“Carmen?”

Someone prodded her shoulder.

“Carmen Marie, it’s your mother.”

She rolled over and stared blearily at Mom. She wasn’t sure why her mom felt it was necessary to reiterate her title. She knew very well who she was. “Hello, Mother.”

“I have a cha-cha class in an hour. Want to come?”

Her temples throbbed, but one look at her mom’s hopeful expression, and she caved. “Sure.”

“Great!”

Her mother bustled out of the room, leaving Carmen to roll out of bed and stand in the shower until she woke up. She found tangerine heels and a matching dress she hadn’t worn in years with sassy fringe on the hem. She put on a chunky turquoise necklace and couldn’t decide between three rings, so she put them all on. She posed for Vinny and gave him a kiss and an, “I love you,” before she met her mom in the kitchen.

“I love your hair,” Mom said.

“Thanks!” She fluffed her hair. “I feel much better now.”

“Where’s your car?”

“I took a cab home. Can you drive me to the hotel after?”

“Sure. Did you have fun last night?”

“Yes. I went out with Shonda and a bunch of other people. I felt a little old dancing with twenty-somethings, but it’s all good.”

She snatched two bananas and a water bottle as she followed her mother out to the car. Her mother handed her the car keys, which she accepted without comment. Putting the old Toyota in gear filled her with nostalgia.

“You doing good, Mama?” Carmen asked as she ate her banana and drove.

“Of course.”

Her mother’s friends bullied her into participating in so many classes and clubs that her mother was barely home. She appeared to be happy, but Carmen wanted to make sure.

“Do you need money?” she asked as she pulled into a Starbucks drive-through.

Mom patted her knee. “No, thanks, honey.”

“Are you sure?”

“I have what I need.”

“You’d tell me if you didn’t, right?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, what do you want to drink?”

By the time they entered the dance class, Carmen was ready to cha-cha her ass off. She was the youngest person in the class, but that didn’t bother her in the least. She hugged and kissed her mother’s friends and was bathed in their heavy perfume. Everyone was friendly and welcoming. There were only a handful of men in the class. They made a big show of kissing her hand and making jokes like, “If I was forty years younger, baby, you’d have to make a run for it.”

Carmen was glad to see that she hadn’t overdressed. The room was a colorful mix of dresses, heels, and scarves. These women were dressed to impress. The instructors started the class with a walking step, which was torturously slow, but she passed the time by getting to know her rascal dance partner, Marv, a widower with two sons and a daughter in college. The class started to get more interesting when the instructors added side steps and rock steps. The pace picked up, and her brow became slick with sweat. Holy cow, no wonder her mom looked forty. Geez. She really needed to get back into her stripper workout classes. This cha-cha class was kicking her ass.

After the class, they went to a restaurant within walking distance. Carmen became the topic of conversation as the women offered their advice on love, loss, marriage, and tips to find an eligible man. Most of the women offered their own sons. She politely declined and said that she was happily single and independent. This started several heated discussions about whether it was better to be alone or with a man. She had to distract them with a platter of desserts and decaf coffee. In the middle of the commotion, her cell rang.

“Hey, Alice, what’s up?”

“Do you want to help with an animal adoption?” Alice sounded a bit breathless.

“Sure. When is it?”

“Next week. I contacted the shelters, and they’re overloaded, so I had to move up the event a lot earlier than I expected. We’re doing the adoption at Cimarron Elementary next Saturday at eight. I’m having a meeting here at five today if you can make it. We can do dinner after.”

“Okay, I’ll be there.” Carmen looked at the group of elderly people. Maybe some of them needed a furry companion?

“I tried to call Lyla, but she didn’t pick up. Can you check with her?”

“No problem.”

“Thank you so much. See you in a couple of hours!”

She snatched the bill from their pregnant server before anyone noticed and gave her credit card before she announced at large, “There’s going to be an animal adoption at Cimarron Elementary next Saturday. It starts at eight. Do any of your grandkids want a pet?”

She answered their questions to the best of her ability as the server asked her to sign the receipt. She added a large tip for the server who, despite being exhausted, had been kind and patient with the inquisitive, indecisive elders. Her new friends were shocked, and a bit outraged when they discovered she paid the bill.

“You can repay me by bringing someone to the animal adoption next Saturday,” Carmen said.

“You’re a good girl. Isabel raised you right,” a woman said and patted her on the cheek.

It took over fifteen minutes to say goodbye to her new friends. She linked her arm through her mother’s and was about to duck into the car when the server hurried out of the restaurant.

“I think you made a mistake! Did you add an extra zero to the tip by accident?”

Carmen put on her sunglasses. “No, I didn’t. Are you having a boy or a girl?”

“I’m having one of each. But this tip is—”

“Buy the twins something from me,” Carmen said as she slipped behind the wheel.

