Consumed (8 page)

Victoria

I’m an idiot. I might as well have told Adrian I wanted to move in with him. I clean myself up some in the bathroom and reluctantly stroll back to him.

My phone begins vibrating on the nightstand, and I welcome the intrusion. Picking it up, I see I received a text from Tara.

Tara:
Hi, chick. Want to go shopping?

I bite the corner of my lip after reading her message. I haven’t spoken to her since before my fight with Mr. Glover, and I was sure she would be pissed at me over getting moved out of the Elite lounge.

I should see her and tell her the truth about my identity, but I don’t need to spend money shopping now that I’m suspended for three days.

I received that ugly phone call from my sergeant yesterday afternoon and had to return to meet with the Captain. As I thought, it didn’t turn out too well. I also don’t know what plans Adrian has for the day.

“Is there a problem?” he asks.

“Uh, my friend Tara wants to go shopping. I was thinking of how I want to reply. Were you planning on working today?”

“No, but I can if you want to spend time with her.”

A frown accompanies his response, and oddly, I’m happy that he’s disappointed with the idea of me leaving. I’m finding I can’t get enough time with Adrian. It’s strange since I’ve always been more of a loner.

“I’m going to tell her we’ll maybe meet up tomorrow. I shouldn’t be shopping since I’m off work. Speaking of which, I need to check my bank account. I haven’t looked at it in weeks.”

After finding and putting back on my panties, I prop a pillow up to the headboard and sit with my back against it. I pull up the internet on my phone and log in to my bank account.

“
Holy shit!
How do I have that much money in there?”

Adrian chuckles, but I ignore him as I view my balance summary, which shows several thousand more dollars than I expected to see.

I click on the link to view my transactions. A substantial direct deposit from Submission has posted to my account, but it’s so much more than my paycheck should’ve been. At least, I think it is. Honestly, I never asked how much I would make working in the lounge.

My eyes bolt to Adrian’s. “How much is the starting wage for servers in the Elite lounge?”

“No one ever told you your pay?”

“No, and I didn’t ask since I wasn’t depending on it for my survival.”

“I think it’s around eighty grand a year.”

I sit straight up. “Eighty grand? I don’t make eighty grand as a detective!”

He scowls. “That’s absurd. I mean, you’re risking your life and dealing with criminals every day.”

“I agree.” I study his face and think. “Why would you pay a waitress that much money when you don’t have to?”

“The clients we have expect only the best, so we pay well to ensure we provide the clientele with the smartest, friendliest and most attractive servers.”

Hmm … that sounded a little rehearsed, but I guess that’s a valid reason. I look back down at my account.

“Wow, I guess I could go shopping after all.” I pull up Tara’s message again.

Me:
I can’t today, but I’d love to go tomorrow.

Tara:
That will work. Call me in the morning.

“So, you’re leaving?” Adrian asks with a pitiful tone.

I set my phone on the nightstand and begin to crawl over to him. He’s spread out on the bed with his head toward the footboard.

His gloriously fit body is still naked, and with every movement of my hands and knees, his eyes become bare, too, revealing the desire he feels toward me.

My body rests atop his, and an erection forms beneath me. “I’ll stay if you want me to.”

“I want you to stay longer than a day, Victoria.”

“Oh, my gosh, is this because of what I said earlier?” I attempt to climb off of him, but he clamps my forearms with his hands.

“No, it’s not, and we’re having this discussion.”

“Adrian, we haven’t been dating long at all.”

“Keep your apartment for now if you’re nervous, but please move in here with me. I want as much time with you as I can get.”

“You act like I’m going to suddenly vanish.”

Adrian frames my face and brings it closer to his. Urgency is projected from his furrowed brow and searching eyes.

“We don’t know what tomorrow will bring, Victoria. Wake up in my arms, so I don’t have to wonder if I’ve been gifted another day with you.” His palms squeeze my cheeks as he gives me a quick but purposeful kiss. “With every sunrise, you’ll be cherished, Juice Box, I promise.”

