Concealment (The Cassano Series Book 1) (15 page)

Victoria

First, I see Noah Sanders. What are the odds of that happening, and how does he know Rick? Then, seeing Simon here added to the churning in my stomach.

I was terrified Adrian would appear, but the fear is easing with every passing minute that he hasn’t shown up.

After touching up my lipstick, I reposition some stray hairs that have blown out of place from standing on Rick’s patio.

I twist my body and look at my bare back in the mirror. It’s exposed from where the dress ties around my neck to the dip at the top of my backside.

I can’t even believe my transformation in the last few weeks. Who knew I’d ever enjoy playing dress-up? My sister, Nicole, would be so proud.

I’m not going to get the scoop on anything if I’m primping in the bathroom the entire night, so I should find Rick again.

I carefully walk across the grey swirl of marble in the hallway until I reach the matching ceramic tile in the great room.

Fortunately, I step onto some ornate rugs, so falling and busting my head open becomes less likely.

I’m adjusting to wearing heels, but my black dress almost reaches the floor, and I’m waiting to trip on it. If I hit the ground again in front of Rick, I might die from embarrassment.

He’s been quite the gentleman this evening, introducing me to his friends. I’ve continuously asked each person questions about themselves, so I don’t have to answer to what I do for a living.

It’s been working so far. There’s nothing demeaning about being a server, other than the uniform I’m forced to wear, but I have a feeling not everyone at this party would agree.

I wonder what Rick will say if anyone asks how he knows me, and what is his motive for wanting a date? If it’s only for sex, he’s going to be disappointed tonight.

I spot his light blue shirt. Damn, he’s talking to Simon. Kruse is sitting next to him, and … oh, god, no. This can’t be happening. Adrian is sitting on the other side of Kruse.

What do I do? Shit, I’m almost to them.

I turn to scurry back to the house.

“Vicky,” Rick calls out. I scrunch my nose and snap my eyes shut. This is happening whether I like it or not.

Pivoting back around, I walk toward them with a smile, never taking my eyes off of Rick. Slipping his arm around my waist, he pulls me close and kisses my cheek. I can’t remember a time I felt this low as a person.

Not telling Adrian I’m a cop hasn’t felt as bad as this does. I never wanted to hurt him, and something tells me this will. Knowing I have to look at him, I slowing let my eyes wander that direction.

He’s transfixed by what is in front of him, and I don’t see hurt. No, that’s rage. In my line of work, you see it often.

I feel a burn in my throat and swallow the bile that has come up. After what feels like an eternity but is probably only seconds, his head jerks toward Simon.

“You asshole.”

“What?” Simon asks.

“You fucking knew this was going to happen.”

Adrian comes out of his seat, shoving it across the concrete. The noise causes me to jump and draws several sets of eyes our direction.

He storms off toward the house, and I can’t stop myself from going after him.

“Adrian!” He doesn’t turn around, so I stop and yank off my heels. I’m running like a fool, but I can’t let him leave like this.

“Adrian, stop,” I plead loudly as I follow him into the house. His fists are clenched as he charges through the great room.

I know all eyes are on us, but I only care about one person right now. Out the front door he goes, and I’m on him. Stretching my hand out far, I grab his arm.

“Stop, please. It’s not what you think.”

Adrian spins around, stopping abruptly. I slam against his chest, my hands now clutching his shoulders.

“What is it then, Victoria? Explain to me what I’m seeing right now.”

“At this moment you’re seeing me desperate because the last thing in this world I would ever want to do is hurt you.”

“You’ve already done that this week, so this isn’t something new.”

I look away from him, ashamed from his words. “I’m sorry about the other day. I shouldn’t have left like I did, and I don’t want to be with Rick. Please believe me.”

Grabbing hold of my forearms, Adrian pulls me off of him and yells at a valet guy to get his car.

“Fuck!” Pacing the sidewalk by the driveway, he laces his fingers behind his head. “Jealousy, Victoria. You deserve an award. I’ve managed not to feel that emotion for almost ten fucking years, but I feel it now.”

I’m dying to tell him the truth, but I can’t, especially not after seeing Noah Sanders here. I have to find out how he’s connected to these men.

“Adrian, Rick is only a friend. I thought I was supposed to attend functions with your clients.” I’m reeling off my words, desperate for him to understand.

“I want to trust you, but everything that has happened tells me I can’t. Go back inside.”

“No, I don’t want to.”

“Well, I guess you can cozy up with the valet guys next since I’m getting the hell out of here.”

“You jerk! How could you even say something like that?” I launch my shoes at him, but he ducks before they soar over his head. My hands are fisted as I scowl.

“You’re fucking crazy,” he snaps.

“No, I’m passionate and pissed. There’s a difference. Oh, and eager, too, so I hear!”

The Aston Martin pulls up in front of him.

“Adrian, bro, wait,” Simon yells after coming up beside me.

“Go to hell,” Adrian says icily before he’s in his car and peeling out of the driveway.

“You ran him off,” I shout to Simon with a glare.

“He’s leaving because of you, not me, sweetheart.” He holds a finger up at my face, and I want to break it.

“I told you that you were not going to be
friendly
with my brother and someone else at the same time. He saw what he needed to see. You won’t be a headache now.”

“You are an asshole.”

Simon’s arm flies up and drops back down, his expression one of astonishment.

“Are you wanting to get fired?”

“No. I’m sorry, but for the record, I care about your brother.”

“You can’t work in Elite and see him. You have to be able to spend time with the men who pay to play, and this situation is already fucking that up.”

