Guilt sliced through her. Maybe. Likely not…but maybe. Curt had been a hard worker and possessed a drive to win. Last she heard, he was selling insurance.

  “Martin dropped me in competition. I could not risk it happening again. I’d lost faith in his ability, and a couple without trust does not function well.”

  “The drop must have been painful, and I understand why you would not want to partner with someone ill equipped for the job. But as you say, trust is essential. After nearly two years together, you never gave him a chance to rebuild it between you.”

  She rolled her eyes. “What are you, my dance pimp? And before you start in on Jonathan, that decision was mutual. He wanted to get married more than he wanted to dance.”

  Surprise flashed across his dark face. “Really? My mother will be happy to hear that. She hates you because you ran off her favorite.”

  Shanna sat again. “Ugh! Everyone thinks that. We…just knew it was time to move on, both of us.”

  Speculation crossed Ali’s face, but he didn’t ask if she’d slept with Jonathan. For that, she was eternally grateful. “And now, you have issues with Kristoff. What will you do if we cannot find our blackmailer in time?”

  Good question. She’d been putting that decision off. This was her year to win; she couldn’t imagine forfeiting. But… “If we don’t succeed in fishing this blackmailer out, I won’t have a choice. I like Kristoff. He’s so talented. He’s got great work ethic—”

  “But you have no problem leaving him behind?”

  “It’s business.”

  “And you will not let anything or anyone stand in your way, will you?”

  His soft question nearly crushed her with guilt. She shoved the feeling aside. Giving up over half her life and the chance to finally reach her dreams? “I can’t.

  7

  Alejandro paced in the security room, watching the cameras positioned over Sneak Peek’s front door. He checked his watch. Eight-forty five. People were beginning to stream in, in greater numbers than usual for this time of night on a Thursday.

  The word about his scene with Shanna was out. He and Del had seen to it personally, not using names, of course…but socializing everywhere that it would be special.

  The stage was set—if Shanna showed up. Now he worried she wouldn’t. After all, the woman who prided herself on punctuality was fifteen minutes late. Was she trying to make a statement or yank his chain? Or was there some other reason she refused to come here tonight? What could possibly be more important to her than losing? Not embarrassment or modesty. She’d already survived her first public scene, which was always the most nerve-wracking. But one thing he had noticed? Every time he tried to get close to Shanna, she seemed increasingly anxious and tense.

  Was it possible she feared being close to him more than she feared losing?

  “You’re wearing out the carpet,” Del teased.

  Ali shot him a dark glare. “She’s not coming.”

  “She’ll be here. You said yourself the woman is prickly and contrary for the purpose of being such. You admitted that she likes to control her situation, so it can’t have been easy on her when you told her when to show up, what to wear…and nothing about what she could expect.”

  All of that was true, yet he’d had a larger purpose than being a controlling jackass. “I want Shanna to lean on me. I want her to know that she can trust me.”

  He wanted her to see what it felt like for someone to stand by her, even if she wasn’t winning.

  “You can’t force her to figure that out.”

  “Normally, I would not try, but with Shanna…” He sighed and stared at the video cameras that showed no sign of her arrival. “If I cannot find some way now to encourage her to latch on to me, she will slip through my fingers.”

  Del shrugged. “Why does it matter? I mean, I agree she will be helpful in finding whoever has violated the club’s rules, but we can flush out the asshole with or without her.”

  “She is not business to me; she’s personal.”

  “How personal?”

  Interpretation: how deep were his feelings? That question had been plaguing him all day. Shanna was more to him than catching a scumbag blackmailer, more than an amazing lay, more than an intriguing woman. Analyzing how it had happened and why was pointless. It was what it was, and Alejandro always trusted his gut.

  “I think I am in love.”

  “That was fast. Less than a week.” Del arched a dark brow.

  “More time will not change what I feel, except to make it deeper. She is strong and vulnerable, smart, adorably stubborn, and in utter need of someone to love. How can I resist?” He flashed Del a self-deprecating smile.

