Chapter 10
Jamie
Knocked back again.
Fuck, how many times could a guy get turned down in one day?
He used the party invitation as a way in, and she turned that down, too.
It wasn’t a hard no, but it sure came out like one.
So tonight, he was flying solo, ready to move on. One flash of his smile, one sweep of his gaze across the room, and there’d be no shortage of options.
Moving into the penthouse suite, women eyed him from all corners. The guests weren’t the typical group of desperate social climbers, either. These people oozed power in their own right.
A predictable mix of business associates and their dates. A sea of well-dressed, influential faces.
However, he wasn’t on top of his game. Maybe it was the tequila spiking his system or the way his thoughts drifted back to one stubborn woman in particular .
Normally, Jamie could work a crowd and have anyone eating out of his hand. But tonight, his vibe was off.
Every laugh, every smile, lacked oomph.
The surrounding ladies didn’t seem to mind, though. They still leaned in a little closer, offering hopeful smiles, their bodies angled toward him like moths to a flame.
One woman, poured into a red minidress with a dirty laugh, caught his eye and held it while she dragged an ice-cube over her lips.
Another held his gaze and eyed him over the rim of her glass, smiling.
Jamie offered a confident grin in return, but the flutter of desire that followed didn’t land as hard.
“Jamie.”
Lana appeared out of nowhere, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him into her.
Her sleek dress clung to her curves in all the right places, and the perfume she wore carried a hint of his brother’s signature cologne.
Without missing a beat, he spun her in a playful twirl. Over time, they’d grown comfortable with each other since Lana had become a permanent fixture in his brother’s life.
She had a magnetic presence and an undeniable ability to tie his big brother in knots.
Jamie respected her for it even though it meant Marcus was whipped. There was no denying it.
He’d get a few drinks in him, and by midnight, he would always make his excuses to leave early. Running back home to Lana before he turned into some tragic version of himself.
Jamie teased him about it, but deep down, he was glad his brother had found a woman who made him happy.
The man had buried enough demons to fill a cemetery, and now he’d done the unthinkable and committed.
“You look stunning, as always.” Jamie planted a loud, brotherly smooch on her cheek.
Lana smiled up at him, raising an eyebrow. “Did you bring a date?”
Her sparkling blue eyes scanned his face as if she could read him like a book.
Jamie had to admit, Lana was hot and the perfect match for Marcus. Still, those bright blue eyes staring back at him couldn’t quite compare to the hypnotic ice blue ones of Shannon Colter.
“I’m guessing Marcus has already blabbed.” He shrugged, his expression casual. “And no, she’s not coming.”
Lana ran her palms down his fitted olive-green shirt, the knowing glint in her eyes turning into a smirk. “Sounds like you’ve met your match, Jamie.”
He chuckled, feigning indifference. “Nah, I’ll be able to fill the void.”
His gaze drifted over her shoulder, mentally undressing a passing brunette who’d winked at him. However, his dick didn’t rise to the occasion.
The penthouse suite had morphed into the perfect playground for significant power players, much like the exclusive air of Verto Veneri.
Lana handpicked the guests, had champagne flowing, and turned the event into a private world where abundance met allure, just like the club.
Except this wasn’t about intimacy behind closed doors. Rather, it celebrated the McGrath’s success.
An international DJ had set up in the master bedroom, his decks glowing under coloured lighting, while wireless speakers dotted the grand suite, pumping music into every corner.
The half-dressed catering staff glided by with shiny platters of caviar blinis courtesy of Freddy, Marcus’s ex-chef, who now had the PR backing of Lana herself to launch his new restaurant in New York.
“There’s Luke.” Lana nodded behind him.
Luke Devereux, the American multi-billionaire entrepreneur, strode into the suite with a harem of stunning women traipsing behind him
His female followers flanked him like shadows, their loyalty unspoken, yet given without hesitation.
They craved his attention, devouring it like honey on their tongues, and the financial rewards he dispensed were merely the afterthought of a man with money to burn.
Around the room, suited men wearing earpieces positioned themselves. They stood with their backs against the walls, scanning the crowd, their presence almost invisible but ever watchful .
Luke turned his focus to Jamie, holding out a hand in an exaggerated gesture, and shooting a glance at Lana.
“Shame this isn’t happening at the new Verto Veneri location,” he said. “We could’ve taken this evening to a new level. That place is unreal, and we haven’t even renovated it yet.”
Jamie slid a little closer to Lana, his posture protective with the familiar tension that came with dealing with Devereux.
