Page 49 of Theirs to Corrupt
CHAPTER TWELVE
Las Vegas
Tessa
I’m living someone else’s life. I have to be.
The thought echoes in my mind as I stand at the floor-to-ceiling windows of our palatial suite at the Bella Rosa resort, gazing out at the Las Vegas skyline.
The view is breathtaking, a sea of shimmering glass and steel stretching as far as the eye can see. In the far, far distance, the Stratosphere Tower pierces the sky like a giant needle. To the south, a golden facade glimmers in the afternoon sun. And everywhere in between, there are hotels and casinos.
But it’s not just the view that has stunned me. It’s the ridiculous amount of luxury and the fact I now carry a credit card with no limit.
The bell person has just finished unpacking our luggage—a task that took forever given the ridiculous amount of clothes Link insisted on buying me yesterday.
He hands the man a tip that makes him grin like a fool.
Evidently my future husband is a very generous man.
Finally we’re alone—me, Link, and Pax. My fiancé and his…partner? Bodyguard? Co-husband?
I can’t wrap my mind around our unusual arrangement.
“Are you ready to head down?” Link’s voice breaks through my reverie.
He’s standing near the door, impeccably dressed in a tailored suit. Will I ever get accustomed to the breathtaking sight of him?
I smooth down the front of a dress he selected for me.
Pax moves in closer, his presence reassuring despite the butterflies in my stomach. “You look beautiful, Tessa. Lorenzo’s going to be impressed.”
Lorenzo Carrington.The mysterious owner of this magnificent resort. The man Link and Pax seem eager for me to meet.
Mira and Torin are with us as we leave and head for the private elevator.
Just beyond the obvious, another world exists, one I hadn’t known anything about two days ago.
Once we’re inside the lift, Link presses his finger to a pad, and buttons light up. He selects a number, and the doors slide close behind us. The compartment moves so fast that I instinctively bend my knees to keep my balance.
“Should have warned you,” Pax says, cupping my elbow and offering stability.
Especially in these heels. I’m teetering in them to begin with.
When the doors open, we step out into a quiet hallway I’m certain most guests never see.
Link leads us to another set of elevators, these even more exclusive than the last. He presses his thumb to a biometric scanner, and the doors slide open silently.
“Lorenzo’s office is on one of the top floors,” Link explains as we enter. “He likes to keep an eye on his kingdom.”
The ascent is breathtaking, both in speed and view. As we rocket upward, the Strip unfolds beneath us through the glass walls of the elevator. It’s dizzying, exhilarating, and more than a little terrifying.
When we finally reach the top, I feel as if I’m still moving.
Once more, I’m grateful for Pax’s support as we enter a reception area that could double as an art gallery. Even though I know next to nothing about paintings, I recognize one of the impressionist pieces hanging on the wall.
A sleek, modern desk dominates the center of the room, and a woman with the striking good looks of a model sits behind it. She smiles warmly as we approach. “Mr. Merritt, Mr. Carter, welcome back to the Bella Rosa.” She smiles at me. “Ma’am. Mr. Carrington is expecting you all.”
She presses a button, and a set of massive double doors swings open silently.