Sweet As Sin

Beth plucked the drink menu from the center of the low table in front of them and when the waitress came over to the table, she ordered a round of shots for them all. In just a couple of minutes, the cocktail waitress returned and placed a shot glass containing some kind of purple liquid in front of each of them.

Alex looked at the shots with a frown, and considered passing on what looked like little more than liquid candy, but then he shrugged. Who was he to turn down a round of shots with a trio of gorgeous women? So, raising his glass with them, he downed the shot.

His swallow was followed by a grimace. The thing was sweet, pure grape-flavored sugar, and he shuddered and felt his stomach try to revolt against it. To temper the sweetness, he took a mouthful of bourbon. The heat pleasantly covered the purple haze, and he sipped again for good measure. He leaned back with his glass and easily slung his arm over the back of the couch, above Maria, just inches away from what he believed must be the smoothest skin he’d ever desired to touch. He just hoped that he looked more casual than he felt.

She smiled and moved in closer to him, close enough to press her thigh against his, and he stiffened in response to her nearness.

“Don’t think I don’t know what you’re doing,” she said.

Alex shrugged. “What do you think I’m doing?”

“You’re seducing my friends with bottle service so they’ll stay close and then you can keep your eyes on me.”

Maria was good.

“And let me guess, you’ve already called Rafa and told him I’m here, and you promised to watch out for me, right?”

She was really good. He hadn’t called Raf yet, not wanting to interrupt his night with Jessica, but he’d honestly thought about it.

Alex said nothing but sipped his bourbon again. He could feel the alcohol start to warm him pleasantly from the inside. At least he hoped it was the alcohol, and not Maria’s effect on his anatomy.

The waitress approached. “Another round, ladies?”

Alex withdrew his black charge card and passed it to her. “This’ll cover it. And get the women whatever they want.”

The waitress took Alex’s card while the three of them tried to decide which $1,000 bottle of champagne they wanted. He laughed and leaned in, telling them they should probably order one of each. They wholeheartedly agreed.

“You’re going to regret that decision,” Maria said to him with a laugh. “You don’t know the damage this group can do when we have girls’ night out.”

Alex shrugged and smiled. He’d spent more money on way more frivolous items. It wasn’t an issue for him. He might have come from humble beginnings, but he and The Brotherhood had made themselves each quite a small fortune. He had the money, and knowing that his future was secured, he liked to spend it. Their eyes widened as the waitress brought the first bottle of champagne. He remembered being young, just out of grad school, MBA in hand and broke as a joke.

Maria and her friends were nice girls—women, he reminded himself. He knew that they worked hard together at the community center, and they deserved to be treated. Sure, Alex would be down a little cash, but a black-card-funded night in a VIP booth at a hot club probably wasn’t an everyday occurrence for them. He wanted the women to enjoy themselves, no matter what the cost. And maybe Maria had been right—as long as her friends were in his VIP booth, he knew that she wasn’t going anywhere. “Just have fun,” he told them, and remembering Gabe’s words earlier that evening, he smiled. “Get into a little bit of trouble.”

CHAPTER TWO

AN HOUR AND copious amounts of champagne later, Alex still sat back in the booth and watched the three women dance together, rubbing their bodies against one another like girlfriends did, turning their backs on and completely shutting down every guy who tried to interject himself—not that Alex would have let it happen either way. No more greasy dudes would be putting their hands on Maria, or any of them.

With a chuckle, he remembered seeing her almost break that one asshole’s wrist. Maria obviously wasn’t the helpless young woman he’d believed her to be. She was strong and tough and most definitely knew how to hold her own.

Alex toyed briefly with the idea of leaving. Maria would be fine. But there was something else that kept him in his seat. He was perfectly content to watch Maria as she put her arms over her head and swiveled her hips seductively. He wasn’t strong enough to ignore her, and he focused his gaze on her sexy movements, the way she flipped her long hair and closed her eyes, as though the music traveled throughout her body and she felt the notes on an erotic level. His posture stiffened on the leather couch as he watched her, and interest stirred his dick. The rest of the club fell away, and he saw only her, as her hips swayed and she pushed her palms down her front to her thighs as she bent over slightly, not-so-subtly pushing her ass in his direction. He added twerking to Maria’s list of talents.

