It was past time and well deserved given everything he’d been through in his life. However, I was an entirely different kind of man with zero interest to settle down for years if ever.

  “Brother.” He yanked my hand into his, giving me one of his concerned but stern looks.

  “At least you don’t look worse for the wear. The Corvette I’m not sure about.” His grin forced me to roll my eyes.

  I placed my thumb and three fingers together, kissing them as I’d seen my Italian friend do. “Perfection. I got her up to two hundred miles per hour before Marty almost had a heart attack.” We both sat down at the same time, a waiter bringing our preferred drinks within a few seconds. While both Rocco and Maddox eased beside us, they kept their eyes scanning the crowd.

  “You’re going to get yourself killed. Pops had purposely kept it from our mother, you know,” Arman added before wrapping his fingers around his drink. “Marty called me from his hospital bed complaining about you.” He had a grin on his face.

  I was thankful the injury hadn’t been lethal, the man coming out of retirement to lead the team. He was a tough old guy, but what he’d been forced to endure continued to piss me off.

  I leaned over, yanking back my initial amusement. “Marty doesn’t understand what I’m capable of and don’t fool yourself, brother of mine. Mama is eager to watch me race.”

  He laughed, dropping and shaking his head. “Right. What you’re capable of is utter destruction. Should I remind you how many cars you’ve wrecked in your life?”

  “At least they were all mine.” He usually didn’t take kindly to me chastising him about wrecking my former beloved Corvette but took it in stride tonight.

  “Very funny. Once a playboy, always a playboy.” Within seconds, his expression turned hard. “What have you learned?”

  “Nothing on my end. I had Daniel out talking to informants or I should say business representatives.” I couldn’t help but grin. Arman couldn’t even stand the old verbiage being used any longer, much to the chagrin of our pops, who was still reliving his glorious days of violence. At least he knew Daniel was the right man for the job, the ex-marine just as capable of shooting a man from a hundred and fifty yards as he was of convincing an informant it was in his or her best interest to share what they knew.

  “You can’t take this lightly, brother. Someone came close to satisfying an urge.”

  An urge. No one dared take on a powerful regime unless it was because of greed or seeking revenge.

  “Yeah, I know.” I drummed my fingers on the table, studying the lively crowd.

  “Unfortunately, Daniel couldn’t find anything useful. No one is talking and from what I gathered, it’s none of the usual roaches trying to skim off the top either. The cartels aren’t active, the Texas group laying low as required and even the Italians who threatened to crash our turf have been minding their own business,” Rocco said. My second in command had the pulse of the various criminal and shady corporate moguls from Dallas to the Keys as well as up north as far as Philadelphia. New York was the only city we couldn’t care less about. The rivaling gangs and crime syndicates ate their young for breakfast, something we wanted no part of.

  Arman sighed, glancing at Maddox. “We haven’t detected anything either, which concerns the hell out of me.”

  “Maybe I should run a deeper dive into the driver you hired, just in case he has some hidden baggage,” Maddox suggested.

  “Good idea but it’s a long shot,” my brother said more in passing. “Still, we have too many deals on the table, including adding to our real estate holdings, to leave any stone unturned.”

  “You’re becoming more like our father every day. Including your gray hair.” I lifted my glass, waiting for him to do what he always did when I returned his challenging teases with ones of my own, especially about his graying temples.

  Maddox and Rocco laughed yet Maddox pushed back from the table, acting as if the kingpin of our organization would punish him for agreeing.

  “Tough crowd. You wait until you get married.” Arman pointed his finger at me.

  Rocco choked on his drink, leaning forward and speaking to my brother directly. “You should see him with his dog, Mr. Thibodeaux. I seriously doubt he can handle a wife.”

  I slowly turned my head, issuing a snarl. I’d been advised to get a puppy to soften me up. I’d given in after both my sister and two sisters-in-law had driven me nearly bat shit crazy about it. I had to admit, I’d been inept at first, uncertain how to handle the fuzzy girl dog. Now I couldn’t imagine being without her. “I’ll have you know I’m getting the hang of being a daddy dog.”

