Page 28 of Nothing to Do

“Watch yourself,” Zane warned in a startling tone.

An employee shouldn’t speak to his boss that way. The last thing she wanted was for him to lose his job sticking up for her.

Before she could say that, Roman laughed. “Oh, yeah, you’re perfect for each other, cuz. You jump in there and defend her, I’m sure she’ll drop to her knees in gratitude later. Gotta have some talent to captivate the Great and Powerful Oz.”

“Disrespect her again and you’ll be on a flight out before the sun rises.”

“You and your fucking island. He is God here,” Roman said, swaying back to grab for the bourbon bottle on the bar. “King and Emperor. That’s how you like it, isn’t it? You and your fucking brother, your fucking asshole friends.” He took a long drink from the bottle then swung it toward the guests in the corner. “You ladies haven’t had the pleasure of my cousin’s company yet. He’s not always the most social guy… does like to tell you everything you’re doing wrong at every opportunity though. He’s a fucking oracle. Invented that yet? Bet you fucking have.”

He started drinking again and wasn’t so quick to stop this time.

Cousin. Zane was Roman’s cousin? He’d never told her that. And the way Roman was talking… Emperor? King? The island was… She didn’t understand. No way it could belong to Zane. Not her Zane. Maybe he was the caretaker, the guy who’d promised his cousin’s fans wouldn’t cause a riot.

“Time to call it a night,” Zane said. “You’ve had enough… Mieux, take the women out of here.”

Thea heard the door behind her open and wanted Alessia and the others to rush out.

Roman lowered the bottle and staggered a few steps. “They stay! They’re my women… They’re all my women!”

“I can’t believe this shit,” Zane muttered.

The guy behind her strode past to go over to him. “What do you need, boss?”

“He’s the boss,” Roman exclaimed. “Boss. Boss. Boss! Always the boss. With his billions and billions. Company rules the globe. He just can’t do no wrong. Him and his best, best buds.”

“You’re supposed to be through with this crap,” the guy they’d called Tripp said. “You got access to the island because you swore you were through with bullshit like this.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Roman drawled.

“Struan left this afternoon,” Tripp muttered to Zane.

“Who the fuck authorized that?”

“Man’s allowed to live his life.”

“Sure about that?” Zane asked. “You seeing this shit? This is what happens.”

“Stop fucking whispering! Stop fucking talking. Goddamn!” Anger seized Roman. “She’s gonna fucking marry him! Who the fuck is he?”

“Enough!” Zane exclaimed. “You’re done. Thea, take the women out of here.”

“No!” Roman shouted. “No! They fucking stay!”

Uh huh, like she cared for his opinion.

Turning to the huddle of women, Thea made eye contact with Alessia and gestured her over. Hesitant, her sister paused to reassure her friends before they’d let her go.

Alessia rushed over and hugged her fast. “Hold the door and get everyone back to their rooms,” she said to her sister. “Safe.”

Her sister nodded and got to work.

“No,” Roman said, starting her way. “Who do you think you are?”

Zane and Tripp crossed the room fast to block his route.

While Alessia ushered everyone to the exit, encouraging them on the way. Thea wouldn’t back down. Until the others were safe, she’d happily be the focus of this asshole’s whatever.

“Who do you think you are?” she retorted. “Because you’ve made a couple of movies, you think you can imprison and terrorize women?”

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