His heart battered the inside of his rib cage, and he swallowed roughly. His dick stood at full attention as he watched his best friend’s sister move seductively in the middle of the dance floor. With her back to him, she looked over her shoulder, and her eyes connected with his. As if she could read his mind, her lips quirked upward into a sly smile, and she winked. And she soon broke off from the group and walked over to him, her steps even and confident and in time with the beat of the music as she somehow balanced on her precarious stiletto heels. Maria leaned over him, resting her forearms on his shoulders, her red lips just inches from his. Alex tried not to look down the gap of loose material at the front of her shirt. He was unsuccessful, and he couldn’t help but get an eyeful of her smooth round breasts underneath her shirt. His hands clenched into fists, fighting the urge to reach up and cup them in his hands.

“Hey, my eyes are up here,” she admonished.

His eyes snapped back to hers. “So they are.”

Her fingers pushed into his hair, tickling the back of his neck. “You know, if you’re going to be my shadow all night, you might as well come dance with me.”

“I don’t think so.” Alex shook his head, but it was a jerky movement as he struggled with control. “I thought you were mad at me.”

“Come on,” she pleaded. “I’m having too much fun to be mad. And you can make it up to me by dancing with me. You owe me a dance, you know.”

“How so?”

“I was dancing with a guy when you so rudely interrupted. You should take his place.”

“I think I did you a favor. That guy was a loser.”

“How do you know that?”

“Because he walked away from you without a fight.”

Her eyes widened. “Would you have fought for me?”

Alex answered without hesitation. “There’s no question.” She smiled down at him, and their eyes met. “Okay, fine. Just one dance.”

She grasped his wrist with both hands, and he allowed her to pull him up and drag him toward the dancers. They didn’t join her friends, but instead found a dark corner on the dance floor. The music vibrated through the crowd, and all the bodies on the dance floor pressed together, bringing them closer, pushing Maria against him. Gabe’s parting remarks had been about finding some trouble. But Alex hadn’t counted on this. He was already in too deep, and he knew it.

Maria turned to face him. She rotated her hips and raised her arms above her head, swaying in time to the music. He didn’t know how Maria, who’d always been a “good girl,” had learned to move that way. His body tensed, and he tried to fight his physical reaction to her.

Her eyes never left his, drawing him in so that the rest of the club disappeared. And even though Alex knew it was wrong, his libido was now in firm control. He couldn’t pull himself away, couldn’t stop himself, and he pressed closer. It was just him and Maria. She turned around, facing away from him, and bumped her ass against his groin. A shock traveled throughout him, and she did it again. Unconsciously, he dropped a hand to her hip and held her in place as she danced, continuing to grind her ass against his dick, and there was no way she missed the fact that he was rock hard. Perhaps it was the alcohol, the driving beat, the lights, the crowd, that had lowered his inhibitions and debilitated his common sense. But she was a beautiful woman, and she was warm, and he wanted her. There was no denying that.

Without thinking—his brain hadn’t even entered the equation, and he was moving on primal instinct—his hand moved around her front and flattened against her stomach below her belly button. His groin was in control, and even though he knew he should stop, he didn’t. He knew what he wanted. And whether it was wrong or not, what he wanted was Maria Martinez.

He pulled her close, so that her back pressed into his chest and she made contact with his hard dick. Maria turned in his arms to face him, so his hand rested high on the curve of that deliciously round ass. Looking down at her, he was reminded that he was dancing with, had his hands on, was holding close, his best friend’s sister. Maria. But as much as he knew that he should push away from her, he didn’t want to. And instead of being smart, he pulled her closer. In her dangerously high heels, the top of her head only came up to his nose. He inhaled, pulling in the light, airy scent of her perfume, and he closed his eyes and savored it.

Why didn’t he know she smelled so amazing?

Who was he kidding—Alex had known exactly how amazing she smelled. He’d known for years. Only now would he let himself accept it. While his eyes were closed, she wedged his thigh between both of hers, straddling it, sliding herself up and down, her hips moving to the beat of the sultry music. Her touch was so damn hot, he had to look down to make sure she wasn’t singeing a hole right through his pants.

