Page 11

I was ready to blow. My entire week had gone to hell.

Early Sunday morning, my intention to see Gianna went out the window.

I got a call from my manager at Crystal Castle Chalet.

He said we had a huge blowup with one of the two employees we’d been watching—the ones I’d decided needed to be replaced.

The employee decided to go off and enact his revenge before we fired him.

The writing had been on the wall, so to speak.

He was on a performance improvement plan and had more than one counseling session.

The manager and HR met with him on a regular basis.

Clay staged a dramatic performance in the Chalet’s lobby.

It was always a peak time for people to come on weekends.

He waited until it was jam-packed, then began to holler about how the company was robbing them and that our facilities were unsafe, how we were firing him because he had the nerve to speak up about it, and demanded that we do something.

He went on and on. They had to have security remove him and then wait for the police to come and arrest him.

However, the damage was done, and some patrons believed or at least worried that what he said was true, and they asked to be checked out.

Thankfully, according to Monty, my manager, the regulars dismissed it as a lie.

It was primarily new people staying for the first or second time.

I was worried that it would spread like wildfire. We had to get ahead of it.

I took the plane a couple of hours later to Aspen, where I spent the entire week putting out fires, working with the marketing team, issuing a statement through PR, and consulting with our legal team on what could be done to Clay.

If he thought he’d get away with this, he was wrong.

While I was there, not wanting to have a repeat of this, we went ahead and terminated the other employee who wasn’t cutting it.

Harissa had been angry and kept asking why, but again, she knew why.

She’d been on a performance improvement plan like Clay and had more than one session with Monty and HR.

As much as I worked to keep the Chalet from having a permanent black mark, I still thought of Gianna when I had a moment or was alone at night. I was impatient to get back home so I could speak to her.

Well, I was back, but it was late Friday night.

As much as I wanted to call and rush to see her, I held back.

I’d do it in the morning. God help anyone who prevented it.

I was at loose ends and didn’t know what to do with myself.

I didn’t want to work. Television didn’t hold my interest. I’d been asked to go to Sirens with Aidan, Riza, Aisling, and Alistair, but I passed.

Although now, I wish I had gone. A few drinks and relaxation would do me good. The tension was killing me.

About to say fuck it and try to read, my cell phone buzzed, startling me. I picked it up off the coffee table and saw a text from Alistair.

Alistair: You need to get your ass to Sirens.

Me: Why? Something wrong?

Alistair: You could say that. Your woman is about to find another man.

Me: My woman? I don’t have one.

Alistair: But you want one. And she’s here looking for a man.

Me: WTF?

His answer was to show me a picture of Gianna on the dance floor with a man up close to her. She was smiling, and he looked like he wanted to eat her up. Fury hit me. I was headed to my bedroom to change as I texted one-handed.

Me: Keep him away from her. Be there soon. How did you know?

Alistair: I know everything. LOL.

Not bothering to reply, I hurried to change and spruce myself up.

As I did, I texted Reign, my regular bodyguard.

I hoped he wasn’t in the middle of anything.

I’d told him he wasn’t needed tonight. If he were, I’d see who else was available.

Although I could take care of myself, Darragh frowned on us going out alone.

Me: Got to go to Sirens. Busy? Can ask someone else if you are.

Reign: When and what car?

Me: Ten minutes max, and I want the Phantom.

Reign. Be there in 8.

I had to laugh. He always tried to beat his times.

The Phantom was my new favorite to drive or ride in.

We had personal cars, as well as others that the family shared.

This one was a Rolls-Royce Phantom in antique gold.

Not all our vehicles had the price tag it did, but sometimes you had to have an ultra-car.

I gave myself a final once-over in the mirror before heading outside.

As expected, Reign was waiting. I slid into the passenger seat.

???

Sirens was teeming with people, but I expected nothing else on a Friday night.

They stayed busy every night of the week, but Friday and Saturday were peak nights.

There was a long line at the front, but Reign took me around to the private parking area and the entrance, which the family and our employees used.

After finding a parking spot, we headed inside.

Both of us were alert, though it was his job to be.

I wasn’t expecting trouble, but it paid to be cautious.

