Page 78 of Unforgettable Billionaire (The Hardcore Novels: Special Editions #3)

"Husband." She states emphatically.

Bart's hand comes out, and I step to shake it. His grip is extra firm, and I squeeze him down. I pump his hand and grab his forearm. "Husband," I state just as emphatically, then add for certainty. "Collared claimed and tamed."

She giggles and tells me. "You're talking his language now." Then she flips her hair over her shoulder and exposes the huge hickey on her neck and her choker.

His eyes narrow on it, and then he grins, slaps me on the arm, and says. "Hell yeah! Welcome to the family."

James sticks his hand out, and I shake his too. "Let me steal her for just a little while. We must run through a few things for tonight."

"Sure. No problem. But Cinderella here needs to eat before the show. I'll be back to get her in an hour and a half." I tell them.

"You got it!" He tells me, then offers her his arm. Before he escorts her away, she blows me a kiss. I give her a wink and watch my Every Thang in her element, chatting up her choreographer as they both strut down the hall. Cat points at them and falls in behind with a slinky swagger.

* * *

Siri

* * *

James and I go in together to the dressing room, and the girls swarm me.

For the first 5 minutes, I do nothing but hug and chat them up.

James finally clears them away with, "Now shoo.

We have some work to do before tonight." Then he pulls me into my dressing room, and we sit down to have a serious discussion about which dancers to send in for which sequence and what costumes to have them in.

When we wrap it up, he gives me another quick hug and says.

"I love bringing back the mechanical bull too. That little beast needs to be revived."

There's a knock on the door, then it opens. Lei sticks her head in and says. "I hope I'm not disturbing you two, but I can't wait any longer. I have to have my hug now!"

I jump to my feet and meet her with a crushing bear hug.

We both end up crying when she tells me she's finally met a decent guy who treats her right.

"Nick is so fucking awesome, Siri. He doesn't care who I fuck doing my job as long as I come home to fuck his brains out every night!

He treats me like a queen." She holds up her hands, and her fingers are covered in rings.

"Nice quality too." She brags. "Not costume jewelry. "

"I'm so happy for you!"

We sit down on the couch and catch up. I tell her the brief version of meeting and falling for Aurei, about the swingers' party, and about running into Clay at the Stallion. She bursts out laughing when I tell her about our picture being framed in his office. "That Clay, he is special."

"Yes, he is." Then I give her the even briefer version of Italy and coming back here to do the bachelor party with my crew. How Aurei and I are married, and I'm going to move into managing the Fucking Fantasies instead of actually performing them.

"That's totally understandable." She says. "We both knew it wasn't a long-term thing, just a niche service that might run its course. I'm cool with that."

"You don't want to work with another dancer?"

"Naw." She says. "You and I made a great team, but I'm happy with Nick. I don't need that sex on the side now."

"You really are happy with him!"

"I am." Her eyes shine.

"Listen, I don't want to monopolize your time tonight. Let me get out of here."

"We'll catch up later in the week when the madness is gone."

As I stand to walk Lei to the door, there's a tap on it. Cat sticks her head in. "Hey, Beautiful, there's someone at the front who insists on seeing you. She said she's an old friend from your Coyote Ugly days."

Lei kisses me on the cheek and says. "See ya on the dance floor tonight."

"See ya, doll." I pat her shoulder as she walks past Cat. "What's her name?"

"Piper Sam."

* * *

Aurei

* * *

I tell Bart and Beverly. "I have an old army buddy to meet. I'll be back in exactly an hour and a half. I would appreciate it if someone would let me in this side door."

Beverly says. "Give me your card, and I'll key it for entry." I reach into my pants pocket, find my money clip, pull out my card and give it to her.

As soon as her door shuts, Bart says. "How's Darren?"

"He's good."

"Angela?"

"She's good too."

"Siri looks as happy as I've ever seen her."

"That's good to hear."

"That incident scared the living hell out of all of us."

"Yeah. It did me too. It won't happen again."

"It better not."

"It won't."

He cuts his eyes at me, and I don't hide. The Bastard Son stares into his eyes. His eyebrows flinch. "I believe you."

I nod. "You have my word."

Beverly comes back out and hands me my card. "Guard that with your life now."

"Will do. Thanks." I shake both their hands again and walk back out to the casino.

I text Dirk.

Where are you?

Table 56.

I smirk. Why am I not surprised? Of course, he would be drawn to Rebecca's table.

When I walk up, I put my hand on his shoulder. "Your luck is about to change."

"Hardcore! Brother. It's good to see you." He jumps up.

"You too, buddy!" He gives me a full-on bro hug. "Where's your old lady? I'm dying to meet the hellion."

He chuckles. "She tracked down an old friend, and she's off trying to hook up with her. I told her I was tired of being dragged around. I'd just wait here."

"Rebecca." I nod to her. "I'd like you to meet my old army brother, Dirk Sam. Dirk, this is Rebecca, and if you aren't lucky at her table, you've lost your mojo."

"Deal 'em then." He chuckles.

I slide in next to him and slide her my card. "Rebecca hit me with a small pile of gold. I've got an hour to kill and a lot of tales to hear. I don't need to concentrate."

Dirk's eyes widen as she slides over a pile of chips. "Did you win the lottery or something?"

"Or something." I chuckle. "You aren't the only one with a backstory to come clean on."

"Obviously." He laughs and places a bet.

For the next hour, we laugh, drink and gamble.

I bring him in the loop on my Italian heritage and my wealth, and when he begins to bring me up to date on his sordid past and then his new wife, who he refers to only as, 'my partner, The Brit,' I warn Rebecca.

"Dirk is a master at spinning a good story and has been known to tell a long, elaborate one, only to reveal at the end that he made the whole damn thing up.

" But this crazy story is too unbelievable to be anything but the truth, and several times, I find myself shocked, but I would never let on that he had stunned me.

When my alarm goes off, he is right in the middle of one of those crazy plot twists.

I hold my hand up, and he stops talking. "We need to cash out and go."

Rebecca, who has remained quiet, absorbed in Dirk's tale, tells me. "Fucking hell, Aurei! You're going to leave me hanging like this? I need to know what happened."

"Sorry, Girl, I have to go get my Wild Thang."

Dirk laughs at my nickname and says. "Oh no! Not you too?"

I chuckle. "Yeah. Me too." I turn off the alarm and push my chips to Rebecca. "You know the drill."

She asks Dirk as she cashes me out. "So?"

He cuts his eyes at me and winks, then looks at her all innocent. "So what?"

"So is this a real story, or is this all bullshit?"

"Oh, it's real!"

"Fucking hell! I've heard and seen a lot in my day, but nothing like that! Can I meet her?"

He looks at me and smirks. "Sure."

I laugh at them. "We'll meet you at the Steakhouse."

I text Siri.

On my way.

He pulls his phone out and texts his partner, The Brit.