Levi reached past his brother and placed his hand on Emily’s lower back, just as he had earlier. “You mingle, Hunt. I’ll show Emily the secret spot. We have work to discuss for next week.”
Hunt swiveled his head, eying Levi angrily.
That’s right, brother. I’ve got my eyes on you.
Levi had told himself he wouldn’t touch Emily again, but this was for safety purposes. His brother needed to know she was off-limits. Banned from Levi too, but that was another issue.
Hunt never saw any woman as forbidden. Not girlfriends, nor wives. According to Hunt, as long as she was willing, she was there for his taking.
Levi wasn’t seriously interested in Emily, but that didn’t mean he’d allow his viper of a brother near her. Emily might be a Wright, but he got the sense she was a good girl.
Hunt would touch Emily over Levi’s dead body.
Chapter 8
Levi stared straight aheadas he walked Emily out of the party. Now what?
He’d talked Emily into leaving with him so he could get her away from Hunt, and now he needed to show her some secret spot he had no idea existed. Since when did his brothers have a spot at Club Tahoe that Levi didn’t know about? Considering Hunt, he’d probably made the whole thing up. Which left Levi forced to figure out what to do with Emily after getting her alone.
Not that it was a bad thing to be stuck with a beautiful blonde in a killer dress that had him thinking of all sorts of interesting scenarios. Every single one of which involved the removal of said dress.
He blew out a breath. It had been a long while since he’d escorted a woman anywhere—out to dinner, or to his bed. Ten, eleven months?Jesus.Since before his accident. And this wasn’t just any beautiful blonde; it was Lisa’s sister. He couldn’t actuallydoanything with her. Which left Levi…in a quandary.
Emily glanced back, her body swaying a bit. How much champagne had she drunk? “Are you sure it’s okay to leave the party?” she said. “I want to make sure Esther is happy and enjoying herself.”
He carried her bag, which he’d remembered to grab from behind the bar before they’d left, and guided her down the hallway to the main lobby. “Don’t worry about Esther. She’s got most of the company fawning and making future lunch plans with her. With the pension my father set up for her, she’ll be enjoying retirement for a good long while.”
Emily glanced back once more. “All right. If you think it’s okay.”
He smiled down at her. She was a sweet kid.Woman.Full-blown woman now, he reminded himself.
He scanned the area, searching for something to show her that might seem like something significant—damn Hunt—and caught sight of the prodigal son.
If it weren’t for Adam ditching them to work at Blue Casino, Levi wouldn’t be in this mess of running the club and escorting pretty, vulnerable females away from Hunt. “Adam.” There might have been a threatening edge to Levi’s tone.
His brother swaggered toward them with his fiancée at his side. “Sorry we’re late. We…”
Levi glanced at Hayden, whose hair—now that Levi was paying attention—looked a bit off. As in, off to the side, when the swirly bun thing—whatever—should be centered. And her hair was wispy, and not in the intentional way.
Levi sighed. He knew exactly what his no-good brother had been doing with his beautiful fiancée.
Lucky bastard.
“Well, you’re here now,” Levi said. “Go to the party and make it up to Esther. Keep an eye on Hunt too, will ya? You know how he is.”
Adam scanned Emily. “Where are you two going?”
Levi wanted to punch Adam in the face. What was with his brothers checking out his assistant? “This is Emily Wright,my assistant. And Lisa’s sister.”
“Sister?”
“Sister.”
“Hi, Emily.” Hayden reached out and shook Emily’s hand while Adam just stood there with a look of shock on his face. “I’m Hayden Tate, Adam’s fiancée. It’s nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you too.” Emily smiled, but Levi caught her wobble to the side.
He slid his arm around her waist, holding her up. “We’re just going for a walk.”
