Valentine's Billionaire Bad Boys Read online

  It was stupid, I knew, to be so thrown by something good, but that didn't do anything to keep my pulse from racing and my mouth from going dry. I took a quick swig from my bottle of water and then told myself that if I wanted to be an actress, this was a good place to start. If I couldn't convince them that I wasn't nervous, then I didn't deserve the job.

  “Miss Dawkins.” Jacqueline smiled at me when I entered the room. “Today, you'll be reading with Todd Emery. He'll be playing the lead character, Christopher Halloway.”

  I hadn't noticed the new person in the room until now. About six feet tall, unruly strawberry blond hair, and a gorgeous pair of smokey gray eyes, Todd was perfect for the role of the broody romantic lead. He smiled at me and stepped forward, stretching out his hand.

  “Bryne Dawkins,” I said with a smile.

  “All right, Miss Dawkins,” Jacqueline said. “We'll have you and Mr. Emery read a scene, see what the chemistry is between the two of you.”

  I nodded and accepted the page the director handed me.

  Twenty minutes later, Todd took me in his arms and bent his head to give me a scorching kiss. It was a good kiss, the kind that would read well onstage but wasn't too intrusive. The perfect way to end the scene.

  When we both turned to the table, all three faces were beaming at us.

  “That was great,” Jacqueline said. “Seriously, Bryne, the best we've seen.”

  She said my name correctly this time. I hoped that, plus the praise, meant good things.

  “What do you think, Todd?” The director looked at the man standing next to me.

  “She's my choice,” he said without hesitating.

  “Mine too,” Jacqueline added.

  All eyes turned to the third person at the table, the one who hadn't spoken yet. She nodded as well.

  “Technically, we have to go over some things before we can make an official announcement.” The director stood, a smile on his face. “But I think, unofficially, we can agree that you're our choice.”

  “Congratulations.” Jacqueline came around to shake my hand, but I could barely process what she was saying or doing. My head was buzzing.

  I shook her hand, then the other two as well. I was barely aware of them leaving, and then I was alone with Todd.

  “Did that really happen?” I asked, looking up at him. “Did that seriously just happen?”

  He grinned at me, a brilliant smile that made him look even more handsome. “I'm guessing this is your first gig.”

  I nodded, then shook my head. “Not exactly. It's my first one here in New York. I did some stuff back in DC, but this is...different.”

  He chuckled, a nice, warm sound. “Tell me about it. I grew up doing theater in Boise.”

  “How long have you been here?” I asked.

  “Eight years this spring. And I wouldn't go back for the world. It's not always easy, and sometimes we have to deal with some shit people, but if you love it, really love it, it's worth it.”

  I smiled, the tension in me finally easing. Here was someone who got it, who really understood what it meant to want to be a part of something like this. I'd been wrong to go looking for a friend in Dax. We had nothing in common. Here was where I'd find like-minded people, people I could be friends with.

  I wasn't stupid. I knew there'd be backstabbing and jealousy, people who'd be petty and cruel. But there'd also be those who knew what it was like to work long, grueling hours while outsiders talked about how nice it must be not to really have to work for a living. People who understood having to work shit jobs to pay the bills, then going to rehearsals and performances. Getting by on only a couple hours of sleep. Forcing a smile or laugh when every inch hurt.

  “We should do something,” Todd said. “It's the first leading role for both of us. We should celebrate before we have to fill every waking hour with practices and performances.”

  I looked up into those kind eyes of his and thought about that kiss. There hadn't been a spark with him, no real heat. Sure, it'd been for an audition, but I didn't really feel anything now either, looking at him. Admiration, yes. Even a bit of physical attraction, but no real desire. I didn't care if he touched me or not. I had no real opinion about whether or not he kissed me.

  “What do you think?” He reached out and twisted a loose curl around his finger. “Dinner. Maybe a drink.”

  I took half a step back. “Right now?”