“What’s your name?”

“Carmen Pyre.”

“Pyre? As in Pyre Casinos? You’re related to Gavin Pyre?”

Carmen resisted the urge to grimace. “Through marriage.”

“I heard the Pyres have been doing great things in the community,” the server said. “It’s a shame what happened at the hospital last week.”

“It is.” The hospital attack had slipped her mind since it had been eclipsed by later events. “If you want the twins to have a furry friend, there’s going to be an animal adoption on Saturday at Cimarron Elementary. You should come. It’ll be fun.”

“Thank you so much. You don’t know how much I needed this!”

“You’re welcome. Take care of yourself,” she said before she ducked into the car and started the engine.

“That was nice of you, honey,” Mom said, taking her hand.

“It’s the least I could do. What am I going to do with all my money?”

Her mother shuddered. “I don’t even want to know how much money Vinny left you.”

“He left me a bundle,” Carmen said with a shrug, “and I have investments of my own.”

“Are you sure you’re my child?” she asked, shaking her head.

“Of course, I am! How dare you?” Carmen asked in mock outrage and couldn’t resist singing, “I wanna be a billionaire so fucking baaaaad.”

“Carmen Marie!”

She laughed and tried to accelerate, but the old Toyota wasn’t cooperating. “Mom, we have to get you a new car.”

“No, we don’t. I don’t need to get everywhere in a hurry like you.”

“Still, this isn’t safe. What if your car breaks down somewhere? You know what you’d look cute in? A Lamborghini!”

Mom laughed. She grilled her mother all the way to the casino about what car she would like and what color. Pulling answers out of her modest and conservative mother was like trying to grill a guilty person about a crime. Her mother didn’t want anything and didn’t believe she should have more than what she had. Carmen didn’t believe in that shit. Her mother raised her, which meant she should have the best.

Carmen pulled up to the front entrance of Pyre Casino and kissed her mother on the cheek. “Thanks for inviting me to class. That was great.”

“You liked my friends?”

“They’re awesome.”

“What did you think of Marv?”

Carmen grinned. “He’s an old rascal.”

Her mother looked affronted. “Don’t say old, Carmen.”

“Fine. He’s mature and funny.”

“That’s better. What are you going to do today?”

“I’m gonna head to Lyla’s, and then I have dinner plans with Alice here later. Don’t wait up for me.”

She handed the valet her ticket and looked around for a familiar face even though the chances of running into Marcus were slim to none. She would be lying to herself if she didn’t admit that she had been hoping to run into him last night during their bar hopping. While she was still curious about his background and motives, she found herself more intent on discovering if he tasted as good as she remembered or if her adrenaline high made him taste better than any man she’d sampled since Vinny. She was almost disappointed when her car pulled up.

On the way to Lyla’s house, she called Shonda, who didn’t mention the club shooting at all and instead regaled her with tales of their exploits and extracted a promise that they would go out again soon. She agreed and asked if Shonda would put up a flyer in the salon for the animal adoption event as she pulled up to the Pyre fortress. When Carmen stopped in front of the house, she was met by Blade who guarded the front steps, arms crossed, expression grim.

“Hey, Daddy!” she called and was delighted by the sudden silence in the front drive as all conversation ground to a halt.

A muscle clenched in his cheek. “Don’t call me that.”

She baited the beast by going on tiptoe and giving him a loud smack on the cheek. “You know you like it,” she whispered before she moseyed inside.

Blade was too serious by half. Her father had been more bark than bite, and she suspected Blade was as well. She paused for a moment, listening for voices before she headed upstairs to Nora’s nursery. She burst into the nursery and came to a dead stop. Gavin and Lyla were caught in a lip-lock that was seconds away from being rated R. Seeing Nora’s parents getting it on within feet of their daughter made her feel a little better about hooking up with Marcus. Apparently, the nursery gave off some kind of sex pheromone that got people in the mood.

Gavin lifted his head and glared at her over Lyla’s shoulder. “What do you want?”

Lyla shoved him away and turned. “Oh my God! I love your hair!”

“I was due for a change.” She gave Gavin a steely smile. “What do you think of my hair, Gavin?”

“I don’t give a shit.”

Clearly, Gavin wasn’t happy that she interrupted, but she didn’t care. She approached the crib and looked down at Nora, who was fast asleep. She had to clasp her hands together so she wouldn’t grab the baby and smother her with kisses.

“I missed her.” She loved Nora before she was born, but the latest turn of events bonded her even more to the baby. Shit, between her, Lyla, and Gavin, Nora would never need a crib to lie in if she didn’t want to. They would gladly hold her all she wanted.

“Where have you been?” Lyla asked.

“And why didn’t you stay there?” Gavin asked rudely.

“Don’t get your panties in a twist. I’m just visiting.”

