Striping Hot

CHAPTERTWO

GIANNA

Gianna raised a glass of champagne to her lips, her keen eyes scanning the room. She walked slowly along the edge of the dance floor, taking careful note of the men who stopped what they were doing to watch her walk past.

She felt amazing in the black wraparound dress that pulled tightly around her breasts and waist, then fell in a long, shimmering fall to her cute peep-toe heels.

She wanted guys checking out her curves. Striking up a conversation while lightly shaking her chest with breathy little laughs, using her full red lips to smile and pout as well as blinking her green eyes and long lashes at them, guaranteed that she could get any information out of them she wanted.

She was stalking the perimeter like a hunting cat, but she couldn’t help it. This kind of deal was not her normal scene. She didn’t even really understand why she was here. Her usual work at INN ... International News Network ... was serious, world-changing stuff.

Why she was doing a puff piece on a charity event was utterly beyond her.

Gianna was going to make it worth her while, though. The most powerful men in the city were here tonight, and she planned to squeeze information out of every single one of them.

It was important to choose her mark carefully. Some of these guys knew her, and they’d avoid her like the plague, even if she tried to convince them she was only here to cover the charity side of things. They knew how she could slip questions into the conversation to catch them off guard, so they suddenly spilled secrets about their profits they shouldn’t have shared.

Plenty of the men here had no idea who she was, though, and they were connected to those other big fish. She just had to charm the right one.

She pondered the circumstances again, trying to ascertain if the organizer had done her a favor tonight or if this was a random chance. She’d been requested by name ... the person throwing the event had wanted her and no one else.

Gianna had assumed it was for publicity as her name was quickly becoming common tongue in the news circles, but it didn’t make sense for a talented journalist like herself to be covering the fashions of the rich at their latest charity smash.

Then Gianna saw something that made sweat break out across her skin. Her hand trembled with excitement as her heart pounded. She took a careful sip of the chilled champagne and hoped that no one was paying too much attention to her.

She was sure that, though she was doing her best to hide her reaction, she was pointing with her nose like a hunting dog at the nearby target she had just scented.

Voren Stercus.

She took a moment to pull herself together. She had known he would be here, of course. Anybody who was anybody was here. No one would miss an opportunity to show their giving spirit, especially with a full publicity crew on-site, as well as several social media hacks.

Gianna angled through the crowd, moving slowly, calmly. She could see Voren’s burnt auburn hair towering above the crowd as he cut through like a shark parting a school of fish. He exuded power and a kind of menace that always put her hackles up.

They’d thrown down more than once, and he’d almost lost his cool several of those times. He couldn’t handle strong women. That was for damn sure.

Voren walked slowly to the side of the room, where there were a couple of older gentlemen gathered around a small table. She grinned, unable to hide her glee. He had just led her to the hiding place of some of the richest men in the room. Here, they secluded themselves with the best booze, thick cigars, and their own arrogant, self-obsessed attitudes.

She sidled up to a nearby pillar, hearing Voren greet the other guys. He hadn’t seen her, and even if he had, it was unlikely he would recognize her in formal gear. The other times they had faced down, she’d been in a crowd of reporters wearing rumpled slacks and creased blouses, waving and bouncing for his attention like all the rest.

She seldom had time to dress as carefully as she had this night ... that was simply an effect of working twelve-hour days.

She hadn’t even recognized Voren at first. It had been something in the way he moved that struck her. Once he led her to the table where the richest, and potentially most corrupt men in the city, were making shady deals in literal shadows, she knew she had not just tracked down Voren himself but all his accomplices as well.

“Hugh,” Voren said, shaking hands as he went around the table. “Colin. Good to see you.”

“Cut the horse shit,” Hugh snapped. “You got news on the Costa DeLuca project?”

“That’s exactly what I’m here to discuss,” Voren said. “I want you to know the bulldozers are moving in as we speak.”

Gianna gasped, wishing she could pull out her phone and record this. She knew she couldn’t, though. They’d see her, and then she’d get no information at all.

Costa DeLuca was a small island that had recently gained independence from Spain. It was known as one of the few unspoiled islands in the world. Just hearing the word bulldozers had struck her right in the soul.

“Did you handle the EPA brief?” Colin asked.

“Yep,” Voren said with enthusiasm. “We managed to find a scientist that will sign off on the area being low risk. There’s a chance we might get fined for not getting a proper permit, but the profit will be so great, we won’t even notice.”

“Publicity?” Hugh asked. “I don’t want this getting out. My company is working hard to have a perfectly ‘green’ image.”

“So far, so good,” Voren replied. “The local people aren’t capable of a media campaign. The nearest village will be unlivable within weeks once we start cutting the forest and filling in the river to make the dam. There will be significant chemical fallout, but it’s not going to be a problem for production.”

Colin asked, “Is Rex in?”

Voren scowled. “I haven’t been able to talk with him yet. The bastard is avoiding me.”

“We need his backing or else ...”

“I am well aware of the situation,” Voren growled.