  “How, indeed? If you intend to resist, figure it out fast. She’s here.”

  Ali whipped his gaze up to the bank of cameras and smiled.

  “Aww. She’s wearing a damn trench coat,” Del groused.

  Laughter bubbled up inside Alejandro. “Of course she is.” Her little rebellion. “But I will bet she wore what I sent her underneath.”

  “I can’t wait for this.” Del rubbed his hands together.

  With blood burning a path through his veins, Ali burst out of the security office and stalked toward the front door. Del followed close behind.

  Alejandro intercepted Shanna two seconds after she walked in. “Querida, are you all right?”

  As Shanna strode in, she lifted her lashes in a skittish glance. “Fine. Why wouldn’t I be?”

  Her guarded tone sent off alarm bells. So she was trying to push her armor back in place, put distance between them. He frowned. Perhaps he had pushed her too hard last night…or made her feel too guilty.

  “When you did not arrive at eight-thirty, I grew concerned.”

  “No need.”

  He reached up to help her with her coat. She jerked away. “Don’t. Just wait until…”

  “We are on stage and I’m supposed to perform by fucking you?”

  She swallowed and sent him a shaky nod that seared his guts with panic. After tonight, she was going to turn around and walk out of his life if he didn’t think fast.

  “Is something wrong?” He gentled his expression.

  She looked away. “This is business. You’re doing what you need to do. So am I.”

  “Shanna, this is not a business dealing or mere sex to me. I want it to be more than that for you, too.”

  She shot him a wary stare. “Until Saturday, I have to focus on fixing my problem. You want me to dance for the joy of it, not for the trophy. I can’t be joyful if I already know before I dance a step that I can’t win.”

  Alejandro sighed. He’d hoped he’d gotten through to her during their ice cream date, at least in some small way. But he’d been deluding himself. She was determined to shut him out and focus on nothing but the prize.

  “Not to interrupt, kids,” Del said, “but you need to make your way back to the room so you can get started. Showtime is in eight minutes.”

  Resisting the urge to rake a hand through his hair, Ali gnashed his teeth. He needed a minute to collect a few props and his thoughts.

  “Can you show her to the room?” he asked his business partner. “I’ll be there in five.”

  Ali didn’t wait for the answer. He brushed past them, into the security corridor, and let the door slam behind him. Dread and anger crashed to the bottom of his stomach. Unless he acted fast, this could well be his last chance with Shanna. He had three minutes to figure out how to turn her head in his direction, convince her he wasn’t simply out to save his business or get laid, and persuade her they could be more permanent partners beyond tonight.

  Miracle, anyone?

  Del escorted Shanna through the club. She was aware of people all around her swaying and writhing to the techno music. But her thoughts… Alejandro had the lock on those.

  Last night and today, he’d acted like he cared. Why? She’d told him over and over this was business.

  Yeah, did it feel like business when he was deep inside you, making you scream? Or when he fed you ice cream and did his best to be there for you?

  The man had her so confused. What should have been nothing more than a temporary arrangement for the sake of ferreting out a mutual enemy—and okay, maybe a little mutual pleasure—had suddenly become very tangled. In the space of a few days, she’d come to think of Ali as a fixture in her life. The thought of that fixture being removed hurt.

  So dangerous. How could she focus on the competition with everything hanging over her head if she had to add new and scary emotions for Alejandro to the mix?

  “Follow me,” Del said.

  They crossed the dance floor and pushed aside a couple panting heatedly and letting their fingers do the walking. He escorted Shanna into a long hallway. At the end, he held a door open.

  One peek inside, and she sucked in a surprised gasp. This was out of a fantasy! Plush, like a Pasha’s palace. Rust, gold, bronze, with accents of black and cream. An enormous bed. Pillows everywhere.