“Guess we’ll have to save the good stuff for another night.” Jamie winked. “You planning on picking one of those women to marry?”
Luke let out a laugh that rumbled through the air, loud and unapologetic.
“Yeah, you’re a real joker, Jamie,” he scoffed, as if the very thought were beneath him.
He gestured with a flick of his chin toward the beautiful women surrounding them. “They’re happy with what they get. Why complicate it?”
“Ah, a man after my own heart. Who could choose just one?” He smirked. “Too many options, not enough time.”
“I’ve been thinking,” Luke continued, his voice smooth and playful, “maybe we should loosen up the rules for a few of the newer clubs. An ‘anything goes’ kind of vibe, yeah? A vibe that appeals to the clientele who want it all, no restrictions.”
Jamie’s lips curled. “You bought into the exclusivity of Verto Veneri because that’s what works. Members join because of the rules. If you open that up, it’s not just the guests you’ll lose control over—it would be a free-for-all, and we’d invite a shitstorm.”
Luke patted him on the arm, his touch light but firm, as if conceding the point.
“I know. I know. Just throwing it out there. We can brainstorm ideas while I’m in Belfast.”
He shifted a little closer to Lana now, assessing her.
“Is this your date for the hour?” he asked.
Jamie rolled his eyes for Lana’s benefit.
“Haven’t you met my brother’s better half?” he asked, nodding toward her. “This is Lana.”
Luke’s eyebrows hitched.
“His better half indeed?” he scoffed, as though the very idea burned his tongue. “Didn’t think he did girlfriends?—”
“I’m his fiancée, actually.” Lana stepped forward to shake Luke’s hand.
She met his gaze head-on, not withering in his presence, though Jamie noticed the subtle tension in her shoulders because Luke held an intimidating air about him.
They shook hands, firm but brief.
“Well, well,” he said, his voice dripping with a mix of respect and mockery, “Marcus committed, huh? Guess some men need to be anchored. It’s an honour to meet the woman who can tame that son of a bitch. I’m intrigued.”
He gave her a once-over before he nodded in approval.
Lana half-laughed, unbothered by his assessment .
“I wouldn’t say tame. Though we do suit each other,” Lana replied, her eyes narrowing with a touch of amusement. “I don’t waste time with games or bullshit. And neither does he. Enjoy the party, Luke.”
She flashed a confident smile at him before turning on her heel, her movements graceful but purposeful, leaving him with nothing but a low whistle.
“Gutsy. I like that one.” He shifted his attention to Jamie. “What about you, Jamie? Following in your brother’s footsteps?”
Before Jamie could answer, a waitress appeared beside them, balancing a pair of crystal tumblers on a tray. He winked at the young woman as he took the drinks, noting the flush on her cheeks and the spark in her eyes.
Yet he didn’t linger on her, returning his focus to Luke.
“Here.” Jamie offered Luke a glass. “I’m in no rush.”
Luke swirled the amber liquid in his glass.
“Good. Because the reason we’re in business together is that the McGrath brothers are crazy, unpredictable assholes, much like me. Ties make you weak—exposed, like soft flesh waiting to be stabbed. At least you haven’t settled yet.”
“Not a chance.” His voice dropped, and he clinked his glass with Jamie’s. “To us.”
As the glasses clinked, two tall women appeared, their long legs and wavy golden hair drawing eyes as they linked arms with Luke .
Their presence was effortlessly seductive, a promise of temptation in every step.
Jamie’s eyes followed them, soaking in their flirtatious smiles and the way they licked their lips while holding eye contact.
As much as he appreciated a beautiful woman, a subtle tension tightened in his gut.
Since when did height matter to him when it came to women? Both women were a little shorter than him and Luke, but Shannon…she was smaller.
Petite, delicate even, in a way that made her seem vulnerable, and somehow, all the more compelling.
And he’d never thought much about hair colour before either, but there was something about Shannon’s glossy black lengths framing those ocean blue eyes that stirred a deeper reaction.
“If you see anything you like, Jamie, be my guest,” Luke’s voice cut through his thoughts, laced with that smug edge.
A blonde stepped into his space, fingers brushing the waistband of his trousers.
She dragged her teeth over her lip, a sultry little sound slipping from her throat like a sales pitch she’d given a dozen times.
Jamie didn’t move.
He could fuck her just to scratch the itch. Take her up against the wall and forget about the woman who’d told him no.
But the truth was, he didn’t want any of them.