Unfortunately, as luck would have it, the lights and music went dark, sending the guests into a collective groan.
“That’s a fuckin’ shame,” Omar said, crossing his arms as he narrowed his eyes on the now-empty stage.
“Is it?”
“That’s the guy from the club last week, yeah?” When I didn’t respond, he added, “Seems to be a…crowd pleaser.”
“Is there something you need from me?”
“Just letting you know the guys from Redwater haven’t shown up yet.”
“I’m not surprised.”
“You don’t think they will?”
I gave him a sideways glance. “If they want to prove themselves as a threat, they’ll wait to make an appearance until last minute.”
Omar fidgeted by the waist of his coat pocket, itching to palm his gun.
“Not tonight,” I said, giving him a pointed look. “Not here.”
“But if they try?—”
“They won’t. Too much on the line to try to take us out without a guarantee from the buyers.”
He snapped his mouth shut and nodded once, but his shoulders remained tense. The man needed a distraction so he’d stop watching the door.
“The dancer,” I said. “Bring him to me.”
“On it, boss.” He slipped into the crowd, and I headed toward the private lounge set up for the meetings tonight, my bodyguards trailing a few feet behind me.
I nodded an acknowledgment to those I passed, and they gave me a wide berth. It wasn’t a carefree group of attendees gathered tonight, though everything about the party gave the appearance of a good time. The location itself, the entire exterior of Dubai’s exclusive seven-star hotel—the only one in the world that could boast that honor—was designed to look like a private club under the stars. Nothing but pure luxury for my guests, designed to show unlimited resources, money, and power. Just in case anyone, including the Redwater Syndicate, wanted to test my rule.
The curtains of the cabana were drawn open on my approach, and one of my bodyguards did a sweep of the interior before I took a seat on one of the plush couches. My favored whiskey sat on a bar cart along with glasses and an ice bucket, and a box of cigars. A butler stood to the side, waiting for my cue, and as I settled back in my seat, I gestured for a glass.
Not usually the kind of man to be distracted by a sensual smile and a sexy body, I figured the best way to combat the intrusive thoughts was to face the problem head-on. This dancer, Benoit, had been playing havoc on my mind all week, slipping to the forefront of any and all plans I’d been making. So it was time to deal with the issue and make a different kind of plan. One that would allow me to assuage my lust for him and put this fixation I’d developed to rest.
The curtain to the cabana was pulled aside, and a second later the stunning man from the stage stepped inside my domain.
He was dressed in a silky, plum-colored robe that seemed to shimmer under the lights, the garment flowing over the regal set of his shoulders and dipping into a deep V at his trim waist, where a sash held the material together with an emerald clasp.
The luxurious material swirled around those exquisite legs as he came to a stop in front of me, and if I were to hazard a guess, there wasn’t much else on under that robe.
My eyes shifted to Omar, who stood off to the side of Benoit, and I inclined my head.
“Leave us.”
I wasn’t sure how Benoit would react knowing I wanted to see him alone, but when he glanced back at Omar, giving him a flirty little wave goodbye, I had my answer.
It appeared the confidence he exuded on stage was an integral part of him, and I found it more than a little arousing that he didn’t seem intimidated by me.
“You wanted to see me,mon cher?”
My eyes trailed down the smooth skin of his chest that seemed to sparkle along with his robe, then back up to see his mischievous eyes twinkling at me.
“I’veseenplenty of you.” I gestured to the empty couch beside mine. “Tonight, I want to talk to you.”
Benoit gracefully took the spot offered to him. His robe parted as he crossed one leg over the other, sliding up his thigh.
