Chapter One

Chapter OneShould I find it amusing that the man sitting opposite me was an absolute bag of nerves? Probably not. But, much like my mother, I wasn’t the most forgiving of people. And this bloke here had scribbled his name on my shit list.I hadn’t thought the American model knew that I’d been made aware of his … indiscretion, but I could think of no other reason that would explain his current behavior. Ryland had confidence in spades. He ordinarily didn’t struggle to make eye-contact, nor did he make nervous gestures. But over the past fifteen minutes he’d repeatedly adjusted his tie, cleared his throat, averted his gaze, drummed his fingers on the table, and repositioned his glass of wine. If I wasn’t in such a bad mood, I would have smiled.Three of my friends—who were sat at a neighboring table intent on ensuring that things didn’t get ugly—were casting me well go on, tell him it’s over looks. Moreso Inaya. She kept raising expectant eyebrows at me.I couldn’t really blame them for keeping an eye on the proceedings, since they were very much aware that I longed to fiercely rip him a new one. I wasn’t the type to bite back words. In that, I was also my mother’s daughter. But causing a scene would risk me getting banned from the club, which I really didn’t want.The Vault, one of the most popular hotspots in Redwater City, Florida, was an exclusive 24-hour club that was well worth its membership price. There was nothing like it where I’d grown up in London, England.If you fancied an average night out, you could head to the main floor where there were DJs, loud music, spotlights, and fog machines. If you preferred to be entertained, you could either make your way to the Burlesque floor or go up to the rooftop and enjoy the comedians and Dueling Pianos shows. I was a fan of each and every floor, but I mostly came down here to the basement. It catered to people who were looking for something a little … different. Sexual. Raw.You needed an additional membership fee to access the basement, and that fee wasn’t at all cheap. But that clearly didn’t bother the many high-profile people who came here.Due to their celebrity status, it often suited them to have the typical ‘arrangements’ that existed here. Members could enter into a sort-of-relationship that only existed within the confines of the Vault. This allowed them to not only keep their business private from the outside world but to keep their personal life separate from that of whoever they’d claimed here. In that sense, it was a great place to come if you wanted something light and fun rather than impersonal hookups.Of course, some people in arrangements did meet and have fun outside of the club as well. Each couple—or threesome or foursome or whatever—had their own rules and boundaries.I’d been in an arrangement with Ryland for a short time. As he was a dominant character but not a Dom, he was the type of bloke I usually went for. Because though I liked to give up control in the bedroom, I wasn’t a submissive in the typical sense of the word. It was simply that, after living a life where I’d always had to be mindful of my words and actions due to the public scrutiny my family as a whole was subjected to, it was almost a relief to simply let go. It was only when I relinquished power that I really felt free.That said, I hadn’t given that extent of power to Ryland. I’d held back from him because I hadn’t sensed the strength in him that I was looking for in a person. That meant I hadn’t felt safe enough with him to fully let go.He’d sensed that I was holding back. I knew he had. And I also knew he didn’t much like it. But that didn’t justify his actions. For me, nothing could.“We have to talk,” Ryland abruptly blurted out.Why yes, yes we did. I was looking forward to giving him a right bollocking.He put his fist to his mouth and let out a quiet cough that seemed forced. “I like what we have. I like it a lot.” He cricked his neck. “But I want more.”I blinked. He, what?“I want us to go public. I want us to be an actual couple. I don’t want you to only be mine here. It’s not enough for me anymore.”I stared at him in astonishment, my lips parted. He couldn’t be bloody serious. Here I’d thought he was a nervous wreck because he’d learned that I knew he was a traitorous twat. Apparently, he’d simply been gearing himself up to make this little announcement. “Ryland—”“I know you’re a private person and you don’t much like the limelight, but we can’t go on like this forever. We would have gone public sooner or later. I’m all for sooner.”I was all for slapping him silly. He really had the nerve to ask this of me after what he’d done? Did he feel no guilt at all?I felt my upper lip begin to curl. It wasn’t that I was terribly hurt by his betrayal—we hadn’t embarked on a serious relationship or anything—but he’d made me pretty