“You’re always welcome,” Lyla said and shot Gavin a warning look. “Ignore him. He’s insatiable at the moment.”

She held up both hands. “Oh, my God! Are you guys trying for another baby? Because if you are, I’ll leave.”

“No,” Lyla said and glared at her husband.

“You want our kids to be close together, don’t you?” Gavin asked.

Lyla’s eyes flared. “We never talked about having more kids.”

“We haven’t had a chance. I think we should have a couple.”

Lyla waved her hands as if she was clearing away smoke. “I don’t want to talk about this right now.” She turned her back on him. “Carmen, you’re dressed fancy.”

“I just came from cha-cha with Mom.”

Gavin left the room with an irritated growl. The moment he left, Lyla sat in the rocking chair and moaned with her hands over her face.

“What’s wrong?” Carmen asked.

“I don’t know how Gavin gets over stuff so quickly,” Lyla said in a muffled voice. “Once he’s done with something, he’s done. I’m still trying to process that Steven Vega is the man who haunted me all these years, and Gavin is talking about kids.” She dropped her hands. “Between Gavin, my mom, and Nora, I can’t even think about having more kids.”

“You don’t have to decide right now.”

“I know he’s going to bother me about it tonight. Once he latches onto something, he doesn’t stop until he gets it. He’s such a bullheaded ass.”

Carmen had to resist the urge to do a dance. She would be ecstatic if Lyla got pregnant again. She could already imagine a little boy with his father’s grumpy disposition. She would make sure to do her godmother duties and embarrass the hell out of Gavin Jr.

“How’s your mom?” Carmen asked.

“I haven’t been to see her yet. I’ve been catching up on sleep, but the hospital says she’s stable. She’s in and out of consciousness. Her memory is cloudy.”

“Hopefully, it stays that way.” It would be a blessing if Aunt Beatrice’s mind erased the horrors of being gang raped and tortured.

“Yes.” Lyla twisted her hands together. “She’s going to be in the hospital for a while. After she gets out, I’ll ask her if she wants to live with us, but I have a feeling she won’t want to.”

“Why not?”

“She told the nurses she doesn’t want to see me.”

“What?”

Yes, Aunt Beatrice went through a trauma, but cutting herself off from her daughter wasn’t going to help matters. When she lost Vinny, she clung to her family for all she was worth. She couldn’t understand Aunt Beatrice wanting to be alone.

“Do you want me to go down there and talk to her?” Carmen asked.

“No, I’m going back tomorrow. If she’s up to seeing people, I’ll let you know.”

“Alice asked if I wanted to help with the animal adoption next Saturday. I said I’m down. We’re having dinner at the casino tonight. She said she couldn’t get in touch with you?”

“Gavin.” Lyla rolled her eyes. “Now that he’s out of the underworld, he doesn’t want any distractions. He wants his four months back. It’s like he’s trying to fuse us together, but I need time to feel like a person again. My head won’t accept that it’s over yet.”

“Guys communicate through sex. It’s his way of reassuring himself that you’re both alive.”

“How do you know?”

“Because I think like a man,” Carmen said with a shrug. “And it’s what I’d do if Vinny was alive.” On second thought, it was what she’d done with Marcus. It took every ounce of control she possessed not to turn her head and look at the spot where they’d done the deed. Her fingertips tingled just remembering his hand collaring her throat.

“I don’t think I can help with Alice’s event. I’m too …” Lyla wrung her hands.

“It’s fine. You can’t do everything, and there will be other events. Other than your mom, how are you doing?”

Lyla stared at her with eyes that revealed her conflicted, rocky emotional state. “I don’t know.”

Carmen wrapped her arms around her. “You did what you had to, Lyla. You did good.”

“Carmen, I killed my dad,” Lyla whispered.

“If I killed him, would you hate me?”

Lyla considered her for a long moment. “No.”

“It was either Nora or him.”

Although Lyla’s expression hardened, she still said, “It’s not that easy.”

No, it wasn’t. No amount of logic could erase the bonds of blood. “You’ll get past it. Are you breastfeeding again?”

When they returned home after their near-death experience, Lyla had some harebrained idea that her breast milk was contaminated. Carmen was sure that a psychologist would have an explanation as to why Lyla was convinced that breastfeeding would turn Nora into a sociopath. The fact that Lyla was afraid of infecting Nora was proof that she wasn’t psychotic. Carmen witnessed Lyla shut down completely, like a soldier who did what had to be done—no emotion or second-guessing, just action.

“Gavin made me breastfeed.” Lyla crossed her arms over her chest. “Then he got turned on, which is why we were …” She waved to the spot in front of the crib where Carmen caught them making out. “Did you know men are turned on by breastfeeding?”