Already sentenced to hell for what he was doing, Alex said a silent prayer and grasped Maria’s waist, small in his hands, and instead of pushing her away, he used his hold on her to swivel her body, rotating her hips, so that she ground against him more fully. Her lips parted, and he could see the heavy rise and fall of her chest. She was turned on just as much as he was. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled closer, almost lifting herself off the dance floor, putting her mouth near his ear. Over the music he heard a small gasp that escaped her lips as he thrust his thigh against her. It was all so wrong. He knew he was violating the guy code—no sisters! But he couldn’t bring himself to push Maria away. Goddammit, he wanted to hear that sigh again. He thrust his leg again, against the unmistakable heat of her pussy, rubbing her where he knew she needed it. The sigh became a moan. And her lips found the side of his neck, kissing his pulse point, which he knew was racing. He kept going. The muscles of his thigh continued to rub against her. He kept pace until her heavy breath stilled and her thigh muscles clenched around his. She threw her head back and exhaled roughly as small tremors still coursed throughout her body. He refused to take his eyes away from her as she came.

And then the reality of what he was doing struck him. He froze in spot as he regained his senses. Maria smiled up at him, and she winked, clearly more relaxed than he was. His heart beat even faster as a deep sense of shame settled over him. He was with Maria. And he’d made her come on a crowded dance floor.

Alex’s eyes dropped to Maria’s mouth, her full lips, that damned cupid’s bow that she’d covered in red lipstick, looked so delicious, and he wanted a taste. They stopped dancing, isolated in their dark corner, isolated from the rest of the dance floor, oblivious to everyone, everything. Both of them were breathing heavily, and with each breath she took, her full breasts brushed his chest. The air between them crackled with electricity, and he knew he had to push away from her before he burned himself, or her.

“Maria,” he whispered. He reached out and swiped his thumb over her lips. The lipstick somehow didn’t smudge. Her lips parted, and she drew his thumb into her mouth. She sucked him, stroked him with her tongue. The air rushed from Alex’s chest, and his knees almost buckled. He closed his eyes and let himself feel her and wonder what it would be like to be fully surrounded with her heat. “Fuck, Maria,” he muttered. He needed to get away, but there was no way he could part from her. He was trapped on the crowded dance floor. Frozen in place; needing to get out of there, but completely helpless to her. Alex had been with his share of women, but he’d never been so enraptured by one, and he knew he was in trouble.

Maria hummed around his thumb, the vibration waved throughout him, and he couldn’t handle it anymore. He pulled his digit from her mouth and before he could change his mind, he quickly replaced it with his lips. He took her bottom lip between his teeth and nibbled lightly until her lips parted, all the invitation he needed for his tongue to find hers, stroking against it. Tasting her. She was sweeter than anything he’d ever tasted, and he gripped her hips tightly, his fingertips digging in before they moved around to cup her ass in his palms.

It was wrong, but goddammit, he didn’t care. He owed Rafael more than to be making out with his sister on a dance floor. But still he briefly toyed with how easily he could get Maria out of the club and back to his place.

No! He couldn’t do that. A moment of clarity flashed behind his eyes, and he realized what he’d just done. The lustful fog that had muddied his brain cleared, and no matter how much he wanted to go further with her, Alex knew he had to end it. He released Maria, letting her fall softly, so that she was standing on her own. She looked stunned. But he didn’t look at the hurt in her eyes; instead, he took out his phone and messaged the car service that he and The Brotherhood kept on retainer for when they needed it. He ordered a town car to come pick up the women, and he looked at Maria. “I just called a car. Get your friends. You’re going home.”

CHAPTER THREE

“DID YOU HAVE fun last night?” Rafael asked, his tone casual and innocent, as they took their seats next to each other at their table at Thalia, one of The Brotherhood’s restaurants, but Maria knew from experience that the conversation was beginning to exhibit all the earmarks of an interrogation.

