ROMANCING THE MOB BOSS (6 page)

primed it already was. But Reno wasn’t

surprised. He had to have her in the worse

way. He pul ed off her panties with one swift

swoop and was entering her with a need that

bordered on desperation. He remembered her

from before, and the intensity he knew being in

her would bring, and his control broke. He

pounded her, unzipping her dress and lifting it

off of her, unlatching her frontal bra and sucking

her breasts, as he pounded. He slung his pants

and boxers, his suit coat, shirt, tie, al of it, off

too, tossing it al aside, as he made love to her.

It was the gift that kept on giving to

Reno, because he knew they both had that

staying power, that they both could feel intensity

after intensity without premature ejaculation.

Longevity, he thought as he pounded her, that

was what she gave to him: longevity. And he

wanted it something bad.

Trina loved it, too. She loved the way he

got down to business, at how he could foreplay

her while he was stil deep inside of her, how he

could make her feel so cherished while he was

deep inside of her. And talk about longevity.

She was amazed at his staying power. That

was what she perhaps loved most of al about

being with Reno. She knew she was in for a

ride, not some quick trip.

But she knew it was a risky ride, too. In

every way. No condom, again. She never

al owed that. Never! But with Reno she didn’t

even bring it up. Her judgment was

questionable sometimes. And this, she knew,

was one of those times.

And although she wasn’t having sex with

a virtual stranger this time, she’d hardly cal

Reno a stranger now, she was effectively having

sex with her boss. This man was so powerful,

so expert in his lovemaking, that he was

bringing out behaviors in her that she knew

were reckless and il -advised on every level.

But the way he pounded her, the way he

felt inside of her, made her feel like an addict.

She lifted up on elbows, as he pounded her, as

he sucked on her. This couldn’t end wel , she

sensed, because they weren’t starting it right,

but she also felt that she was powerless to do a

damn thing about it. Because she wanted it so

bad. And he wanted her so bad. And as they

came, as she grabbed onto him and he

grabbed onto her and the ful ness of their

release spil ed out into a crescendo of pent up

passion, pouring in and then out of her, down

her thighs and onto the bed, she just knew they

were both addicted.

There was no going back from this kind

of high.

She noticed him Monday night while she

was working, but she didn’t think too much of it.

Yes, he’d been one of the ones in Reno’s office,

but that could have just been a coincidence.

Boyzie’s wasn’t your everyday strip joint, but

was considered a little more upscale, if there

was such a thing, and a better class of people

often frequented the place. But by Tuesday

night, when she saw him again seated in her

station, she knew something was up.

It was slow, as most Tuesday nights

were, and as soon as her break time came, she

walked over to the table where he was seated,

and sat down herself.

He smiled. “What do I owe this

pleasure?”

“I remember you from Reno’s office,”

Trina said, not beating around the bush.

The guy’s smile didn’t leave, but it

changed. And the more Trina looked at him, the

more she realized just how much he looked like

a younger, chubbier version of Reno. “You’re

his baby brother, aren’t you?” she asked.

“You’re Joey.”

“This wasn’t my idea,” Joey said,

holding up his hands. “This is al Reno’s doing.”

Trina frowned. “What’s al his doing?”

“My keeping an eye on you at work,

make sure no jokers get any ideas. Fol owing

you home to make sure you get safely inside

your apartment. This got Reno written al over

it.”

Trina wanted to smile at his use of

language, but she was too disturbed to smile.

“And why does he feel he needs to tail me like

this?”

“He likes you,” Joey said. “Wanna make

sure you okay. This is what he does for females

he likes.”

This revelation hurt Trina deeply. “And

of course he likes the ladies,” she said, to see

how Joey responded.

Joey smiled. “What you think? We

talking Reno here.”

“I see,” Trina said. “So I’m not the only

“I see,” Trina said. “So I’m not the only

female you have to keep an eye on for him?”

Joey didn’t say anything, but his silence

said it al to Trina.

“Okay, wel , whatever,” she said as she

stood. “Have a good evening. No need to be

fol owing me, you are released of your duty. I’m

no longer one of the females in his stable, so

there’s no longer any need. And you can tel

him that personal y for me.”

She walked away with her dignity intact,

went into the staff bathroom, checked to see

that no-one else was in the stal s, and cried her

eyes out.

+++

Reno was stil in New Jersey, meeting with

investors interested in bringing the PaLargio to

Atlantic City. But Reno wasn’t convinced and

the meetings were just bogging down. But by

Wednesday night he was so exhausted that he

made his way back to his hotel suite, the best in

town although it couldn’t hold a candle to his

own hotel, and dropped onto his bed. His

Atlantic City hosts, a group of wel -connected

businessmen, had offered him a woman for the

night, but he had turned them down. He usual y

accepted when he was in town and they knew it,

he always kept a fresh supply of condoms for

the occasion, but not this time. Trina was on his

mind.

He cal ed Joey, the kid brother who

idolized him. He wasn’t good for major tasks,

his attention span wouldn’t al ow it, and

sometimes even on smal jobs he could be a

pain.

“Hel o?” Joey said into the phone. He

sounded asleep.

“Hey, where are you?” Reno asked.

“I’m home, where you think?”

“Home? What, Trina didn’t have to work

tonight?”

