Cowboy Boots and Unadulterated Pleasures [Cowboy Boots 4] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) (22 page)

Taking a step away from her, he said, “I’ll see you later. Wish me good hands.”

“You have those,” she said, grabbing him by the wrist and pulling him back to bed.

She dropped to the mattress and he fell atop her. Immediately, their lips crashed together. When their mouths parted, he ran his fingers up and down her torso, tickling her and damning his cock for rising to the occasion with the theatrics of their game.

Kelly tossed a pillow across his head and they continued their playful wrestling across the mattress. When the sheets and blankets were well tangled, Colt slipped the loaded .45 next to her hip. “Behave, okay?”

She quickly nodded. “Be a winner today.”

“I already am, darlin’. I already am.”

* * * *

“I’m not too worried about Colt now,” Crue said, watching Brock Donovan from the corner of his eye. “Sorry you had to witness the show.”

“I didn’t watch. I have my own handful at home,” Brock said, reading over some documents.

“When did you get in town?” Kemper asked.

“What the fuck does it matter?” Brock fired back. “The important thing is I’m here and with any luck, I can negotiate with Lorenzo if your fearless—never mind recently fucked—leader can’t pull off the win.”

“We all know that win is a death sentence, too,” Crue said, hoping Brock would enlighten him if he happened to be wrong.

He didn’t. He returned to the paperwork, occasionally smirking when his phone buzzed with a text message. No doubt, the messages exchanged were personal.

“What’s the plan?” Brand asked, taking a seat across from Brock.

“Riley is dealing the cards, for starters,” Brock informed them.

Crue made a fist and drew back his arm. “Yes! That’s what I like to hear.”

Brock frowned. “I wouldn’t say this deal is in the bag, yet. Somebody managed to fuck up our plan when they asked for a new dealer every hour.”

“How do we work around that?” Brand asked.

“The poker room manager told Lorenzo the casinos on the Strip have utilized a new policy for private games. All dealers remain in the room until the game is over.” He typed a few words in his phone, grunted, and sent another message. He looked up again. “Veronica and Sloane Remington are in the lineup, too. We have three operatives inside.”

Crue snickered. “Let me guess, Sloane wouldn’t let Veronica work alone?”

Brock’s nose twitched. “He’s not as obsessed as he used to be.”

“I’ll believe that when I see it for myself.”

“He’s worse,” Brock said, glancing up. “She’s pregnant.”

“What?” Crue felt like he’d taken a punch to the gut. “Are you out of your mind? You’ve read the new information we have on Lorenzo and his operations. He views women as weak links, and his men won’t have a problem putting a gun to Veronica’s head.”

“That would be a grave mistake,” Brock said, ever so cool. “Sloane is a beast when he fights for Veronica, and let’s not forget Veronica is well trained. She’s one of the best operatives we have.”

“Is she packing?” Gabe asked.

“In places you and I can only dream about,” Brock said, grunting.

“You don’t have a thing for Sloane’s woman. Do you, Brock?” Crue asked, deviling him.

His phone rang about that time. His ringtone hummed with “Endless Love.”
How sweet
. “No,” he replied, standing and leaving the room. “Hey, baby.”

Brock’s entire demeanor changed when his wife called. Maybe they’d have a good phone fuck before the poker game began. Brock was like a stiff rod waiting to strike back at the first bolt of lightning. Sydney Kane Donovan must’ve been a saint or completely insane to live with the man.

“As far as obsessions go, Brock Donovan is owned by a woman,” Kemper said, shaking his head.

“I know someone else who isn’t far behind him,” Brand said, waggling his brows. “Crue, you should’ve seen Kemper last week. He’s as lovesick as Colt and I don’t care how much he denies his feelings. I watched him with my very eyes.” He lowered his chin and dropped his voice to taunt him. “Miss Submissive.”

“She eats that stuff up,” Kemper said, assuming his notorious cocky attitude.

An alarm alerted them of the approaching hour. The poker game was set to start.

“Showtime, boys,” Crue said.

Gabe took his seat in front of a computer monitor. “Here we go. May the cards fall in Colt’s favor.”

Two hours into the game and another dealer rotation left Colt with a surge of relief. To Colt’s pleasant surprise, Riley Donovan assumed the chair.

Colt rippled his chips as he watched Riley’s hands meticulously shift the cards as he shuffled. No one would’ve noticed the switch if they’d been paying attention, but Colt was betting on a top starting hand.