The waiter slid in her chair, and Maria sat back and watched her brother. He wasn’t the only one with an impassive poker face. Controlling her features, playing it cool, she wondered if he’d found out about the dance that she’d shared with Alex that brought her over the edge. She knew that there was no way Alex would have told him what had gone down between them. However, it wasn’t impossible that someone else at the club may have seen them. Did he know that Alex had kissed her? Or anything else? “What do you mean?” she asked.

“Mr. Martinez,” the waiter thankfully interrupted them. “The rest of the party will be along soon.”

“Thanks, Nick,” Rafael said. They were waiting for the rest of The Brotherhood. Rafael had convinced her to join him in their monthly dinners. “I meant exactly what I said. How was your night out with your friends?”

She shrugged. “It was fine,” she told him, trying to keep her expression neutral. “Actually, Alex was there, and just so you know, he took the role of bodyguard very seriously.”

“Oh really?” Rafael seemed surprised. “I saw him this morning, and he didn’t mention seeing you. I’ve no doubt he took good care of you.”

A wave of heat flushed throughout her, and she knew exactly how well Alex had “taken care of” her. She still remembered the way his lips felt on hers, how his tongue had stroked hers. He’d made her come, for God’s sake. She’d never experienced anything quite like the wanton need she’d had for Alex. She had a wild streak, but she’d never had a guy get her off on a dance floor. And she wanted more like it. More Alex.

“What time did you get home last night?”

“Early enough, Mom,” she assured him, even though she’d regretted the late hour when she’d woken up tired and hungover that morning. Working with the children at the community center had exhausted her and, with a pounding head, had been a challenge until lunchtime, when her hangover had finally subsided. But she wouldn’t tell Rafael that. Not a chance. “I had fun. And despite having him loom over my shoulder, it was really nice hanging out with Alex again.”

“I know you think I’m overbearing sometimes—”

“All the time. You have to learn to trust me.”

“Maria, I do trust you. It’s men I don’t trust.” When Maria rolled her eyes, he continued. “I worry about you. You don’t know what it’s like out there.”

“I’ve traveled around the world, in some pretty dangerous areas. I think I can handle Las Vegas Boulevard.” Maria scoffed. “And as a woman, I think I may have a better idea than you do what men are like and what it’s like for us out there.”

“I’m not going to win this argument, am I?”

“Do you ever?”

“No,” he said with a laugh. “Fine.” He raised his hands in surrender. “How is the new apartment?”

“I love it! Beth’s a great roommate.” Since she’d returned from her last mission in Haiti, getting her own place and moving out of her parents’ house had been a priority. But with only her meager salary at the community center, as the rent became due each month, her savings had started to dwindle. She loved working at the center, but needed a better job, so she could continue paying her bills.

“It’s not in a good neighborhood, you know.”

“It’s fine,” Maria insisted. “It’s close to the center, and Beth and I carpool. You know there have been hardly any home invasions or carjackings since I moved in.”

Rafael rolled his eyes and smiled, knowing that Maria was making fun. “Okay, I’ll drop it.”

“Thank you. I’m grateful that you want to look after me, but you’ve got to let me go, you know. I have to live my own life.”

“I know. But you’ll always be my little sister. And I will always look out for you, ready to destroy anyone who messes with you.”

She smiled. Maria loved her brother, even though he was frustrating and overbearing. “I appreciate that.”

Their conversation was thankfully cut short when they were joined at the table by Brett and Rebecca. Then Jessica, Rafael’s fiancée and mayor of Las Vegas, showed up, and Maria smiled watching her brother’s face light up when she came into the room. Gabe and Alana, arrived next.

Alex came shortly after, apologizing for being late. Her breath halted in her throat as Alex took his place at the table across from her, at the only empty seat, barely looking at her. She watched him as he studied his menu—she couldn’t get her fill. He was so incredibly sexy in his tailored black pants and white shirt, unbuttoned at his throat and the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, so she could see the black and gray tattoos that swirled over his forearms. Her throat dried, and she drank some wine to quench it.

“So, guys,” Gabe started, looking in Alex and Alana’s direction. “I’m eager to know all about this ‘secret project’ you guys are working on.”

Alex and Alana made eye contact, and they both grinned. “Why do you want to know?” Alex asked.

