Duped (Atlantic City’s Most Wanted #4)

Chapter One

P ortland Wales. Tarek had been watching him for a while. The guy threw money around like it meant nothing, especially on substantially younger men, supposedly…or one in particular, anyhow. Rumor had it that much younger man had recently married. Tarek figured that left an open position in Portland’s life. Tarek wanted the job. That was why he had purposely left his bag at his dealer’s station when shifts changed, and he saw Portland headed his way. Tarek bade his time and grabbed a couple of drinks before heading toward an accidental meeting. He squeezed into the space next to Portland at the table, doing his best to get in close while not appearing to do so on purpose.

“Sorry. I left my bag.”

The new dealer glanced below the table and found Tarek’s small, clear plastic tote bag. He passed it Tarek’s way. Tarek turned his head, bracing himself for anything.

Light blue eyes were locked on him in a dark and hungry way that immediately had goosebumps skirting his skin. Tarek worked up his sweetest smile. “Excuse me. I didn’t mean to invade your space.” Without waiting for a response, Tarek walked away. He knew it was a risk, but the first encounter was in the books. Next time they saw each other, this gave Tarek an excuse to strike up a conversation. Seduction was a slow and perfectly timed game.

“Excuse me. I think you dropped this.”

Tarek glanced behind him. Portland was hot on his heels. Shock had Tarek freezing in his tracks. This wasn’t how he pictured things. “I’m sorry. Are you talking to me?”

A congenial smile, completely at odds with his earlier dark expression, met Tarek’s question. “Yes. You dropped this.”

Tarek’s gaze reluctantly moved from Portland’s gorgeous eyes to the item he held. It was a stack of bills. Tarek blinked. It was likely a few thousand dollars.

A nervous laugh escaped Tarek. It was completely genuine. He felt like he was the one who had stepped into a trap. “No. Sorry. I definitely didn’t drop that.”

Portland stepped closer. Something flashed in his eyes that had Tarek’s mouth going dry. “I promise you did.”

A thought hit Tarek. He cocked his head to one side and eyed Portland. “Sir, are you trying to buy me?”

Portland’s stare briefly moved to Tarek’s mouth before returning to hold his gaze. “What if I am?”

A smile exploded across Tarek’s lips. This definitely wasn’t going the way he planned, but he could adapt. Tarek was good at thinking on his feet. “You know, if you had simply asked me to dinner, I would’ve said yes.” He turned away. Tarek bit back a smirk. He would definitely have a way to strike up the next conversation. Tarek made it three steps before he found his path blocked.

“Would you have dinner with me?”

Well, goddamn. He looked sincere. Tarek wanted to say no and leave Portland twice as intrigued. He didn’t have the strength. Still, he didn’t answer right away. He simply eyed Portland as if his earlier attempt to buy him had made Tarek second guess himself.

“I don’t know. What’s your name?”

A smile touched Portland’s lips. He bit his bottom lip as if trying to stop the gesture. Tarek’s heart beat a little faster. Fuck . He was in trouble.

“It’s Portland. What’s yours?”

Tarek held out his hand for Portland to shake. “I’m Tarek. It’s very nice to meet you.”

Portland shifted a leather bag he carried from one hand to the other and shook his hand. “You, as well.”

Tarek blew out a sigh. “Well, you have a sincere handshake, so yes. I’d love to have dinner with you.”

The sweetness in his expression slipped. Tarek glimpsed the hunger underneath. His skin tingled. He wouldn’t have decided on Portland if he wasn’t truly interested. Tarek didn’t have what it took to find a ninety-year-old man with one foot in the grave and rock his world. There had to be some attraction.

Portland turned slightly and held his elbow out for Tarek like a gentleman. “I know just the place.”

Tarek accepted his arm and hoped he hadn’t made a fatal misstep. “You’ve got my curiosity up.”

Portland headed toward the valet station. “My guess is, since you work here, you’re likely sick of every onsite restaurant.”

