I felt like I should hug him goodbye. Or maybe indulge in one more kiss. Instead, I opened the hotel door and stepped into the hall. Then I ran for the elevator without waiting for it to close, because if I’d taken one more look at Justus…I might never have found the willpower to leaveagain.
Six
Justus
LettingKaci walk out that door was the hardest thing I’d ever done in my life. Harder than leaving behind everything I’d ever owned and every friend I’d ever had. Harder, somehow, than preparing to say goodbye to my brother forever, viatext.
Yet not as hard as seeing her take off that ring. All because of a bottle ofvodka.
She was right. Alcoholwasthedevil.
But there was nothing to do now except put her out of my head. So I exhaled all things Kaci Dillon, double checked the room to make sure I wasn’t missing anything, and hooked my duffle over my shoulder on my way out thedoor.
By some miracle, the elevator was empty, which left me nothing to do during the ride down but think about her. Which was why I thought I was hallucinating when the doors slid open in the lobby and Kaci was standing right in front ofthem.
Her eyes widened when she saw me. She grabbed my arm and hauled me out of the elevator to the immediate right. Behind apillar.
“I was afraid you’d be coming down in one elevator while I went back up in another,” she whispered fiercely, peeking out at the lobby from behind thepillar.
“I’m right here. What’swrong?”
“Enforcers.” She pointed, and I followed her finger to where Vic stood near the main entrance, talking to Chris. “They haven’t caught my scent yet, but they know we’re here, and I heard Vic ask someone over the phone if he’d made it to the airport yet. You’re not going to make your flight. We’ll be lucky if we make it out of the hotel without an enforcerescort.”
“We?” I couldn’t resist a smile, despite the very real sense ofurgency.
Kaci rolled her eyes. “I’m still going back to the ranch. But I told you I’d help you get out of the country, and I keep mypromises.”
“Maybe this is a bad time to point this out, but last night you promised to love, honor, andcherish.”
“One more word, and I swear I’ll punch you.” She glanced at the ring on her finger in sudden fascination. “I’m guessing this thing would leave one hell of amark.”
“Am I allowed to comment on the fact that you’re still wearingit?”
“Rumor has it this rock is worth eight grand. Which makes it the most valuable thing I own by about six thousand dollars. Like I’m going to take that off before I figure out what to do withit.”
“Now who’s married for the money?” I teasedher.
She gave me a low-pitched growl, still watching Vic and Chris from behind the pillar. “We arenotmarried.” Then she grabbed my arm and started running. “Comeon!”
Though every instinct I had said our best escape plan did not include barreling through the lobby of Caesar’s Palace at full speed, dodging women in four-inch heels and families full of bored kids staring at iPad screens, I had little choice but to hang on tight and followher.
Now that I had her back, I wasn’t letting her goagain.
I glanced around the lobby as we ran, hoping that Vic and Chris had left, and that was why Kaci had decided to make a run for it. Alas, they’d only wandered over to the concierge, probably to show pictures of their “missing little sister,” or whoever they would tell people Kaciwas.
Because even if she was a man-eater, she wastheirman-eater.
Though I felt bad about that thought as soon as I’d had it. Marc and Faythe loved her like a daughter. Vic loved her like a sister. It was mostly the younger generation of enforcers who’d turned out to be whiny, thoughtlessassholes.
We were halfway to the entrance when the echo of our pounding steps caught Vic’s attention, and he turned. Then he grabbed Chris by the arm and pointed straight atus.
“Come on!” Kaci breathed, too softly for any of the nearby humans tohear.
I kicked in more speed and suddenly I was pullingher.
“Jared!” Vic shouted, as footsteps pounded across the lobby toward us, and I had an instant to wonder who he was shouting at. Then a large man in a black t-shirt and jeans—enforcer clothes—stepped right into ourpath.
Kaci squealed, startled as she skidded to a stop in front of him, and he grabbed her arm. “Be smart, kitten,” he growled, too low for anyone else tohear.
