Bowles, Jan - Claimed for the Master's Pleasure [Guilty Pleasures 5] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic) (2 page)

As someone who hated crass gambling clubs, she tossed the card dismissively away. Wild horses wouldn’t make her visit a casino. Her mother had always taught her that gambling and the pursuit of money was the root of all evil. Considering she lived within ten miles of the Strip, the nightlife of Las Vegas had been hard to ignore. The Nevada economy thrived on the gambling fever that constantly swept through the state. But her parents had not succumbed to its glitzy, tawdry lure, choosing instead to make their living from the clean, honest labor of running a simple grocery store, in one of the outlying Vegas communities. However, Lia was worldly enough to know that money from the casinos filtered through to them. The neighborhood was pretty poor, and many of the people they served in her parents’ store had taken jobs in the casinos in order to make ends meet. Just like the casinos themselves, it was something her mother chose to ignore.

Lia shook her head. As always her mind drifted to her family. In the last twelve months she’d lost her father, and her wonderful fiancé, Joe. It had been a tough year. One that she wished not to dwell on. She moved the bouquet into the sitting area, placing it next to the photograph of her dead parents. She picked up the framed photo of her fiancé, Joe, and gently kissed his image through the glass.

“No one could ever replace you. Sweet dreams, honey. I’m going back to bed.”

Last night had been great. It was time to start living again. Whoever Jake Benetti was, she didn’t like him, and she wouldn’t be accepting his invitation any time soon.

* * * *

Three days later

Every morning before breakfast, Lia always took an early morning jog. Since the devastating news of Joe’s death, and then some eleven months later her father, she found it therapeutic to haul herself out of bed and pound the streets in search of some normality. The exercise released the endorphins in her brain and helped her make sense of the crazy world she currently inhabited. The cool morning air and the solitude as she ran around the block set her up for the long day ahead at the fitness center where she worked as an aerobics instructor. It had been her goal to start her own business as a personal trainer. Her father had left her the money to achieve this in his will when he’d died, and she’d already taken on three new clients. Fred Constantine had been a wonderful man. He’d been marvelous when Joe had been killed in that terrible car crash all those months ago. She took a deep breath, reliving the awful incident. She’d been in the passenger seat, but had just barely survived. Her father had taken care of everything. He’d even paid for a top psychiatrist out of his own pocket when she’d been unable to cope with life anymore. The loss of the man she loved so dearly had hit her hard. She hugged her arms around herself, still feeling his warm, gentle presence. She still couldn’t believe he was dead.

Lia quickly glanced at her watch as she jogged past the school gates. Right on schedule. In twenty minutes she’d be home, showered, and ready to start the day. All she had to do was cross the road and run up the drive to her home. A home she had once shared with her parents. Her father had wanted her to move back in with him when her fiancé had died. Little had she known that she would eventually be left on her own.

When she heard a car approaching from behind, she moved to one side, beckoning with her arm for it to pass. She was surprised when the black sedan pulled up alongside her, and a darkened window slowly started to lower.

A craggy-looking man in his forties peered over the glass. “Lia Constantine?”

“I don’t know you. Go away.”

“Get in.”

“I’ve told you. Go away, creep.”

“Mr. Benetti wants to see you, and he won’t be happy until he does.”

Benetti? That name sounds so familiar. Where have I heard it before? Yeah, the guy who sent the flowers.

“I don’t care. Leave me alone, or I’ll call the cops.”

Keep jogging, Lia. Keep moving. Don’t let these creeps see you’re scared.

The black sedan suddenly screeched to a halt. A door slammed, and then another. Lia watched the two men stride up to her. One of them spoke. “Lia Constantine, you’re coming with us.”

Lia looked around for support. It was six in the morning, and there was no one but her and these two very menacing-looking guys. Dressed in black suits, they were huge, the size of pro football players.

The taller of the two guys continued speaking as he stared intently at her. “Hey, Juno, for a minute I thought…” He laughed. “The boss is gonna do a double take.”

The other guy with a receding hairline let out a long, slow whistle. “Fuck, Moose. It’s like she’s come back from the dead.”

Feeling threatened and very alone, Lia stepped back, putting some distance between them. “Please. Look, I don’t know who you are. Please just go away and leave me alone.”

Without warning the bigger guy took hold of her arm, and almost lifted her from the ground. “Get in the car.”

Instinctively she clawed her nails down his cheek and pulled herself from his grasp and began running, running, running for her life. “Please, God, somebody help me,” she screamed. Nobody. Nothing.

She felt stagnant male breath getting closer and closer before finding her progress halted completely. “Hey, Juno, grab her other arm. For fuck’s sake, buddy, get her in the car before we’re seen.”

Chapter Two

Jake Benetti studied the bank of high-definition CCTV pictures covering the wall of his office. He always liked to keep an eye on his business. It made sense, when there were huge amounts of money involved. Experience had taught him not to trust anyone.

In disbelief, he watched a woman being roughly escorted through the back door of his casino. After thirty-seven years of life, nothing much fazed him, but seeing a woman who closely resembled his dead wife made him stop and stare, openmouthed. Thank God he had time to compose himself before Juno and Moose knocked on his office door.

He studied the CCTV images closely. The resemblance unnerved him. He’d laid his beloved wife in the casket himself. Besides, if Hannah had still been alive, she would have been thirty-five this fall. This woman was clearly in her midtwenties.

