He grinned. “I’m sure we’ll work it out. Besides, we have to make it work since we’ll be co-parenting.”

She froze with her sandwich an inch from her lips. “Excuse me?”

“We’re Nora’s godparents,” he said and laughed. “You should see your face.”

She made a face. “Gavin’s right. You’re annoying.”

“You like the house, and I work a lot so I’m not going to demand sex every night.”

“And if that’s what I want?” she challenged.

His voice lowered. “You have my number.”

He went to a wet bar in the dining area and made himself a gin and tonic with an efficiency that made her stare.

“You want a drink?” he asked.

“Sure. Were you a bartender in a past life?”

“Bartender, valet, bell boy, cashier … you name it, I did it.”

“What? You were a cashier? Where?”

“Target.”

She lowered her voice to a purr. “You still have the red vest and khakis?”

He stiffened and stared at her with wary eyes. She slapped the counter and waved her sandwich at him.

“You should see the look on your face,” she said gaily.

“You should warn a man before you use that voice on him.”

She fluffed her hair. “It’s my specialty.”

“Driving men crazy? Yes, it is. Every time I see you, there’s some man trying to get your attention.”

“It was worse when I had big boobs.”

He walked back to her with their drinks and paused to lean down and kiss each breast through his shirt. “I think they’re perfect.”

She tried to ignore the flash of heat he evoked as he sipped his drink and leaned against the counter. This should have felt strange—standing in Marcus’s kitchen eating sandwiches, but it felt easy, casual, as if they’d been doing this for years. How strange.

“Tell me about when you and Lyla went on the road,” he said.

“What about it?”

“Where did you go?”

“Everywhere. I’m sure we hit almost every state.”

He shook his head. “I can’t imagine you and Lyla on the road by yourselves. It must have been dangerous.”

“It can be, but we had guns, and we didn’t stay at ghetto RV parks, only the best. When we needed a break, we’d rent a place for a week or two before going back on the road. It was a good break.”

“From what?”

“Life.” She sipped her drink and thought of how young and reckless she used to be. “I used to be a fighter.”

“You still look like one to me.”

“You don’t know me,” she said quietly.

“Of course, I do.”

She frowned. “You don’t. If you really knew me, you’d run.”

Marcus raised a brow. “Try me.”

She clamped her mouth shut. She wanted to stay at the house, wanted the sex, and she liked his view of her even if it wasn’t accurate.

“You are one of the most complex women I’ve met,” Marcus said thoughtfully. “You and Lyla are thick as thieves, yet you two couldn’t be more different from one another. You’re the mastermind behind a lot of Vinny’s projects and can network even better than me, and that’s saying something. You’re gorgeous, reckless, and the best I ever had. Is there something I’m missing?”

She liked his description of her more than she should. Damn, he was good with that mouth. “I’m a killer.”

“Yes. You killed to protect yourself and Nora, and then you killed the leader of the Black Vipers because he said something about Vinny.”

It wasn’t a question, so she didn’t answer.

“Blaine went over to the dark side a long time ago. If you hadn’t pulled the trigger, someone else would have.” He cocked his head to the side. “I doubt an evil person would have donated ten thousand dollars’ worth of items to an animal adoption or want to rescue an abused pit bull.”

“I’m a wreck,” she said, determined to make him see the real her.

“You’ve been through the wringer. You have reason to be.”

“You’re making excuses for me.”

“Someone has to. You’re human. You have feelings; you make mistakes.”

“You’re trying to make me feel better.” His dismissive attitude was working wonders on her, which relieved her of the perpetual heavy weight on her shoulders. That same sense of good she felt while being with Maddie and Marv now had a new and unexpected source.

“You’re hurting. It makes people do crazy things,” he said.

She looked down to hide her reaction. She grabbed a handful of pretzels and focused on the tiny bits of salt instead of his words, but his voice was penetrating when she didn’t want it to.

“Carmen?”

“Yeah?”

“Look at me.”

She braced herself before she met his gaze.

“I don’t know what you’re searching for, and I’m not going to help you find it, but I’ll keep you company until you do.”

She blinked hastily and nodded. “Thanks.”

“No problem.”

She mentally scrambled for another topic, but he provided one when he said, “I can’t imagine living on the road. I’ve never been out of Nevada.”

She gaped. “What? How is that possible?”

“I was born and raised in Las Vegas. I started working at fifteen. I have everything I need here. Traveling was never an option.”

