Chapter 36

James

“You know how hard it is to keep those bastards under control,” Matt said, rolling his eyes heavenward. “Fuck! The police are useless. Drugs and prostitution are booming in Las Vegas.”

“All you need to do is keep our turf save,” James said. “Make them understand we’re not to be fucked with.”

Matt laughed. “No need to worry.” He crossed one leg over the other. “It’s taken care of.”

“How’s Andy going with the infiltration?” James asked, his eyes dark.

“Good, I guess,” Matt said, shrugging. “Can’t we put him in another job? That boy’s too fucking tempting for most men.”

James laughed. “Come on, Matt, you know how it works. We need someone like Andy. Someone with the good looks and the brain, who still looks innocent and gullible enough to be lured and fall into a trap. He’s smart enough to look after himself.”

“James, I get it,” Matt muttered. “You don’t need to lecture me. He just worries me sometimes.”

James wasn’t surprised by that. Matt was falling in love with Andy, and he didn’t even know it. Come to think of it, James worried about Mia a lot, too, ever since she’d come into his life. Did that mean he’d fallen in love with her too? No. Not possible. Just not possible. It was just lust between him and Mia. That was all. And he worried about her because she was worth two million.

“Did you know about the darkroom?” Matt brought up another subject.

“I’ve heard rumors,” James said.

“Prostitution. Apparently, it’s going very well. And apparently, William attended one.”

James frowned. “William?”

Matt nodded. “He bought one too. Just the other day. Five million. She’s so fucking young. Like high school.”

“Jesus!” James swore under his breath. “I would have thought he’d stay away from shit like that.”

Matt shrugged. “You can never read him. Just like his old man.”

James agreed with a nod. “By the way, I saw Tory last night.”

“Oh?” Matt stood and headed over to the vast window that overlooked the city. “And?”

“Having dinner with him and the gang tonight,” James said. “Care to join?”

Matt chuckled. “No, thanks. I have my hands full tonight.” By that, he meant Andy. It was a pain in the ass having to watch over the boy every night while he worked. That private nightclub, reserved only for those with money, was notorious for wealthy mobs that wanted to do real business as well as drugs and prostitution. And his Andy was working in the midst of that fucking shit.

James didn’t press the matter. Matt and Tory never really got along, just as with him and William. They always rubbed each other the wrong way. Yet they were sworn blood brothers. They’d made an oath once upon a time—he, Matt, William, Tory, and Mark. Five of the toughest, richest boys in high school, who ruled the streets of Las Vegas. Now they were all the toughest and most ruthless billionaires.

“I heard Tory’s doing some business in Australia. The Gold Coast is apparently booming with tourists. You know, all the hotels and resorts.”

“Good for him,” James said. “What? Are you planning on doing business there too?”

Matt chuckled. “Not yet. Got my hands full just dealing with all the shit here.”

James didn’t doubt it was probably mostly to do with Andy. Putting that boy in that particular position, infiltrating as a waiter in one of the hottest clubs, was probably too dangerous for Andy, considering he was wanted by both the Mexican and the Albanian. He understood it worried Matt, but they needed Andy as bait to lure out the snake, the man behind all the drug dealing and the prostitution.

Heck, James understood without that sort of business, Vegas just wouldn’t operate. Sin City’s economy soared because of the drugs and prostitution, but at the same time, he believed both needed to be kept under control. And the police were doing a fucking shitty job of it.

The door burst open and a wild Andy stood there, staring at James.

Matt turned his eyes from the lovely view to Andy, a dark frown on his handsome face. “What is it?”

Andy took a deep breath and then said, “Mr. Maxwell, I’d like to talk to you about my sister.”

James sat there, expressionless, as he watched the boy stalk toward him.

Even though Andy was twenty, James couldn’t help but think he was but a mere boy. The slim build. The gorgeous face. The innocent demeanor. The whole lot. He was the type every schoolgirl fell head over heels in love with, the type rich cougars kept under their thumbs. Heck, when he and Matt had been sixteen, they’d had much more life experience on the streets and the world than Andy.

“Mia.” He got up from his seat and folded his arms across his chest. “What about her?”

“She just told me she signed a contract with you,” Andy began.

“Yes?”

“I’d like you to cancel that contract,” Andy said, staring at the other man, his face stern.

James cocked his head to one side. “Oh? And why would I do that?”

Andy held his head high and said, “I’ll take her place. Sign a contract with me. You can fuck me all you want and hurt me all you want. But I won’t let you hurt Mia.”

James just stared at Andy, his face unyielding and dark. Matt was flabbergasted and pissed.

“What the fuck are you going on about, Andy?” he roared across the room. He was fuming as he stalked to the younger man, his face dark, ready for the kill. He grabbed Andy by the chin and brought his face close.

Andy could feel his hot, angry breath and knew the man was more than livid. But he wasn’t going to let Matt stop him from protecting his sister.

“It’s none of your business, Matt,” he said coldly.

Matt sneered. “Like hell it’s not!” he said through gritted teeth. “What the fuck do you mean you’d let James fuck you all he wants?”

Andy glared at Matt and shoved him away. “I said it’s none of your business.” He turned to James. “Mr. Maxwell, sign a contract with me. I’ll be your bitch. Just please let my sister go. She doesn’t deserve this. Don’t you understand? She’s been through enough.”

“What are you talking about?” James asked, his eyes dark. “I’m not interested in a new contract.”

James turned toward the door, ready to leave. Andy, however, wouldn’t let him go just like that. He rushed around and intercepted the man before he reached the exit.