Untamed: Bad Boy Fighter Romance (Fighting for Gisele #2) (5 page)

“Is something troubling you?”

“I want you to know what you’re getting into, Micah. I hinted at it that first time you came to the complex.” Gisele raked a hand through her hair. “I’m not…free to do as I like. My brother is supposed to
protect me
.”

“He’s made that clear, although I don’t think much of his style of protection.”

“It’s more than that, though.” Gisele looked concerned. “He is capable of enforcing his control. It wouldn’t matter who you are. Any man who is bold enough to court me is at risk from the mob.”

“But your brother granted me an evening with you, when I won the poker bet that night.”

“That was a game…a bad joke,” Gisele said. “The reality is that he’d kill you if he thought you were a threat.”

“What makes you say that?”

Gisele sighed. “I just know it, that’s all.” She clasped her hands together. “I’ve tried to pretend otherwise, to believe that Alek is only looking out for me. But there have been things over the years that I couldn’t explain.”

“Like sending Vik to come and get you?”

Gisele nodded. “He tracks my cell phone. I didn’t know that before, but I should have figured it out.” She looked over at Micah. “But he’s out of luck for the moment. I took the battery out of my phone. So while I’m with you, he can just wonder.”

“So your brother keeps a very close eye on you,” Micah said. “Too close…is what you’re saying?”

“I don’t want to overreact, but I really think there’s more to it than brotherly love.” It pained Gisele to say that, but it was exactly how she felt.

Micah reached for her hand. “I have to agree with you.”

It was good to have Micah there, and to not be so alone. But his involvement with her was good and bad. As comforting as his presence was, it wasn’t right of Gisele to depend on him. He was in danger, even if he didn’t see it.

Gisele felt threatened too, but differently. Alek was her brother, and he had looked out for her, in his own way. He might make her life miserable, but he wouldn’t hurt her. Yet he’d have no qualms about snuffing out the life of another man, even one she cared about.

She shuddered to think of the cold-bloodedness of it. But she’d grown up in Chicago, raised by Yuri Danilov, her Russian father. She knew of things her family had done that had shocked her, and she had no doubt about what Alek was capable of.

After eating, Gisele spent the day with Micah. He took her to the movies, just like a normal date. And afterwards they went to the 107 Sky Lounge, and drank cocktails with a panoramic view of the Las Vegas skyline. They sipped frozen margaritas and watched the sunset from high up in the clouds, until a plethora of lights on the casinos radiated through the darkness to illuminate the city.

“It’s funny how when you live somewhere you don’t do the touristy stuff,” Gisele said.

Micah smiled. “You mean like having cocktails at the Stratosphere?”

“Yes, this is the first time I’ve been up here.”

“Well, I haven’t lived anywhere long enough to be anything but a tourist,” Micah said, “except when I was a kid.”

Gisele studied him, then grinned. “You lead an exciting life, Micah Rinaldi.” She lifted her glass. “How about a refill?”

After drinks, Micah took her to dinner, and it was pretty late by the time they got back to his hotel. He flipped on the light over the minibar. “A nightcap?” he said.

Gisele sauntered over to him. In a seductive voice, she said, “I know what I would like.”

Micah ran his fingers down her spine, then wrapped his arms around her. He kissed her, as only he could kiss, and Gisele melted into him. “Stay the night,” he whispered in her ear. That had been her plan all along. One more night together—one of many, she hoped.

Chapter 5

The next morning Micah had to be back in training, so he got up early and headed to the gym. He gave Gisele a long, sexy kiss, then told her that he’d see her soon. She didn’t want to go home yet, but didn’t have any clothes with her. The lavender dress had worked its magic on Micah, but she needed a change of outfit.

In the cab on the way to her condo, Gisele turned her phone back on and there was a text from Alek:
I need you tonight. Important guests
. She sighed. Her life wasn’t any different just because she’d vanished for a day. Her brother had probably guessed that she was with Micah; he didn’t need to track her to know that. Even he knew that he could only push her so far, meaning he’d give her some slack for now. But she was under no delusions—Alek still had his eye on her.

When Gisele arrived at the complex, she took the private entrance to avoid her brother. She’d have to see him soon enough, and wanted to enjoy her pretended independence for now. Once the door to her suite was locked behind her, she shed her well-worn dress and got into the shower.

It was a huge marble enclosure with double nozzles. As long as she was a
prisoner
, she might as well take advantage of the fringe benefits. The hot water felt good, and she let it wash over her for a while in massage mode. She hit a button on the wall to turn on music and the electronic sound of “Burn It Down” by Linkin Park started to play through the bathroom speakers.

Gisele sang along. She turned up the volume, letting the band drown her out.
Living Things
was one of her favorite albums. She found the voice of the lead singer sexy in a dark sort of way, and the booming rock song carried her away.