Before Colt viewed his cards, he looked across the table and tilted his head at the wall. “Tell me again why the dealers have to stay in the room after their hour.”

“New casino policy for private poker parties,” Lorenzo replied, frowning at his cards.

Colt kept a straight face as he viewed his pocket rockets. Those aces never looked prettier, especially since he was down to two hundred and fifty thousand. Prior to Riley’s entry, things weren’t looking too great for the home team.

“Believe me, Candyman, I’m not pleased by the addition of witnesses.” He grunted. “It makes for too much of a mess to clean up.” He glared at him as if he wanted to transmit a private message.

Riley shot Lorenzo a sideways glance.

“Deal the damn flop,” Lorenzo grated out.

The flop came down as pretty as you please. Two aces—one spade, one diamond—and a king of diamonds.

Riley looked at him with cool eyes, showing no emotion. With Riley dealing hands like these, Colt was untouchable. Playing off the possibility for giving away his winning hand, he checked. Lorenzo raised. Colt called.

The turn card was another king, this one a heart. Riley’s gaze flitted his way. He’d stacked the deck better than the average guy and Lorenzo would raise hell when this hand was over.

Instead of dragging out the inevitable, Lorenzo raised the bet and Colt was all-in. Both men stood. Lorenzo placed his hand at his waistband, most definitely fingering the butt of his gun. They turned them up and Lorenzo collapsed in his seat. Four kings didn’t compete against his pocketful of aces.

Dragging the chips inward, Colt said, “’Bout time.” He didn’t act overly confident and he didn’t look at Lorenzo until his opponent slammed his fist against the felt.

“I demand a new dealer!” Lorenzo shouted.

“A new dealer?” Colt asked calmly. “You’ve been cleaning my plow for the last two hours. I take one hand and you want a new dealer?”

“There’s something wrong with him,” Lorenzo said, glaring at Riley. “I don’t like his look. He has a bad vibe.”

“Bad vibe?” Colt balked at that. “Let’s talk about horrible omens. Shall we?”

“Get the girl,” Lorenzo snapped over his shoulder. One of Lorenzo’s men disappeared in the bedroom.

Every muscle in Colt’s body stiffened. Riley stilled in his chair, most likely reaching for the gun that would’ve been holstered under the table.

The burly fellow who’d been sitting with Kelly earlier dragged her through the hallway by the hair of her head. Colt leapt to his feet. “Let her go!”

“Sit,” Riley grated out under his breath, his eyes fixated on Kelly and the man holding her by her long locks. “This isn’t how the casino operates. Release the woman and we’ll continue the game. I’ll call for an early replacement if you don’t like the way I deal.”

Lorenzo flattened his palms on the table. “I’ve already told you. I don’t like the way you deal. I won’t change my mind.”

Slowly reclaiming his chair, Colt rippled the chips and watched Kelly. She looked too calm.
Fuck.
She acted like a damned operative now.

Lorenzo sneered. “Will you accommodate my wishes and request a replacement?”

“Let me ask you something, Lorenzo. Is this the way you win when you play against the pros? Do they play by your rules?” Colt asked.

“Yes. They do.”

Colt snorted. “I’ll just bet they do. Those guys and gals don’t take a lot of shit from outsiders like you.”

Lorenzo gritted his teeth and Colt realized he’d hit a nerve.

“Outsiders like you have a rough time gaining respect in this city, huh?”

“You know nothing of respect.”

Colt felt his upper lip curl. “Don’t I?”

“Put the woman in front of the flat screen and give Mr. Candy a demonstration.”

The burly fellow dragged Kelly across the floor and tossed her to the sofa in front of the entertainment center. He grabbed the remote and turned on the television. Colt’s body stiffened as he prepared for the noise he had long since realized would soon fill the room.

“Don’t hold back. Come with me, pretty girl!” Colt’s voice resounded.

Hard gasps and bodies slapping resounded as his earlier private moment with Kelly became a free-for-all viewing for all men and women present in the room. Instead of bowing his head, he watched Lorenzo, plastering a smirk on his face to taunt the man at the end. “You think I didn’t know what you had up your sleeve, Lorenzo?” He glanced over his shoulder and winked at Kelly. “I’ll take her wherever I can get her and I don’t give a damn who watches.”

Riley didn’t look away from the cards. Lorenzo leaned over the table, glaring at Riley. “What’s wrong, card dealer? Don’t you find her appealing?”