“I don’t know how I got so lucky to find a man as kind as you.”

“Is that a yes?”

“I’ll think about it.”

“So, you’ll stay here until you say yes.”

I grin against his tender hands. “OK, until I say yes.”

Victoria

“Hi, girlfriend, give me a hug,” Tara says enthusiastically. I hug her, acknowledging the fact I’ve missed her. Opening my heart up to Adrian has seemingly made room for others, too.

“Uh, I thought for sure you would be pissed at me.”

Letting me go, she starts toward the local mall doors. Her denim shorts are particularly short, so her lengthy legs appear to stretch on forever. It takes me a second to catch up.

Her blonde hair blows in the wind, and she brushes it back with her fingers. “I was, but that lasted about an hour. Then, Shannon gave me my new schedule to work in the Royal lounge, and all was forgiven.”

She stops in her tracks and turns to me.

“I didn’t think it was possible to make even more money as a server, but I do.”

“You’re being paid more to work in Royal than you were in Elite?”

“Yep,” she says with a grin before she turns to walk again. “It’s going to be hard to put my business degree to use for less money, but I know the day is coming.” Once inside the mall, Tara stops again.

“Look, I didn’t mind what Phil Glover did to me, but you made me realize that I need to be sure I’m being respected. I shouldn’t compromise my values out of fear of being alone.”

She stands straighter and tips her chin. Her voluptuous chest sticks out farther in her white tank, which is covered by a thin, pink shirt that is buttoned only at the bottom.

“I will stand prouder if I prove I can take care of myself. Thank you for reminding me that I’m worth it. I was losing sight of that before you showed concern for me.”

“You are worth it, and you’re smart. I know you’re fully capable of caring for yourself.” Feeling my face warm, I look to the ground. “I felt foolish when I found out you voluntarily let him tie you up.”

“Yeah, and I had no idea how many men in the lounges were into kink until I began working in Royal. I haven’t witnessed it firsthand, but the other servers have already confided in me.

“I have a feeling I will be perfecting my tactful ‘no’ reply.” Tara points to a Victoria’s Secret store.
“Care if we go inside?”

“No.” My mind is reeling with questions as I follow her.

What are other servers telling her?

How kinky are we talking here?

Then, the thought that gnaws at me the most is the one I don’t want to find myself questioning at all.

Did Adrian disclose the whole truth as to why the servers’ salaries are so high?

“Tara, after we do some shopping, let’s grab lunch. I want to talk to you about something.” It’s possible telling her I’m a cop will prevent her from sharing information with me down the road, but she’s my friend now, and that comes first.

I don’t want anyone deceiving me, so it’s time to come clean with her about everything from Adrian to my job and getting injured. All of it.

Simon

Taking a seat across from Zev, I eye the platter of food.

“You couldn’t wait for me to order?”

“It’s only an appetizer,” he says before taking a bite of a crab cake. “I lifted weights this morning. I’m starved.”

I turn my head and look out over the hotel pool. We’re at a table on the deck, sitting under an umbrella.

“Same pussies, different day,” he says. “We need to leave this damn place more often.”

He thinks I’m looking at the babes, barely dressed in their string bikinis, but I’m not.

Holy shit, I wasn’t looking for ass. No, I’ve only got one woman on my mind–Sadie.

“Damn, what happened to your jaw?”

I turn my head back and glide my hand over my bruised jawline. “Long story. Adrian’s Victoria is a fucking cop.”

“I know.”

“You knew and didn’t tell me, either?” I ask.

“I was going to tell you, but looks like someone beat me to it.” He chuckles and wipes his mouth with his napkin. “Did she do that to your ugly face?”

“No, Adrian, and how did you find out?”

“Blanca.”

“Adrian and Theo’s assistant, Blanca?”

He rolls his eyes. “What other Blanca do we know? Yeah, she told me. I fuck her; she tells me shit. It’s a win-win.”

I shake my head in disbelief. “You know she’s in love with Adrian, and what the hell happened to us not banging the staff?”

