“Ares,” Orion said with a warning voice. “I know you think he was behind the money laundering through the casino, but there was no proof.”
“No,” Ares said. “Just the hint that it was an inside job. I’ll keep digging. I’ll find whoever it was.”
“Okay,” Orion said after a moment. “We won’t share all of our investigation with him. Not until we understand the full scope of this.”
“Agreed,” Ares and Leo said simultaneously.
“Tashi stays on the executive floor,” Orion continued. “But we increase security. No one enters that hallway without authorization. No exceptions.”
“I can handle—” I started.
“This isn’t about what you can handle.” Ares’s voice was gentle but firm. “As long as we don’t know who’s behind the sabotage in the hotel, we don’t want you in the line of fire.”
I wanted to argue and insist that I didn’t need protection. But the surveillance revelation had shaken me more than I wanted to admit.
“Fine,” I said. “But I’m not hiding. I have work to do.”
“No one’s asking you to hide,” Leo said. “Just be careful. Be aware. And for God’s sake, don’t go anywhere alone.”
The meeting dispersed. Leo had a vendor meeting. Orion had calls with investors. Ares was about to follow them out of the room.
Someone had been systematically gathering intelligence. This was so outside my experience that I had no idea what to do.
I had to speak to Ares.
“Ares, wait up.”
Immediately, he turned to face me. “Something wrong? You okay?”
“I had a weird encounter with Marcus in the elevator.”
“Marcus? The front desk guy? What happened?”
“He talked about me and the three of you.” My voice cracked.
Ares drew a deep breath. “What did he say?”
“Ares,” I said with pleading in my voice. “Understand I tried to tell you. All of you.”
His eyes turned cold. “Tell us what, Tashi?”
Oh God. How could I say this? My heart pounded. I was about to lose everything, wasn’t I? But it had to be done.
“Well, um—” The words stuck in my throat.
“Spit it out, Tashi.”
“It’s just—” My voice faltered.
“Get to the point.”
I met his eyes with defiance burning through my blood. “Last night when you and I, well. You weren’t the first Kolykos brother I was with.”
“I wasn’t?” he said in a low, dangerous voice.
“Or…” My voice nearly squeaked. “The second.”
“I see,” he said coldly. “And you’re telling me this now, why?”