Under the water, Gisele raised her arms and sang louder. Singing in the shower was cathartic, and, feeling rebellious, she sang louder. Music was an escape, and one of the reasons she liked dancing so well too. Abby had it great dancing for a living. Sure, it was challenging, but rewarding as well. And Gisele’s friend didn’t have to put up with the crap that she did, like the sleazy guests she would entertain that evening.

Gisele left the volume up while she shampooed her hair. Then she washed and got out, turning the music down a little. She dressed in jeans and a sleeveless shirt, then blew her hair dry. Makeup could wait. She stretched out on a padded lounge that faced the windows and stared out at the bright blue sky.

It made her feel good to think of Micah. She was hooked. How could she not be? Micah was so hot, and he had something that drew her to him. It was a certain charisma. He was cocky and adventurous. She liked that more than she cared to admit.

In her weaker moments, Gisele felt like she didn’t have much hope of being normal. She didn’t have it in her. Her upbringing and her environment had perverted her. But she couldn’t kid herself; she had a thirst for life that couldn’t be quenched. It was her personality, and she had no one else to blame.

Micah had said he was the wild brother in his family. Gisele could certainly see that, but it wasn’t like she’d been Miss Conservative or anything. She’d dragged Micah into deep trouble, nearly gotten him charged with a felony. And that was the least of it, if things kept going as they were.

Gisele hugged her knees to her chest and closed her eyes. Visions of Micah flooded her mind. He was swoon-worthy, for sure. And the way he kissed was unforgettable. Her lips tingled just from thinking of the sensual kiss before he’d left that morning.

Swinging her feet to the side, Gisele buried her toes in the thick carpet. She stretched and then stood up. Pilates class was soon, and she needed the exercise. After grabbing her bag with her workout wear, she called a cab then went out to wait. Her brother had plenty of transportation she could use, but this was one small thing that she could handle on her own.

It was going to be a hot day in Vegas, but by midmorning it was only in the eighties. Gisele took the cab away from the Strip and gave directions to the driver. She may not be a professional dancer like Abby, but the Pilates style of exercise kept her limber and fit. It created long, lean muscle, and originally had been designed for dancers.

“Pick me up in two hours,” Gisele said, then paid the cabbie and got out.

There was still time, so Gisele stopped at the snack bar a few doors down and ordered a strawberry smoothie. The cold, creamy drink went down easily, giving her energy for class. When she entered the studio, several students she knew were chatting. She greeted them and went to store her bag.

Her instructor Sarah passed her in the hall and smiled. “Good to see you, Gisele. Ready for a hard workout?”

“Looking forward to it.” And Gisele was. Pilates was more than just exercise to her, as eventually she planned to have her own studio. Dancing was in her blood, but she hadn’t had the opportunity to do much with it, nor did she have Abby’s talent.

Working with dancers, helping them recover from injuries and exercise their long, lean muscles to make them strong, was the career for her. It wasn’t glamorous, but Gisele didn’t need it to be. The dream of having her own business, of getting out from under her brother’s thumb, gave her hope.

Gisele locked up her bag then went to the main room to warm up. She thought of the women she’d met who attended class, and wondered what their lives were like. Not all of them were dancers, as many women attended so they could get fit, with no professional goal in mind.

Sometimes Gisele imagined that she was one of those women who worked regular jobs, and lived in a local neighborhood with their family. It could still happen, even for her. And it was nice to envision it, although it seemed remote, considering her current circumstances.

Sarah guided the group, including some advanced versions of moves they’d learned, making class challenging. Gisele liked that, as she wanted to learn all she could, and to increase her agility. Sometimes she took private classes with the instructor for a more intense experience, and to understand the exercises in detail. As soon as she had the time, she’d participate in a special program designed to train new instructors.

Afterwards, Gisele changed back into her street clothes and did some shopping. It was pleasant to cruise a couple of small stores, to see if anything caught her eye. Usually, she shopped alone, unlike other women she saw. They often shopped together and made it an outing. When she was with Abby, it was like that. But she didn’t have other women friends.

Gisele had been raised by men, an odd circumstance for a young girl. Her father and brother had provided fashion consultants so she could be well dressed, or recruited the assistance of an experienced salesclerk. But that hadn’t been the same as having a mother or sister to shop with.

She thought of Micah. He had a sister, Daniela, who worked in fashion. She was a makeup artist for models. Gisele wished that Daniela lived closer, so she could get to know her. But with Daniela in New York and Gisele in Vegas, it wasn’t likely they’d become friends.

She was getting ahead of herself, anyway. She didn’t know how long the relationship with Micah would last. Although the number of nights she’d spent with him was already a record.

Any other guy who had garnered her attention hadn’t been so great up close. It was the initial excitement that got her, that bad-boy thrill. But once she had gotten to know them, meaning they had gone on a date or even slept together, her interest rapidly cooled.

Micah only got better. Each time she was with him, the attraction was stronger. Gisele wasn’t going to be the one to end it this time. The question was: how long would Micah put up with her? She’d been told that she wasn’t easy, and she knew that was true.

