Loving The Biker (MC Biker Romance) (14 page)

Meanwhile

In Vegas

Twenty-eight

Jessica

As usual, I woke up alone in the master bedroom of the house we were renting in Vegas, feeling both frustrated and angry with Jordan. We’d been there for three weeks and I’d barely seen him the last two. Although he claimed that he was tying up loose ends and working on making a future for us, I couldn’t understand why it had to take up so much of his time. Most days, he was gone for eight to ten hours. Then we’d have dinner and sex. There was barely enough time to talk and that was hard enough to get him to do.

I stood up, put on a robe, and headed out of the bedroom and into the gourmet kitchen, which was on the other side of the house. It was a basically a mansion, about six thousand square feet and more than the two of us needed. The only reason we were renting it was because Jordan knew the owner and trusted him. Still, it was enormous and I couldn’t help but feel somewhat lost in it. Especially since I was alone most of the time. In fact, I was lonely and so damn bored that I almost couldn’t wait to get back to Jensen. Sure, Jordan had rented a car for me to use and had given me money for sightseeing, but there was no fun in doing it alone. And, I couldn’t even complain, since he’d warned me in advance that he wouldn’t be around much.

Sighing, I stepped into the kitchen and noticed that he’d sent over yet another bouquet of fresh flowers. It wasn’t that I didn’t appreciate the gesture, I just knew that he was sending them because he felt guilty. There were now six vases sitting in the kitchen, each filled with everything from roses to daisies.

At least the kitchen smell lovely
, I thought.

Wondering what the excuse would be this time, I opened the note and read the card.

I’m going to be gone until late.

I’m so sorry and promise to make it up to you.

Love,

Jordan

Gritting my teeth, I crumpled up the note and threw it into the garbage. We only had four more days left in Vegas and it didn’t look like he was going to make good on the promise of driving out to Lake Tahoe. It was a half day trip and we were supposed to spend time there before returning to Iowa.

“Dammit, Jordan,” I muttered, my eyes filling with frustrated tears.

“Good morning, Miss Jessica.”

Trying to compose myself, I turned around and forced a smile to my lips. It was the housekeeper-slash-cook who Jordan had hired for our stay. “Good morning Maria.”

Maria, who spoke very little English, but had been the kindest person to me since we’d arrived in Vegas, must have noticed that I was upset. She walked over to me and touched my arm. “Are you… okay?”

“I’m fine,” I told her.

She stared at my eyes and I knew that she didn’t believe me. But, Maria didn’t press anything.  “Hungry?” she asked.

“I’ll just make myself a piece of toast,” I told her, walking over to the refrigerator.

“I’ll get it,” she said, following me. “You… sit.”

“No, it’s okay. I can do it,” I told her.

“It’s my job,” she said. It was something she’d been repeating quite a bit the last three weeks. I’d learned from Jordan that Maria was getting paid well and wanted to earn her keep.

“Don’t get in her way,” he’d said. “When she says she wants to do something, I’ve learned to let her do it.”

“So, you’ve used her before?” I’d asked.

“Just a couple of times. She’s a friend of mine’s sister. She’s also very stubborn”

I moved out of Maria’s way. “Okay. If you insist.”

Smiling, Maria started humming to herself as she made me toast.

“Butter and jam?” she asked.

“Just butter,” I replied, sitting down at the counter. “Please.”

When she was done, there was toast along with fruit, and vanilla yogurt sitting in front of me.

“For baby,” she said, nodding toward the other two items. “Eat.”

I gave her a puzzled look.

She smiled and patted her stomach.

“Oh. I’m not pregnant,” I told her, not knowing if I should laugh or feel insulted. Even though I’d gained a couple of pounds, it wasn’t because I was pregnant. It was from being bored and stuffing my face. In fact, I knew for sure that I wasn’t. I’d taken a pregnancy test a couple of weeks ago and it had been negative.

“Yes. A girl,” she said and then gave me a horrified look. “I’m sorry, Miss Jessica.”

I snorted. “Sorry? For what?”

“My big… mouth,” she said in broken English. “Maybe boy?”

“I’m telling you, I’m not pregnant so it’s okay.”

She bit her lip and nodded. “Okay. You eat though.”

I raised the toast to my lips and took a bite. “There, are you happy?” I asked, my mouth full.

She smiled and went over to the refrigerator. I ate silently and watches as she poured me a glass of milk. Maria brought it over and set it down.

“Let me guess,” I said wryly. “It’s good for the baby?”

Maria nodded.

Smiling in amusement, I thanked her for the breakfast.

“You’re welcome,” she replied and then left me alone.

When I was finished, I went back to the bedroom and put my bathing suit on. Then I headed outside to the pool, taking along with me a book that I’d been reading, and sunscreen. Settling in on one of the lawn chairs, I sprayed myself with the sunscreen and opened up the book.

