Chapter 13
Jamie
There was unfinished business waiting upstairs. Loose ends he should’ve tied off with a single command. Shannon showing up had flipped the script.
He’d known women like Blondie before. Eager. Experienced. Eyes full of hunger and expectation. They wanted a night, a fantasy, a fix.
But Shannon? She was a different breed entirely.
He couldn’t pin her down, and that only made her more dangerous. More tempting.
She hid behind a smart mouth and practiced indifference, but he’d already seen the flicker of intrigue beneath the surface.
A nervous energy.
A need she hadn’t figured out how to name yet.
She wasn’t ready for everything he wanted to show her.
And the last thing he was going to do was scare her off by coming at her like a freight train.
She stuffed the crumpled cash into her pocket like she couldn’t get away from him fast enough, and yet she lingered. That alone told him enough.
He could’ve let his mind spiral into darker fantasies, the kind that used to fuel nights like this. Blondie and Shannon together, tangled in silk sheets and submission.
But as quickly as the image flared, it vanished.
Because the fantasy had changed. Now, it wasn’t about indulgence.
It was about her.
Breaking her in wasn’t about control. It was about trust. And when she finally gave it to him, he’d earn every inch of her surrender.
Slowly. Completely. On his terms.
“You sure about this?” he asked, his voice quieter than usual.
Her head tilted, caught off guard by the gentleness in his tone.
She didn’t answer right away, and he didn’t push. That was the thing about women like Shannon.
They were independent, skittish, too proud to admit they wanted more. She wasn’t just playing hard to get because she didn’t even know she was playing.
But Jamie did. He’d spent years reading people, sensing fear under arrogance, curiosity behind control. So he stepped closer, letting her sense the heat rolling off him.
“When you walk into the suite with me, it’s with me,” he said, brushing his knuckles against the inside of her wrist .
His eyes locked on hers. “You’re safe in my company. I’ll take care of you, Shannon. You don’t have to know what you want yet. Just know I see you. And you’re worth my time.”
He caught her chin between his fingers, tilting her face up to his. “But you need to be sure.”
Shannon glanced up at him, those blue eyes sharp, but unsure. “What do you mean?”
“Just…don’t want you to feel pressured.”
Shannon’s lips parted, her smirk tugging at the corner like she knew what kind of fire she was playing with. “I might surprise you.”
“I’m counting on it.” Jamie leaned in, his voice a low rumble. “But just remember, every move you make tonight, you’re doing it with my eyes on you.”
Her breath hitched, and he noticed. Noticed how her fingers fidgeted at her side, how she stood straighter like she was trying not to be intimidated.
But there was a glint in her eye. That flicker of boldness he’d seen when she first refused his money. When she challenged him like no one else had the nerve to.
He wanted to feed it. Tease it. Own it.
Her gaze slid to the elevator as the doors opened, the soft ping breaking the brief silence between them.
They stepped inside together, the space small and intimate. Jamie glanced at her again, sensing that pull in his chest, the flickering flame of dark desire.
“Nervous?” he asked, a teasing lilt in his voice, though he was more intrigued than he let on.
“Should I be?” she shot back .
Jamie’s grin deepened as the elevator opened directly onto the top floor drenched in low golden light and the scent of expensive cologne.
He stepped out first, pausing only to hold out his hand to her. “Stay close.”
She hesitated for half a beat, then placed her hand in his. His fingers closed over hers with possessive heat, his palm claiming hers.
When they stepped out of the elevator together, he was all too aware of the sway of her hips and warmth of her skin against his.
He’d spent years around beautiful women, but none of them ever made him hyper-focus on something as simple as eye colour.
Blue. Like lightning caught in a frozen lagoon.
“You really should come with a warning label,” he muttered, casting her a sidelong glance. “Those eyes are a fucking weapon.”
Shannon laughed, soft and disarming. “Is that right?”
His gaze dragged down her body before locking on her mouth. “It’s not a complaint, love. Just an observation from a man who’s rarely caught off guard.”
He waved off the security guy who spoke into an earpiece, announcing their arrival.
Jamie secured her closer to his side, enjoying the heat of her against him as they neared the door.
The suite was filled with rich laughter, chilled house music, and the hum of conversation between men in tailored suits and women in designer dresses .
But Jamie didn’t spare them more than a passing glance.
He guided her through it all like he was staking a claim.
Someone called his name, but his grip didn’t loosen.
“Later,” he said with a nod, never breaking stride.
