Page 5 of Vicious Rule

Scowling at me like she wants to strangle me, she shakes her head. “You just don’t get it, Alex.”

“Don’t get what? What the hell is your problem, Sasha?”

She hesitates for a moment, opening her mouth to answer my question before she clamps her lips together like she wants to trap the words she really wants to say inside her. I wait for her to explain just what the hell is going on, but she pushes past me and storms away.

What on earth is wrong with her?

My guests have already begun enjoying themselves, so they’ll be fucking in no time. I better make my nightly welcome speech so the fun can officially start.

Sasha stands at my side with her forced smile that’s beginning to look painful, but I have to ignore that for the moment. Positioned at the front of the room, I open my arms and announce, “Welcome, welcome, everyone! There are no rules here, except one: have a good time. Eat, drink, and get fucked up because we have no idea what tomorrow might bring. If you need anything, ask my assistant, Sasha. She handles everything for me.”

Cheers explode from the crowd before everyone returns to having a good time, and I spy Nico walk into the room through the main archway. Time to meet the man of the hour.

Grabbing Sasha’s arm, I pull her close and say, “Come with me. I want you to meet my new guest.”

“Nico?” she asks as she scans the room.

I watch her eyes light up when she sees him, instantly irritating me. “Yes. Try not to be miserable with him.”

As we walk across the room toward him, she mumbles, “You don’t have to worry about that.”

When I look back at her, she’s staring past me at the man himself and practically drooling. This woman makes no sense at all. First she’s unhappy and nothing can change that, and now she’s acting like she’s seeing the second coming.

Nico Olivetti stands leaning against a column watching the rest of the guests. I notice immediately his suit is almost exactly like the one I’m wearing. Black, Italian made by the best tailor in the country, and expensive.

Good. I like a business partner who knows when to spend money and isn’t cheap.

“Alex Rule!” he says with a big smile while he extends his hand to shake mine. “Your home is beautiful, and you certainly know how to entertain.”

“Nico, how nice of you to join us. Let me introduce my assistant, Sasha.”

I shake his hand but notice his attention is solely on her the whole time we’re talking. I can certainly see why. Sasha is a stunning woman. Her sensuality practically oozes out of every pore. Half of my security men would give their left arms to have a shot at her, but they know better than to even think they have a chance.

My new guest and business partner does not. He’ll understand soon enough that of all the things I’m willing to share, Sasha isn’t one of them.

“It’s wonderful to meet you, Sasha,” he says in a slick voice that I see instantly affects her.

Gone is the miserable look, the fake smile, and the near-permanent glare she’s been giving me all day. No, Nico gets the pleasant version of my assistant, and I’m not happy about that.

Then again, it is her job to assist me, and being polite and welcoming to a new person in my business is exactly what I usually want from her. It would just be nice if she wasn’t so gushing as she stares at him like he’s some fucking movie star.

“You’re going to have a wonderful time here, Nico. Alex always knows how to take care of his guests,” she says, practically purring.

I watch as he slides his hand up her arm in a way that leaves no doubt he’s interested in her. Sasha revels in the attention, showing not a hint of being unhappy about Nico’s touching. I’ve seen her snap at men for daring to stand too close to her, but now with him she’s fine with his hands all over her?

“I’m already enjoying myself, so I’m sure I’ll have a good time. I hope we can find time to get to know each other more at some point.”

Before she can answer him, I interject myself into the conversation and say, “Sasha has work she needs to do tonight, so she needs to get to it. I’m sure you’ll see her around, though.”

The two of them look at me like I’ve committed a serious breach of etiquette. Nico’s expression says he’s disappointed she has to go, and Sasha’s is simply a look of pure disgust.

With one last smile, she says, “Nico, it was a pleasure to meet you. Please come find me when you have time tonight and we can continue getting to know one another.”

She shoots me a nasty look before walking over to the other side of the room where she usually watches the behavior of my guests. I follow Nico’s gaze and see he can’t take his eyes off her.

He damn well better. Sasha is not available. Period.

“Are you ready to have the time of your life? The women I invite to these parties are top shelf, so find one you like and go to town.”

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