Gisele was lost on how to deal with a real relationship, as she hadn’t been allowed to have one before. Vik didn’t count, since he was her brother’s idea. And although he’d had his charm in the beginning, he wasn’t the guy for Gisele. Sometimes she puzzled over what he saw in her, since she obviously wasn’t his type.

The cab was waiting, as promised, and when Gisele stepped out onto the street she waved. He pulled up and she got in. It was time to return to reality. She had the driver let her out a few blocks early, so she could get something to eat on the way back.

One of her go-to places was a café that served organic food, so she went there to have a veggie burger. The way the restaurant made them they were actually good. She ate most of it, along with some of the sweet potato fries.

When Gisele got back to her suite, she took her second shower of the day. It wouldn’t do to greet her guests all sweaty and smelly. This time she skipped music, opting for some quiet time before going to work. She took the luxury of daydreaming about Micah.

He was strong and independent. Gisele admired that, and envied him for it. Around Micah, she felt protected, even though she was well aware of the dangers. She knew he would look out for her, even if no one else would.

And Micah was so sexy. God, she could stay in bed with him for a week. Gisele smiled at the thought. And he probably could too, as he didn’t wear out. He was powerful, muscled, and had the energy to match. She remembered how it felt to have his arms around her, and wished he was there now.

But he wasn’t, and it was time to dress for work. Micah had said that he’d see her soon, and she hoped so. He had to train for an upcoming fight, so would be preoccupied. She certainly didn’t want to be a distraction. It was tough in the ring, and he had to work out hard to maintain his edge.

After she dressed in a black cocktail dress with high heels and put on her diamond earrings, Gisele went to the east wing. Her brother would be there already, and he was expecting her. When she entered, the men looked up and Alek introduced her.

Gisele was interested to learn that the guests had arrived from Chicago. Although she hadn’t met them before, Alek seemed to know them well. She was curious what their business with him was, but the men didn’t discuss serious matters while she was there.

Drinks and dinner were all very social, and Alek’s behavior in front of the guests was impeccable. Gisele studied the three men that had flown across the country to meet with him, noting that they seemed hard, and the expression in their eyes was too cold to be really friendly. But they were cordial, if arrogant.

When dessert was over and Gisele was excused, she was quick to leave. More often these days, she found such meetings stifling, the atmosphere laced with false pleasantries. She’d be so glad to get away from all the clandestine affairs and alliances based on greed.

As she left the room, she heard the name Yuri spoken by one of the guests. But as the door shut, it was quiet behind her, and she was sure Alek had admonished them to wait until she was gone. Whatever business they had with her Russian father, she wasn’t to be included, since she was only a woman. The fact that she was Yuri’s foster daughter made no difference.

*****

The next morning, Abby came over to sit by the pool for a while. The deck was on one of the upper floors, and Gisele liked the disappearing edge effect. The area was shielded from wind by glass partitions, and the pool ran right up to one transparent panel, so it looked as if the water would fall out over the city.

Vegas sprawled below, shimmering in the growing heat of the day. One of the staff escorted Abby to the pool, where Gisele was lounging under an umbrella in one of her colorful bikinis. “Hi, Abby.” She stood up to give her friend a hug. “It’s good to see you.”

“You too.” Abby removed her shirt and shorts, leaving her fuchsia swimsuit, then got comfortable in one of the other lounge chairs. She stretched out her long, well-toned legs and reached for the glass on the side table.

“I ordered mimosas for us.”

Abby sipped hers. “Great. It’s delicious.”

Gisele texted with Abby all the time, but still there was always stuff to catch up on. “What’s new?”

“Well, the show is going great,” Abby said.

Gisele had attended one of her friend’s first performances, because she was so excited about the show. Zarkana was a huge production, with a set that constantly moved, providing a unique backdrop for the performers. The visual effects included images projected onto LED screens, creating remarkable illusions of fire and snakes, upstaged only by the performers’ acrobatic talent.

“I’m not surprised. That show is a stunner.”

“It still amazes me how magical the circus acts are, and I’m in the show,” Abby said. “I mean, who would think of turning acrobatics into fairy tales? I hope I can stay with the dance troupe for a while. I was lucky to get in.”

“All those years of gymnastics paid off,” Gisele said.

“Yes, and my ballet training too.” Abby stirred her drink with the straw. “It’s exhausting, though, so many performances.”

“Did you talk to your mom the other day?”

“They’re having thunderstorms this week,” Abby said.

“That’s not unusual for Indianapolis, is it?”

“Not for May. But even so, we’re sitting here in ninety-degree weather.” Abby ran her hand through her silvery blond hair. “I don’t miss it. I’d much rather be out west.”

“Are you still seeing your costar…Gareth, wasn’t it?”

Abby shook her head. “We just went out a few times. He’s a nice guy, but we didn’t really hit it off.”

“You’ll find the right man.”