  As soon as I’d muttered the words, all three men burst into laughter. I had to admit that having benign conversations about aspects of life that most families engaged in had been rare up until now.

  “Gentlemen, we need to proceed with caution,” I suggested, breaking the mood. My brother was right in that the family’s wealth, standing, reputation, and influence had never been in a better position. The last thing we needed was complications. I had a direct view of the dance floor and main bar. Someone caught the corner of my eye, a woman who stood staring up at the lights, moving to the music. While it didn’t appear that she was wearing a mask, her lovely face seemed to sparkle in the shimmering light.

  There were usually hundreds of beautiful women inside the club, few ever drawing my attention. I’d learned a long time ago that touching the merchandise inside one of my establishments wasn’t in my best interest. Granted, it had been a long time since I’d been with a woman, preferring to concentrate on work.

  “Then we’re going to keep the business on a need-to-know basis only until further notified. That includes the majority of our employees,” Arman stated, glancing from Maddox to Rocco before turning his head in my direction.

  “Agreed. But business as usual. We don’t need anyone learning we might have an issue.” We were still recovering from some issues that had occurred both in and outside of Texas, where I’d been overseeing a brand-new development. The seven-thousand-unit residential site now included two hotels, a full-scale resort as well as what some considered a small town complete with a movie theater, restaurants, and a half dozen bars along with the required infrastructure of school and road systems. Given we were in the final debates with the city council, we didn’t need further interruptions because of an enemy.

  As the unknown vixen danced by herself, the ever-changing shimmering light managed to capture her mood. She was reveling in the moment, laughing alongside her girlfriends as if she didn’t have a care in the world.

  Arman nodded. “Absolutely. When is the meeting in Dallas?”

  I couldn’t see her very well and had no clue who she was, but her vibrant red hair caught the light, the form-fitting dress she was wearing sinfully perfect for her hourglass figure.

  “Earth to Francois.” Arman leaned further into my space, momentarily blocking my view.

  Exhaling, I shook my head, chuckling given my attention had been captured. “Not for a couple weeks. We have time.”

  “Good. We should get together next week and formulate a final plan.” He tossed back some of his drink then stood. “Besides, it would seem you have your mind set on enjoying the spoils of your club.”

  When I gave him a hard look, he grinned at me. “Some of us don’t have a ball and chain tied around our necks.”

  “I suggest you watch your mouth, or I’ll have Raven swing that steel ball at your head.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind, but I have a feeling I can handle her.”

  “The man obviously has no idea how formidable Raven can be,” Maddox suggested.

  “And you obviously forget how merciless I can be,” I threw out as we all rose to our feet, the redhead grabbing my attention once again. I moved closer to the railing overlooking the dance floor, enjoying more of the view.

  My brother flanked my side, remaining quiet for a full minute. “Be careful, Francois. Even with our fastidious actions, we still have enemies lying in wait even from Pops’ former regime. You know that.”

  “Of course I do. That’s a product of our father’s regime.” Our father had paved a path in blood, including erasing two sons of powerful enemy leaders. I couldn’t put it past either one to lie in wait for the perfect moment. Revenge had no timeframe.

  “It’s a product of today’s society.” He clapped me on the shoulder, giving the girl another quick glance before turning to face the opposite way. “Give yourself a night off. You need it. You’ve been wired tight as a damn drum over the last few months.”

  “I’ve needed to be since you were galivanting around the islands.”

  “You’ll learn the most important thing in your life is keeping your woman happy.”

  He laughed when I gave him another amused look. “Not going to happen.” However, indulging in a night of practiced debauchery might not be a bad idea. As I stood gazing down at the girl, she lifted her head toward the balcony, suddenly no longer dancing.

  There was an instant connection, a bolt of electricity that reminded me of a live wire in the middle of a thunderstorm. I took a deep breath.