Karizma had been mugged in this lot when she worked here.

Since that incident, Aidan had increased security back here, although it wasn’t open to just anyone walking in.

I went straight up to the third floor. I wanted to get eyes on Gianna, and if that man or another were cozying up to her, they’d be sent packing.

I knew she hadn’t agreed to anything, but I wasn’t letting anyone slip in ahead of me.

I wasn’t sure how I’d react if it happened.

Four months of pent-up frustration and desire were dangerous.

I spotted her immediately. She was dancing with Riza, Aisling, and another pregnant woman.

They were laughing. I didn’t see the man.

With him gone, I decided to speak to Aidan and Alistair first. I was still surprised that Alistair guessed about my feelings for Gianna.

What had given them away? Did others know?

If they did, why hadn’t they said anything? It wasn’t like them not to.

As I approached their table, I saw Alistair grin.

I swear I’d punch him if I didn’t love him like a brother.

He threw back his head and laughed. Bastard knew what I was thinking.

Goddamn it, was he psychic now? Reign went to join the other bodyguards.

Gael was Aidan’s regular, Gerrit was Riza’s, and Creed was Aisling’s.

Alistair should have one, too, as an official family member, but he’d adamantly refused.

He told Darragh not to waste one on him.

He was the guy who trained most of the bodyguards, so that meant he could take care of himself. So far, Dar had allowed it.

I pulled out a chair and dropped into it next to Alistair. I gave him a narrow-eyed look. “I should punch you. Go ahead, laugh,” I muttered.

“You can try. What’s wrong?” He chuckled.

“You know what. I want to know how,” I murmured lower. Aidan was the only one close enough to hear us. He appeared puzzled, so that told me Alistair hadn’t told him I was coming or why.

“Rian, I spent years hiding my feelings, or so I thought. I fought what I wanted. I know a man doing the same,” he explained.

“What did I miss?” Aidan asked.

Alistair raised his eyebrow at me. I sighed. Making sure the women were still dancing, I confessed.

“He texted me to say Gianna was here and a man was hanging around her.”

Aidan’s eyes widened, and then he smirked. “How did I miss that? Christ, you’ve got the hots for Gianna DeSantis!” Then, his expression changed to a frown. “Christ, cousin, could you pick a more dangerous one? Her family will kill you for messing with her. She’s not the casual-sex kind,” he hissed.

I leaned closer. He was across the table from me. “I’m not trying to get in her pants for a good time,” I snapped.

“Technically, he does want in them, but not just for sex,” Alistair clarified helpfully. He was still smirking.

“Shut up before I smother you. Yes, if you must know, I’m very attracted to her. I’ve made sure that it’s not merely a physical thing.”

“Meaning you’ve spent four months analyzing every variable, haven’t you? Shit, you’re lucky someone didn’t snap her up from under your nose. And by the looks of it, Mr. Eager is back,” Aidan said. His eyes were directed at the dancers.

I whipped my head to the right. A growl rumbled low in my chest. Shimmying up to the women, behind Gianna in particular, was the same man from the picture Alistair had sent me. I was on my feet, moving toward them without a thought.

As I approached, he grabbed her hips and rubbed up against her, mimicking someone dirty dancing.

Gianna turned around and shoved his hands off her hips.

She was frowning, and I saw her mouth moving.

I couldn’t hear what was said over the music, but I kept coming.

The man was giving her a confused look. Aisling, Riza, and the other woman had stopped dancing and stood there watching them.

I came up to Gianna as she said something more.

“I told you before that I don’t want to dance that way,” she told him sternly.

“Come on, baby, you know you do. That body, that dress, you’re dying for it. Or we can skip the foreplay, and you just come home with me, and we’ll fuck,” he said. He was leering and slurring his words.

“Back off before I make you,” she snapped.

He didn’t listen and reached toward her again. She was raising her fist, but I was faster. I latched onto the back of his neck. I squeezed, hitting the perfect spot to freeze his arms. He couldn’t raise them. I got close to his ear. I was behind him.

“The lady said to leave her alone. Do you have a fucking hearing problem, or just stupid?” I snarled.