Carmen considered. “I’ve never thought about it, but it makes sense. I mean, they like to suck on boobs anyway. I guess if they do it when you’re lactating, they get something extra. I can see how they’d—”

Lyla held up a hand. “I don’t want to know.”

They left the nursery and started downstairs.

“It’s weird without you here,” Lyla said.

“Well, your husband needs to fucked regularly, and I need to get a life.”

“What do you mean, get a life?”

“I’ve been taking care of Mom, and then I moved in with you. I’m thinking about traveling, helping Alice, partying my ass off, going back to my stripper workouts … and I want to get a kickass hobby. What do you think it should be?”

Lyla gave her a wan smile. “I have no idea, but I know it’s gonna be nuts.”

As they passed Gavin’s office, she saw Angel sitting across from his cousin in a slick black-on-black suit that made her stop in her tracks. Fuck. She’d hoped he didn’t own a suit. She was a sucker for a well-dressed man. He looked as comfortable in his current ensemble as he’d been in jeans.

The cousins looked nothing alike. They were both tall, but while Gavin bulged with muscles, Angel was lean. If Gavin didn’t tailor his suits, they would look ridiculous on him. Instead, he looked like a buff, dangerous god. No amount of prettying up could disguise Gavin’s intensity. Angel lacked Gavin’s aggressive energy. That could be a problem for him. The dogs in the underworld wouldn’t be able to resist testing him even though he was a Roman. She should know. Vinny’s relationship with Gavin didn’t keep him alive.

As if they sensed her regard, Gavin and Angel turned their heads. She shook her head. They didn’t look alike, but their hot factor was definitely off the charts. They oozed testosterone, had arrogance to spare, and were definitely all male. They rose from their seats and started toward them. Her thumb began to throb, the same one he’d sucked on last night. She tucked her thumb safely away and tried to shrug off the sexual vibes emanating from him.

“Carmen,” Angel said with a smile.

The asshole she talked to on the phone was gone, and Mr. Smooth was back in place.

“Angel,” she acknowledged coolly.

Lyla glanced at them, and then her eyes got big. “Oh, my God.”

Gavin glared at Carmen. “No.”

“You keep saying that like it’s gonna make a difference,” she said.

Angel chuckled and pulled his ringing phone from his pocket. He glanced at the screen and held the phone up as he answered. “Hey, Luci.”

Angel turned the phone toward them, and Carmen saw an exotic woman staring back. She had a perfect oval face with an olive complexion, sea green eyes, and shiny brown hair. Jade chandelier earrings highlighted her good looks and instantly captured Carmen’s attention.

“Did you kill him?” the woman asked in a no-nonsense New York accent.

“Yes,” Gavin answered.

“How’d you do it?” Luci asked brusquely.

Gavin clasped his hands behind his back and reported, “Lyla stabbed him in the back and tried to dismember him using a shield. I ran him through with eight swords, and then he was beheaded.”

The woman gave Gavin a Miss America smile and then bounced excitedly. “So it’s done. Can I come?”

“Not yet, princess,” Angel said before Gavin could answer.

Sea green eyes narrowed dangerously. “Why not? That fucker’s dead, so what’s the problem?”

Carmen grinned. Whoever this woman was, she wasn’t intimidated by Gavin or Angel and had spunk. Luci was her new best friend; she just didn’t know it yet.

“We’re transitioning. It isn’t safe yet,” Angel said.

Luci glared. “Gavin?”

“Sorry, Luci, not yet.”

Gavin’s voice was noticeably gentler when he spoke to Luci, which piqued her interest even more. The only woman Gavin toned it down for was Lyla.

The woman waved her hands imperiously. “I don’t want to talk to either of you. Where’s your wife and baby?”

Angel angled the phone toward her and Lyla. Luci squealed, and Angel handed his phone to her.

“Oh, you two are gorgeous! Who’s who?” Luci asked.

“I’m Lyla,” Lyla said, looking a little bewildered.

“I’m Luci!” she exclaimed with a hand pressed against her chest. “I’m Angel’s sister.”

There was a Roman sister? She had no idea. No one had ever mentioned Luci.

“Oh, hi,” Lyla said with an awkward wave.

“Where’s the baby?” Luci asked.

“She’s asleep.”

Luci curled up in a fabulous white leather chair and rested her chin on her fist. “What does she like? How old is she? What does she need? I want to send a gift!”

Gavin and Angel drifted toward the office again while Lyla and Carmen settled on the couch.

“Um, Nora doesn’t need anything right now. Having another aunt is great, though,” Lyla said.

Luci kissed the camera and then wiped her lipstick off. “I can’t wait! Ugh, I want to come so bad. Who are you, gorgeous?”

Carmen grinned. “I’m Carmen, Vinny’s wife.”

Luci’s mouth formed on O. “I’m sorry about Vinny, honey. I know what it’s like to lose someone you love. It’s the worst pain in the world. You never really get over it.”