  “Just remember enemies come in all shapes, sizes, and in both sexes,” he told me.

  I was rarely captivated by anyone, even lovely creatures, so I was surprised at my body’s reaction to a stranger. My cock was aroused, my balls tightening. Yeah, it had been a hell of a long time since I’d found myself this attracted.

  When she smiled, realizing she was being watched, it was as if she’d lit a series of sparklers inside the darkened room. Then she purposely looked away. She either had no clue who I was or couldn’t care less. Either way, that intrigued me even more.

  Now I’d make it a point to seek the beautiful, mysterious vixen out of the shadows. After that, I might allow my defenses to fall.

  “Stop worrying, brother. I’m the most cautious man you know.” My words weren’t incorrect.

  “True enough. I’ll see you at the race.”

  “You’re coming?” I was shocked, slowly turning my head to see if he was fucking with me. He believed my venture was the result of me having a midlife crisis, which is exactly what I’d accused him of when he’d proposed purchasing a baseball team. Diversifying, my ass. We were both seeking enjoyment in different ways than those we’d engaged in during our misspent youth.

  “Wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

  My brother had a way of making light of anything, including danger. I shook my head then returned my gaze to the vision at the bar.

  Only she’d disappeared.

  Her loss.

  But I stopped short, tipping my head, a smile slowly crossing my face. There was something about her that was more than just attractive, as if she was meant to be mine. I wanted nothing more than to shove the feeling aside, but the electric vibrations were constant, unsettling as fuck.

  I returned to the balcony, peering over the side, watching as she shifted back into the light for a brief but purposeful moment.

  My hunger continued to grow.

  And the hunter in me was awakened.

  CHAPTER 4

  Delaney

  A cold shiver skated down my spine from the way the man was looking at me from his perch on the balcony. I’d been convinced to come here, to engage in a night out after appearing on my girlfriend’s doorstep in my hometown the night before. Perhaps Carrie’s reason for dragging me out was that she was sick that since my unannounced arrival, I’d hidden under a thick blanket on her only couch in the tiny apartment she was living in.

  I hadn’t been home in years, living in Los Angeles almost as long as I had in New Orleans, especially since my modeling career had taken off. My original intent had been to return to the house I grew up in, but I knew exactly what would happen if I did. My father would force me to talk to the police in a city far removed from what had occurred and under a jurisdiction that could do nothing about my safety.

  Or catch a freaking lunatic.

  He’d drop a safety net over me, keeping me suffocatingly close, refusing to allow me out of the house. I wasn’t ready to be confined for the duration of my stay. Besides, I hadn’t seen him in years, our relationship rocky at best. He was likely involved with someone, maybe even living with a girl. Who knew? The last time we’d talked on the phone he’d told me nothing personal. Then again, I hadn’t been forthcoming either.

  I’d debated returning to LA instead, but I couldn’t stand the thought of stepping foot inside the apartment even though a professional cleaner had already been assigned by the harsh detective who’d grilled me for hours. He’d felt bad when I’d finally burst into tears. Breaking down hadn’t been my finest hour, but up to that point, I hadn’t been able to close my eyes. He’d suddenly become more nurturing, offering suggestions, including going to stay with someone for a few weeks.

  I couldn’t erase the scene or the horrible message from my mind. It had been directed toward me. My gut told me that. No, LA was out of the question.

  Sadly, I had nothing to return to anyway, other than going to my mother’s house to stay. She was off jetting somewhere with her third husband on their freaking honeymoon. At least this time the older dude was rich, taking her on the dream cruises and vacations she’d determined a long time ago she was entitled to. Granted, I had a key to her house, but that had never seemed like home to me, no matter how many shades of pink she’d insisted on using to decorate my room.

  God, how I loathed the color.

  It had taken me almost a week to get the hell out of LA, and only after I’d been interviewed three different times by the police. I’d crashed at one pseudo friend’s house or another, but that had gotten old. Thank God, I hadn’t been linked to the murder by any nosy reporter or my father would have easily found out what had happened to his precious only daughter.