God, he wasn’t lying. “So tired.”

Portland laughed. It was sexy enough to make Tarek’s breath catch. Portland handed off his ticket before sweeping Tarek outside.

A thought hit Tarek as they waited for Portland’s car. “Speaking of work, I’m still wearing my dealer’s uniform. Should I run home and change?”

“I can take you home first if you’d like.” His gaze swept down Tarek’s body. “But I like you just fine how you are.”

Tarek swallowed. This wasn’t going at all how he expected. He was the one being seduced. A Phantom rolled to a stop at the curb. As Portland opened the passenger side door of the more than half a million-dollar car, Tarek questioned his every life choice. He chewed his bottom lip as he stepped from the curb and climbed into the passenger seat. There was nothing stopping Portland from murdering him now. He should have taken the stack of cash and called it a day. His roommate had been trying to teach him how to become a sugar baby, but he hadn’t given any lessons on how not to end up in a shallow grave.

Portland kneeled and set his leather bag on the ground. He buckled Tarek’s seatbelt for him. “Don’t look so scared. I promise this is just dinner. You’ll make it home safe.”

Tarek forced a smile to his lips. “Sorry. This is my first time accepting an impromptu date like this.”

Portland cocked his head to one side and studied Tarek. “I find that hard to believe. You’re stunning. But what made you decide to accept this one?”

“I’ll let you know when I figure it out.”

With a laugh, Portland grabbed his bag, stood, and closed the door. Tarek took a calming breath. He could and would do this. No way in hell would Tarek spend the rest of his life crashing with his best friend and hoping for the best. Tarek might not have much, but he had looks. He had to use the commodities life handed him. Portland Wales was as good as his.

A dark cloud hung over Portland, setting his teeth on edge. He opened the trunk and stashed the bag of cash he had collected earlier in the night. Over the years, Portland had gotten very adept at hiding behind a congenial smile. Tonight, he had honestly believed, would be the night the world saw behind his mask. Portland wasn’t as sure now.

The valet waited at his open driver’s side door. Portland quietly slipped him a tip before climbing behind the wheel. The man closed the door, leaving him alone with his new friend. While Portland had been busy stashing his latest collection, Tarek had been busy as well. In Portland’s absence, he had flipped down the sun visor and fluffed his hair into a sexy mess. Portland watched as he swiped some tinted lip balm across his lips. He dropped the tube in his bag before going to work, rolling up the long sleeves of his dress shirt to his elbows. Portland could have started their drive to the restaurant, but he was too mesmerized. There was a tattoo that began just above Tarek’s wrist. It was a forest scene that encircled his arm, going halfway to his elbow.

Tarek turned his head and flashed Portland a smile. His eyes were now highlighted by dark eyeliner. In a span of five minutes, Tarek had gone from clean-cut twink to a sexy bad boy. It was almost as if Tarek intentionally showed his true self to test Portland. Portland had invited the clean version of him to dinner. This was obviously the real him. If anything, Portland was twice as turned on now.

“Are you ready? I’d hate to drive off and mess up your makeup.”

A bright smile lit Tarek’s face and flashed in his eyes. “Yes. Sorry. I just needed a quick refresh. You don’t want to be seen with a guy in his work clothes.”

Portland looked away and put the car in gear. He pulled away from the curb. “I’ve never cared what anyone else thinks, but I’d be proud to be seen with either version of you.”

“Good. You’re a gorgeous guy. I wouldn’t want to embarrass you.”

