Lara (Reynolds Ranch)

“No, she isn’t.”

He stops looking around the room and focuses back on me with a frown. “How come you didn’t bring that delectable piece of arm candy with you?”

I shake my head because this is why she’s not invited to these events. I refuse to let her be treated like a piece of meat to these men. They’ll see her and think they can get away with it, and if she’s not willing to put up with it, she’ll be put in an awkward position. “She’s not arm candy and she’s not a part of the security team, so she has no reason to be here.”

I act as the host at first to help make the party lively when only a few guests are here, but it’s not long before half the guests arrive so after greeting some important dignitaries that have come, I head up above to the loft to watch the cameras and avoid the crowds.

Turning on the monitors, I walk over to the sideboard full of alcohol and pour myself a glass. Walking over to the seat that allows for a great view of the entire floor, I sit down and loosen my tie with a glass tumbler filled with an amber liquid and ice. I run it along my forehead, trying to stave off the headache building in the front of my head.

That’s when I spot her. My world stops on a fucking dime and all the noise in the room quiets except the sound of my heartbeat raging in my ears. It rings loudly as the blood pumps violently through my body and straight south. My dick jumps in my dress pants, tenting the expensive material. Adjusting the thickening rod so I don’t give everyone a show once I head down to claim her, I don’t take my eyes off the screen. I watch her like a hawk, wondering who she is and why she’s here where she’s not supposed to be. Although, I must say I’m not too upset by the sudden turn of events. As a matter of fact, I’m pleasantly surprised how pleased I am that she’s decided to sneak into my soiree.

Her brown hair hangs down in long curls, half of them pinned up, looking fashionable and like several other guests, but I want to see her neck where I’ll have my lips. I grunt, feeling wild with lust. She’s wearing a tiny black dress that barely covers her ass and her nice tits. Those spaghetti straps better hold that material up until we’re alone or I’m going to kill someone.

My interest piqued, I watch the scene unfold at the entrance, wondering if she’s aware of who I am. This party isn’t allowing any party crashers, and no one gets through my security. She’s not on the list, but she’s handing an invite to my security team. It’s a fake, and so are the IDs that they run under a scanner. I can tell from the code Danny has given James next to him.

It’s a slight gesture because everything is done with discretion so as to not cause a scene. Class and elegance are critical, at least until these fools get shitfaced, but then there are always handlers for these people that will assist them to their waiting cars to take them home or to their hotel rooms.

“Let them in,” I state into the mic. A slight frown begins to form on Danny’s face, but he adjusts it quickly.

“Yes, sir,” he utters for only me to hear.

“Have a good evening, ladies,” he says, knowing that the IDs have pulled everything even though the ladies have no idea they’ve been flagged. Hopefully those are their real names so I can run a report when I have a moment of free time. I could easily have my men do it, but this is too personal to me. It’s stupid and not safe at all, but one glimpse at the petite brunette with the determined look in her eyes, and I forget all my rules. Although, the truth will have to wait until I get to know her. I might just pull everything out of her myself, including multiple orgasms.

“I’ll trail them,” I add the second they are out of hearing distance.

I stand and go to the two-way glass and spot them. My eyes are following them around the room from my perch above, seeing if they go to anyone they might know.

“Yes, sir.” It’s out of the ordinary for me to allow it, so I’m confident they’re confused as fuck, but I don’t care. My eyes haven’t left the petite brunette with her long, dark brown hair curled and pinned up elegantly, like she had it professionally done for tonight. They could just be crashing the party for the same reason many women do, but I can’t let my future wife get away from me and into another man’s arms.

“Sir, we have an issue. We need you at the door,” James says, his voice buzzing in my ear, ticking me off immediately.

Son of a bitch. “I’m on my way.”

I head downstairs and to the door where there is already a drunk woman trying to get in without an invite. She was tossed out of the last party because she’d been essentially tossed to the wayside by her old lover. It’s a terrible thing, but when you play that game, you can be tossed aside easily for the next piece of ass. She does her best to plead her case, but it takes another twenty minutes to calmly escort her out to her waiting car, which I do myself to make sure it’s taken care of.

“Damn it,” I grumble, hating that I don’t know if my girl is with some asshole at the party.

“Which one are you looking for? The blonde or the brunette?”

“What are you talking about?” I ask Danny, trying to pretend that I don’t have a clue what he’s talking about while my eyes are looking past him, searching for her.

He scoffs. “The two girls you clearly let in that you would normally never have allowed entry to in a million years.” It’s why he’s my second-in-charge. He’s got a keen sense of awareness, and I’m a strict and rigid man. I’ve never let anyone break my rules, but little Ms. Reynolds just did that.

“The brunette.”

“Right now, Lara Reynolds is standing by high table eight. She’s turned down every advance so far.”

“You’ve been paying attention to her,” I snarl, wanting to smash his head in for looking at my woman.

“I thought you’d care to know,” he adds.

“Damn right. Good man.” I clap him on the back and go off to run a report on the IDs, but I know I’m not going to get much of anything back soon. Lara Reynolds and Kelly Wills are students at Northwestern University, though. I got that information fast from their address.

Sweet little bad schoolgirl. I’m going to have to teach her a lesson. My dick jerks as I think of bending her over my desk and paddling her ass. I don’t know where that thought came from, but I want to see her ass reddened with my hand while she learns that she doesn’t belong around these fucking perverts. She belongs to me.

I watch from a distance, wanting to move closer, but I keep getting distracted by interested parties. Then, her friend is pulled away by a man to dance. Again, my girl stands there smiling prettily, alone, when she should be on my arm for everyone to see that she’s mine. She belongs to Landon Black, carrying Landon Black’s heir. Fuck, I’ve lost it, but staring at her, I know there’s nothing that can be done to change her future. Lara Reynolds, you have sealed your fate by committing a crime, and the penalty shall be life by my side.

I’m just about to speak with her when she’s approached by NFL Quarterback Robert Simmons. He leans in, and I want to kill him. I don’t give two fucks that he’s the second-string QB for my Chicago Bears or that he has a chance at moving up to the first position this year. He’s near my woman. She appears nervous, hesitant, and I want to break his jaw for good measure. He winks at her and kisses her cheek before his wife comes up and gives her a hug too.

They know her. Interesting. So she’s not quite an interloper, just not on the guest list. She calms slightly, but the tension is still there.

Hmmm…who are you, my wife?

Her friend returns to her side, giggling, and then I watch them talk suspiciously as they walk off toward the bathroom. I follow because I’m not letting anyone else get to her before I grab a hold of my woman. No one else will steal her from me this time. It’s been hell trying to get a hold of her while everyone else is vying for my attention.