“I apologize for the crowd out there,” Hayden says, and takes a seat, as my nerves return. “This department has experienced major losses of late.” Her eyes flicker away and she straightens a stack of papers, her movements strained. “We’re speeding up the hiring process for the assistant position, which will require possible evening and weekend work, depending on what the casino has going on. Would that be a problem for you?”
“No.” I shake my head. “I’m used to working long hours. Weekends are fine.”
I have too much time on my hands, now that Lewis is busy with Gen. I appreciate Cali letting me stay at her place, and I’ve even gotten used to the idea of living with Tyler temporarily. But with him on a manwhoring mission, I’d love any excuse to stay away.
Hayden studies my face, and it takes all my willpower not to fidget.
She glances at a sheet of paper on the desk in front of her. “It says here you’ve worked at a local casino for the last four years. You advanced from a hostess position to a dealer.” She looks up. “I see two other positions in between the dealer and hostess jobs, each with increasing levels of responsibility.”
To keep from getting bored, I looked for new jobs that challenged me. And I needed more and more money over the years to support my mom.
“This is a desk position,” Hayden continues. “Not that there isn’t room for growth, but I want you to understand the parameters of what I’m offering.” She lists the job duties, which, I must admit, sound foreign.
“I understand,” I tell her, nodding as if these are all tasks I can handle.
“We’re short-staffed in human resources, as well as in our hospitality department. The assistant I hire will provide support to both departments until a replacement can be found for hospitality.”
I’ll be filling two jobs I have no background in? Whatever; it’s not like I’m actually going to get the position. My résumé clearly shows that I don’t have the skill set she requires. She must give every applicant the same spiel.
“Now that you know what I’m searching for, why don’t you tell me about yourself, Mira. Why are you looking to move from gaming to management?”
I give her a story about how I’d like something with a higher ceiling for growth, when I really just need more money.
“That all sounds good,” she says. “I’ll keep your application in mind as I wrap up the first round of interviews.”
Hayden has been nice, but this whole interview felt scripted, as if she’s going through the motions. A part of me hoped I’d get lucky with this job, but I never really believed I had a chance. Not after I saw my competition in the lobby.
Time for a new plan, because this lead is a bust.
The sound of knuckles rapping on the door comes from behind. Hayden looks up. “Drake,” she says in greeting, a rigid smile on her face.
I don’t know Hayden, but she isn’t hiding her unease at seeing the man standing in the doorway.
She called him Drake. He can’t be the same Drake that Gen told me about—he’s supposed to be on leave.
“Good morning.” Drake gives Hayden a cursory glance, his gaze settling on me.
He’s a fairly handsome man, wearing a dark suit with a blue checked tie that turns his amber eyes more demonic than I’d like. The look he gives me is assessing, a full-on check-out. Worse than the looks from the guy in the waiting room, because there’s a sense of possession behind this man’s gaze. As if he believes he could have me anytime he wants.
These thoughts run through my mind, but they aren’t what has my stomach lurching, my hands sweating. It’s the man who approaches Drake in front of Hayden’s door who has my full, terrified attention.
I’m ready to leap over the desk and put any large object between me and this other guy.
Because I know him.
Denim jacket guy.
The man who hunted me in the woods, pinned me to the ground with his rough body, then proceeded to beat the crap out of me. That denim jacket guy.
Denim Jacket mumbles something into Drake’s ear while peering at me, and Drake’s gaze turns even more assessing, if that’s possible. He smiles, but it’s more smirky than kind, as if he, like Tyler, knows all my secrets. Only I trust Tyler a hell of a lot more than I do this Drake guy, which speaks volumes, because Tyler’s on my shit list.
“Here for an interview, Mira?” Drake says.
He used my name, though we haven’t been introduced. Because he knows of me, or because Denim Jacket said something?
I need to get out. Like now. I glance around, but it’s either cower in the corner behind Hayden, or make a run for it past the two large men blocking the doorway. So, basically, suicide. No way am I escaping the situation without a confrontation of some sort.
Hayden glances between me and Drake. “You two know each other?”
