CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
EDGE HAD JUST PARKED HIS TRUCK AT THE PRIVATE TERMINAL ATCentennial Airport when his cell phone rang. He pulled out the phone and checked the caller ID, flicked a glance at Skye, and put the phone on speaker.
“Agent Cross. I’ve been expecting to hear from you.” At the very least, Cross still needed a statement from Lila.
“We need to talk,” Cross said simply.
“Sorry, I’m on my way to Vegas. After recent events, I figured I deserved a little time off.”
“Vegas, huh? What a coincidence. That’s where I’m headed.”
Petrov. Had to be. So Daniel had rolled on his Russian boss after all.
“Where are you staying?” Cross asked.
“The Bellagio.”
“Nice. I assume Ms. Delaney is with you.”
“Not that it’s any of your business, but yes.”
“Even better. We can meet in the hotel, somewhere we can speak privately.”
“All right. You can come up to the suite. I’ll text you the room number once we’ve checked in.”
“Seven o’clock work for you?”
“Fine.” Edge ended the call and shoved the phone back into his pocket.
“What do you think Cross wants?” Skye asked as Edge unloaded their bags and they started toward the terminal.
“No idea. But if he’s coming to Vegas, it’s something to do with Petrov.”
“I guess we’ll find out tonight.”
“Yeah, I guess we will.”
The just over two-hour chartered jet flight from Denver to Harry Reid International in Las Vegas was uneventful. A black Lincoln SUV limo waited at the executive terminal to carry them the five miles through traffic to the Bellagio.
There were newer resort/casinos on the Vegas Strip, but Edge had stayed at the Bellagio before and knew his way around. He could easily afford the luxury one-bedroom suite he had booked.
He clamped down on where that thought led.
Years ago, he had sold his share of the Diamond Bar Ranch, his family home, to his oldest brother, Kade. In the army, he’d had no real place to spend the money, so most of it still sat in the bank. Add to that his share of the gold bullion he had helped Gage bring back from Mexico, and he had no real money worries.
He checked in at the front desk using an app on his phone, and a bellman brought up their luggage, all but his suitcase, which held their semiautomatic pistols and other miscellaneous weapons and gear. That big wheeled bag he brought up himself.
When the bellman opened the door to the suite, he heard Skye’s intake of breath. She crossed the white marble floor in the entry, noticed the powder room for guests off to one side, and turned to survey the living room, the plush, gray-patterned carpet, the pale blue velvet sofa and chairs.
“I certainly didn’t expect this.” She walked over to the big plate-glass windows that wrapped around both the living room and dining area. “This is fantastic. Look!” She pointed. “You can see the fountains from here!”
Edge smiled. “I’m glad you like it.”
Smiling, Skye walked back to him. His heart kicked up when she set her palms on his chest. Wisps of silky dark hair clung to her cheeks, and he could smell her soft perfume. He pulled her closer. He could feel her breasts pressing against him, and his body stirred to life. In an instant, he was hard. He couldn’t remember a woman who aroused him the way she did.
“You know, I’m the one who should be paying for this,” Skye said, still smiling. “Going after Daniel Henson was my idea.”
Edge forced himself to concentrate. “Yeah, well, going after Ivan Petrov is my idea.”
