“Fair point.”
The security center was impressive—wall-to-wall monitors showing every angle of the hotel, sophisticated software tracking movement and patterns, with access logs streaming in real time.
Ares would love this. Probably spent half his life here.
“Our surveillance system is state-of-the-art,” Orion said, moving close enough that I could feel his body heat. “Every entrance, every corridor, and every high-value area is covered.”
He reached past me to point at a monitor, his arm brushing mine. “These cameras have facial recognition, license platereaders in the garage, and thermal imaging for mechanical rooms.”
“Thermal imaging?”
“Fire prevention. After what happened to you, we upgraded.” His voice dropped. “I wasn’t going to let that happen again.”
The intensity in his tone made my breath catch. We were standing too close. Professional distance had evaporated somewhere between the poker room and here.
“Orion—”
“Mr. Kolykos.”
We both turned. A man in his fifties stood in the doorway, wearing an expensive suit and official-looking credentials clipped to his jacket. Everything about him screamed authority and bureaucracy.
“Mr. Wilder,” Orion said, his voice cooling instantly. “This is unexpected.”
My head jerked up and I stared straight into the calculating eyes of Daniel’s father. Why hadn’t I put Vegas and Kurt Wilder together? I knew in the back of my brain that he was in Nevada and was associated with casinos. In New York, there’d been no reason to worry about him. But now, I could see trouble standing before me.
“Routine inspection.” Wilder’s eyes moved to me, and something shifted in his expression. Recognition mixed with calculation. “Ms. George. Daniel told me you’d landed on your feet. He didn’t mention where.”
My stomach dropped.
Kurt Wilder always looked at me like I wasn’t quite good enough for his son, even when I’d been planning to marry the cheating bastard.
“Mr. Wilder,” I managed, keeping my voice steady. “Small world.”
“Indeed.” His smile didn’t reach his eyes. “Daniel’s been quite concerned about you. Said you ran off to Las Vegas without telling anyone, which left him to handle the wedding cancellations alone. He said you’d been under a lot of stress lately. Unstable, even.”
The blood roared in my ears. Unstable. That was what Daniel was telling people?
“Mr. Wilder.” Orion’s voice cut through my panic like a knife. “If you have official business for the Gaming Control Board, please state it. Otherwise, Ms. George is working.”
“Of course.” Wilder pulled out a tablet. “I’m here to follow up on the recent fire incident. Specifically, I want to address concerns regarding employee conduct and potential conflicts of interest that could impact your gaming license.”
“What conflicts of interest?” I asked.
“Well.” Wilder’s smile turned predatory. “Daniel mentioned that you have a history of engaging in inappropriate relationships with your supervisors. Boundary issues. You have exhibited vindictive behavior in the past when your romantic advances were rejected. I’m simply ensuring that pattern hasn’t followed you here.”
What?Blood roared in my ears. Lies. All of it. Daniel had fed his father lies because I had the audacity to leave him.
“That’s defamation,” I said, my voice shaking with fury rather than fear. “And if you’re using your position at the Gaming Control Board to pursue a personal vendetta based on your son’s lies?—”
“Tashi.” Orion’s hand found my elbow, steadying me. “Mr. Wilder, I’ll be filing a formal complaint about this interaction. You’ve made accusations without evidence, targeted a specific employee for personal reasons, and threatened our gaming license based on demonstrably false information. I suggest you leave. Now.”
Wilder’s face went red. “Mr. Kolykos, I don’t think you understand?—”
“I understand perfectly. You’re abusing your authority. We have security footage of this entire conversation. I have witnesses. And I have lawyers who would love nothing more than to dismantle a corrupt Gaming Control Board official.” Orion’s voice was ice-cold precision. “The door’s behind you.”
For a moment, I thought Wilder might push back. But something in Orion’s expression made him reconsider. He left with a muttered excuse about official follow-up, but the threat hung in the air like smoke.
I stood there shaking, fury and humiliation warring in my chest.
