The Irresistible Bundle (107 page)

"Don't fucking start" Diego growls. "I realize the ratio is heavily one-sided."

Andrea and Desirae howl with laughter as V, Jaxon, and I smile devilishly. This is one statistic that's on point but I don't fucking care. My little vixen has bedded the lot of us. Only by some miracle has Griffin remained out of her grasp and Diego was never even an option.

"5:2 is grossly outnumbered" Leticia snickers.

"Hey we can start lining them up for Jaxon if y'all need to feel better" Desirae taunts.

"Why the fuck you gotta involve me in this? Valentino and Marco aren't much better! Besides, Diego's the one with the issues" Jaxon throws his hands in the air. That only makes the girls laugh harder.

Nic sighs. "I'm guessing you've met everyone here?"

Rafe's wide eyes say otherwise. "Um, no sir... Just those who were on the plane."

Nic introduces himself, Andrea, Jaxon, and Leticia. None of us miss Rafe's visual appraisal of Andrea and Leticia as they shake hands. This week will be the test to see if he'll be welcomed into our intimate group. In the last year it's changed but is as tight as when they'd originally started, if not better.

"You're welcome to enjoy dinner as a guest but if you intend to do anything more than tour the estate and observe then we'll have to sit down in my office and go over a few things."

"You aren't going to make him pay any fees are you?" Diego incredulously states.

"Do you honestly believe you and Griffin get to strut your stuff around here for free?" I laugh. "You two aren't bringing in the business." It might be a hard pill to swallow but it's about damn time that these two understood the depths of the girls' contracts with the estate and nightclub.

Griffin and Diego blanch. "You mean my
sister
provides me access to... here..." He splutters.

"That's right big boy" Desirae saunters over to Diego and strokes his chest. "You're here because of us... And don't forget it."

"Does Jaxon still have to pay?" Griffin demands as he points Jaxon's way.

"Things have been negotiated for Jaxon's services within
Hedonism
and
Scandalous
. I was unaware that you had something to offer besides your presence and participation?" Nic's firm voice has the girls standing at attention. I wonder how many of their panties are wet with his authoritative tone.

"Griffin if you wore your Halloween costume within these walls" Carina purrs making us shift. She knows just how to pitch her voice and position her body to make a man forget everything else.

"I'd play with you Griffin if you wore it" Desirae's sultry voice slackens a few jaws and tightens just as many pants. Lethal, I tell you. The lot of them are fucking lethal.

"The hell you will" Diego growls. He narrows his eyes at Desirae who's completely unfazed by him.

"As memorable as your costume was" muses Nic, "You need to be offering more than just a one-trick show."

"Des could offer just one trick and she'd still have members paying exorbitant fees" I flick my thumb at the feisty brunette. Nic has a fucking goldmine with just her alone. Des never even has to get on her knees and open her mouth. That talent is damn near priceless and could probably payoff the loan for the addition of the nightclub. But nope... The high demand of Desirae the Dominatrix within the lower floors keeps Nic's appointment book at capacity and his pockets full.

"I am the shit" she blows me a kiss and polishes her nails on her shoulder. Love that crazy girl too; just in a different way than baby girl.

"I'm lost" Rafe looks around in wonder.

"Welcome to my world" Leticia winks. "It took me a few weeks to get everyone's stories straight."

"And we're still surprising you" I tilt my chin her way. Every time my cousin thinks she can predict how things will go, someone throws her a curveball.

"Please everyone" Nic interjects, "Enjoy your dinner. Carina, Jaxon... May I see you in my office?"

Silence echoes within our group. There's only one reason why Nic would request their presence and there's no fucking way he's having any kind of discussion with them without us. V and I stand up almost at the same exact time as if we'd shared the same thought process. Nic takes a deep breath expecting us to have it out here in front of everyone. Desirae takes us all by surprise. "With all due respect boss, can the boys and I have a word with you first?"

"It takes more than a boy to have you screaming their name" V teases; trying to ease the tension between everyone.

"Ah good times" Desirae dreamily sighs. She pulls us with her while motioning for Diego and Jaxon to stay. The girls snicker at our immediate obedience. I don't fuck with Des. She's lethal with damn near anything in her hand and I've seen her make a man cry using her sexual prowess. If she has the ability to cause a pleasurable blackout then I have all the faith in the world that she could also make a man's nut sac shrivel under the same attention and tenacity.