  The audience would be bigger in this room. And closer. The odds of someone to bringing in a camera was definitely greater.

  “We’ve got the security angles covered,” Del assured her before she even opened her mouth. “There are cameras all over this place. We’ve spent all day rigging it up. If someone tries to film you here, we’ll nail him.”

  He wandered closer. Shanna tensed. Truth be told, the man made her nervous. He was dark like Alejandro. Both men had a wide streak of bad boy. Ali was like a fire, hot and sometimes unpredictable, never quite tamed. But Del…he could be a very cool customer. He’d do everything on his terms, in his time, his way. And show zero emotion doing it.

  Now, he gave off the vibe of a predator. Shanna swallowed and raised her chin as he sauntered closer.

  “Can I take your coat?”

  Feeling too vulnerable for her comfort, she unbelted the garment and stripped it off. The red corset underneath and the matching black thong, garters, and stockings went way beyond suggestive. Being naked would make her feel more clothed.

  Del whistled, looking her up and down, lingering on her breasts. “You look hot. Damn hot.”

  She cleared her throat. His hungry gaze eating her up when she’d last been on stage with Alejandro had turned her on. Being alone with him, having him this close, while he wore that ravenous expression? Disturbing.

  She shrugged off his comment casually. “A costume like any other.”

  “You and Ali got a real thing going?”

  Shanna frowned. When this was over, it was unlikely she and Alejandro continue to see each other. They were from different worlds. Whatever they might have had would be another casualty to her ambition. It didn’t bother her. Well…it shouldn’t.

  But something wretched and heavy that felt an awful lot like regret smothered her. Pain followed. It wouldn’t do anything but distract her, so she shoved it down.

  “No.”

  Flashing her a hot smile, Del leaned in until he was invading her personal space. “That’s good news. Very good, in fact.”

  The rapacious way he watched her gave her major pause.

  “When you and Ali are done here…maybe you and I could hook up?” he dragged a fingertip down her arm, leaving a prickle of unease in his wake.

  Did Del really imagine that after having sex with his friend and business partner, she was just going to throw Ali over and hop in his bed?

  She put space between them. “I don’t think so. Get your hand off me.”

  He complied slowly. “If you and Ali don’t have a thing going, why not? You’re a gorgeous woman. I’ve seen you in action, and you make me hard. I’ll treat you right, make you scream. I hear you’re good at switching partners. C’mon. What do you say?”

  He reached around her and slung his hand low on her hip, almost on her ass.

  Fury erupted in Shanna’s gut. She grabbed his wrist, squeezed his pressure point until he winced, then shoved his hand away from her backside.

  “What the hell are you thinking? No, the better question is, which part of your body is doing the thinking for you? I’m pretty sure I know the answer.” She cut a derisive glare in the vicinity of his crotch, then shot a quick glance to the door. Where was Ali?

  “What’s the problem, baby?” He moved in closer again.

  Her temper flared. Douche bag!

  She lifted her foot and dug her stiletto into his toes. He swore, and she smiled. “The problem is, I’m supposed to have sex with your friend in less than five minutes. Let’s focus, shall we?”

  His voice was strained as he reached down to cradle his injured toe. “You don’t get sentimental about your partners. And you said you weren’t involved with Ali. So why shouldn’t I ask a gorgeous woman if she wants to hook up?”

  Why, indeed? Del was attractive physically. She doubted he would be demanding of her time or try to delve into her psyche. Del would never take her to his bed after a wild night on stage, love her privately, and rip past the barriers around her heart. He would probably never press her for more than sex.

  But if she disliked Alejandro for all those things, why wasn’t she eager to spend alone time with his sinfully good-looking friend?

  “Alejandro is your business partner and best friend.”

  “Yeah, but if you’re not into him, that makes you fair game.”

  Shanna was still processing Del’s words when he grabbed her and crushed her body against his. His mouth swooped down, and he captured her lips. At the first swipe of his tongue against hers, she knew nothing but panic.