“How should I know?”

Reno frowned. “I told you to watch her,

to keep an eye out on her for me, Joey, what

you mean, how should you know?”

“I did keep an eye on her Monday night.

And I was right back at that rat-ass Boyzie’s

Tuesday night too. But she gave me the slip.”

“You lost her?”

“She lost me. She told me to get lost.

Said she wasn’t interested in being in your

harem anymore, or words to that effect.”

Reno sat up, his heart pounding. “Joey,

what are you talking about? What did you tel

her?”

“Didn’t you cal her already?”

“No, I didn’t cal her. I’m gonna see her

Friday, what I need to cal her for?”

“Because you ain’t gonna see her

Friday.”

Reno’s heart was hammering. “What did

you tel her?”

“I didn’t tel her nothin’, what you take me

for? She asked why you had me fol owing her. I

told her because you liked her and you like to

keep tabs on the females you like.”

“Geez, you make me sound like a

stalker, Joey.”

“Or words to that effect, al right?”

“What else did you tel her?”

“I didn’t tel her nothin’. Then she says,

‘so this what he does, have you fol owing al the

women he likes?’ I didn’t answer that particular

question.”

Reno frowned. “Why didn’t you answer

it?”

“It’s none of her business, for one.”

Reno shook his head. “You made me

sound like a stalker with a stockpile of females

at my disposal, you idiot!”

“What did I do?”

“Next time I see you remind me to kick

your ass!”

“What did I do?”

“Remind me, Joey!” Reno said with

even more venom and slammed down the

phone. And then he picked it up again.

+++

It was nearly ten at night when Trina was

knocking off. She and Jazz walked out

together, with Jazz offering to give her a lift.

“Nal , girl, I can take the bus,” Trina said.

“You sure? Nathan won’t mind.”

“Nathan wil mind, y’al live in the exact

opposite direction than I do. But I got it. I’l take

the bus.”

the bus.”

“Sure you’re sure?”

Trina smiled. “I’m sure I’m sure,” she

said, walking away from her friend. “You and

Nat have a good rest of the evening.” She said

this as she headed for the bus stop.

It was less than a minute later when

Trina saw a limo drive past her heading in the

direction she just came from. Limos in Vegas

were nothing new, but they were kind of rare this

far north of the strip. She glanced back as she

kept walking, and saw the limo turn around and

head back in her direction. She stil didn’t think

much of it until that same limo drove just past

her, and pul ed over to the curb. When Reno got

out, her heart rammed against her chest.

He looked gorgeous, in his pul over knit

shirt and jeans, his big, athletic body

swaggering toward her as a sexy reminder of

their passionate times in bed. Only his face

looked more angry than passionate.

“Where you going this time of night?” he

wanted to know as he approached her. “What’s

your problem walking alone this time of night?”

“I was headed to the bus stop,” Trina

said. “And what are you doing here anyway? I

thought you were out of town until Friday.”

“I thought so too. Until my brother Joey

tel s me you saying you don’t wanna see me

anymore. What’s that about?”

“It’s not about anything,” she said,

walking past him.

“Wait a minute,” he said, but she kept on

walking. “Wait a minute,” he insisted as he

hurried up to her. She had, by now, walked past

the parked limousine. “I came back early to talk

to you. Joey left you the wrong impression, he

does stuff like that, don’t ask me why.” Then he

grabbed her by the arm, stopping her

progression. “Wil you wait a minute?”

Trina stopped and looked at Reno. Why

was she even al owing herself to get involved

with a man like him? He was great in bed, but

so what? A relationship couldn’t be built on sex

and sex alone. There was too much drama

around him, she felt it when she walked into his

office, and entered what looked like a three-ring

circus.

“Get in the car, we need to talk.”

Trina was shaking her head before he

could even finish. “No thank-you.”

“Come on, Tree, why you giving me a

hard time? I left my business a day early to get

back here to talk to you. And what you saying,

you ain’t gonna even talk to me?”

“There’s nothing to talk about.”

“I don’t have any other women,” Reno

said pointblank. Trina looked at him. “Joey

was ful of shit when he insinuated that I do. I

don’t. Are you asking me if I have had my share

of females? Yes, I have had my share and

probably Joe and Mo’s share too, I ain’t gonna

lie to you. But I’m with you now. That’s over.

I’m with you.”

Trina stared into his tired blue eyes. He

seemed so sincere, so serious that she

believed him. Instantly she just believed him.

Then she glanced back at the limo. “That’s not

gonna work,” she said.

Reno’s heart dropped. “What’s not

gonna work?”

“That limo in my neighborhood. No way,

no how.”

Reno smiled. “Okay, no problem, I’l

ditch the limo and we can cal a cab or

something. Because honey, I ain’t catching no

bus.”

Trina laughed at just the thought of this

big man, the owner of the PaLargio no less,

riding the city bus. “What you say, Reno, you

ain’t catching no bus?”

He pul ed out his cel phone. “I ain’t

catching no bus.”

Trina smiled and moved up to him, put

her arm in his. He smiled. “Hey, Rupert,” he

said into his cel phone, “this Reno. I need you

to cal me a cab. I’m over here near Boyzie’s. I

know I got a limo, I know what I got, did I ask you