Page 52 of His Forbidden Alliance

I was going to have to do this with only Zach’s help. I hoped he had better hacking skills than I did. I could charm anyone in person, but stalking people online? Not my thing. And I was a hell of a lot better going on instinct than analyzing data. I might have to learn some things really fucking fast because I was not about to admit what I’d agreed to, not even to Dante.

You really think you can keep a secret from your brothers? They expect you to tell them everything.

Not everything. They never wanted any details about my hookups, no matter how good they were. And Zach was damn good.

Fucking bastard with his magic cock. How did he know I wanted to be on my knees? Why did I freak out? I could have kept him here, taken him to bed, and found out what else he wanted to do to me.

Maybe you didn’t do that because you actually have an ounce of sense.

Maybe Zach wouldn’t show up at the casino, then I might tell Dante everything. Except I couldn’t stand to see my brother disappointed in me again.

I finished the rest of my drink and almost poured another one, but as much as I wanted to be wasted, I needed to start looking through my employees’ files, and I might as well start now. I sure as hell wasn’t going to sleep. I was buzzing after all of the adrenaline that had been pumped into my body tonight. Some men liked to sleep after sex, but I was always charged up, needing more or something else to divert my attention. Getting a serious pleasure thrill only made me hungrier for more. I started a pot of coffee and went to get my laptop.

The first thing I needed to do was think through everyone who’d been hired or started gambling regularly over the last six months.

Jesus, that was going to take forever. As much as I kept my eye on things, I didn’t know every person who came in and out of there, especially the ones who played low stakes.

At least I did have a tendency to notice people whose behavior was unusual and keep track of them. My brothers never realized how observant I was. I pored through files and security footage until I had a list of people I needed to investigate further.

By that point, the sun was fully up, and I’d had way too much coffee. My head was buzzing, and my body was shaking. I changed quickly and went for a long run, pushing myself hard, wishing I could run all the insanity out of me. What if taking care of myself could make me into the kind of responsible adult my family wanted? Nah, that wasn’t likely to happen.

When I got home, I stretched, then got into the shower. As the water poured over me, I couldn’t make myself think about the investigation. All I thought about was whether I could fuck Zach in my office later today. If he showed up. He might have decided I was too much of a fucking mess, and he could track Ivanov another way.

A vision of him on his knees in front of me flashed through my mind. He was going to show up. He wanted to find the quickest path to take down Ivanov, and he’d use me any way he could to do it.

I could use the help, so I’d take it, and I’d take Zach to bed too, as many times as I could get away with it. Because he was fucking hot, he knew exactly what I wanted, and I loved the danger. I used to take risks every day. I was doing better, but I deserved a treat once in a while.

21

ZACH

Rafe’s driver didn’t speak to me as he drove me home. He knew exactly where to go. I must have been right about Rafe sending men to follow me home the night we first kissed, but it was still unsettling. I thanked the man and received only a nod in response.

As soon as I’d secured the door of my apartment, I started undressing and headed for the shower. I could smell Rafe on me, and I was sticky and gross. My shoulders were bruised, and my dick was sore. I wanted everything all over again, including sucking his dick.

I wanted to fuck him, to hear him whimper and beg. I want to dream up stuff I’d never even considered before and do it to him.

But it was just sex, wasn’t it? Just desire for a hot man. So maybe I had to accept I wasn’t straight, but the only thing real between me and Rafe was the need to make each other come. It couldn’t be anything else. That wasn’t an option.

So why was it that when I lay down, exhausted, having been up for over twenty-four hours, I couldn’t fall asleep because I kept replaying every moment of the night, not only the sex, but the moment when Rafe ran toward the burning car, the moment when I forced his hand under the running water. The scared, vulnerable look on his face as he processed what had happened. Hours passed before I was able to sleep.

I was used to getting very little sleep and napping whenever I could, but apparently, two near death experiences and the hottest sex I’d ever had were an incredible sleep aid. Once my brain slowed down enough to let me rest, I was out. I’d set an alarm to wake me in plenty of time to meet Rafe, but I’d slept through it. Now I needed to hurry if I was going to make it to our meeting on time.

I showered again, feeling like I could still smell Rafe’s scent on me, even though I’d scrubbed myself thoroughly the night before. Was I hallucinating? Was I so desperate for more of him that my mind pretended he was here?

Fuck. That was messed up. I dressed in a suit, assuming that was the only appropriate attire for meeting with a mobster who ran a casino once your cover was blown.

I’d planned to use a ride share app, but when I looked outside, the same man who’d picked me up the night before was parked outside my apartment.

My phone buzzed.

Your ride is waiting.

Damn, was this what it would be like to date a mobster?

Date? What the fuck? Why would I even think about that?

I considered calling a car for myself anyway, but that could make me late, so I accepted the ride.