“Sadly, I’m already taken. But if I weren’t…” He held up his hand, highlighting his wedding ring.
“Damn,” she muttered. “All the good ones are taken, including your brothers. Red wine. As in a double for both of us.”
He laughed. “Coming right up for such beautiful ladies.”
I gave her one of my stern looks that used to get me in trouble in school. “My brothers. Are you kidding me? They’re dominating, domineering, arrogant, and refuse to take no for an answer.”
“And what’s so wrong with that?”
“Ugh. I need that drink. Fast.” Fortunately, it came just in the nick of time before I snatched one from another guest. I wasn’t a wallflower by any means, but I had been taught to be extremely observant, which had likely saved my bacon more than a few times. The Prince family certainly had its share of enemies, and from all across the world.
Thankfully, all had been quiet for a few months, which had allowed our incredible Bourbon Street businesses to grow. All under my careful watch.
I took a sip of wine as I studied the group of men. Most were nicely dressed and wearing expensive watches. “You were right. There are some hotties here. They appear as if they know how to use a fork and knife too.”
She rolled her eyes again. “You are so hard on men.”
“I have every reason to be.”
“So you know, the reason the expense is so high is that people here are serious about dating, not just curious about what speed dating is. You’re looking at doctors, lawyers, stockbrokers. Bankers. High quality men.”
A deep sigh left my throat. “You mean boring.”
“What would you prefer, a pirate? Or how about a trained assassin?”
“At least they know how to fuck.”
Kylie choked on her drink. “No wonder you’re single. What you’re looking for are carbon copies of your brothers.”
“Eww. Gross. I’m a little kinky but not into incest.”
She shook her head. “You know what I mean. You’re searching for the tall, dark, and dangerous type that exists only in the movies or in your criminal world.”
“My criminal world.”
My bestie knew all the sordid details about my life, including how the family had made the majority of money over the years. One reason we were friends was that she never judged.
“Close your eyes and you tell me what you see.”
When I did, an image flashed in front of my eyes and I groaned. “Fine. I like the dangerous types.”
“See. I know you too well.”
What she didn’t know was that the man I’d been crushing on for years, the one I’d flirted with was the one man I couldn’t have. Even if his balls were blue, if he touched me, they’d be chopped off.
Even I wouldn’t want to do that to a guy.
Unless he pissed me off.
Then I’d handle the dirty deed all by myself.
CHAPTER 2
Emmeline
Eight men.
Thirty-two of the longest. Most boring. Minutes. Of. My. Life.