“As your lawyer and business partner, it might be good for me to know if you’re planning on doing anything that might lead to an indictment.”

“Well, it isn’t exactly a secret project.” Alex’s voice lowered, and the rest of the table leaned in to listen. “But we’re trying to keep it under wraps. At least for a while. The Brotherhood is getting into the hotel business.”

“Really? What brought that on? The rooms at Di Terrestres aren’t enough anymore?” Rebecca asked of the exclusive, erotic club the group owned.

“After the recent exposure given to Di Terrestres when that tape of Rafael and Jessica leaked, membership applications have tripled.”

Rafael rolled his eyes. “Glad we could help,” he said, wrapping his arm around Jessica’s shoulders and pulling her closer. Their “help” had come in the form of a sex tape that had leaked of them in Rafael’s private suite. The club where they’d been secretly recorded belonged to the entire group and allowed their high-end clientele to explore their desires in a safe, discreet environment. They’d thought that the leak would spell doom for the club, but instead, it had had the opposite effect. It had garnered a ton of interest and been more profitable than they could have imagined.

Alana laughed. “We don’t have the capacity to accept everyone, even after the extreme vetting process we have. So we’re expanding. A couple of weeks ago, Alex and I brainstormed over a whiteboard and a bottle of whiskey. And we came up with Hedo.”

“Hedo?” Gabe asked.

“We want to take the erotically charged theme of the club and create a full-service hotel. The first adults-only playground in Las Vegas, right here on the Strip. Hedo will be a place where our guests can indulge in their fantasies. Each floor will have a distinct theme, and people can choose, depending on what they like. Unlike Di Terrestres, people won’t have to be members. Anyone can come and partake. It’ll draw people from all over the world, looking for some good, safe debauchery. You know, what they come to expect from the City of Sin. We’re thinking hip, but seductive, sexy overtones. Something completely new to Las Vegas. Like a luxurious adult playground. Only the finest offerings, the most beautiful people, luxurious, handpicked tapestries and decor, the hottest DJs, everything that one would come to expect from a nightclub experience before they head up to their rooms.”

Gabe nodded, a smile turning his lips upward. “I like it. Why all the secrecy?”

“You know nothing gets done in this city without everyone hearing about it. Alana and I want to keep it on the down-low for as long as possible. In case anyone else gets a similar idea. We’ve even got a property picked out to buy and develop.” He leaned in closer, and lowered his voice, not wanting anyone else to hear the next part of their plan. “And that’s just the first step in our plan to buy up, redevelop and revitalize the north end of the Strip.”

“Lofty goals.” Rafael nodded. “I’m on board. This is big.”

“We’re on track for The Brotherhood to be the next big name on the Strip. If we all focus on this one goal in the next several years, we can be bigger, better, richer than anyone who’s ever had a piece of Las Vegas Boulevard. We’re going to make everyone at this table a lot of money.”

“Put me down for some of that.” Gabe chuckled and extended his glass in cheers. “Let me know if you need anything.”

Maria couldn’t help but stare at Alex as he dived into talking about their new project. His passion and fire for his new hotel was infectious, and it spread around the table. She leaned closer. There was nothing sexier to her than a passionate man who could hold a group in the palm of his hand.

“And you should see the designs we came up with,” Alana said. “Hedo’s going to be amazing. Kind of a throwback to the hedonism of ancient Greece, and in keeping with the themes of our other businesses.”

“Clothing optional,” Alex added, cocking an eyebrow. “It’s going to be large, but intimate. Very sexy. Especially since the increase we’ve seen in membership at Di Terrestres, we need more space and more services.” He smiled at Rafael and Jessica. “And again, you guys, we can’t thank you enough.”

Rafael and Jessica shared a wry look, but they both laughed. While Maria had felt bad for Rafael and Jessica, having their privacy invaded by a local reporter, it had been refreshing seeing her older brother as something other than the serious and infallible golden child.

“But speaking about that,” Rafael said, turning to Gabe. “I’m going to need that blind trust set up again. With the Senate run coming up, I need to be kept as clean as possible, which means not associating with you known degenerates.”