He shrugged a shoulder noncommittally. “You could always get Ripp to talk to Seth.”
I shook my head. “Seth Michelson doesn’t give a damn about me. I’m a nobody. Ripp and our friends are worth something.”
Parker’s face darkened. “You are just as worthy as the rest of them. Peyton is your best friend and an A-list actress. She doesn’t see herself as being any better than you.”
It was true, she didn’t. It was one of the things I loved about her.
“It doesn’t matter,” I said, standing. “I don’t want Seth’s help, and I’m not about to beg for it.” He probably wouldn’t help me anyway.
Parker stood and shook his head. “Are you really going to let your pride get in the way of your safety?”
I walked over to him and placed my hands reassuringly on his shoulders. “I can handle Nikolai. I’ve been fighting my entire life, you know this.”
With living on the streets every once in a while, I’d fought off numerous men who tried to assault me. Surviving is what I was good at.
Parker shifted out of my hold and grabbed my arms. “Promise me, Wren,” he said, his grip firm. “Promise me that if you get any inclination that Nikolai is coming after you, you’ll seek Seth’s help. I don’t want you getting in over your head.”
I had a strange feeling Parker would make sure I got help if I asked for it or not. His hands slid down my arms, and I wrapped mine around his waist, laughing lightly.
“I don’t know why I’m promising. You’re going to go behind my back no matter what.”
He chuckled. “That’s because I love you. You take care of me, and I take care of you. That’s always been our motto.”
And it always would be.
CHAPTER6
SETH
“Do we have a deal?”
I slid the contract across the desk, knowing Vince had no choice but to sign it. With sweat beading across his forehead, Vince Pennington stared at the paperwork regretfully.
He was pushing sixty years old and had a face that had seen too much plastic surgery. Even the fullness of his white hair didn’t look natural. The man was a gambler and let his ego get in the way. And because of that, he lost his luxurious hotel in a single poker game. His loss was my gain. All I wanted to do was enjoy an evening in the casino, and when Vince wanted to join my table for a round of Texas Hold’em, I happily agreed. The bid became too high for him, and I warned him not to put his hotel on the line, but the arrogant prick didn’t listen. My world had no room for stupidity; it could quickly get you killed.
Vince thought he would get out of the bet, but when I told him who I was, I thought he would shit himself. The Michelson name was well-known in Vegas.
There was a time many years ago when Vince almost lost his hotel to my father. I knew he wouldn’t dare join my table last night if he had any idea who was sitting there. Vince picked up his pen and signed each dotted line, face paling with each passing second. Once he was done, he pushed the contract back to me, looking like he would vomit all over his desk.
“What am I going to do now? The hotel is all I have.”
“Had,” I corrected him.
I grabbed the papers and stood, not feeling sorry for him in the least. He looked up at me and I stared right into his dark eyes that were now full of tears.
“I warned you and you didn’t listen. The only person you can blame is yourself.”
His voice quivered when he spoke. “What about my staff? Will they need to find new jobs?”
He didn’t know that I’d already had my people research his workers and how little they were compensated. Once I was done taking over, their lives would change for the better.
“They’re more than welcome to stay,” I explained matter-of-factly. “They’re probably going towantto.” My eyes never wavered from his, and I could see the fear eating away at what remained of him. “You haven’t been a good boss, Vince. Overworking your employees and not compensating them is bad business. When I give them the raises and perks they deserve, they’ll be happy to see you walk out that door.”
Even he knew it was true.
I spun on my heel and left Vince to wallow in his regret. Seven days was all he had to get out of my hotel, or my guys would do it for him. I had no doubt he’d be out by the end of the week.
As I strolled through the lobby, the hum of business enveloped me. The hotel wasmine. It didn’t belong to my father or the Michelson family like all the other hotels we owned.