Jersey pulls out a piece of gum that looks like Nicorette and pops it into his mouth. His foot is tapping as he swings his head to the side to flip the hair out of his face.

I cross my arms and purse my lips.

“So, you’re saying I have to sleep with men for my paycheck?”

His hands fly up in front of him.

“Whoa, I never said that. We pay you to work in the lounge. It’s up to you whether you want to see anyone outside of there.”

My eyebrows raise. “Then why did you say I have to? Huh?”

He blows out a loud breath. “You’re a real pain in the ass.” His Jersey accent is thick, and I wonder if that’s why he goes by the nickname or simply because he’s from there.

“It’s not required, but all the servers have wanted to spend time with our clients. They’re wealthy as shit, so it’s a no-brainer.”

I huff. “Not every woman is after money.”

“Look, these men don’t have to go hunting for a piece of ass. Most of them want a beautiful girl to have on their arm for parties like this one.

“If they get sex, it’s a bonus, but they’ll find it one way or another from someone.”

“You really won’t fire a woman for not sleeping with a client?”

“No, and I don’t lie or sugarcoat. But Adrian watches the cameras like a hawk, and if he sees them flirting with you and then loses his shit like he did back there, it’s going to hurt our business.”

“So, you’re saying choose him or the job.”

His head falls back, and he stares at the sky as I exhaust his honesty. “I guess I am.”

“Everything alright out here?”

I glance to Rick, who has walked up on us. My heart rate increases, and my nerves can’t take much more.

“I’ll leave you two alone,” Simon says before he starts toward the house.

“I see you and Adrian have a history.” Rick conjures up a faint smile, but it’s obvious he isn’t pleased.

“Brief but recent. I didn’t know until tonight how much it must have meant to him.”

His hand slides through his light brown hair as he gazes out toward the long driveway.

“Did it mean as much to you?”

“Yes, but I didn’t realize that either until tonight.”

Calm and collected, he steps away to retrieve my shoes I’ve thrown.

“He’s a lucky man,” he says as he places them in my hands.

“I can’t say he feels that way, considering he left.”

“My driver is still here in case anyone needs a ride after drinking. I imagine you would like to go home.”

Wrapping my hand around his arm, I lean up and kiss his cheek.

“Thank you, Rick, for being understanding. I didn’t intend for any of this to happen.”

“Goodnight, Vicky.”

Adrian

“I knew you would be working,” Simon says after barging into my office.

“Get out.”

“Shit, Ace, can you give me a chance to apologize?”

“It must be easy to apologize now that you accomplished your goal.”

Sighing, he begins unbuttoning the sleeves of his dress shirt at his wrists. He rolls them up and drags a leather chair over to another that is off to the side in front of my desk.

“What the hell are you doing?” The only light on is from a lamp on my desk, but it’s enough to see his smirk as he takes a seat in one chair and props his feet in the other.

“I’m getting comfortable. We need to chat.”

“What, about how you don’t think before you act?”

“We’ve had enough damn talks about that. No, I want to talk about this Vicky.”

“Her name is Victoria, and she’s not a ‘this.’”

“You made that pretty clear tonight. Bro, I’m sorry. I had no idea you cared about her that much.”

“I don’t.”

“Bullshit. I know you charged out of there because if you hadn’t, you would’ve kicked Rick Jacobs’s ass.”

I toss my pen on the desk and sit back as I slide my hands down my face.

“Adrian, I thought you would see her with Rick, think she’s a whore and be done with her.”

“She’s not a whore.” I glare at my brother like I never have before.

“I shouldn’t have said that.” He holds his hands up in defense. “She’s a hard-ass. She had the nerve to call me an asshole.”

A smile naturally curves from my mouth. I don’t want to feel anything warm toward her, but picturing Victoria bitching Simon out is funny. I would’ve stuck around to witness that.

“I can tell she has feelings for you, and considering you haven’t cared about anyone outside of this family for as long as I can remember, you should make nice with her.”

“Make nice?” Simon and his strange little phrases.

“Hear her out. Tell her you like her. Fuck her finally. Whatever, just stop the sulking and working so damn much.”

“You’re one to talk. I don’t see you in a relationship, and you live here almost as much as I do.”

Simon is staring at the ceiling, slouched in the chair and comfy with his ankles crossed on the other cushion.

“I’m nine years younger than you. I don’t need to worry about keeping one chick happy. Fuck um’ and chuck um’.

“Well, sometimes I have to buy them dinner, but that’s alright since I need to eat before sex, too. It’s when I have to buy them jewelry and purses and shit that it becomes tedious.”

“Do you ever listen to yourself?”

“Are you ever going to stop criticizing me?”

After looking at the clock and seeing it’s midnight, I stand and stretch.

“Come on. Let’s get out of here.”

Simon’s legs fall between the chairs. He begrudgingly rises and stretches, too.

“That chick from Rick’s place is waiting for me at D/s. I better get down there before she’s too trashed to fuck.”

I shake my head, hoping he grows up before he’s thirty. “I haven’t seen Zev for days. Tell him to call me.”

Jersey gives me a hug reserved only for us brothers, where we clasp hands at the chest and pat each other’s back.

I guess I should be impressed he even showed up here to make things right. He didn’t have to. Now, whether I can take his advice about Victoria is another thing.

I was foolish to think her career wouldn’t interfere with what I’m doing at the hotel and casino.

I can’t let her destroy the progress my brothers and I have worked so hard to make, but staying away from her seems impossible.