Luci’s sincerity radiated through the phone and made her nose sting with tears, but she forced a smile and said, “Thank you.”

“I can’t wait to meet you two! I need to be around women. It’s been my brothers and me for so long. I can’t believe Angel left me here with Raul. I mean, Raul’s fine and all, but all he does is work. Angel was my lifeline. I don’t know when Raul will tell Roque that Angel took over Las Vegas. Roque is gonna be pissed, but, hey”—Luci shrugged—“Angel wants to make his own way, and it’s perfect since Gavin wants out. That’s his right.” Luci beamed at Lyla. “Gavin is so gone for you. I never thought he’d get out of the game, but family is more important. Besides, you and Gavin need to give me more cousins. We’re supposed to have big families. We need the next generation to take over, you know? Besides, it sounds like the fuckers in the underworld need a new flavor of crime lord, yes? Angel loves fucking with people. He’ll do well there, I’m sure.”

Luci was clearly confident about Angel’s ability to take over the underworld. Even as they stared at her, something cold and calculating replaced her friendly warmth.

“I heard what happened to Uncle Manny. Everyone involved will pay,” she said simply. “You don’t fuck with our family.”

Lyla looked awed by Luci’s unapologetic creed. Maybe Luci was exactly what Lyla needed to help her come to terms with her bloody deeds. Speaking to another woman who had grown up in the underworld and adopted the same cutthroat principles as her brothers was breathtaking to behold.

“You know, Luci,” Carmen said. “I think we’re going to be best friends.”

The ruthlessness vanished, and once again, Luci’s face flooded with warmth. “I know, right? I haven’t seen Gavin in years, and when he showed up and told us he was married with a baby, I was like, ‘we need to reconnect with our family outside of New York.’” Luci looked hopefully at them. “Sounds like I can’t come there, but maybe you two can visit me here!”

“I’ll come,” Carmen said promptly.

“You will?” Luci was clearly thrilled. “When?”

Lyla clamped a hand on her thigh and squeezed. Apparently, Lyla wasn’t ready for her to be on the other side of the continent.

“Maybe in a couple of months. I’ll keep you posted,” Carmen said smoothly and squeezed Lyla’s hand. Of course, she wouldn’t leave when her cousin needed her.

Luci looked a little disappointed, but she nodded. “Yes, keep me posted. It’s probably for the best since it hasn’t even been a week since Angel left, and things are a bit out of sorts here.”

“Where did you get your earrings?” Carmen asked.

“Oh! You like them?” Luci did a close up of the gorgeous, glowing jade. “I made them.”

“What?”

“I’m a jewelry designer. I take on clients every now and then and make custom pieces. I spend most of my time sketching.”

“They’re beautiful,” Lyla said.

“I can make anything! What’s your favorite stone? Do you want a ring, earrings or necklace—?”

An incoming call interrupted the video. Angel materialized behind the couch and snatched the phone from Carmen.

“Luci, you’ll have to chat with them later,” Angel said.

“Give them my number and call me tonight, asshole!” Luci snapped.

“Will do,” Angel said indulgently and answered the call before he ambled away.

Carmen looked at Lyla. “Well, that was interesting.”

Lyla nodded. “For sure.”

“You should talk to her about”—Carmen waved her hands—“your stuff. Sounds like she’s been there, done that.”

“Yes.” Lyla stared fixedly at the glass coffee table. “She called us family.”

“Well, she is your family. She’s first cousins with Gavin.”

She blew out a breath. “It would be nice to have more family, especially after …”

After Lyla was forced to kill her own father and her mother was on the skids? Yes, family was important. It was time to rebuild after years of terror and death. “Yes. I’m gonna head out, okay?”

“Okay. Tell Alice and Janice I said hi and give my apologies for not being able to help with this event.”

Carmen rose and kissed Lyla’s temple. “It’ll get better, babe. See ya. Call me if you need me.”

“Okay,” Lyla said softly.

Beau jumped on the sofa, interrupting Lyla’s solemn contemplation. He licked her face, making her sputter and laugh. Carmen walked out of the house and saw her car parked beside a black Lamborghini Aventador. She paused to admire the sweet ride and heard the front door slam. Angel sauntered down the front steps with his hands in pockets.

“Yours?” she asked.

“For the moment. I’m trying it on for size. Nice Ferrari. I should have known you would have a gold car.”

Angel lifted the door, and she got a whiff of that new car smell that anyone who gave a shit about cars craved. She liked luxurious things and fast cars. Put those things together and she was close to orgasmic. It was surprising she hadn’t married a race car driver. She attended the Formula 1 race every year since she was a kid.

“I got a place on Grove Crest Lane. You want to see it?” Angel asked.