  Todd smiled at me. “We can go later if you have someone you want to invite. My boyfriend's visiting his parents in Miami, or I'd invite him along too.”

  Boyfriend.

  Todd was gay. Well, maybe bisexual, but at the very least, he was taken. I didn't have to worry about him hitting on me or taking things the wrong way. I could just hang out with him, spend time with him. We could do things together, and I'd never have to worry about it becoming weird and awkward.

  I smiled at him. “That sounds great. I'm starving.”

  Chapter Ten

  “This place is amazing. How'd you find out about it?” I couldn't stop looking around, not even when the waiter placed the most amazing smelling pasta in front of me.

  “Hiram's cousin owns the place,” Todd said as he speared another piece of zucchini. “She's one of my favorite people.”

  Hiram was Todd's boyfriend of three and a half years. According to Todd, Hiram was the whole package. A gorgeous, accomplished architect, he was also in his mid-fifties and had two daughters around Todd's age. Apparently, he'd been married for twelve years before finally coming out. He and his ex-wife were still friends, and his daughters absolutely loved Todd. Once a year, they all took a vacation to the Catskills together.

  By the time we'd ordered our main courses, I knew more about Hiram than I did my own father. Todd loved to talk, and his favorite topic of conversation was his boyfriend. I didn't mind though. I was more than happy to take the time to listen while I enjoyed my meal.

  “So, Bryne Dawkins,” Todd said after he finished a story about the first time he'd met Hiram's youngest daughter. “How do you like the Big Apple so far?”

  I shrugged. “It's different than DC, especially without my mom here.”

  “Do you have any family here at all?”

  I laughed, and Todd gave me a puzzled look. “That's a crazy story.”

  He pointed his fork at me. “Spill. I live for crazy stories.”

  “Okay, so the short version is that my mother found out just a couple of months ago that she has a younger half-brother. She never knew her father, but we found this letter from him talking about how he went to Sweden and met this woman. They got married and had a son, but he never told them about my mother. When it turned out that my uncle lived in New York, I decided that I'd come here to pursue acting and meet him.”

  “You just showed up on this guy's doorstep like 'hey, I'm your niece?'”

  “Pretty much.” I sipped at the wine Todd had ordered. “Though it was stranger than that how I even ended up meeting him. When I first got here, I met this guy who told me to come see him at work, and he works security at this club.”

  Dax's face popped up in my mind. Not the angry, cruel version of him I'd seen, but the way he'd looked the first night, and the night we slept together. A real smile on his face, eyes sparkling, then dark with desire.

  I pushed those thoughts away. Dwelling on the past wouldn't do anyone any good.

  I continued my story, focusing on the part with Gavin rather than Dax. “While I'm at the club, this guy mentions the name of his boss. I was a little tipsy, so I didn't really register it until the next morning. It turns out that my uncle owns the club I was at.”

  “Which club?”

  I hesitated. I knew that Carrie had said that they were discreet, but I wasn't sure how far that went. They'd have to advertise somehow. Then again, if the only way to get in was through a member, maybe they relied on word of mouth.

  “Club Privé.”

  Todd's eyebrows shot up, telling me that he knew exactly what
sort of club it was. “Your uncle is Gavin Manning?”

  “You've heard of him.” I made it a statement rather than a question.

  “Yeah, he was in the news a while back. He and this lawyer were responsible for bringing down a human trafficking ring that was doing business through the club.”

  “Didn't it tie into a hit and run from almost ten years ago?” I asked. “I remember hearing about it.”

  Todd nodded. “The victim was his girlfriend or fiancée. She was even pregnant at the time. Didn't your uncle tell you any of this?”

  I shook my head. “He told me that he had a daughter and that her mother had died, but nothing else.” I leaned back in my seat. “Wow. I had no idea. I mean, I knew Carrie works on those sorts of cases, and that they make sure there isn't anything illegal going on at the club, but they never told me why.”

