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THIRTY
REBECCA
I tugged on the deepV of my black gauzy sparkle gown to show more of the swells of my breasts. Distract Anthony with shiny tits. He was my wild card. If I convinced him, the others would fall in line. Right now, no one wanted to openly revolt.
Marathon. Not a sprint.
Tonight, I brought Vale with me. Leaving him behind on Thursday was a mistake I didn’t care to repeat. Leaving myself exposed and vulnerable.
I insisted Anthony and I meet at the fundraiser. My driver chugged along Central Park South while I stared off at the Columbus Circle entrance to Central Park. What the hell would Anthony do to me in public?
My PR exec had crashed into my office yesterday morning looking horrified. She had pictures on her phone of me and Sebastien from Thursday night that she tried to show me. I waved her off and admitted that Sebastien had seduced me.
I didn’t bother telling her it wouldn’t happen again because tonight I was sure it would. By Anthony. Mentally, I had to prepare for that. And figure out how to do damage control on Monday.
“We’re here, Becca,” Vale said, taking out his gun and checking it.
“It’s a garden-party fundraiser. Not a street fight.” I exhaled and said, “Vale, hang on. You might see something tonight that will make you lose your shit. Please trust me. I know what I’m doing. Anthony is trying to ruin my credibility. I’m trying to play along like a good little sex kitten to make him fall for me. If he...” I swallowed, thinking of what Bastien did to me. “If he touches me, I’m going to let him. Please don’t interfere.”
Vale’s jaw twitched. “I don’t like this.”
“I don’t like it either, but I have to do this. I can’t have this drug dumped on the street.”
“Maybe you should seduce that FBI guy,” Vale said.
I laughed. “Maybe.” Julian had grown into a formidable man that kissed pretty good for a Fed. “If I know anything about the bureau, he’s not the only one who knows about Sunrise. He alone can’t make it go away.”
“He can try to help you.”
I rolled my eyes. “I have three men, all with fortunes to protect. Four is...” My body heated. “Too many.”
Although, I could one-up Lacey.
My throat went tight, wondering what in the world Nate would think of what I was doing.
“Julian took an oath. I respect that. Jeez, if we thought FBI agents could be swayed with boobs... Our country would be in trouble.”
My Town Car stopped, and Vale got out. “Get back,” he snapped to the poor valet doing his job.
“Thank you,” I said to my guard as he took my hand.
Lights flashed in my eyes, and I looked away, catching the telltale signs of a construction site next door. Scaffolding and mesh surrounded a glass building approximately twenty stories high. Hanging from the scaffolding was a white vinyl banner, only it faced Broadway and I couldn’t see what it said.
Anthony’s two guards, Reggie and Mark, pushed through the crowd, making room for the prince to strut down the red carpet to collect me. If only that monster wasn’t so damn handsome.
It makes sense for us to be together. You and me.
Finding out he expected me to marry him meant I had the greatest bargaining chip. Even more than my body and going to bed with him. Anthony wanted to marry me. Not for love, of course. Would I agree to be his wife in exchange for him convincing his dad to dump Sunrise?
Whoa, that play was so last resort.
What would Bastien think if I married Anthony of my own accord? Bastard, rightfully named, deserved it after what he did to me.
Watching how rude Reggie and Mark were, I felt sick to my stomach. I might have to agree to be part of their family.
Yeah, so last resort.
For all I knew, Anthony would lie to me. Put a ring on my finger and then move forward with the drug deal anyway.
“Hello, beautiful,” he said to me with a gleaming white smile and a face so gorgeous, it hurt to look at him.
Play nice, Rebecca.
“Hello, handsome.”
He glared at me, looking surprised at my affection, then held his elbow out for me to take. His eyes sailed across my shoulder. “Fuck off, Vale.”
“No. He stays with me. I made the mistake of not having him with me Thursday night at the Warwick. And look what happened?”
“I wished I could have seen what happened.” He grinned.
“Vale stays or I leave.” I pulled away.
Anthony chewed on his lower lip. “If he gets in my way with you—.”
“He won’t get in the way,” I said in my sex-kitten voice and leaned into him.
He smiled, thinking I really was charmed by him. Hilarious.
We walked through an empty lobby of high ceilings, carved moldings, and a checkered porcelain floor. Archways were closed off by metal screen doors. “What is this place?”
“Condos. Not open yet. The whole block is new.”
“And the building next door?”
Anthony stopped and his two hands closed around my bare forearms, right in the crook of my elbows. The heat of his skin and the firm grip sent a wave of lust through me. Giancarlo had brought out a side of me I’d not known before our games. Craving a rough hand and a dubious glare. “That’s a surprise,” Anthony answered about the glass building hidden behind black iron scaffolding and charcoal netting.
“For who?”
“You. If you’re a good girl.”
My cheek ticked up. “I’ll be your good girl.”
Frustration painted his features. He sneered at his guards to stand back. Vale too backed off. “What’s up, angel?”
“I know.”
“You know what?”
“I just found out my father told your father I would marry you.”
“Who finally told you?”
“It’s not important. What’s important is for you to understand that deal is dead. I’m not marrying you.”
“I didn’t ask you,” he sneered.
I narrowed my eyes, realizing that was true. “So why haven’t you?”
His eyes went shifty.
“Right. You don’t want to stop screwing around.” I slid my fingers along his tux’s lapels.
“You think taking a wife would stop me?” He brought that sensual mouth close to me, teasing me.
“If the wife you took screwed you better than anyone in your life.”
“Not possible.”
My heart pounded at the obvious challenge.
Only, I didn’t want to have sex with Anthony, and I didn’t want to marry him.
Okay, I wanted to have sex with him. I’d heard whispers describing how fantastic he was. Stamina on steroids. Liked all kinds of dirty sex.
Me too...
Now.
I cleared my throat, our stares locking. “Like I said, I won’t marry you.”
“We’ll see about that one.”
“What in the world do you think you can do to make me marry you?”
He didn’t answer.
I scoffed. “You’re so addicted to winning, you’ll fight to score something you don’t even want.”
“Were you born into the mafia yesterday, Rebecca? Winning is everything. Showing your enemies you can fight and will fight to win. I wouldn’t mind you being my wife. I’d love fucking you to make kids.”
I stepped back. “Wow, what a romantic. I’m eager to see what you come up with to checkmate a queen into submission.”
“You’ll see.”