promises when we’d agreed to an arrangement, and he’d gone ahead and broken them. That stung. As did the fact that I’d evidently been wrong in thinking he might be different from the blokes in my past.Unlike them, he hadn’t pre-judged or underestimated me. He’d never questioned why I’d chosen to be a sports photographer when, given I looked uncannily like my mother, it was thought by many agents that I’d be just as successful at modelling as her. He hadn’t ever dumbed down conversation around me like I had no brain in my head—an assumption people often made, as if a person couldn’t possibly be good-looking as well as smart. He also hadn’t ever suggested that I should credit my success to having great connections or to being the child of two famous people.I’d believed it was a good sign. I’d believed he sincerely respected me. And I’d obviously been mistaken.“You weren’t expecting this, I can see that,” he added, not sounding at all worried that I was surprised in a bad way. More like he thought I was flattered. “But don’t overthink it. Don’t hem and haw. I know you’ll be going back to London soon enough, but we can still make the relationship work. We can still fly out to see each other often.”“You’re not—”“We fit, Izzy. You know we do. I care about you. That’s not a one-way street. I know it isn’t.”Uh, it absolutely was. And if he interrupted me one more time …“I can’t be happy with only having parts of you. Not anymore. I want everything.” He took a deep breath. “It’s all or nothing.” As his mouth curled into a soft smile, he rested his hand on the table, palm up in a silent invitation. “So, we take this to the next level, yeah?”It was plain to see that he expected me to excitedly jump at that invitation. Unreal. Reminding myself it would be bad to lose my rag, I dragged in a calming breath. “No. No, not happening,” I clipped.His smile vanished. “Jesus Christ, Izzy, why the hell not? We’ve been together for three months.”“We’ve known each other for three months—a period during which we met here for sex at weekends. That’s it.”“Don’t you belittle what we have.”“Why? You did it when you kissed Genevieve Martin.”His eyes flashing with shock, he went completely rigid.“Don’t do something cliché like claim ignorance. I know it happened. Denying it would be pointless.”Seconds of silence ticked by before he spoke. “It w-wasn’t real. As part of the shoot—”“It had nothingto do with the photo shoot. You kissed her in a bloody alleyway where you thought no one would see you.”“I don’t know where you heard that, but it isn’t true. Whoever said it twisted the whole thing.”“You’re calling my mum a liar?”His head jerked back. “Your mom? How could she possibly have heard about something like that?”“You both have the same agent, dickhead. She was able to learn plentyabout you.” I hadn’t wanted to explain the ins and outs of the Vault to my mum, so I’d merely told her that I was very casually seeing someone. She’d badgered me for his name, and I’d known that she—being incredibly overprotective—would take a peek in his closet in search of any skeletons.I hadn’t known she’d later that same day phone me back and break such shitty news to me before adding, “I am going to ram a plunger up that cheating bastard’s rusty bullet hole.”Yeah, Jaxxon Carter had a way with words.Ryland leaned forward, a pinch of desperation in his eyes. “I’m sorry, Izzy. More sorry than I can say. The kiss meant nothing. Genevieve meant nothing.”“Then she should have been easy for you to resist.”“It wasn’t planned; it was a moment of madness. I don’t even know how it happened.”“I can give you a recap. You pushed her against the wall, played tonsil tennis with her, and then said that later couldn’t come soon enough because you needed to fuck her ‘again.’ As such, I’d say it was more than a single moment of madness. More like several.”He spluttered. “I hadn’t seen you in weeks, I missed you, I was lonely.”“How is that justification for betraying me?” It was the most ridiculous defense ever.“To be fair, it’s not like we’re in a real relationship.”“It was still a betrayal,” I pointed out, deadly calm. “You requested that we be exclusive, not me. You gave me your word that there’d be no other women in or out of the club. You went back on said word but expected me to stick to mine. If you can’t keep any promises you made to me regarding a simple arrangement, why in the fuck would I trust you to be faithful in a serious relationship?”He squeezed his eyes shut, sighing. “Izzy.” His eyes popped open when I slipped out of the booth. “Wait, don’t go.”“There’s no reason for me to stay.” And there was a genuine risk that I’d pour my wine over his head if I did. Just to be on the safe side, I drank the last of it and then set the glass on the table. “We’re done.”He shot to his feet. “There’s more to say, more to discuss.”