“I have a woman,” Riley said, glaring at Lorenzo. “And I won’t participate in your exploitation of any woman. If she wanted to share the video, it’s one thing. For you to do it to taunt your opponent, it’s another thing altogether. Do you want me to deal now, or do you want to watch soft porn from an amateur’s video? Your call.”

“Deal,” Lorenzo grated out. “But make sure you shuffle them this time.”

“I love you, Colt.” Kelly’s words to him earlier filled the surround-sound speakers and Lorenzo slammed his hands against the table once more. “Turn it off.”

Colt peeked at his cards. “Bothers you. Doesn’t it?”

“You think I haven’t heard those very words, Mr. Candy?”

“Past doesn’t matter to me,” Colt said, tossing in his chips for a raise. “I’m all about the future.” He slowly lifted his gaze. “The one I plan to start later today with Kelly.”

“We’ll see about that,” Lorenzo said, nodding at his obedient soldier. “Show Mr. Candy a more enticing video from our collection.”

“No!” Kelly screamed.

Colt lunged at the man behind him without a second to spare, realizing too late the reason for Kelly’s outburst. The big guy held a disc high above Kelly’s head as she fought for the plastic case.

“You’re boring me, Kelly,” Lorenzo said, rising. “We’re playing on an even field here today. Remember?”

“Leave her out of this,” Colt said, glaring at the man who’d once been very good to Kelly. He knew all about their history. He happened to believe what he’d heard. At one time, Lorenzo doted on her. At one time, she thought a lot of him. Still, he didn’t want to watch a replay of a clip where another man—particularly Lorenzo—had fucked her.

Riley rubbed his jaw with three fingers and a thumb, yawning as if he were positively bored. He looked at Colt, staring at Lorenzo’s back. He shook his head once and looked down. This was part of their job, and if he didn’t go along with it, then he could put everyone in danger.

“Play it,” Colt said. “I don’t give a fuck.”

Lorenzo returned to the table.

“Please, don’t.” Kelly pleaded with Lorenzo. “I’ll do anything you want. Just don’t do this.”

“Anything?” Lorenzo asked, excitement in his voice.

Colt whipped around in his seat. “Take her to her room and put on the damned video. I have a card game I’d like to finish.”

“Colt, no!” she screamed as two of Lorenzo’s men dragged her out of the room again. Bracing for the upcoming noises, Colt refocused on the table.

The next few minutes would likely be some of the most difficult moments of his life. Somehow, he’d find a way to survive.

* * * *

“Well that’s gotta suck,” Brock said, glaring at the unfolding images.

Crue stiffened in his chair, trying to concentrate on the card game rather than the home videos from the Lorenzo and Kelly private collection. Gabe looked green. He couldn’t even focus on the screen.

“Gabe, I got this,” Brock said, taking over.

A few minutes later, Gabe was puking his guts up in the nearby bathroom.

“That’s a first,” Brock said, studying the game and zooming in on the chip stacks.

“He’s in love with her,” Crue said, focusing on the game.

“You are, too, but I don’t see you hovered over the porcelain squatter.”

“We each handle things differently,” Crue said.

“So I’ve heard,” Brock drawled.

In the distance, the racket continued. The erotic sounds spilled through their computers until Brock killed the volume. With the muted speakers, Crue found himself watching out of his peripheral.

Lorenzo had Kelly’s hands tied to the bed. Her legs were spread and a dildo impaled her. He ate her pussy, lapping at the juices spilling around her opening. When he finished, he fucked her with the toy, pulling at his cock until he came. There wasn’t anything spectacular about their time together.

“Dear God,” Brock muttered. “If that’s all I had to offer, I’d be damned if I’d show the clip to another man, especially one I viewed as my competition.” Brock glanced at him. “Did he ever fuck her?”

Kemper walked up and waggled his tongue. “That’s all she got. He was saving the rest for their wedding night.”

“You’ve gotta be kidding me,” Brock said. “This guy is quite a character.”

“He was fucking whores. He wouldn’t even let her suck his cock. He had decided to get tested before he went to bed with her. He really cared about her in his own way, I think,” Kemper said.

“Fucking whores and he cared about her?”

“He’s being sarcastic,” Crue said.

“With Kemper it’s hard to tell,” Brock said, pointing at the screen. “Things should get interesting now. The tables turned completely with Riley behind the cards. Best I can tell, Lorenzo has two hundred thousand remaining.”