“You forgot this,” said Maria, appearing next to me and holding my cell phone.

I looked up and smiled. “Thank you for bringing it out to me.”

She handed it to me. “Be careful. Hot today.”

“Today? It’s hot here every day,” I replied, setting my book down. “Thank goodness for the pool.”

“Oh yes. My niños love to swim.”

“Your children?”

She nodded.

I stared at the pool, which was a good size and even had a slide. “Well then, invite them over to swim.”

“No,” she said, looking embarrassed.

“Nonsense.  I’d love to meet your kids and I’m bored as all hell. Invite them over. Please.”

She gave me a doubtful look.

“Maria, I’m serious. We have this amazing swimming pool and it’s being wasted. Please, bring them here so I can have some fun.”

“Fun?”

“Yes,” I said smiling. “Watching them play is going to be a lot of fun. At least for me. How many children do you have?”

“Four,” she replied.

“Well, go and round them up. Bring them here,” I demanded.

“You sure?”

“I’ve never been so sure in my life.”

An hour later, Maria’s children were splashing and playing in the pool. There were three girls, ranging from eight to sixteen and one boy, who I guessed to be ten.

“Will you swim with us?” asked the youngest girl.

I put my book down and stood up. “I’d love to,” I said, smiling down at her. Her name was Sofia and she had long, dark hair and big brown eyes, just like her mother.

Sofia smiled back.

I got in and we played a game of Marco Polo along with some other games. After a short time, I was laughing and enjoying myself so much, that we all lost track of time. Soon it was the afternoon and the children had to leave.

“It was so nice having you over,” I told them as they gathered their towels and sandals. “All of you. I hope you can come back again?”

“Us too,” said Sofia, throwing her arms around my waist.

Smiling I hugged her back, wishing that Maria had been right and that I was pregnant. 

“I mean it,” I told Maria, as she pulled out her car keys. “Bring them back in the next couple of days. We had so much fun together.”

Maria smiled at me and said something in Spanish.

“What was that?” I asked.

“She said that you will be a good mother,” explained Sofia.

I laughed. She just wouldn’t give up. “Thank you Maria. Someday.”

“Soon,” said the housekeeper, a twinkle in her eyes. “Someday soon.”

Twenty-nine

Jordan

“It’s done,” I said into the phone.

“And how do I know this?” asked the voice.

“Watch the news tonight,” I replied.

She sighed. “Thank you.”

“You can do so by getting me that passport and driver’s license.”

“It’s ready. So is the social security number.”

I sighed in relief. “So, there’s nothing fishy about the new ID? It’s legit?”

“You’re damn right and I worked very hard to pull this one off. Just like I knew you’d do the same for me.”

I thought of the man I’d murdered an hour before. He owned a casino and was one of the biggest crooks in Vegas. Needless to say, his security had been tight. So tight that it had taken me almost two weeks to get close enough to the mafia man and earn both his interest and trust. It had been one of my most challenging jobs, especially since I’d had to play the part of a gay card dealer. Fortunately for me, there’d been no kissing involved, but Alessandro Giovanni had certainly gotten fucked. Just not in the way he’d anticipated.

“You still have the P.O. Box to send everything to?” I asked Alessandro’s wife. A woman who he used to beat so badly that she now walked with a permanent limp. I had no qualms about ending his miserable life. I’d just given her back hers.

“I do. Is he really gone?” she asked in a shaky voice.

“He’ll never harm you again. I give you my word.”

She thanked me and began to cry.

Thirty

Jessica

It was just past seven. Another uneventful evening of eating dinner alone. Bored out of my mind, and a little pissed off, I decided to do something spontaneous and… a little bad. I put on a sexy, black dress and drove to Bally’s on the Vegas strip. I used their valet parking and went inside to gamble away some of Jordan’s money.

Unfortunately, unlike most of the gamblers in Vegas, I couldn’t seem to lose. It was almost humorous.

“You’re kidding?!” I squealed, winning another hand of Black Jack.

“Nope. You just won five thousand dollars,” said the dealer, sliding over my chips. “Are you sure you’ve never played this before?”

“Just with my family,” I replied, stacking my chips. “I usually never win with them though.”

After a few more rounds and winnings, I noticed a crowd gathering around me.

“How much are you up, doll?” asked a burly man wearing a black suit. He reminded me of a bouncer and I wondered if that maybe I was winning too much and I was in trouble.

“I think she must be up about one-hundred grand,” said one of the other players.

“That’s incredible,” he said. “How many hands did it take to win all of that?”

“Uh, I don’t know. I’ve been here for about an hour, I think,” I replied, giving the other player a dirty look.