“All you’ll do is try to convince me to let this go and forgive you. And all I’ll do is tell you to shove your excuses and apologies right up your arse.”“Don’t do this, Izzy. Don’t give up on us. We can work through this.”“Why would I want to? You proved that you’re not worth shit. Quite frankly, Ryland, I can do better. I deserve better.” I flicked imaginary lint from my black, halter jumpsuit. “Now if you’ll excuse me …” I went to pass.He gripped my arm tight enough to hurt, his eyes dark with anger. “We’re not finished here.”I snarled, keeping my voice low as I warned, “Let go of my arm or I’ll snap your fucking fingers.”“Everything okay over here?” a voice chirpily asked. A voice that belonged to one of my friends who’d been watching the entire scene.Ryland tensed, his scowl melting away. Dropping his arm to his side, he cleared his throat—again—and turned to Inaya. “Yes, fine.”She gave him one of her trademark bright smiles that could light up a room. “Great. I just need to borrow Izzy. For, like, ever. You have a good night.” Slipping her arm through mine, Inaya led me away. “Well that looked unpleasant. I couldn’t hear everything that got said.”“That must have devastated you,” I muttered.“It’s not my fault that I’m nosy, you can’t hold it against me.”Reaching the table where our other friends, Briar and Cat, sat waiting, I took the empty seat opposite Inaya as I blew out a breath. “My hand actually tingles with the urge to slap him.”“We ordered you a shot of Tequila,” said Briar beside me, her slanted blue-green eyes glinting with sympathy. With hair the color of pink champagne and all the curves a man could want, she was a woman who made an impact. Especially in that burgundy dress-shirt that boasted a pretty silver belt. “We figured you’d need it,” she added as she slid a small glass toward me.“You figured right.” I knocked back the shot, enjoying the burn.Briar—also my neighbor—was the person who first told me about the Vault. Well, she technically wasn’t my neighbor. Not exactly. The apartment I was currently staying at belonged to my parents—they had various houses and apartments in different countries but, like me, they were British and based in London.I enjoyed my job, and I was good at it—even if I did say so myself. Which I did. I thought it messed up that a woman wasn’t supposed to own her skills or talents; that to do so was considered ‘bragging.’ That was absolute bollocks. There was nothing at all wrong with taking pride in your accomplishments.I’d covered a lot of big sports events over the years. It was both challenging and exciting. But it wasn’t what anyone would call relaxing, so there were times I sought a break. Whenever I needed downtime, I headed to the apartment here in Redwater. I’d been here for the past four months and wasn’t yet feeling a tug to leave. Each visit had been longer than the last, in truth.“I got the impression that he tried defending his actions,” said Briar.“I suspected he would,” I told her. “But the last thing I expected him to do was declare that he wanted us to go public and have something real.”Inaya’s lips parted. “He honestly said that?”“Yep. Of course, at that point, he had no idea I’d heard about him and Genevieve. He also insisted he cared about me. What a load of ole shit.”Crossing one sun-kissed, long leg over the other, Cat tossed her platinum blonde beach waves over her shoulder. “I’m not sure I’d agree that he cares for you. And I don’t just mean because you told us he betrayed you. I’ve seen how he is around you. What he feels is more like an obsession. Not a creepy kind. I mean it’s more like he’s fixated on owning you than on actually building something with you. And while I have nothing against a guy wanting to own his woman in some sense—it’s actually kind of a turn-on at times—it’s not so great if you’re no more than arm candy to him.”“Agreed. And I think that’s all he really saw me as.” Sighing, I glanced around the lounge. The tasteful and stylish bar-slash-restaurant boasted dim lighting, dark walls, and shiny black marble flooring. Sensual background music played low.Some people sat at tables and booths. Others congregated at the bar or relaxed on the leather sofas. For most people, a meal or drink at the lounge was a prelude to a night of ‘play.’ Others played right here in the lounge in full view of any who cared to watch.The basement wasn’t like a fetish club. It didn’t play heavy metal music, or feature medieval-looking machines that could both intrigue and daunt. In essence, it was merely a safe place to explore your fantasies, particularly for those who couldn’t usually do so without such things being leaked to the press.The themed private rooms were extremely popular. You could also indulge in public displays of sexual affection not only in the lounge but in the dome, which was the basement’s dance floor—no one would bat an eyelid about it.Though the basement didn’t cater specifically to BDSM, quite a few members were involved in it. As such, some people who were intrigued by the lifestyle but not entirely sure they wanted to explore it used this very floor as a means to seek out like-minded people. Sometimes they then dipped their toe in the pool.Watching a couple rise from their table wearing little ‘let’s go rodger each other’ looks, I felt a twinge of envy. There’d sadly be no playing for me tonight.I turned back to my friends. “Why is it that I always seem to fall into bad relationships? I don’t get it. It’s not like I have the sort of emotional baggage that would make me subconsciously seek out arseholes or anything. The blokes I get involved with are always so nice to me in the beginning. Little by little, they change. They do occasional mean stuff or try to put me down. I know that nobody’s perfect. I’m not expecting perfection. I just … it would simply be nice to break the pattern, that’s all.”“You have the same issue as Inaya,” said Briar. “Men feel intimidated by you. You’re not only astonishingly beautiful, you’re talented and successful. More, you’re fiercely self-reliant and don’t need people. From what you’ve told me of your past relationships, I think your exes were kind of daunted by it all. I think they didn’t feel secure in their hold on you and resented you for it—hence the attempts to peck at your confidence. When they couldn’t convince you that you were lucky to have them, they struck out at you to soothe their ego.”I frowned. “You and Cat are beautiful and talented and successful.”“But while our families are well-known, we’ve been able to keep a lower profile than you and Inaya—the media doesn’t consider me or Cat interesting. Also, I’m a costume designer ... Cat a freelance book editor—neither are thought of as manly professions. Sports photography is, though it shouldn’t be.”“But Inaya’s a singer and lyricist—neither of those are considered especially masculine professions.”“But we can all agree that the rock music industry itself is male-dominated. She belts out rock music like a boss. She’s spoken of in the same sentences as legends like Mercury and Springsteen. She’s collaborated with equally successful and adored artists. All her albums went platinum, and she’s won God knows how many awards. That level of fame and recognition can be intimidating to any guys who are interested in her, especially if that level tops theirs.”I looked at Inaya. “Even with all that, I don’t understand how you could possibly be single.”Warm and authentic with an indomitable spirit, Inaya was always moving and doing and singing … like a hummingbird. She was also incredibly beautiful with her heavy-lidded Nordic blue eyes, golden skin, slender build, and her ruby red hair that was lightly streaked with black and various shades of purple.Inaya smiled. “Why, thank you. The reality is that the dating scene is hard for everyone. Hence why I like coming here and keeping things simple. Arrangements can be a whole lot of fun and involve no heartache. I mean, look at you—you’re pissed at Ryland, but you’re not devastated. You can easily carry on with your evening, feeling no need to dwell. Right?”I nodded. “Absolutely.” He didn’t have enough power over me to be so much as a ping on my emotional radar.“Well then, on that note, we should all go dance.” Inaya stood and plucked at the hem of her black lacy crop top. “Let’s head to the dome.”“I’m up for it.” Cat drained her glass and then pushed to her feet.“You’re not waiting for Danton?” I asked the blonde, referring to the bloke she was in an arrangement with.Cat shook her head, disappointment shimmering in those green eyes that made Izzy think of jade gemstones. “He’s not coming tonight. He had to cancel.” A long sigh slipped out of her.Briar poked her arm. “What’s that sigh for?”Cat shrugged. “It’s just never nice when someone isn’t quite as into you as you are into them.”Standing, I felt my brows draw together. “You think that’s the case with you and Danton?” I didn’t. I’d seen how he looked at her. It was intense and all male possession.