Gianna was about to pull out her phone and damn the consequences when a tall woman with long white hair walked up to her. Gianna wanted to pretend she was busy so the woman would leave her alone, but it was clear from her focused attention she was singling her out.

“Hello, Gianna Lee? I’m Gerri Wilder. It’s so lovely to meet you!”

“And you,” Gianna said, smiling politely. “I’m happy to be here.”

“Good to hear! I’m the organizer, dear. I requested you, personally.”

“Oh!” Gianna said, surprised. “Where should I start, then? I have a camera crew around here somewhere … I think I lost them at the bar. Were you hoping for us to interview people about their involvement in the charity?”

Behind her, she heard Voren say something about clearing a hundred acres of virgin land. She couldn’t help but turn her head to try to hear more.

“Yes, dear,” Gerri said. “Don’t take it too seriously. Just line up with a few in the crowd who are happy to talk and get a few words about how charity work makes them feel and what they can do for the unfortunate.”

“Uh-huh,” Gianna said, all her focus on the men behind her. Gerri laughed.

“I see you have your attention taken elsewhere, Gianna. Should we continue this interview later?”

Gianna blushed. “I’m sorry. I heard something back there that could be a really good scoop … I’m not here for that, though. I’m here for you. Why don’t you tell me a bit about yourself?”

The change of topic grated on her, but she had no choice. As Gerri took her arm and started to walk her away, Gianna threw one last look over her shoulder.

I’ll get you, Voren. I really will.

“No one wants to hear about boring old me,” Gerri laughed. “I don’t do much that is interesting to the press. I just want you to get a feel for the room. There are people here you really should meet.”

Gianna kept her impatience in check as Gerri introduced her to several heads of business who were most active in the charity. Gianna politely smiled and made notes, knowing she had more than enough for her fluff piece.

She was reaching for another glass of chilled champagne when she saw the tall, dark shape of Voren moving through the crowd. She turned to tail him immediately, surprised to see Gerri come along with her.

“You know, it’s funny,” Gerri said absently. “I’m not exactly sure how Voren got in here. He wasn’t invited. He’s never volunteered like others have. He occasionally wrote a check for us, but as a tax write-off.” She frowned. “Men like him are never on my exclusive guest list.”

“Men like him?” Gianna asked, wondering if Gerri was about to spill something juicy. Gerri just smiled, shaking her head.

“Not as ethical as I’d like,” she said softly. Gianna could tell by her expression that she had suspicions about Voren and what he was doing under the table, but she’d never say so publicly.

Not without proof. I can get that proof.

“You’re looking at him like a dog on the scent of a fox, dear,” Gerri said, sipping champagne. “Is it a hot story or a hot bod you’re after?”

Gianna snorted softly with laughter. “Voren, hot? No way. I’m not into him. But his dealings … Yeah. Not only do I think he needs to be taken down, but I’m sure the article I could write about his deals will finally get me the Pulitzer I’ve been working for.”

“Oh, yes. I believe your mother won it years ago. Correct?”

“Yes,” Gianna said, surprised. “How did you know?”

“Oh, I have a keen eye for journalism, dear. My charity work is undermined by improper reporting. There’s too much false news on social media these days. That’s why I wanted someone like you, someone with integrity.”

Something about Gerri’s smile seemed to suggest there was more to it. Was she giving Gianna the opportunity to take down Voren? Gianna couldn’t be sure.

What else could there be?

Gianna turned her head to follow Voren’s movement across the room. He stopped by a pillar where an attractive young girl stood in a bright red dress. She greeted Voren, but he barely looked at her and addressed himself to the shadow next to her.

The darkness itself seemed to move. Gianna gasped as a man stepped forward to briefly shake Voren’s hand. The guy had been lurking just out of sight before Voren came over. Now he took one small, short step into the light and glared at Voren with unabashed annoyance.

Gianna felt like the room around her had disappeared. The man in front of her came into distinct focus while everything else faded out.

He was tall, too tall, like seven feet … His hair was night dark, just a little long and curly. There was the faintest shadow across his jaw as if he’d forgotten to shave that day.

His neat suit and civilized air seemed to be barely hiding a wild, unbridled soul beneath.

He’s like a predator coiled in the grass, all held tight, captured energy ready to burst forth into passion and violence all at once.

“You all right, dear?” Gerri asked, her voice seeming to come from far away. Gianna nodded dumbly.

“Yeah. Who’s that guy?”

“That’s Rex Titus. He is undoubtedly the richest man in the room.”

“Oh,” Gianna replied, not impressed.

“That means that Voren will be very interested in him, dear,” Gerri said. “He’s looking for investors, I think. Not only is Rex rich and powerful, but they also went to grad school together. I’d say he’s going to work Rex pretty hard to get his support.”

“Really?” Gianna said, still watching Rex as he engaged with Voren. He didn’t look happy about it, but the conflict of emotion only made him even more dramatically beautiful.

“If I were you, Gianna,” Gerri whispered as if she were a teenager gossiping in the girl’s locker room, “I’d get myself over there and stick to Rex like glue!”