Dressed in gray sweatpants and wearing a white sweatband around her head, she looked like she’d just been jogging. He hoped this small excursion from her daily routine wouldn’t inconvenience her too much. When his two bodyguards showed her to the private elevator, he had the distinct feeling that she wasn’t happy. He hoped Juno and Moose had behaved themselves. In the past, they’d had a tendency for being overexuberant when it came to following his instructions.

The rap on his office door came all too soon. Jake made himself comfortable in the leather executive chair before arranging the legal documents he required on the mahogany desk. When he was completely satisfied, he called out, “Enter.”

The door opened, and Juno poked his head around the oak panel. “Boss, we brought the Constantine woman to see you.”

“Good. You did well to persuade her—”

Before Jake could finish his sentence the woman burst into his office. Her green eyes flared wide. “This is outrageous!” She pointed an index finger at him and wagged it angrily several times. “Are you in charge here, Mister? How dare you tell these animals to force me into a car?” He could see she was shaking with fear and rage. “Do you know what the penalty for kidnapping is? Especially at the whim of some lowlife casino owner?”

If Jake hadn’t been so stunned at the beautiful vision before him, he might have taken offense. So Fred Constantine’s sassy daughter hated casino owners with a vengeance? But what did he expect? The woman was clearly here against her will.

Although not an exact replica of his wife, she was disturbingly similar. The angry, frightened woman standing before him was a little taller, and her exquisite, heart-shaped face had more defined cheekbones than Hannah’s. It was her hair that captivated him most. Long cascades of honey blonde spread out across her shoulders and flowed down her back, just like Hannah’s had. How he longed to thread his hands through the thick, golden strands, and dream they were still together. Fuck, he’d barely looked at another woman for the three years since Hannah’s death, and it still made him feel as guilty as hell.

Jake couldn’t help admiring the beauty of the young woman standing before him, but he didn’t want to be reminded of what he’d lost. He looked at Juno instead. The guy was certainly no oil painting. In fact his chief bruiser was ugly as fuck, but he felt uncomfortable looking at this beautiful ghost from his past.

“Don’t you dare turn away from me. I asked you a question, Mr. Big Casino Owner. Do you often force women into the backs of cars against their will?”

With his voice much harsher than normal, he asked Juno, “Is this true?”

Juno shuffled his feet, looking increasingly uncomfortable. “Boss, you wanted to see her. We got the lady here double quick. Just as you wanted.”

“That’s not what I asked you.” He turned to Moose. The guy looked hot and bothered, and ran a hand over his hair. “So, Moose, you went along with this kidnapping?”

Moose just shrugged. “I guess so, boss.”

They were good men, but perhaps went about their work a little too enthusiastically at times. He shook his head. “Do either of you two guys have an ounce of sense?” Jake raised his hands in exasperation. He didn’t want the cops to become involved. As the woman said, kidnapping was a serious offence. Anger surged through his veins, and he pointed to the door. “Just get out my sight, the pair of you, before I kick both your asses. I’m docking you a month’s pay for stupidity.” He wouldn’t do it, but she didn’t have to know that. Moose and Juno had young families to look after.

“Yes, boss.”

“Sorry, boss.”

“Wait a minute.” They both stopped suddenly in the doorway, looking like naughty children waiting to be admonished. “Have you anything to say to Ms. Constantine?” When they looked dumfounded, Jake raised a brow. “I’m thinking of an apology, you dumb bastards.” He guessed she wanted to see some asses kicked for the shoddy way she’d been treated. He was happy to oblige. After all, it wasn’t every day he met a woman who bore a close resemblance to the woman he once loved, still loved.

Moose nodded. “Sorry, ma’am, didn’t mean to be so rough with you.”

“We didn’t mean you no harm. I apologize.” Juno bowed his head.

He watched them both retreat from his office. Left alone, Jake then turned his attention to his guest. “You must forgive my men. They’re not the brightest guys you’ll ever come across. Their hearts are in the right place, although they do have a tendency to overplay things.”

“Overplay, are you serious? Overplay?” He knew she was angry. “Pulling me off the sidewalk and manhandling me into a car is hardly what I would call overplaying. In my language we call it kidnapping, or even worse. I was so frightened.” She took a deep breath, as if trying to rein in her emotions. “I didn’t know if those gorillas you employ were gonna mug, rape, or murder me. You’re this close”—she held her finger and thumb an inch apart—“to being busted by the cops.” She folded her arms defiantly across her chest to show she meant business.

Impressed by her sassiness, Jake pointed to the chair opposite his desk. “I apologize once more. Please take a seat, Ms. Constantine. This won’t take long.”

“Mr. Benetti, I think we’re done here. Don’t you dare try and stop me walking out of this hellhole.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it, Ms. Constantine.”

“Good.” She turned abruptly on her heels and began walking toward the door.

Jake calmly shuffled the papers on his desk, before saying, “But out of respect for your father, you need to hear what I have to say.”

Chapter Three

“I knew your father very well. He was a good man. I respected him.”

Lia turned in the doorway and looked back into the opulent office. Jake Benetti sat there as calm as anything, yet she felt like a rug had been ripped from under her. How on earth could her father have known this man? He ran a casino, for Christ’s sake. It was obvious, he had to be making it up. Still fuming at being kidnapped by his two goons, she just stared at him, waiting for God only knew what.