“Grove Crest?” It was an exclusive community where the most affordable homes were in the twenty-million-dollar range. Her interest was piqued. “Sure.”

Angel gestured at the Lamborghini. “Want a ride?”

She hesitated for a second before she shook her head. “No, I’m good. I’ll follow you.”

“Suit yourself.” He climbed into the car and revved the engine.

Carmen slipped into the Ferrari and raised her brows as he roared past. “Oh, no, you don’t.”

She put her car in gear and chased after him. When they reached the deserted highway that led back to the city, she cruised beside him on the opposite lane before she cut in front. Angel didn’t like that and tried to overtake her, but she didn’t give him an opening. When a truck approached, Angel was forced to fall into place behind her, which made her laugh maniacally. She loved winning, fast cars, traveling, and so much more. How could she have forgotten how much fun it was to play?

Once they reached the city, she allowed Angel to lead the way to the exclusive community. He pulled up to a gated property and punched in the code. They drove up the drive and parked in front of a lavish house. Palm trees offered shade and privacy around the property. The mansion was a two-story monstrosity with a cascade of water on either side of the front door.

“This place is ridiculous,” she said.

Angel grinned as he unlocked the front door. “I know. It’s Las Vegas at its finest.”

The house had a European flair mixed with gaudy Las Vegas. The shiny marble floor was cream colored. Elaborate chandeliers hung above their heads while candelabras and mirrors reflected the light. Marble columns gave the place an elegant, stately feel.

“Oh, my God,” she said, voice echoing in the massive foyer.

A curved double staircase led to the second story. She walked beneath the staircases into a massive living room. The main feature was an eight-foot water wall that splashed gently into a pool and trickled into a larger outdoor one.

“How big is this place?” she asked.

“Six bedrooms, eleven baths.”

“Decadent,” she said as she peeked into the rooms decorated with luxurious furniture and custom chandeliers.

“It’ll do,” Angel said.

“Are you planning to host pool parties while handling the underworld?”

He slanted her an amused look. “I always make time to play. I never had the chance to have anything this massive in New York, so I wanted to take advantage.”

“No kidding?”

“It has a movie theater, gym, elevator … you get the drift.”

She nodded and then turned to face him. “Did Regal show up at his husband’s house?”

“Yes.”

“And?”

“And he understands that his services are no longer needed.” He cocked his head to the side. “Do you always jump into situations like that?”

“I wasn’t in danger.”

“The assistant could have turned on you.”

“I would’ve handled him.” Angel gave her a skeptical look that made her inwardly bristle. “My dad was an enforcer. He taught me how to fight dirty and shoot a gun. Also, I’ve been training with Blade for months.”

“It still could’ve gone wrong.”

“But it didn’t. You should be thanking me.”

Angel slipped his hands into his pockets, which made him appear proper and boyish, an appealing mix she wasn’t falling for.

“What did you think of my sister?” he asked.

The abrupt change in topic was odd, but she went with it. “I love her.”

“I thought you might.”

“I’m going to visit her.”

He didn’t look surprised. “She’d be over the moon to have company. I’ll have to warn Raul before you visit.”

The other Roman brother, the one that handled the legitimate side of the Roman empire. Vinny had mentioned him in the past. “Warn him? Why?”

“Dealing with Luci is almost more than he can handle. If he has both of you, he’s going to need reinforcements. Besides, I have a feeling Luci’s going to try to convince you to move to New York. She’s always trying to befriend …” He paused and shrugged. “Hired help.”

She mulled over that telling pause for a few seconds before she arched a brow. “Hired help? Does that include prostitutes?”

Angel grinned but otherwise ignored her question. “Raul prefers to deal with figures and paperwork. He won’t know what to do with the two of you.”

“I don’t need a babysitter. Why doesn’t she have friends? She’s obviously friendly.”

“It’s safer for her not to have much contact with the outside world. We have too many enemies.”

Now she really wanted to see Luci. God, it sounded like the poor girl had been locked up for years. “That sucks. I’ll make an effort to call her.”

“She’d like that.”

Angel Roman might be an undercover ruthless asshole, but his love for his sister was genuine. She didn’t like the spear of warmth that spread through her chest. She turned away and toured the massive kitchen he would never cook in and the stately library filled with books he would never read. The house, like so many things about him, didn’t add up. It was an expensive prop to intimidate, attract, and manipulate.

She and Angel were chameleons. They used their pretty exteriors to get what they wanted and took great pains to conceal dark insides that had the ravenous cravings of a junkie. She hid her intelligence while he concealed his ruthlessness by portraying an amused, controlled façade.

She turned and found Angel leaning against the wall, watching her.

“Dinner?”