The clouds parted. A weight lifted from Portland’s chest. He had started the night ready to ruin lives and leave bodies in his wake. The man he’d desired and chased for literally years had married someone else. Portland had been completely unprepared for the news when it had dropped less than an hour ago. When Portland had first spotted Tarek, his plan had been to punish him for Court’s sins. Court was—or had been—a high-priced escort that had entertained Portland many nights. Portland had been slowly cornering Court into being completely dependent on him before Court had slipped through his fingers. His gaze slid Tarek’s way when he stopped at a red light. The light from a nearby streetlamp highlighted his perfect skin. Portland inspected him on the sly. He was flawless. Portland needed to know more. It was possible Tarek could be the exact replacement Portland needed. He didn’t believe in love. Portland believed in power and total control. He didn’t want a partner. Portland wanted a slave, on his knees and completely beholden to him. Anyone less wouldn’t tolerate his secrets.

The light turned green. Portland nearly snarled at the interruption. He needed to thoroughly research his new acquisition. Portland forced himself to be patient. He still had to learn more.

“I hope you like Greek.”

A quiet laugh caressed his ears. “I actually love Greek. My mom is from Greece originally. That’s basically what our daily menu consisted of growing up.”

“Interesting.” Tarek had opened a door. The closeness of his family mattered. A tight-knit family was a place to run home. Portland couldn’t have that. “Are you close with your family?”

“Mhmm.” The humming sound made Portland smile for real. Tarek chuckled. “I’m not sure where to start with that one.”

“If you’d rather not talk about it, it’s fine.” It wasn’t. “I’ll understand.” He wouldn’t. “I'm only trying to get to know you.” That much was true.

Tarek made a dismissive motion. “No. It’s fine. They currently live in Biloxi, Mississippi. I don’t see them often. When I turned twenty-one, I got a job at a casino. Nothing pays well there, except the shipping yard or the casinos. Obviously, I’m not built for the shipping yard, but they were not pleased. Good Catholic boys don’t do all that.” Tarek laughed. He did that a lot and Portland enjoyed the sound.

“Now you’re in Atlantic City. I can’t imagine that went over well.”

Tarek made another humming sound. “It probably wouldn’t if they had any idea where I am.”

Portland’s hopes raised. “I sense a story.”

From the corner of his eye, Portland saw Tarek’s hands rise and fall. “Are you sure you want to hear all this? I’m not sure this is first date material. Surely this is a three months in and surprise. I have no family.”

Despite himself, a genuine laugh escaped Portland. Tarek had a way of saying things that made his confessions sound humorous rather than traumatic. “I’m a lot older than you. We move faster at my age.” A thought hit him. He fully intended to have Tarek investigated, but he still liked the idea of asking all the questions. “Speaking of which, how old are you?”

“Twenty-six. How old are you?”

“Forty-seven.”

A bark of laughter burst from Tarek. “You said that so darkly, as if you expected me to leap from the moving car. Forty-seven isn’t old.”

“Not that I remember much about being in my twenties, but I’m fairly certain I thought forty anything was old at that age. But I pulled you off topic. What happened with your parents?” He wanted that info.

A loud, dramatic-sounding and obviously fake sigh rang out from Tarek’s side of the car. “If you’re sure?”

Portland couldn’t stop smiling, for real, and that never happened to him. “I’m sure.”

“Okay. Hmmm. Where did I leave off? Oh, I went to work at a casino. So, they tried to make me quit, but I was an adult, and I was determined to save enough money to get my own place. When that didn’t work, they began charging me outrageous rent, saying if I quit, then I could go back to living there for free. So I moved out with a friend from work. Obviously, my parents hated him, but there was nothing they could do. That didn’t mean they gave up. My mom started showing up during my shifts with her rosary beads and praying for my soul every night, trying to get me fired. Finally, my roommate—Salem—got offered a job at the greyhound track in Pensacola. He finagled me a job too at their poker tables. So we were off and my parents were furious. Unfortunately—”

“Pensacola is only an hour and a half away,” Portland said, interrupting him.

“Exactly,” Tarek said with a sigh. “And things got way worse when they kept making the drive, only to be told they weren’t allowed inside without a membership.”

A bark of laughter burst from Portland.