We walk in silence to Nic's office. Knowing our business partner, he's carefully wording his pitch while Desirae's ready to tell him to fuck off for Carina's sake. It's been a few weeks since the attack and no one expects her to perform for New Year's. It doesn't take a genius to figure out what Nic wants to talk to about.

MORE THAN PRETTY

"That is one pretty motherfucker" I grouse. Rafe, Diego, and Carina are huddled together talking animatedly amongst themselves.

"Don't you like that?" Jaxon snickers. He sneaks a glance at Leticia trying to see if she too is staring at the trio.

"If I wanted pretty I'd get a woman" I roll my eyes. "And Carina's more than pretty..."

"And have you seen Valentino" Leticia chuckles. "There's nothing
pretty
about him."

"Fuck no he's not." I agree. "He's 100% masculine deliciousness."

"Ew" Jaxon groans. "I do not need to know what the man tastes like and how he is in bed. Thanks but no thanks."

"I've told you once, I'll tell you again" Jaxon rolls his eyes knowing what I'm about to say. "Don't knock it until you've tried it."

"Has Diego interrogated him yet?" V interrupts. It's the question we're all dying to ask. Although Rafe is a childhood friend of the Lobos family his timing is shitty. Why hadn't he contacted them at the beginning of the school year when he transferred? Why had he reached out after Carina's attack but acted like he had no fucking clue about it?

Something about the whole situation leaves me unsettled but I trust Diego and Carina's instincts. Had we listened to Carina from the get-go this shit with Pete may never have happened. She despised the prick and begged Jaxon to get rid of him. Too little too late. We all carried some semblance of blame and guilt but it was Carina who insisted we let it go. Now all we can do is move on.

"Not that I know of" Jaxon replies. "But if he won't I plan to... and soon. There's no way belleza is going to get hurt again."

Leticia kisses his jaw trying to soothe him. Jaxon is very protective of Carina and he's unrepentant about it. Sometimes it feels like he handled things and just swept them under the rug - at the request of Carina. That too bothered me but it wasn't worth the fight. Carina is loved and safe. Everyone's happy.

"Give it this week" V compromises immediately appeasing Jaxon. I know his strategy: observe and quietly infiltrate. Before Rafe knows what's coming we'll uncover plenty and know everything about him. It's the beauty with Nic and his endless resources. Rafe may be filling out
Hedonism's
application for membership but he's applying for a whole lot more.

Truth-be-told I want Rafe to become one of us. There's just too much damn estrogen in our group and we need another strong male to help balance things out. These girls are potent and sometimes account more as a 2:1 ratio, and not in our favor.

PLANS

"Nic has them all booked for Valentine's Day" V grumbles. Carina's ring is in, her father received a picture and whole-heartedly approved, and now it's only a matter of presenting it to her.

Me personally? Go to her place. Cook dinner. Fuck her brains out. Present the ring. Consummate everything after she says
yes
one last time. Really it's a fucking solid plan. But no. V wants to get all romantic and show her that we love everything about her, not just the sex. Why am I pointing this out? Because V wants to present the ring and not have sex BEFORE or AFTER; to make a point.

What.

The.

Fuck.

He must be envisioning an out of body experience cause I know I sure as hell want to consummate, fornicate, sex it up - you name it, and I'd bet my townhome that Carina will too. Our girl may enjoy hearts and flowers but she also loves to get down and dirty.

"Why does it have to be on V-Day?" I ask. Although I originally had the idea I didn't want to mark a special occasion between us with a commercial holiday. That was for lazy bastards. I wanted this day to be one of numerous extremely special days. The kind that was permanently imprinted in your very essence; like a wedding or the birth of a child.

"Because Christmas and New Year's passed and I don't want to wait much longer" he growls. Swear he's being a moody bastard about all this. He's over-thinking and potentially over-reaching. Carina isn't on the fence about us. She's committed to this relationship as we are. Only difference is that she wants to finish school before taking the next major step. That's easy to agree to a year ago when we were still working through everything and getting to know each other but now... Now V and I are getting that itch. I know we're being impatient bastards but let's not kid each other. Carina is a fucking catch. She's more than a diamond in the rough. She's that rare pearl that although imperfect is absolutely breathtaking.... The one that you spent years searching for... I'll admit; the one I almost pushed aside.

"So let's do it on a Wednesday" the idea came to me as the words left my lips. "She's accustomed to us having a quiet dinner between the three of us on Wednesday nights."

V snaps his fingers, his face lighting up with a thought. He paces back and forth trying to assemble his thoughts. "How about we have it at the lake?"

