His Kingdom (Owning Vegas Book 1)

My girls’ night with Evie has turned into us two girls surrounded by Louie’s friends. About ten minutes after Louie sat down with us, Sammie and Carlo turned up. Not to mention all the guys standing nearby in black suits, who haven’t moved an inch since we took our seats. I don’t know who they are, but they’re watching our table.

I’ve been listening to Evie flirt with Louie’s friend Emmanuel, and he is eating it up, telling her all about his home in Mexico. At first, I thought he was joking. Now, I’m not so sure.

I lean towards Louie and whisper, “He’s not joking, is he? He actually runs a cartel?”

Louie stiffens. His hand wraps around the nape of my neck and his lips press against my ear. “Let’s just say I wouldn’t leave you in a room alone with him.”

“Okay. Evie, I want to dance.” I stand and reach for her hand. There’s a small dance floor towards the front of the bar. No one is on it, but right now, I don’t care. I need to get her away from Louie’s friend.

I drag Evie towards the dance floor, and it takes less than thirty seconds for half of the men standing around in suits to follow us.

“I don’t think that guy is joking about owning a cartel,” I tell her as I wrap my arms around her neck, being sure to lower my voice so no one else can hear us.

“I don’t think he is either.” She laughs.

“Stop flirting with him, Evie!”

“Why? A man like that knows how to fuck, Charlotte.” She laughs again. We haven’t had enough alcohol to be drunk yet, but we are both definitely tipsy.

“This isn’t a joke. I don’t want anything to happen to you.” I pull her closer, rubbing my body up against hers as we dance.

“So, you’re the only one who gets to jump into bed with a dangerous man? It’s just sex. I’ll be fine.”

“Wait… You’re already planning on spending the night with him?” I ask her.

“No, I’m planning on spending a hot few hours with the man and then never seeing him again.” She smiles before her eyes dart behind me. “Incoming.”

I turn my head and see Louie walking up to us, a frown on his face. “Can I cut in?” he asks Evie.

“Be my guest,” she replies.

Louie wraps an arm around my waist and pulls me towards him. “I don’t like you rubbing up against other people,” he grunts.

“She’s my friend. Don’t worry. I’m not into girls.” I laugh at him.

“Still don’t like it,” he says.

“Anyone ever tell you that you have a serious jealous streak?”

“I’ve never had a reason to be jealous before, so no,” he says.

“Okay then.” I grin.

After dancing to one more song, I drag Louie back to the table. I can feel the alcohol wearing off. I need another drink.

“What the fuck are you all looking at?” Louie grunts, meeting the glare of everyone currently staring in our direction.

“Were you just dancing?” Carlo asks with a smile on his lips.

Louie lifts a brow. “So?”

“You don’t dance,” Sammie says.

“Well, there was that one time. In junior high. School dance. He danced with someone then. Who was she?” Emmanuel shakes his head. “Doesn’t matter. Point is, there was the one time.”

“Should I be jealous? You danced with someone else once in your life?” I ask Louie.

“No,” he tells me.

“Don’t worry. Charlotte isn’t the jealous type,” Evie says.

“Really?” Sammie doesn’t seem convinced.

I shake my head. “I’m really not.”

“Huh, maybe we should take a walk. Let’s go visit another bar,” Carlo suggests.

“Yes, let’s.” Evie and I jump up at the same time.

“This will be fun,” Sammie murmurs.

“So much,” Carlo agrees with him.

Louie stands. His hand wraps firmly around mine, and he pulls me against his side. “Stick close to me,” he says into my ear.

“Why? Scared I’m going to disappear?” I ask him.

“Yes,” he replies, his tone serious.

“I’m probably not.” I laugh at him.

We end up following Carlo and Sammie through the casino floor. A lot of people stop and talk to Louie, who never lets go of my hand. His grip tightens on me as we enter a section marked: high rollers. He seems tense. Then again, he’s always tense when other people are around.

When it’s just us, locked in the confines of his apartment, that’s when he’s more relaxed. He opened up to me last night, about his childhood and his nightmares. I wanted to hug him. Hold him tight and tell him that he wasn’t going to be alone ever again. That I’d stay as long as he wanted me to stay.

I didn’t do any of that. Because I’m not trying to come across as a clinger. Also, my head is urging me to slow the hell down. I just don’t know how. I’m so caught in this man’s web and there doesn’t seem to be a way out. Not that I’ve really looked for one.

A woman, who’s definitely more like a goddess, walks towards us with a huge smile on her cherry-painted lips. Her eyes are directly on Louie when she reaches us—or I should say him—because she doesn’t even look in my direction. Her hand lands on his chest and her red mouth presses against his cheek.

