Shit, maybe he can see my ugliness. I’m trapped into the booth by Emmanuel, who doesn’t get up to let me out. I don’t bother asking him to move. Instead, I climb up onto the table and crawl across. Thankful I’m wearing shorts.
I put an extra swing into my hips and flick my hair over my shoulder as I approach the man. My hand lands on his bicep—shit, he’s ripped. “Hey there, handsome. You look lonely. How about yougive me your number so I can fix that problem for you.” I bat my eyelashes at him.
The man in question is frozen, his stare deathly. He removes my hand from his arm like he’s disposing of a rotten banana peel. “I’m good,” he says.
“What?”
“You’re not getting my number. Go back to your friends,” he clarifies before turning his back on me.
I am so confused as I make my way over to the booth again. “He’s gay,” I announce.
“No, he’s not.” Sammie laughs. “He just wants to keep his head on his shoulders.”
“Nope, he’s gay. That’s never happened to me before. Shit. Am I… Oh my god!” I shriek.
This cannot be happening.
“What?” Charlotte asks as I’m climbing back over the table.
“I’m losing it. I’m getting… old,” I tell her, horrified by the thought.
“You have not lost it, mi alma. You are the single most beautiful thing I’ve ever laid my eyes on,” Emmanuel says into my ear, and goose bumps erupt all over my skin.
Holy hell, I want this man whispering all kinds of dirty things to me.
Chapter Six
Itold Louie I wasn’t going to fuck with Evie. Justfuck her. I take that back, because I don’t have any intention of fucking and then leaving this woman. It’s not often something catches my attention like she has, which is why I know she’s different.
She’s mine.
I could have put a bullet in that French bitch’s head. There and then. I showed restraint,like a goddamn fucking saint. I’ll keep my word. I won’t touch the woman. But I’ve already instructed Paz to dig up dirt on her father, the French president. Because Iwillend him.
Like I said, my organization is changing. I don’t intentionally go after women. That was my father’s thing, not mine. Will I do it if need be? Sure. I do whatever has to be done.
My best friend since childhood just got hitched, Vegas-style. How we ended up in a little wedding chapel, I have no idea. But Evie was there, so you bet your ass I was following along.
Like I said, I’ve made up my mind. I’m keeping her. I don’t care what I have to do to make that happen. If I piss off my oldest friend in the process, then so be it. I make the rules. I don’t follow them.
Paz was all suited up at the bar, and I watched as Evie tried to flirt with him, thanks to Sammie’s stupid fucking dare. Lucky for him, my second knows better and quickly turned her down. He left not long after that, sending me a message about getting shit ready for tomorrow.
We’re leaving town. Or at least we were. Now, as I look at Evie and the huge grin plastered on her face as she talks on her phone to one of her friends, I think I’ve found a new reason to stick around.
It’s stupid. The longer I spend in the States, themore law enforcement I have gunning for me. I’m more than aware that the FBI would love to pin me down, lock me up, and throw away the fucking key. I’m not stupid enough to ever let that happen. That doesn’t mean they won’t try, though.
“I’m really sorry, Charlotte. I’m crashing.” Evie’s words catch my attention. I’m about to ask her what she means when Charlotte takes hold of her hand and starts guiding her outside.
“Okay, we’ll go back to the hotel,” Charlotte tells her. “Are you okay?”
I’m two steps behind Evie. She doesn’t answer, just nods her head. There’s something wrong. I don’t know what, but she looks as if she’s ready to pass out.
Charlotte tells Louie that they have to get back to the hotel, and like a lost fucking puppy, I follow them out to the car and climb into the front seat. I keep quiet, hoping that if I don’t say anything, Evie might talk. She might let slip what’s wrong with her. It crosses my mind to have a doctor meet us at the casino. She looks sick.
When I glance towards the back seat, I see her head resting against the door. She could just be tired.
“You might wanna wake her up. We’re almost there,” Louie says.
“I can’t. She won’t wake up for a while now,” Charlotte replies.