He threw that out there so casually, but her inner devil jumped up and down and clapped her hands in excitement. The look in his eyes promised it would be a night to remember. The silence stretched. Her toes curled, and she resisted the urge to shift restlessly. He was doing it deliberately, using his magnetism to reel her in and make silent promises with those dreamy blue eyes. It would be easy to accept the invitation and see where the night took her, but …

“I’m meeting someone tonight.” Alice needed her, and the animals at the shelter needed homes.

One eyebrow rose. “Another night on The Strip with your friends?”

“I have a meeting,” she said and couldn’t stop herself from running a hand through her hair. Dark temptation urged her to forget the animal adoption and indulge in some dark fantasies.

“A meeting.”

His tone implied that she was lying. She narrowed her eyes. “There’s a meeting to discuss an animal adoption event being put on by the Pyre Foundation next Saturday. I’m helping.” She made a show of looking around the huge room and pointed at a spot in front of the window. “That would be a great spot for a scratching post.”

Angel blinked. “A scratching post for what?”

“A cat, silly. A cat would really add to the crime lord thing too. When you invite people over, you can answer the door with it in your arms. No one would suspect how evil you are.”

He coughed. “Uh, I’m not a cat person.”

“A dog then.”

“I’m not an animal person.”

“What kind of person are you?”

“A busy one.”

She sighed theatrically. “Fine.”

Angel shook his head. “You’re something else.”

She put a hand on her hip and posed. “I know. You can’t handle this.”

His eyes moved over her. “Vinny was a lucky bastard.”

Her husband’s name was as effective as a slap in the face. One moment, she was enjoying the sexual tension and banter, and the next, guilt had her by the throat. Suddenly, the colors in the room seemed less bright, and her lightheartedness drained away.

“Oh, fuck.” Angel was suddenly in front of her. “I’m sorry.”

She dropped her face to hide the pain twisting her features into something ugly and uncomfortable to witness.

“I’m sorry,” he said again.

Anger came to her rescue. She slammed her hands on his chest and shoved. He hissed through his teeth as he rocked back. His hand trembled as it hovered over his chest, face screwed up in pain. Only then did she remember his wounds from Hell.

“Oh my gosh! I forgot,” she said and reached for him only to stop several inches shy of his body. “What do I do?”

He gave her a pained smile. “Not hit me again. I know I deserve it, but …” He took a deep breath and fisted both hands at his sides.

“Did you go to the doctor?”

“Yeah, I’ll live.”

“You have pain medication?”

“I can handle it.”

She wrapped her arms around herself. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“Yeah, you did,” he said easily. “But I deserved it.”

She tried to compose herself. She couldn’t break down every time someone mentioned Vinny’s name.

“I’m sorry,” Angel said again.

“Don’t worry about it.”

“Let me make it up to you. Dinner. I swear, I won’t fuck you unless you beg me.”

She stared at him. “What?”

“We’ll do whatever gets you off. Toys? Audience? Dirty talk.” He grimaced as he glanced down at his chest. “You definitely need to be bound. Fuck. That was a damn good hit. You weren’t holding back either.”

“I don’t pull punches for anyone.”

“Good to know. So dinner?”

“You’re insane.”

His mouth crooked at the corner. “It distracted you.”

He was right. His talk about sex definitely distracted her from having a breakdown.

“Dinner?” he pushed.

“No.”

“I won’t fuck you.”

“No.” She headed for the door. “I have stuff to do.”

He followed. “I don’t get off on making women feel vulnerable. If I’d known, I wouldn’t have said his name.”

She tried to put a cap on her embarrassment. “I know you didn’t know.”

“We’re good?”

She nodded. “Yeah.”

He took her hand, and she jerked.

He slanted her an amused glance. “Jumpy, are you?”

She scowled. “I’m not jumpy.”

He laced their fingers together and squeezed. His hand was warm and a little calloused. She was close enough to smell his cologne. It wasn’t the same one he wore yesterday. It was darker, spicier. Did he change his scent to match his suit? The hand-holding was odd, something high schoolers did. Why was this simple gesture more effective than a kiss? She tried to stifle the warmth in her chest. She didn’t want to like him. He was the new crime lord.

“I don’t even know you,” she muttered.

“You will,” he said as he led her to her car. “We’re not going to be able to avoid one another.”

“Why would we run into each other?”

“Besides Lyla and Gavin? I get the feeling you and I have a lot in common. Vegas isn’t New York. We’ll be seeing a lot of one another. It’s inevitable.”

He opened her car door. She started to duck inside and then paused. She looked up at him. He looked refined and invincible, but she knew he was as human as Vinny had been. A memory of Vinny’s lifeless body flashed through her mind, and her heart clenched.

“You need to be careful,” she said.

“I know.”

“No.” She searched for the right words to make him understand. “Vinny thought his name was enough, that Gavin’s support was enough, but it wasn’t. You don’t know these guys. They’ll test you, try anything to kill you to make another mark against Gavin. Even though everyone knows your family, even the lowest drug dealers aren’t gonna come running if you whistle. You have to start from scratch. You need as much help as you can get.”