  “I'm sure it's not something they really want to think too much about,” Todd offered. “From what I remember, there was a lot that didn't even make the news, just spread around from person to person. I'm not sure how much of it is true, but if it is, I'm sure that's why they don't talk about it.”

  Curiosity piqued, I asked, “What did you hear?”

  Todd leaned closer and lowered his voice. “The guy who was running the whole thing, he tried to kidnap and sell the woman lawyer. Some people say he tried to rape her. No one really knows how bad things got. Only that there were injuries and that the cops found a whole lot of nasty shit when they searched the guy's place.”

  I was silent, letting it all sink in. I already liked Carrie and Gavin, but hearing how they put their lives on the line to stop something that awful made me think even better of them. Nana and Papa would've liked them. I wasn't sure if that meant my mother would, but at least I could tell her that they were good people.

  Eventually.

  I hadn't told her I’d planned to look for her half-brother. Considering how angry she'd been at me for leaving, I'd known that would only make things worse. I wanted to know more about Gavin before I decided to tell her about him. If he was some creep, all it would've done was make her more upset at the whole situation. Now, however, I could at least feel justified in pressing her to meet him.

  “So, that woman lawyer, do you know what happened to her?”

  I grinned as Todd's question pulled me out of my thoughts. “He married her, actually.”

  “Is that the Carrie woman you mentioned before?”

  I nodded. “She's really great.”

  “They must've kept her name out of the papers to prevent anyone from coming after her. It was a gutsy thing they did.” The admiration in his voice was clear.

  “It was,” I agreed.

  “Are you ready for dessert?” The waiter smiled down at us.

  I shook my head and looked at Todd.

  “Just the check,” he said.

  “Two checks,” I corrected.

  “One,” Todd insisted. He looked at me. “Dinner's my treat.”

  “Okay,” I agreed, but held up a finger. “But only if we get some drinks, and those are my treat.”

  “Deal.”

  “Taxi or subway?” Todd asked as he handed the waiter a credit card.

  We'd walked here from the callback, but I definitely didn't feel like walking now. I pulled my phone out. “I've got something better.”

  “What's better?”

  “Wait and see,” I said as I opened the app. Gavin had three town cars that were specifically on call for him and family. The one that had dropped me off at the callback was only a couple minutes out.

  As we walked outside ten minutes later, it was already dark, and the temperature had dropped a few degrees, making me glad we weren't walking. I shivered and pulled my coat more tightly around me. The sleek black town car was waiting at the curb.

  “There's our ride,” I said, gesturing at the car.

  “Seriously?” Todd gave me a searching look. “You're not like some senator's secret love child, are you?”

  A laugh bubbled out of me. “No, I'm not. My uncle has a town car service and an app.”

  I got into the backseat and waited for Todd to slide in next to me.

  “Where to, Miss Dawkins?” The driver glanced in the rearview mirror.

  I looked at Todd.

  “Club Privé?” His eyebrows went up and down.

  I remembered Gavin's warning about not getting him into trouble. But then I reasoned that if I didn't drink, then technically, I wouldn't be breaking any laws. And I'd already had a glass of wine, so I was okay with not having anything else.

  “Club Privé,” I repeated to the driver. “But take us to the employee entrance.”

  Todd shot me a questioning look.

  “Sneaking in through the back?” Todd said.

  I chuckled and shook my head. “We're not going to sneak. We'll go in the back way so I can tell Gavin that I'm there. And besides, this way we can skip the line.”

  The ride from the restaurant to the club wasn't very long, and as we bypassed the front door, I saw a handful of people heading inside. It was a Friday night, so I had no doubt the place would be packed.

  Once we were at the back door, Todd politely looked away as I ran the keycard and punched in the code. I grabbed his hand and pulled him after me as we went inside. It was nice to be able to hold his hand and not have to worry about him reading anything into it.

  I started to lead the way to the stairs when I saw that Gavin was already coming down them. His eyes narrowed when he saw me, but I knew he wasn't really annoyed until he spotted Todd behind me.