“Oh, if only it had been funny longer than five minutes,” Tarek said, sounding like he was really getting into the story. Portland was too. He hung on every word. “Since security wouldn’t let them through the gate. Oh, side note, they didn’t need a membership. I just had them banned.”

Portland laughed again.

Tarek was a natural born storyteller. “Anyhow, they came up with a new plan. They started picketing the building.”

Portland swiped his hand across his eyes. “Jesus.” He couldn’t even imagine having such ridiculous parents.

“Yep. Thankfully, though, Salem is stupidly beautiful. Within like three weeks, he had marriage offers coming out of his ass and he—”

“Wait,” Portland said, cutting him off. “You’re not talking about Salem Rochester, are you?”

Tarek groaned. “Don’t tell me you’re in love with him too.”

Portland shook his head. He couldn’t believe how small the world was… or his luck. Salem was a notorious gold digger. He had made a huge splash in the community by marrying a ninety-year-old billionaire with no living family other than two stepsons from two different marriages that he loved like his own. The guy had died less than a year later, leaving everything to the three. Rumor was, all three still lived in the guy’s mansion because none of them were willing to concede to the others. If Tarek was friends with Salem, it was possible this was all about money. That was something he could work with.

“No. I’m not in love with him. I don’t think I’ve ever even seen him, but I know his story, of course. I take it you came here with Salem when he was scooped up by his half dead sugar daddy.”

Tarek didn’t respond right away. A heavy silence fell inside the car. Finally, Tarek spoke. His voice was soft and a little sad. “Salem is my best friend, but I’m not like him. I came to Atlantic City and found a legitimate job. If I quit right now, Salem would take care of me. He can more than afford it. But I don’t want to be that guy and I hope you don’t think I accepted this date for any reason other than I wanted to.”

He confused the hell out of Portland. Maybe Portland confused himself. Portland had money. He had come from money and did everything he could to make more. He preferred buying people over building connections. Loyalty had its price. Everything did. But—for the first time—he oddly liked the idea of Tarek being there because he wanted to be there. Despite his initial offer of money at the casino and the obvious value of his car, Portland couldn’t imagine Tarek knew much—if anything—about Portland’s wealth. Old money moved in silence… and drug lords moved even quieter.

Portland wanted this guy. He had to play this perfectly. “I approached you with a stack of cash. Surely you don’t think I’m the type to wonder why anyone is in my life?” He chose to show part of the real him in hopes of drawing Tarek in. “When you reach a certain level of wealth, everything is for sale. You don’t settle for anything in life because you don’t have to. Everything and everyone has a price tag. Whether they admit it or even realize it, they’re for sale. Ask your friend. JD Rochester knew your friend only wanted his money. He didn’t care because he wanted a young beauty on his arm. My circles are a different breed. Most of us have no hearts.”

“Was that a warning?”

Portland hated the change to Tarek. He wanted the happy, chattering, and laughing Tarek back. Portland forced his voice to lighten. “Not at all. Sorry. I was trying—obviously badly—to say I know how to spot a calculating gold digger from a mile away. I don’t see that in you. You don’t strike me as someone who could climb into bed with a ninety-year-old man and pretend to like it.” That much he knew to be true. Tarek was too open. His feelings showed in his eyes.

Tarek chuckled softly. “That’s definitely true.” A louder laugh burst from Tarek. “But don’t get me wrong, I can’t say I don’t wish I could be that person. Salem is kicked back in the lap of luxury now, without a care in the world, thanks to his charms.”

Portland scoffed as he parked outside his favorite restaurant. “Who doesn’t wish they had those acting abilities? JD had billions with the big B. Who wouldn’t try their damnedest not to cringe and take it?”

They looked each other’s way. Portland couldn’t say what happened. It was as if they were two teenagers trying to stay quiet in class after sharing a private joke. Their gazes met, and they exploded into laughter. Portland tried stifling the sound, only to laugh harder. He didn’t know what it was about Tarek, but Portland was already obsessed. The idea of Court vanished. Tarek was so much better.