A waitress strolls over. “Mr. Cassano, what can I get for you?” Her black lashes bat a suggestive message right to me, but I can’t even entertain the idea in my mind. This is bad. “Just a water please.”

“Blanca is not my employee,” Zev says once the waitress leaves, “and she’s never getting Adrian, so we have a sweet arrangement. Actually, it’s more like a sweaty, dirty little secret.” He chuckles again, his head falling back.

“I guess I’m in the dark on everything.”

“I’m telling you now, douche bro.”

“So, let’s plan this night out. I need it desperately,” I say. Zev is a few years older than me and turning thirty next week. We’re going out Saturday night, and I can’t wait. I’m slaying as many strippers as it takes to forget Sadie Hart.

OK, I checked out her driver’s license when I was snooping in her purse, and I remember her last name.

Christ, I remember the chick’s last fucking name.

“Dude, stop tapping your damn foot. You’re shaking the whole goddamn table. Yeah, let’s make plans. You need to get laid, so you’ll chill.”

Adrian

I swallow and stare at the number. I have to answer it, so I do. “This is Adrian.”

“Adrian, it’s Agatha.”

“Hi, Aggie.”

She’s quiet, and my heart thumps louder with every beat of her silence. “Are you still there?” I ask.

“Yes, I’m sorry. It’s been so long since you’ve called me that. Adrian, I miss you.”

“What do you need, and why didn’t you call Theo?” The wall is going back up, but that was probably shitty of me to ask her.

“Mom is sick, Adrian, and I don’t know what to do.” My typically unemotional sister begins sobbing. I lean back in my chair and rub my hand down my face.

“You can’t keep dumping decisions on Theo,” she adds, although it’s difficult to decipher. “He has too many of his own responsibilities. It’s time for you to forgive me.” She practically shouts the last sentence at me through her cry.

My sister is obviously overwhelmed, and I need to be the man I was raised to be and help her.

“Calm down, sis, and tell me what happened.”

***

As soon as I step off the elevator, I smell the food. Despite my somber mood, a smile creeps in, and I picture Victoria’s pretty face. At least, I hope it’s her inside and not my housekeeper.

My briefcase is dropped onto the table behind the sofa, and I undo my tie as I stroll toward the kitchen. My smile broadens as I find Victoria bent over, looking inside the oven.

She’s in grey sweatpants, and I laugh when I see the word “PINK” spelled out on her ass in shiny silver letters. Her head swings around, and she grins at me before setting a pan on top of the stove.

“Hi, are you hungry?” she asks.

“For you. I like your pants.”

Turning toward me, she glances down at her attire.

“Oh, these are old. I remembered I had them today when I was shopping, so when I stopped by the apartment to get a few things, I grabbed them.”

A snug, pink tank top is pushing her breasts up for me to see. “I bought a few outfits I think you’ll enjoy more.” Her gaze is seductive as she struts toward me.

“I don’t know about that. I think the Victoria in no clothing is the one I find most enjoyable.”

Her radiant grin warms my heart that has felt cold and jaded after the deep phone conversation with my twin.

“You’re clever,” she says before pressing her lips to mine. I pull her to me, encircling her in my arms and tasting her sultry mouth.

I probe every speck of it while I feel up every shapely part of her. Whimpers echo in the spacious room, and her fingers travel through my hair.

Picking her up, I place her ass on the island and glide my hands up under her tank to her breasts. She’s not wearing a bra, so in no time, I’m pulling on her nipples. Moans enter my mouth, the vibration like a shock of electricity, cranking up my desire.

“I have to have you now,” I utter.

“Aren’t you hungry?”

“Only for you.” Lifting her, she wraps her legs around my hips. As I hurry down the hallway, Victoria’s mouth teases my neck and nibbles my ear.

I turn to sit on the bed, so she can straddle me, but she clutches my shoulders. “No, please be on top. My head is better.” I study her face as she gives me a reassuring look. “I want you to make love to me.”