  “Hey, Gavin.” I gave him a bright smile. “This is Todd.”

  “I thought we had this talk.” Gavin glowered at Todd and then down at me. “You're not old enough to be in here during club hours, Bryne.”

  “I didn't go in through the front,” I said, giving him an imploring look.

  He raised an eyebrow. “That really doesn't make it any better.”

  “I came in this way so I could tell you that I was here. I don't want to drink. All I want is to blow off some steam.”

  “With him?”

  “Todd Emery.” Todd stepped around me and held out his hand. “I'm in a play with Bryne.”

  “Really?”

  Todd grinned. “And I'm gay...and I have a boyfriend.”

  Gavin smiled. “I like you better already.”

  “I had a feeling that would help.” Todd chuckled.

  Gavin turned to me. “That doesn't mean I like the idea of you being here.”

  “I just want to dance. I promise, no drinking.”

  “I'll keep an eye on her,” Todd said. “Water only for both of us, and I'll make sure she gets home safe.”

  After a few moments of silence, Gavin nodded. “All right, but if anything goes sideways, it'll be your ass.”

  Todd's expression was serious. “I don't doubt it.”

  Gavin gave me a hard look. “Go. Have fun.”

  Todd slid his arm around my waist as we walked out into the main room. It was different, coming in this time and knowing what to expect. Knowing that there'd be men and women in leather and chains, in barely-there clothes, made it easier not to stare when we walked past.

  The trio of people performing on stage, however, were a little harder to ignore. Two men and one woman. The men were strapped to a pair of crosses – the X kind – and the woman behind them was wielding a pair of floggers, alternating blows to their already pink skin. Judging by the way their erections were tenting their pants, they were thoroughly enjoying themselves.

  About half of the people in the club were watching the action on stage, but the other half were on the dance floor, and it was in that direction that Todd took me. We went right past the bar, and I was tempted to glance that way even though I knew Dax wasn't here. The gentle pressure on my hip, however, kept me moving, and then Todd was turning toward me, and I focused on him.

  He pulled me close, one hand on either hip, and I draped an arm over his s
houlder. It took less than three beats for the two of us to fall in sync with each other. One song blended into another, and my world became rhythm and sound. The feel of Todd's body moving against mine, the literal heat between us. It was good, solid, fun without the confusion of sexual attraction.

  Dancing with Todd told me that we'd be great together on stage. We had chemistry, and we could make the audience believe that we were in love. I was willing to bet that half of the people dancing around us thought we were together, and we weren't even trying.

  My job was solid at the moment.

  I was having a blast with Todd, and I was willing to bet that the two of us would become great friends. He would be a part of the new life I planned to build here.

  I could do this. Hell, I was doing it.

  I had a feeling, despite my bumpy start, I was going to like New York.

  Chapter Eleven

  After nearly tow hours of blowing off steam on the dance floor, we both settled in one of the couches, exhausted.

  “You're a great dancer,” Todd said as he handed me a bottle of water.

  “Thank you.” I took a long drink, letting the cool liquid slide down my throat before speaking again. “You're great too.”

  “Don't get me wrong, I love Hiram, but I miss dancing.”

  “Hiram doesn't dance?” I leaned closer to Todd, so I didn't have to shout as loud.

  He shook his head. “I got him to slow dance once or twice at a wedding, but that's about it. He claims he has no rhythm.” Todd bent closer and grinned. “He's right.”

  I chuckled and drained the rest of my water. “Well, if you ever want to blow off more steam on the dance floor, I'm available. As long as Hiram doesn't mind.”

  Todd waved a hand. “If anything, he'll be grateful that I found someone else to go with. He's not the possessive type.” He slung his arm around my shoulders. “He’ll love you.”

  The fact that he assumed I'd be meeting his boyfriend made me smile. “I'm sure I'll love him too.”

  “You ready to go, or do you want to stay a while longer?”