Page 23 of The Players

She had a target on her back, and he wanted to go to aparty?

“Your twenty-four hours are almost over. We need to show Keegan and Morelli who you belong to now. I’m not going to say it again. Get into that dress.”

“I don’t think so.” She looked at Sy. Surely, he would agree with her that this was a stupid idea. When he didn’t say anything, she simply walked away, deciding the first room on the left would be hers.

CHAPTER 8

VINCE

His eyes hardened as he followed the sway of Carmen’s hips walking away from him. She was always doing that. Ever since his brother had married her sister and they encountered each other at family gatherings, she was giving him her back. He didn’t like it then, and he sure as hell didn’t like it happening under his own damn roof.

When he had received Sy’s message that Carmen had come to him, he’d known exactly what message she was sending him. He’d known from the start she wouldn’t make it easy, on either of them, but certainly not him. He’d been clear to her about the terms when he’d offered her their protection. Now she was defying a direct order concerning her safety. Even worse, looking at Sy for help.

If she thought she could pit them against each other, she was mistaken though. To him, sharing her with Sy was more than just a kink; it was a lifestyle. Not everyone got it, nor did they have to. But he and Sy had grown up together, were as close as brothers, and he couldn’t imagine the ornery bastard not being in his life. All they needed was the right woman to complete them. Now, if only he could get Sy on board to take this seriously, and Carmen to not fight him every step of the way. But then again, nothing worth having ever came easy.

“We need to collar that one fast,” Sy said, watching Carmen’s ass leave the room. The asshole had a smile on his lips.

“You think?”

“The sooner she knows the rules of the game, the faster we can play. Defying a direct order. That’s at least ten to that ass. It’s no fun to lash out punishment if she doesn’t know why she’s earned it.”

He took off his dress jacket and tie. “I’ve told you, Carmen isn’t like that. She doesn’t deal well with pain. She needs to feel safe.”

“She needs to know boundaries,” Sy disagreed. “If she knows what she can and can’t pull with us, she’ll know she won’t ever need a candleholder to fucking bash our skulls with.”

“She’s not ready.”

“So, what, you’re just gonna let her stay in her room all night?”

“Didn’t say that.” He followed after Carmen, with Sy hot on his trail. He threw her door wide open. She bounced right off of the bed when they came in.

The red satin dress he’d picked out for her was still on the dresser.

“Put on that dress. Now.” He couldn’t have her questioning his every move.

Her hands balled into fists. At least she’d gotten rid of the candle holder. “What if I refuse?”

He walked up to her, until the back of her knees hit the bed. With a surprised “Oh,” her butt dropped onto the bed. He placed his arms next to her, boxing her in. From the corner of his eye, he saw Sy circle the bed, until he lay behind Carmen. Her shoulders tensed as she felt the bed dip.

That’s right, sweetheart. Time for you to understand who you’re dealing with.

He knew the exact moment when Sy touched her back, a finger lazily drawing circles on her spine. Any second now, Carmen could bolt. Thing was, they needed to know beforehand if she would.

“Let’s get something straight. I promised you that we will protect you. I’ve told you what we want. You are ours now. But we will do it on our terms. Inside the confined rooms of our apartment, you can act any way your heart desires. Outside these premises? We rule. You know the life. Anything you do, the way you act, the things you say, the fucking dress you wear, reflects on us.

“Word is that Keegan has boasted that, unlike Morelli, he’s not afraid to enter Bratva territory. He’ll be at Flux tonight, enjoying a fucking cocktail, showing he’s a new player in town that wants a piece of Morelli’s turf. If you pull away from our touch, Morelli or Keegan will think we have discord. They’ll see it as a chink in the armor around you.Weare the fucking armor that protects you. Now, get in that dress ’cause you’re up for one hell of an Oscar performance. It’s time to show the world whom you belong to.”

***

It wasn’t for another hour before they finally reached Club Flux. The Bratva-owned club was a stronghold Detta Corp. had invested in. They skipped past the long line of people waiting outside. A VIP table was already made up for them.

“What if Morelli doesn’t show up?” Carmen asked, sitting between them in a private booth. She looked pretty as a picture in her dress.

“He’ll be here. If he doesn’t show while Keegan does, he’ll lose face.”

“Wouldn’t be so sure about that,” Sy said. “Morelli hasn’t set foot on Bratva territory since the rice wedding.”

“Rice wedding?”

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