“Louie, darling, I was hoping to see you tonight.” Her French accent sends shivers through me.noveldrama

Louie tightens his hold on my hand as I’m attempting to pry myself free. I want nothing more than to shrink into the background. “Julie, this is my girlfriend, Charlotte,” he says, looking down at me.

I smile at the woman, even though it’s the last thing I want to do. “Hello,” I say, using my sweetest southern voice. Her hand doesn’t leave Louie’s chest, not until he reaches up and physically removes it.

“How nice,” Julie directs to me, then turns back to Louie. “I’m in my usual room. When you’re done playing house, come and find me.”

“Oh, sweetheart, you clearly ain’t got any of the good sense God gave a rock because you are so barking up the wrong tree right now,” Evie tells her.

“Who are you? And why are you here?” Julie snarls while waving a hand at Evie. And I see it right before it lands. It being the glass of champagne that comes up and splashes all over the front of my friend’s dress.

Evie doesn’t budge. “Bless your heart. You think a spilled drink is going to bother me?”

Before the woman can answer, Evie is being hauled backwards while two men in black suits come up behind Julie, grabbing her by the arms. “Miss, it’s time to leave,” one of them says in a thick Mexican accent.

“Emmanuel, no.” Louie’s voice is low but I hear it. Does he want this woman to stay? Why? “She’s the daughter of the French president.”

Emmanuel says something in Spanish to the two men and they disappear with Julie.

“A friend of yours?” I ask Louie.

“The daughter of a friend,” he tells me.

“I take it back.”

“You take what back?” Louie looks at me, his brows drawn down.

“I think I do get jealous,” I whisper.

He smiles. Wide. “That’s not a bad thing. It means you care.” He shrugs before adding, “And just so you know, you have no reason to be jealous.”

I snort. “Yeah, no reason to be jealous of some gorgeous French model. No reason at all.”

“Keep an eye on those two,” he tells Carlo, nodding his head at Evie and Emmanuel, who are looking way too cozy. Then Louie drags me away.

“Where are we going?” I ask him.

“My office is just through here,” he says.

“Why are we going to your office?”

“Because I need to prove to you just how much you don’t have anything to worry about. I’ve never wanted to fuck Julie, Charlotte. But you… There hasn’t been a minute that’s past since I first saw you that I haven’t wanted to fuck you.”

“Oh.” Well, shit. I could be down for that. “No. Wait.” I dig my feet into the carpet.

“What’s wrong?”

“We can’t. I can’t leave Evie. This was supposed to be our girls’ night. Can I get a rain check on the you fucking me thing?” As much as I want to go to Louie’s office with him, I can’t abandon my friend.

“Okay.” Louie adjusts himself in his pants. “Just keep in mind… I’ve been hard since the moment I saw you tonight.”

“I know.” I smile. I saw the bulge in his pants, and it’s not like I’m not just as eager for him. I am. But I want to be a good friend too.

Louie leads us back over to the group. “Let’s drink,” he says, guiding everyone towards wherever it is we’re going.

A few minutes later, we end up in a very lush-looking bar. Where I slide into a booth until I’m squished between Evie and Louie. “You know, he’s a little intense,” she whispers to me.

“Who?”

“Louie. He doesn’t stop fussing over you,” she says.

“I know.” I smile. “It’s… different.”

“Good. You deserve that,” she tells me.

“Truth or dare?” Carlo says from the other side of the table.

“What are we? In middle school?” Louie groans.

“Truth,” I say.

“Okay, Charlotte. Brave girl going first. Truth, it is. Are you secretly obsessed with me and using Louie here as a way to get close to me, ʼcause I could be open to that.” Carlo laughs.

“Absolutely not,” I tell him. “But don’t worry. I’m sure there’s a girl out there somewhere for you.”

“Dare,” Evie chimes in.

“I dare you to go hit on that guy and get his number.” Sammie points to a man standing at the bar—again, in a black-on-black suit.

Evie smiles. “Please, that’s like taking candy from a baby.” She literally climbs up onto the table to get out of the booth.

We all watch her approach the guy. “I’m going to slaughter him like a pig,” Emmanuel mutters under his breath, although I hear it loud and clear.

Evie returns a few minutes later with a confused look on her face. “He’s gay,” she says.

“No, he’s not.” Sammie laughs. “He just wants to keep his head on his shoulders.”

“Nope, he’s gay. That’s never happened to me before. Shit. Am I… Oh my god!” Evie shrieks.

“What?” I ask as she climbs back over the table to plop down next to me.

“I’m losing it. I’m getting… old.”

“You are not losing it,” I tell her before changing the subject. “Okay, dare.”

“I’ve got this one,” Louie interjects. Then he leans in and whispers in my ear. “I dare you to marry me. Tonight.”