“Oh, I know it is,” said Cat. With that, she strode off, every inch the haughty princess—a look she’d mastered and used as a don’t come too close shield. It usually worked.Not that she needed said shield while at the Vault, considering she wore a red dress—anyone who was part of an arrangement wore something red to indicate that they were claimed, ensuring others let them be. And, in any case, anyone who’d seen who she’d been claimed by would never dare attempt to trespass.Danton Quintero might call himself a businessman, but everyone knew that most of his businesses weren’t exactly above board. Just as they knew that he was a merciless bastard who suffered no fools. None of that bothered Cat. But then, her father was into shady shit, so …Briar and I fell into step behind Cat and Inaya as we made our way to the door at the other side of the lounge.Briar gently elbowed me. “You need to take off the red bracelet. You’re back on the market.”I felt my nose wrinkle. “I might keep it on for the rest of the night. I’m not in the mood to be approached, and this will warn men away.”She snorted. “Your glare will do that just fine. You might look like your mom with your big brown eyes, olive skin, and that head of dark curls, but you have your dad’s don’t fucking test me glares. People always heed those silent warnings.”She had a point. I took off the bracelet and dropped it into my purse.As we stepped into a long dimly lit hall, I could hear the thumping music coming from the dome up ahead; could see strobe lights flickering through its ornate glass doors.Clusters of people stood here and there, talking and laughing or engaging in a little foreplay. Recognizing a few members, I flashed them brief smiles as I strode along the hall, passing door after door—all of which led to themed rooms.Glancing over her shoulder at me and Briar, Inaya subtly tipped her head toward two exceptionally good-looking blokes. “Don’t judge me, but I’d totally spend a few hours stuck between them.”I smiled. “You’ll get no judgement from my corner.”Trace and Kaleb were regulars at the club, but I’d recognize them anyway—one was a famous actor, and the other was a voice actor who female readers everywhere adored due to his deep, rumbly voice alone. The two close friends enjoyed sharing women but never claimed any. They were anti-arrangement for some reason, which disappointed many female members.Briar hummed. “It’s rumored that they know their way around a woman’s body. I heard they don’t fuck around. That it can get intense, I mean. Not whips and canes intense. Just, you know, they like to give a girl a rough ride.”Inaya gave an exaggerated shudder of delight. “Even better.”“I don’t know if I could enjoy a threesome.” Cat’s nose wrinkled. “I think I’d always worry that someone was feeling left out.”Inaya’s brow creased. “I would have thought you’d totally be up for it. There’s not much you haven’t tried.”“Yeah, well, no amount of games or scenes or whatever really did it for me,” said Cat. “I enjoyed them, but I’d only want that stuff as an occasional added spice.”“So are you and Danton pretty much vanilla or do you just keep things light?” asked Briar.“I wouldn’t say we’re vanilla or that we keep things light, but he doesn’t use toys,” replied Cat, her lips curling. “I’m his toy.”Inaya let out a dreamy sigh. “I wouldn’t mind being someone’s toy. Maybe even Trace and Kaleb’s for a night. But they’re more interested in Briar.”Briar’s head jerked. “What?”Inaya smiled, dropping back to sidle up to her. “They watch you. A lot. They’re discreet about it, but I see all.”Flushing, Briar glanced away. “I have an arrangement with Grover.”“Who you hardly ever see, since he’s always away for work. Yeah, I know you two are only exclusive inside the club so you can still get laid elsewhere, but that’s not the point.”Briar edged up her chin, defensive. “I like him.”Cat snorted. “You like solitude, so it suits you that he’s not around much—that’s not the same thing.”Briar shrugged. “He gives good head.”Cat gave her a droll look. “And that’s what’s important.” Reaching the dome, she pushed one door open. The interior was as dark as any bar, but it was nothing like an average bar. More like a large, fancy, sensual ballroom.Dome shaped—hence its name—it had black marble walls and a shiny checkered floor. There were fluted columns, long mirrors, tiered chandeliers, and also French windows that were framed by red velvet drapes. A door on the opposite side of the space led to more private themed rooms.Also, there were some recent additions near the rear of the dome. Five tall, boxes with mirrored walls. Boxes that were big enough to fit two people. And while said people would be able to look out at the dance floor, no one from the outside could see what was happening within the boxes.As usual, the dome was packed with people dancing, talking, drinking, and even getting up to some raunchy stuff. Some of the latter was taking place in the arched hollows, giving people a little privacy but not much.“So who’s getting the drinks while the rest of us go hit the dance floor?” asked Cat.“I’ll get the first round,” I offered. “Who wants what?” Once I had their orders, I headed to the long bar.I didn’t make it there.Because a bunch of people moved aside, and suddenly another person was in my line of sight. One I recognized. One I’d had very filthy thoughts about on several occasions. One who right then pinned me with a predatory gaze that seemed to plant my feet to the floor.Well now. Things were looking up.