  And pure rage.

  She twisted in his grasp until she delivered a hard knee to his balls. He backed away instantly, doubled over and clutching himself.

  “What the hell is your problem?”

  “I’ll tell you exactly what I’ve told Alejandro: I have the most important competition of my career to focus on. I intend to win, and anything else is just a distraction I don’t need.”

  “And that’s your only reason for turning me down?”

  Alejandro shoved the stage door open. It collided with the wall, echoing across the stage as he strode inside. He had the distinct impression he’d interrupted something.

  In the middle, Shanna stood wearing the corset, garters, and thong he’d sent her—and looking every bit as drop-dead sexy as he’d known she would. Though his dick was already hard at the thought of being inside her, this outfit added to the red blood cell count below his waist.

  But the righteous anger on her face made him pause. Especially when he saw Del two feet away, hunched over, clutching his balls and glaring at her.

  What the hell?

  “She’s got a mean knee, man.”

  “He’s got the disposition of a manwhore.”

  Anger crashed into Alejandro with the same impact as driving a hundred miles an hour straight into a brick wall. “You made a move on her?”

  “Yes!” Shanna shouted.

  Del tried to stand up straight and shrug. “You said she had a habit of switching dance partners. I wondered if that extended to sex. She swore you two had nothing going. If that’s true, why would she kick me?”

  Then his friend did something bizarre. He winked.

  Ali frowned…until everything started falling into place. Del had been testing her. If Shanna didn’t care a thing about him, Alejandro knew she would have gone for Del. Women did—in droves. Shanna had been turned on by him watching her just days ago. Why not follow through?

  Ali suspected that the only reason Shanna had kneed his pal was because whatever feelings she had developed between them since their last scene together were stronger than she wanted to admit. And Del had pissed her off.

  Suddenly, Ali resisted the urge to smile. Hope curled in his belly, warmed his heart, made his dick even stiffer. He’d test his theory tonight.

  “We have no time to argue. Let us start this party. Del, show the crowd in. Security tells me they are lined up down the hallway. Shanna, turn around and put your hands behind your back.”

  With a nod, Del turned and headed for the door.

  No surprise, Shanna hesitated at his command. She’d assumed he would be angry that Del made a pass at her. She’d assumed Ali would behave possessively. If he hadn’t known Del for years and hadn’t known quite well how his friend’s mind worked, Ali would have been.

  Instead, he intended to enjoy the fireworks between he and Shanna before he got to the bottom of whatever was in her heart. Del was just helping him along.

  “Is there a problem?” he asked. “People will begin filing in soon. We should be in position.”

  “Fine.” She presented him with her back.

  What a luscious view! Feminine shoulders tapered down to a narrow, red-corseted back. The black thong bisected a firm, feminine ass he’d fantasized about fucking. Those garters and black thigh-high stockings hugging the toned curves of her legs damn near had him on his knees.

  And if he played his cards right, she would be all his.

  Forcing his stare back to her wrists crossed at the small of her back, Ali grabbed them. With a flick and two quick clicks, he secured her in handcuffs.

  She whirled on him, murder in her eyes. “What the hell are you doing? Unlatch these! I didn’t sign up for this. We didn’t discuss—”

  Ali cut off her tirade by cupping her nape and covering her mouth with his. She struggled…for a moment. Then he swept inside her mouth, tunneled his hands in her hair, and kissed her as if his very life depended on it.

  She melted.

  With a gentle nip and a soothing kiss to cover the sting, he pulled back and whispered, “We have an audience.”

  Releasing her, Ali walked a half circle around her and cozied up to her back, letting her feel the heat of his body and his erection. She gasped.

  The curve of her neck beckoned, and he trailed his lips up the graceful line and soft skin.

  Briefly, he opened his eyes and discovered at least twenty-five people in the room—and more filing in. Perfect. Maybe they would catch the asshole tonight.