“You need to take a vacation ASAP,” she said and then gasped. “You’ve never seen the ocean?”

“No.”

“How can you live without seeing the ocean? It’s only a three-hour drive to the beach!”

“I’ll go one day.”

“You should go right now!”

He laughed. “One day, I will. I don’t think now’s a good time.”

“Is Gavin back at work full-time?”

“Not yet. I’ve got it handled, though.”

“Of course, you do.”

“Is that sarcasm?”

“No. I know you can handle it. You graduated at the top of your class and have a business degree.”

“Checking up on me?”

“Yes,” she admitted without shame. “I wanted to make sure.”

“Wanted to make sure I was qualified to stand in for Vinny?”

That sounded ludicrous since Marcus had done more to advance the company than Gavin or Vinny had in the past five years.

“It’s not about Vinny. I wanted to know why Gavin picked you.” She paused deliberately. “And I still want to know.”

“He picked me because of my background.”

“Because you grew up in the housing projects?”

He nodded. “I knew Emmanuel Pyre as a crime lord before I ever knew he owned casinos. I know the players in the underworld since I grew up among them.” Marcus shrugged. “I knew the only way out was an education. I got a scholarship at UNLV and was picked for an internship. I worked in low level management for a couple of years before Gavin approached me for this position. He saw my background as an asset rather than a liability. He gave me an opportunity no one would have trusted me with. I would never betray him. I owe him for everything I have.”

“It may have taken longer, but you would have made it without his help,” she said.

His eyes gleamed. “You think so?” He picked her up and placed her on the counter. He nuzzled her chest. “I can see your nipples through my shirt.”

“Want me to change into something else?”

“No,” he said lazily as he sucked her nipple through his shirt. “This is great.” He ran his hands up her thighs. “I can’t believe you would have given yourself to that boy in the club bathroom. You choose the most mediocre men who could never give you what you need.”

She gripped his hair to pull his mouth off her nipple. “It was just sex. It didn’t matter.”

“It matters. You can’t find anyone compatible if they’re not on your level to begin with, and we both know one-night stands are shit.”

“What?”

Despite her grip in his hair, he leaned forward to press a kiss to her nipple which begged to be sucked.

“Hookups take care of the itch, but it doesn’t tide you over very long, so you keep having shitty sex with people you don’t give a fuck about, and it becomes an endless cycle of crap.”

“And you have experience with this?”

“I don’t have time for relationships, which only leaves one-night stands or friends with benefits.”

“Which do you prefer?”

He looked up. “Friends with benefits.”

She considered him for a long minute. “I’m open to that.”

“Good because that’s what I can give you. I don’t have time for a relationship.”

“I’m not looking for one.” That was the last thing she needed while she was trying to put herself back together.

“Then maybe we can help each other out.” He spread her legs and stared down at her bare pussy. “You’ve been playing hell with my concentration at work.”

He leaned down and licked her. She groaned and reached up to grip the cabinets as his tongue slid through her folds. He went deep, and her head kicked back. She thought she was having a visit from God, but it was just the blinding track lights.

“Marcus,” she moaned.

He straightened. “You want me to get a condom?”

“No.”

He captured her lips as he slid inside her. He watched her, green eyes burning and bright.

“I’ve been craving you,” he husked.

“Crave away,” she panted.

His tongue slid into her mouth, and she clutched him as he overloaded her senses. When he pounded into her, she couldn’t concentrate on the kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck and held on tight. His head tipped back as he came. He slumped against her, and she took his weight.

“I’m loving this friend thing,” she said.

He let out a breathless laugh and kissed her neck. “Me too, but I have to go to work.”

They cleaned up the kitchen, and he showed her how to use the security system. She went into the bedroom with him and cleaned up while he morphed into the slick COO of Pyre Casinos. She slid beneath the covers and eyed him appreciatively.

“I’ll tell Frederick or Mickey to get you clothes for tomorrow,” Marcus said.

“You’re the best friend I’ve ever had.” She yawned.

He kissed her forehead. “You’ll stay here?”

“Yes.”

“Good. I want to know you’re safe.” His hand slipped beneath the cover and smoothed over her naked skin. “You need anything, you call me.”

“I will.”

He kissed her and left. The smell of classy sin hung in the air. She turned on her side and hugged his pillow to her chest. Everything would be okay. It would all work out. For the first time in years, she caught a glimpse of her future, and it looked promising.