Page 48 of Royal Desire

Tess turns to the front of the room and leans her back to Art’s chest. “Holy shit, that singer is amazing. Winslet is barely a blip on the map. Where do you find talent like that around here?”

Art wraps an arm around her waist and presses a kiss to the top of her head. “You’re right. It’s hard to find entertainment like this in the city. I think Payne also appreciates her by the way he was looking at her when we walked up.”

I turn to face Ruby and Blake. They’re wrapping up another song—another one I did not request—but I don’t have a chance to respond. Aria and Tess are too fast for me.

Aria’s dark eyes light up. “You’re with the singer?”

“Art told me on the way here you were single,” Tess adds.

I school my tone, so I don’t sound as irritated as I feel since I’m more transparent than I thought I was. “Your portfolios keep me so busy I have no time for a social life.”

“I would say I’m sorry about that, but I’m not. Our growing bottom lines speak for themselves. We’re not going anywhere. There’s no need to stroke egos,” Brand says.

Art shrugs. “Speak for yourself. He can stroke my ego all day long if it includes weekends like this. He started out working for me as a junior litigator and look where he is now.”

All of a sudden, Brand’s demeanor cools to the level of being arctic. “What the fuck? Art, is that who I think it is?”

Art frowns. “Who and where?”

Brand lifts his chin to the other side of the room. “By the wall. Fuck, it is him.”

Art turns to me and narrows his eyes. “Reid is your client?”

Two men are seated at a cocktail table against the wall. Ansel Reid and Harlan Vance are both from back east. Harlan was a client long before I took over. He recently referred Ansel, who has not been conservative with his money, which is the reason why he was invited. Every time we have a meeting, I’m slightly shocked at how aggressive he’s willing to be. When I mentioned it once, he said if I’m good enough for Harlan, I’m good enough for him.

“He’s new in the last year. You know him?” I ask.

“Let’s just say we know of him,” Brand mutters.

I should be focused on what put Brand and Art on alert, but I can’t. I’m too on edge by the way Ansel Reid is looking at Ruby.

And not just devouring the sight of her—he’s snapping so many pictures, I want to storm across the lounge and rip the fucking phone from his hands. I think he’s even recording a video.

Fuck.

I turn back to Brand, because now I need to know everything. “How do you know him?”

Brand glances at Art and hikes a brow, like he’s consulting his lawyer before he speaks.

Art gives him a nod. “Payne is solid. You can tell him. Hell, he needs to know who he’s dealing with.”

I put my back to the room and lower my tone as much as I can so they can still hear me over Ruby’s sultry voice. “Tell me.”

“I don’t know what Reid told you about his business, but he’s on the payroll for an organization that’s...” Brand pauses for a moment and then chooses his words carefully. “Let’s just say he works for a competitor of ours.”

Aria’s eyes widen. “Oooh.”

I let that sink in for two beats and try to think of any other way for Ansel Reid to be a competitor of the Vitales other than a rival Mafia family.

I turn to Art to confirm my thoughts. “Does that mean what I think it means?”

Art’s confirmation comes in the form of a shoulder shrug while never letting go of his wife.

Fucking Arthur Ramos. Of course he’d think this is no big deal.

“Who does he work for?” I demand. “He’s from a small town in New York. He told me his neighbor is Martha Stewart, for fuck’s sake.”

Art holds out a low hand. “Take it down a notch. We have different types of competitors. There are allies and then there are adversaries.”