Shannon leaned closer, her voice a whisper meant only for him. “You won’t leave me alone, right?”
“Not a fucking chance,” he said, glancing at her. “Anyway, they can look, but they know better than to touch.”
She shot him a smile that had his heart pumping faster.
He leaned in, lowering his voice so only she could hear. “Don’t let the money or the suits fool you. Most of these guys are just overfed egos in overpriced clothes. Playing dress-up in a world they don’t understand.”
Shannon arched a brow, the corner of her mouth twitching. “Do you understand it?”
“Yeah, love,” he said, his tone darkly amused. “But I don’t play by their rules.”
Her gaze flicked toward the sound of laughter spilling from the nearby hall. “I thought this was supposed to be a party, not a shark tank.”
Jamie’s mouth brushed the shell of her ear. “Sharks? No, love. Sharks are apex predators. These are pufferfish. Full of air, with not much bite.”
He guided her deeper into the suite, unbothered by the glances that followed them. Let them watch. This was his party, his world, and she was the only woman he wanted beside him tonight.
She’d stepped into the fire now. The only question was whether she’d let it consume her.
On his next step, Luke Devereux appeared, blocking their way.
“You son of a bitch!” Luke’s voice was full of mock surprise. His gaze swept over Shannon. “Where did you find this one?”
Jamie straightened his back, standing tall as he held Shannon tighter to his side. “Luke, meet Shannon. My date.”
Luke’s eyes flashed with amusement as he chuckled low in his throat, the sound rich with a wicked secret. A laugh that made Shannon inch backward, her instincts telling her something was off.
Jamie’s palm slid lower to the dip of her lower back, his thumb brushing along the waistband of her jeans, a silent reassurance that he was there.
“Are we going to play cards later?” Luke’s gaze flickered back to her before returning to Jamie, his eyes now sharp with a more calculated interest.
Jamie’s chest tightened, a protective urge rising within him. “Nah, mate. I’ll be outta here soon. Got business to take care of.”
“That’s a hell of a lot of business,” Luke mused. “I’d be happy for a three-way conference call.”
His smirk widened, and he folded his arms and winked at her, a gesture laced with something far more dangerous than friendly flirtation.
Jamie’s stomach clenched, a shot of anger rushing through his veins. He inhaled a deep breath, shaking off the unexpected surge of aggression, and forced a laugh.
“Not this time, mate.”
Luke’s eyes gleamed as he extended his hand to Shannon. “Shame.”
The moment stretched out when Shannon hesitated, then she placed her hand in Luke’s. Jamie’s stomach twisted as he watched Luke lift her hand to his lips.
He hated Luke touching her, even if it was just a kiss on the knuckles.
Jealousy coiled in his chest, and he stepped forward, his body tensing. But he held himself back and nodded, trying to push through the tension.
“I’ll catch you later, Luke. We’ll get that card game arranged soon.”
“We will, my friend. You know me…always willing to party, and always happy to share.” He patted Jamie’s bicep, his smirk widening as if the gesture carried an unspoken challenge. “That’s the motto, right?”
That fucking motto—the one they came up with during a wild weekend in Vegas. It was stupid then, and it seemed even worse now.
A heavy hand landed on his shoulder from behind.
“Jamie, it’s about time you showed your ugly face. Lana said you were here somewhere.” Marcus slid him a beer. “Where did you go?”
“He’s been busy with other things.” Luke lit a joint, the smoke curling from his lips as he took a long drag, exhaled and offered Shannon a lazy grin, the joint dangling from his lips.
Jamie ignored the bait, keeping his focus on the conversation. He knew Luke was testing him, pushing boundaries the way they always did.
Fucking with each other was nothing new. It wasn’t rare for them to share a woman at the same time—hell, that was part of the game.
But tonight? Tonight, he wasn’t in the mood.
Luke’s eyes lingered on Shannon for a moment longer before he gave a casual, almost dismissive shrug. “I’ll catch up with you later, Jamie.”
Without another word, he turned and disappeared into the crowd.
“Shannon, this is my older brother, Marcus.” Jamie’s voice held a teasing edge, dragging out older .
Her face lit up, and Jamie caught the subtle shift in her expression, the way her smile lifted and her eyes sparkled. Of course she found him attractive. He was a McGrath, after all.
“Nice to meet you, Marcus.” She offered her hand, all polite charm beneath the glow of a chandelier.
Jamie’s gut clenched.
“You too, Shannon.” Marcus clasped her hand, flashing that signature lopsided grin, the one that had women falling over themselves.