Rise to Power, Search for Pride
Published by eXtasy Books
"There's nothing sexier than a successful man except maybe the passionate beast living inside him"
"Every man, every beast, has a price"
"When Money and Power Aren't Enough"
"The older the money, the more valued the man and his lion's share"
"The right people can push a man to his limits"
The following excerpt is from Money, Book Two in Rise to Power, Search for Pride
“I’ll take him. Name your price.”
Barlo
Matheson’s wicked gaze roamed over Ariela like a SUV roving over rough terrain.
He jerked at strategic points, swerved one way or another, then remained
committed to his cause—the business at hand, which apparently had more to do
with staring at her boobs than talking about the caged lion Ariela wanted to
buy.
“He’s
not for sale, Ariela. Jagger and I already spoke on the phone about this. You
really shouldn’t have stopped by unannounced.”
“I was
here for the show,” Ariela said, as if that explained away her reasons for
bribing and then pushing past the guards responsible for keeping Matheson’s
lions under lock and key.
Ariela
reached inside the cage housing the gorgeous white lion. She ran her fingers
through his thick, soft coat, admiring the silken fur. Digging her nails into
his flesh, she firmly raked the animal’s hide, anticipating a flinch, some sort
of response to her touch.
“Ariela,
you should be more cautious,” Barlo scolded her. “I can’t be responsible for
damages if the lion turns on you.”
“He
won’t.” Barlo wasn’t fooling anyone. Sanchez possessed a gentle nature. His
trainers and handlers commended him for being so tame.
“You
can never be too certain with wild animals.”
“I’m
sure,” she said, watching the gorgeous white creature as she petted him with a
firmer hand.
The
lion’s clear blue eyes met hers. His muscles tightened. His tail swished
rapidly.
“I
know what you are,” she whispered, stroking between his ears.
“I
want you to go back to Pride’s Casino and tell Jagger I don’t appreciate his
tactics. Sending you over here to do his bidding doesn’t fare well. It’s bad
business.” Barlo stepped closer, and closed the distance between them. He
lifted a lock of hair from her shoulder and added, “Then again, perhaps Jagger
is willing to play dirty when he wants something.”
Ariela
never moved. The lion, however, released a rumbling roar.
Barlo
leapt backward. He glared at the beast and bit out, “You’re upsetting the
animal.”
“The
animal has a name, Barlo. Use it. If anything is upsetting, it’s how this
beautiful creature is treated.”
“He’s
cared for like a pet should be, but we don’t give our acts room to move. Over
at your place, the lions dominate. Last I heard, Jagger had expanded their den
to well over twenty thousand square feet, and that, my dear, is ridiculous! You
shouldn’t allot that much space for these creatures unless you’re using the
square footage for a performing arena.”
“Jagger
believes in treating all animals with respect. We want Sanchez for our
personal…” she paused as she thought of a way to best convey her need. “We’d like
to add him to our pride.”
There was no other way to say it.
“Your personal pride?” Barlo went into
hysterics. “Your pride?” He howled
with another round of laughter. “Next you’ll try to convince me you’re a
lioness, with a particular need for this one because of the demands placed on
Jagger during your mating season.”
Ariela
focused on the lion again, too aware of her desire to see him in human form. If
she didn’t figure out a way to save Sanchez from captivity, she wouldn’t be
able to still the beast inside her. She wanted Sanchez. She needed him.
“Ariela,
I want you to go.” Barlo apparently realized then she wasn’t laughing with him.
Her calmness seemingly made him uncomfortable. “And be sure to tell Jagger we’ve
spoken and I relayed once again—Sanchez is not for sale.” Barlo’s pupils were
enlarged, practically gleaming with his delivery of the news. “I won’t change
my mind on the matter.”
Ariela
stroked Sanchez’s mane once more. It pained her to leave one of her own behind.
Sanchez didn’t belong there. He wasn’t Barlo’s animal. He belonged to her
family, to the growing pride she was forming with Jagger and Leon.
“I’ll
go,” she said hesitantly. “But I’ll be back, Barlo. And when you see me coming,
you’ll know why I’m here, and you’ll negotiate.”
“Don’t
count on it,” he said, stuffing a cigar in the corner of his mouth. “I’ll go
for broke before I’ll let you people have Sanchez. Since you and Jagger came to
Vegas, the scope of the casino business has changed. You people think you can
flash a little cash and everyone will bow down.”
Cow
down was more like it, but she didn’t make the correction. Nor did she mention
how easy it had been to make sure those like Barlo succumbed to their tactics.
In recent weeks Ariela had been on a buying spree, purchasing everything from
hotels and casinos to roadside diners out in the desert. Jagger was credited
with the business transactions, which was fine, but she’d been the one signing
on the dotted line.
When
other women became depressed, they shopped boutiques for expensive shoes or
purses. When Ariela was unsettled, she bought buildings and failing businesses,
and she generally scooped them up at a bargain.
“This
time, you and Jagger have underestimated your target. I’ll never let you have
the lion that’s responsible for driving spectators here by the droves. This is
one desired acquisition you won’t acquire.”
“We’ll
see about that, Barlo,” Ariela said, staring longingly at Sanchez before
finally averting her gaze from the cage. “Every man, every beast, has a price.
Soon I’ll figure out what yours is, and then I’ll pay in full—with cash and a
smile.”
Rise to Power, Search for Pride
Only at eXtasy Books
Rise to Power, Search for Pride
Only at eXtasy Books