The dealer, a woman about my age, nodded toward the clock. “Actually, it’s been more like two.”

“I should take my winnings and quit while I’m ahead,” I answered, laughing nervously. “You know, unlike those people in the movies. The ones who keep playing until they lose it all?”

“Sometimes it’s better to quit while you’re ahead,” said a person standing on the other side of me. “If I were you, I’d try another hand though.”

I turned and noticed that the man was blind.

“You think I should play another round?” I asked, biting my lower lip. I wanted to but something inside of me screamed to take my winnings and leave.

The stranger, who had dark skin, dreadlocks, and kind of reminded me of Stevie Wonder, grinned. “Sure. Why not? You’re in Vegas. You’re having a good time, and you’re ahead.”

“Okay. I’ll play one more and that’s it. You’re not going to tell me to go all or nothing are you?” I asked, amused.

The man grinned. “Never go all in unless you have a backup plan. Take it from me.”

Something in his voice gave him away.

Jordan Steele, you crafty little devil.

I wasn’t sure how he found me, but apparently he was up to his old tricks again.  His disguise was good, but I was better.

“I agree. Having a backup plan is always a good thing,” I replied. “But so is having common sense. I’m going to take my winnings and get a room.”

Jordan’s smile faltered.

“Here,” I said to the dealer, handing her about ten thousand dollars in chips. “A tip.”

“Thanks,” she said, smiling widely.

Wanting to flirt with Jordan, while he was in his disguise, but not wanting him to catch on that I’d made him, I asked the dealer how much the suites cost in the hotel.

“I’m not sure,” she replied.

“Are you staying here?” asked Jordan.

“Yes.”

“Alone?”

“You know, my mother told me not to talk to strangers, especially in Vegas,” I replied, smiling.

He smiled back. “Wise woman.”

“The thing is, being wise can be very boring,” I said. “Which is what it’s been like for me the past few days. So… tonight, I think I’m going to have me a ‘what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas,’ kinds of nights.”

He didn’t say anything.

I hid my grin. “Well, everyone, have a good night. I know I am,” I said.

The other players wished me well.

I thanked them and walked away from the table.

From there, I cashed in my chips and checked into an expensive suite. Although I couldn’t see Jordan, I knew he was around and watching me like a hawk.

Smiling to myself, I took the elevator up to the room I’d reserved, ordered a bottle of champagne, and kicked off my shoes. Once the concierge delivered the bottle, I drew myself a bath, poured myself a glass of champagne, and got into the tub.

It wasn’t long before my cell phone went off. I reached over and grabbed it.

Jordan
: Miss me?

Me
: What do you think?

Jordan
: I should be home soon.

Me
: Good for you.

Jordan
: Angry?

Me
: Frustrated.

Jordan
: I can tell. Let me do something about that.

I heard the click of the bathroom door and Jordan walked in.

“Surprised that I found you here?” he asked, walking over to the bathtub. He’d changed out of his disguise and was now wearing a pair of black trousers and a white dress shirt open at the collar.

I took a sip of my champagne and smiled. “No. I’m just surprised that it took you this long to find my room.”

He began unbuttoning his shirt. “How did you happen to know that it was me down there?” 

“I guess I just know when the man I love is standing next to me,” I replied, watching as he undressed. “Especially when he’s never around.” My eyes filled with tears. 

He took off his pants and got into the tub with me. “Jessica,” he said, cupping my face with his hands. He stared into my eyes. “I’m here.”

“Are you?” I asked, staring into his ice blue eyes.

“Yes,” he said. “And I’m never leaving you again. I promise.”

“What about tomorrow?” I asked, hating the way my throat was closing up and how emotional he made me. “Will there be flowers and maybe another note, apologizing that you had to leave again?”

“Tomorrow? Just flowers. You can’t have a wedding without them.”

I stared at him in confusion.

He grinned. “You still want to get married, don’t you?”

“To you?” I asked, the tears running down my cheeks.

“That’s the idea.”

Crying, I threw my arms around his neck and cried, “Yes!”

“There is one little issue.”

I stiffened up. Another catch? “What’s that?” I asked pulling away.

“You’re not going to be Jessica Steele. You’re going to be Jessica Stone. That is if you’d like to take my new last name.”

“I’m okay with that,” I replied, relieved that it was something so trivial. “What about your first name? You didn’t change that, did you?”

“No. It’s Jordan.”

“Phew. I don’t know if I could have lived with a first name change,” I teased. “Last name, that’s fine. First name… absolutely not.”

Jordan grinned. “Just don’t call me ‘Judge’,” he said. “That chapter in my life is finally closed.”

“For good?”

“For good.”

I smiled. “So, how should we begin this new chapter?”

“I have a suggestion,” he said, touching me intimately.

We started the chapter with sex. Lots and lots of it.