  Coming to the club had been a decent distraction. Seeing the stunning man watching me had been both exciting and slightly terrifying, even though it was obviously not my stalker, the man’s build entirely different. It still brought the ugly images back to the forefront of my mind. Grimacing, it was difficult not to be mesmerized by the man in the stunning dark suit, almost everyone else inside the club dressed like characters out of a freak show.

  Yes, it was Mardi Gras season and I could be anyone behind a mask, but after the horrific event at the kink club, I wanted no part of dressing up like some festive parrot or worse. It didn’t matter I’d been named after my father’s favorite musician’s younger daughter, my dad a self-proclaimed Parrot-head; I wanted no part of pretense after the nightmare.

  But if there was a single thing my father had taught me from an early age was that living in fear was no way to live out my life. I’d regroup. I’d become strong again. I’d learn to live the way I should, without the terror of being stalked or hunted down by predators.

  So I was here, trying to pretend like my life could move on. Ginny was dead. Dead.

  Yet I continued to have the creepy crawlies and the man staring down at me didn’t help in the least.

  “Whew, girl. You know how to pick them. Oh, my. He is one hot man,” Miley cooed from beside me, almost spilling the drink in her hand. She’d started partying ahead of us given it had taken Carrie a full two hours to convince me to come out with them. It was better than staying all alone in a tiny space in the heart of New Orleans. Or so I’d thought. “If you don’t want him, I might go for a sinful experience.”

  “Then you’ll need to step in line. Every other chick in the joint wants to be in his bed,” Carrie snarled.

  I glanced at both girls, marveling at their garish masks. When I looked toward the balcony again, the chills turned into spontaneous combustion. I could swear the man was undressing me with his eyes, planning on all the devious things he’d do to me.

  Unfortunately, the way the man was staring at me with his eyes piercing mine, I wasn’t certain if coming out hadn’t been a huge mistake. He was stunning in every way, but I couldn’t take the admiration even from afar. Everything gave me the creeps right now.

  I’d been certain I’d been followed in the airport. Post-traumatic stress syndrome, I’d heard it called. Now I understood how damaging and debilitating it could be.

  “He’s just average,” I told her, although every inch of me tingled, the electricity shocking the hell out of me. I was used to gorgeous men in my profession, although a huge majority of the male models I’d met had been eccentric, arrogant assholes stuck on themselves and their profoundly good looks.

  They were also all pretty boys given the type of modeling I’d gotten inside. I preferred the bad boy kind, which is what had drawn me to the BDSM club in the first place. Well, one of the reasons. I had tastes some would consider perverted. Or maybe I’d grown bored with the usual scene in LA. Whatever the case, an attractive man in a suit was a dime a dozen where I came from.

  “She needs her eyes checked,” Carrie piped in. “And don’t shy away now, girlfriend, he’s looking right at you. Why not take a tumble? He won’t bite.”

  “You know exactly why.” I suddenly felt uncomfortable, so much so my hands were clammy. As soon as he turned his head, I took the opportunity to move out of the sparkling lights into the shadows where I felt more at ease.

  “He didn’t follow you from LA,” Carrie said.

  “I can’t believe you had a stalker,” Miley added. “I’m just so sorry, girl. I wish I could help more.”

  “A murderer. The fucker murdered my roommate in cold blood. Remember?” It was something I’d never forget, but taking it out on either one of them by snapping wasn’t in good form. “I’m sorry. I’m still edgy.”

  “Remember, girl. The monster isn’t here,” Carrie said, wrinkling her brow as she stared at me. “You’re safe.”

  Safe. I wasn’t certain the word would ever mean the same thing again.

  I took a deep breath, trying to remember my father’s words regarding fear. Fear is an everyday aspect of life. Use it to gain more control and fight the urge to slip into madness with everything you have in your soul. Then do something completely out of character to revitalize your life, to engage in electricity like standing in the middle of a thunderstorm, basking in the thudding drops of rain.