Angel searched her eyes. “I’m not an easy mark.”

She knew he wasn’t but … “You need a second, someone who knows the players in the underworld, someone to watch your back. Gavin had Blade. You need a beta.”

He cocked his head to the side. “Are you volunteering?”

She blinked. “Me?”

“You know the players, and you say you can fight.”

“Hell, no.”

“Why not? You obviously get off on danger.”

“Dodging bullets isn’t my idea of fun.” The memory of clutching Nora to her chest as she ran for her life chilled her even though she was standing under the warm sun.

“What’s your idea of fun?”

“Anything that doesn’t include me running for my life. Just … get a beta, okay?”

“Worried about me?”

“Yes.” They lost Vinny and Manny to the underworld. She didn’t know Angel, but she didn’t want him to be the next victim.

His amusement faded, and a taut silence fell between them. It took a concentrated effort to break their eye contact. It was easy to fold into the car since her legs were a little weak. She didn’t look at him as she buckled herself in.

“You have my number,” he said.

She nodded and turned the key in the ignition. “Right.”

“Carmen.”

She mentally braced before she looked up. “What?”

“If you change your mind or want to hear what my version of fun is, call me,” he said and closed the car door.

She watched him saunter into his house and let out a long breath as she clutched the steering wheel. That man should be locked up. She could just imagine the havoc he would wreak on the city’s female population. Having a Roman take over as crime lord was definitely an unexpected turn of events. Thankfully, she had nothing to do with that. She would keep her promise to herself and live free of the worries of the underworld and the death and heartbreak that came with it.

When she reached home, she was disappointed to find her mother was out. The house felt cold and empty. She hated it, especially when she was keyed up. Restlessness prodded her between the shoulder blades. Thank God, she had the meeting with Alice to distract her or she might have taken Angel up on his offer of dinner. Being the wife of a COO fit her personality like a glove. There was always some event to attend, a party to host or contact to schmooze. Besides that, she grew up in Las Vegas and always had a list of friends to party with, but times changed. Most of her friends had settled down and were strapped with kids while she had nothing.

She stripped off the tangerine dress and showered before she sat on the counter in her bathroom to apply makeup. She was halfway through when the need for company forced her to fetch Vinny. She set him in the corner and stood in front of the mirror, hands on her hips.

She wore a thong and nothing else. Red hair spilled over narrow shoulders and pale skin. How long had it been since she had a spray tan? She cupped her breasts and glanced at the urn.

“I know you liked them big, but I’m kinda digging these little ones. I can wear whatever I want, I don’t have to wear a bra twenty-four seven, and my back isn’t sore.”

She perused her eyeshadows and settled on a berry color. She wasn’t feeling light and playful, so her makeup and outfit would have to do the work to raise her spirits.

“I saw Lyla today. She’s struggling with the whole killing her dad thing.” She pawed through the makeup strewn over the counter. “I mean, I get it, but it was him or us, and I’m glad I’m still here.”

Her hand shook as she applied eyeliner. She paused and closed her eyes. She understood where Lyla was coming from. It was over, but it didn’t feel over. The rage and discontent were still there, along with the depression and loss she couldn’t quite shake. There was nothing she could do except push through. She took a deep breath and grabbed her makeup brush and eyeshadow palette.

“Did I tell you that I’ve been calling Blade Daddy? He really hates it.”

She talked until the grip on her lungs eased. Her determination to move on didn’t mean the grieving episodes and panic attacks would magically disappear. This was life. She had to learn how to keeping moving forward while a part of her wanted to curl up on the floor and cry.

Carmen slipped into a crimson colored halter dress with two thin straps crisscrossing over her bare back and two high slits. Now that she had small tits again, she could wear dresses like this without fear of having a nipple mishap—not that that stopped her in the past. Her berry smoky eye was perfection, and she found heels in the same shade. Fiery ringlets highlighted her kickass makeup job. Seeing pops of color definitely improved her mood. She added a bracelet with rubies in the shape of hearts and put a ring on each finger. One could never go wrong with bling. The more jewels she added, the better she felt. Her massive wedding ring didn’t fit with her ensemble. She stared at the diamond ring for a long minute before she slipped it off. She glanced at Vinny before she placed it in the black velvet box he proposed with. Her hands shook as she placed the box at the back of her jewelry chest.

“What do you think?” she asked, turning to show Vinny her ass. He was back on the dresser where she preferred him to be, watching over her. She backed it up the way he liked it before she went to him. She went up on tiptoes to give him a kiss, leaving a berry outline on the shiny metal.

“I love you,” she said as she backed away and grabbed her clutch. “Don’t let me do anything too stupid.”