"On estate grounds" I try not to frown failing miserably. We damn near live at the estate and the clubs. I wanted to present this to her somewhere neutral, special, memorable. Everybody fucking proposes hiding the ring in desserts or asking in some cutesy, cheesy manor. That isn't me and V. We're bold, original, and confident yet not arrogant and cocky about it all. I want something more like who we were.

"Nic can cater to however we want to do it" V continues as if his suggestion about the estate is an automatic given.

"For that we could just do it at the club and have the staff do our bidding."

V scowls at my caustic tone but I don't give a shit. Did he seriously want to present her a commitment ring at the sex club?

"I don't want her thinking this is a formal engagement ring" he rants. "We need to present it in a way that is unique."

"Okay" I agree. "Let's talk to Nic and see what he thinks."

It's all he needed to hear. Apparently talking to Nic involves seeing him in person because the next thing I know V is driving like a madman to the estate. Once the car passes the gates I'm sure he'll slow down. Nope. He flies down the winding cobbled driveway at 50 MPH almost taking out a gardener and his stuff. I almost get whiplash from looking back to ensure the poor guy is okay. Aside from the dude wetting his pants he's still in one piece. V barely throws the car in park before hopping out and jogging to the ornate front doors.

The hostess at the door beams with recognition. She squeaks in surprise when V darts past her and heads straight for Nic's office. Usually I'm the one bee-lining it within these walls and he's the polite one but apparently our roles have reversed today. I quickly but genuinely apologize to the cutie at the door; then chase after my hurried lover. The man is hell bent on a mission and I feel bad for anyone who tries to delay him even for a second.

"I already said we're completely booked for Valentine's" Nic barks as V and I storm into his office. Correction: V storms into the office, I calmly follow.

"Whatever" V huffs. I bite the inside of my cheek trying not to laugh. It hasn't been without a hell of a fight. I'm rather proud of Nic. He's held his ground on this. It's the first Valentine's Day with the girls employed at the estate. Nic wants to have them at every major event including this one.

"We want to propose to Carina here at the estate." V continues.

"A commitment ring" I correct. Although I love every inch of the estate I'm still not buying what V's trying to sell. Aside from the sex club owner, who else in their right mind would do something like this? Here? Apparently us.

Nic's smile damn near blinds me. He better be happy for us. Carina brings him a lot of business. He could get a damn hot air balloon or private jet if we requested it, and the bastard better not charge!

Wait... Maybe V does know what he's doing...

"Would you mind involving the others" Nic asks. I'd missed half the conversation and I have no fucking clue what V agreed to.

"Depends in what capacity" he hedges. "Don't want Jaxon stealing the spotlight or Carina performing a number to distract her. We want to blindside her... but in a good way. Take her breath away."

"Masked party" Nic shoots out of his seat. "I was going to do it for Mardi Gras... but hadn't ironed out the details yet."

Sweet. This we could do. Carina would never see it coming. She'd be totally onboard with attending the party and getting completely into it without worrying about working... Fucking perfect setup.

"I want to sing" the words propel off my tongue and ricochet off my lips. I hadn't needed to sit on the fence about it at all. I know exactly the song. It's Carina's ringtone and a perfect song to dedicate to her. V is the eloquent one with words and gestures. Put me behind a mic and I'm fucking gold.

"Fucking genius" V's giddy, fucking giddy! I didn't hear a damn thing they're talking about but I already love the idea.

"Let's get Leticia involved" Nic absently states as he taps on the screen of his cell phone. I couldn't agree more. The girl is a genius when it comes to party planning and she could straddle both sides of the fence; be our eyes and ears while helping us pull off this epic surprise.

"I want to do the full costume and masks" Nic nods at V's request. A dozen scenarios run in my head with that statement.

"Wait" I hold my hand up. Leticia walks in just as I question V. "Are we being all mysterious with one another and she won't know it's us?" I don't quite like that idea. Baby Girl would immediately recognize our voices. Hell, I swear she senses our presence the moment we step in a room. But I want to be clear about what V and Nic envision.

"No" they answer in unison. "The attire is for show. There will be no mystery as to who is who." Nic adds. "And the girls won't be performing that night."

"Talk to me guys" Leticia impatiently states. She leans against Nic's desk while V and Nic animatedly inform her about their ideas. My chest warms as she eagerly leans forward and lights up. Everyone is onboard for this and they want it to happen just as much as we do. "Let's do this" she says.