“Will you?”
She looked up at me, her eyes still wet with tears. “I choose all of you. Every day. Even when one of you is being impossible.”
“Fair,” I conceded.
“Look.” Leo leaned forward. “I think we just need more time to work things out. This is new for all of us. The jealousy, the scheduling, the—” He paused. “The fact that last night Tashi asked Ares to stay with her specifically because he was hurt, and you and I had to accept that. That’s part of this. At times, oneof us may require her support more than the others. Sometimes, she’ll need one of us more. We have to be okay with that.”
I knew he was right. Hated that he was right. But the knot in my chest—the one that had formed when Leo casually mentioned Tashi spending the night with Ares—refused to untie itself.
“I just—” I started.
My phone rang.
I glanced at the screen and frowned. Gerald Hutchins. Real estate investor I’d known for years. Good businessman, terrible poker player, and someone who only called when he smelled opportunity.
“I need to take this,” I said to Leo.
“Go ahead.”
I answered. “Gerald. Early for you, isn’t it?”
“Orion.” Gerald’s voice had that false cheerfulness that always preceded bad news. “How are you holding up? I heard about the board situation. Tough break.”
My jaw tightened. “We’re managing. What can I do for you?”
“Actually, I’m calling with an opportunity. For you, specifically.” He paused for effect. “I’m putting together an investor group. We’re looking at acquiring a property in Vegas. Flagship hotel. Prime Strip location. Interested in hearing details?”
Every instinct I had sharpened to a point.
“What property?” I asked, though I already knew.
“Well, that’s the thing. It’s still confidential, but—” Another pause. “Let’s just say it’s a property you know very well. One that’s about to hit the market. Quietly. I wanted to reach out to you first to see if you’d be interested in joining the acquisition team. Given your expertise with the property in question.”
My blood ran cold.
“The Olympus Royale,” I said flatly.
“Now, I didn’t say that?—”
“Don’t play games, Gerald. Someone told you the Olympus Royale is being sold. Who? And when?”
Silence on the other end. Then, carefully: “I can’t reveal my sources, Orion. You know that. But the word on the street is that current management is being forced out. Gaming Commission issues. The property will be available within thirty days. My group wants to move fast, and we thought—given your history with the property—you might want a piece of ownership. Even if you can’t run it anymore.”
I looked at Leo, who’d gone very still, clearly hearing the tone of my voice even if he couldn’t hear Gerald’s words.
“Who told you this?” I repeated. “Was it Kurt Wilder?”
“I’m not at liberty to?—”
“Was it Henri Saltz?”
A pause. Too long. “Orion, I’m just trying to do business here. If you’re not interested?—”
“I’m not interested in buying what already belongs to me,” I said. “And whoever told you the Olympus Royale is for sale is lying. We’re not selling. We’re not being forced out. And if you try to move on this property, I’ll bury you and your investor group in litigation.”
“Orion, be reasonable?—”
I hung up.
