“Then you know how it goes. How uncomfortable it can be, meeting strangers for dates. The worst thing is, some of themwant to drive me home. I try to refuse, but they don’t take no for an answer, and I really don’t want them to know my address.”
“You should never give them your address.”
“I’m trying not to. I made up random addresses, but simply ran out of them. That’s how I found myself here. I just need like two minutes here before I can be on my way out, back to my real place.” I open my purse to extract a stack of bills. “I don’t mind paying for it.”
The doorman lifts his hand. “Nope. No need. I’m worried sick thinking about my daughters in the same position, and I hope someone would give them the basic decency you’re asking for. You come whenever you need to.”
My heart warms with the gesture. I reach my hand out. “Thank you…”
“Pete. I’m Pete.” We shake hands.
“Thank you, Pete. I’m Alex. I should get going.”
“How are you getting home, Miss Alex?”
“I’ll just walk. I don’t live far from here.”
He shoots me a dad-glare. “I’d prefer you to take a rideshare.”
“I’ll think about it,” I respond with a smile and leave the building.
My feet start toward Sophie’s apartment, choosing that over sharing my address with a rideshare driver. The chill night air cools my skin, but my stomach still swirls with butterflies. I’m vaguely aware that the safest thing for my heart would be to put some distance between us, but the thought is unbearable. There’s something about the way Leon makes me feel, like there’s still hope for the life I wanted to live. Next to him, I feel cherished, something I’m not sure I’ve experienced before. I shouldn’t listen to what he says and come to the casino tomorrow night. But I guess we both know I’m going to.
CHAPTER 14
Leon
As soon as I wake up, I call a florist and put in an order for flowers. I have no idea what her favorite flowers are, which is something that needs to be remedied, but I settle for the most expensive ones.
I change into my workout gear and head out for my run, with Persephone in tow. Her muscular legs have no trouble keeping up with my pace, landing on the pavement with soft thumps. She’s the perfect running mate, always up for a sprint and not bothering me with unnecessary conversation.
After my run, I down my protein shake and continue the workout in my home gym. By the time I’m done, it’s almost noon. It would be late for some, but with the nature of my business, most of the work happens in the evening.
“You’re here late,” Dom notes as I enter the casino. I rarely come into the office before two pm, though the last couple of weeks were anything but typical.
“I wasn’t informed that I suddenly answer to you,” I bite back, passing by him, and he follows behind. When I stroll into the office, the pile of papers on my desk seems even taller than yesterday. I rub a hand over my face, painfully aware that it needsto be dealt with today. Which reminds me. “You were wrong, by the way.”
“Wrong about what?”
“Alex. She has a perfectly good reason to carry a gun.”
“I’m sure she does.” Suspicion laces his voice.
“She’s allowed to, by the way,” I add when he’s on his way out.
“Sorry?” He stops in his tracks.
“She’s allowed to carry a gun, regardless of the rules.”
“And you’re sure that’s smart?”
“I’m sure it’s solely my decision.”
He dips his head with a clenched jaw and exits the office. I tackle the stack of papers, motivated by the fact that I plan to abandon them the second she enters the casino.
And it’s exactly what I do. As soon as I spot her copper curls, I’m out of my chair and dropping onto the stool next to her. As usual, I lose a few thousand dollars, almost excited knowing that when she clears the table, the real fun starts.
Luckily, it doesn’t take her long, and I’m pulling her up out of the stool by the hand.
