“But I don’t think you’re supposed to.” The air between us feels lighter now, and I push off the desk walking up next to her. “Stay close today,” I say softly.
She looks at me, a small crease between her brows. “That an order?” she questions.
I reach out, pulling her into me. “It’s me asking you to stay close.” I pause tilting her chin up to look at me. “You chose to stay. Again. I’d rather not deal with your ex or Vivian anymore today. My patience only extends so far.”
My words almost sound worrisome. In a way, they are. The way Vivian looked at her as she walked away, I know that look. It’s the same look I give to the people I make disappear. Her eyes bounce between mine before she nods. “Okay.”
CHAPTER 28
Payson
The casino isloud and bright as I move through the crowd, barely paying attention to the noise around me, my mind on him and the way he asked me to stay close. “Hey, Pay.” I blink, turning just as Ashton appears at my side. “There you are. I’ve been looking for you,” she says. “You haven’t been answering my calls. I wasn’t sure you were still here.”
“I decided to stay for a few days.”
“Why the sudden change of heart?” She says, pumping her eyebrows like she already knows what I am fixing to tell her. “This wouldn’t happen to have anything to do with that mysterious stranger would it?”
I stay silent. How do I tell my best friend that not only did I sleep with this mysterious man who I have known less than a week, but I also chose to stay a few days with him? “Fine. Fine. You don’t have to tell me, yet.” She says, sarcastically. “We are fixing to head out…are you riding back with us?”
I shake my head as I reply, “no.” Instead my gaze drifts over the casino floor. Something doesn’t feel right. I look to theexits… the elevators… then to where I know he is standing. “I’m going to be staying for a while. You know, get the hang of this place. After all, I’m supposed to be moving into one of the rooms here for the next few months when the designs are ready to be installed.” Half of what I said is true, but it’s not the reason. He is. She looks to me, then sighs. “Fine. Text me when you’re back at home. Actually, text me every other day so I know you aren’t dead.”
A small smile tugs at my lips. “I will.”
She nods once, then turns, disappearing into the crowd.
Instead of heading back to the room, I decide to take a walk around to clear my head. I walk for around twenty minutes, not paying attention to the no trespassing signs. The tile disappears beneath my feet replaced by unfinished concrete. I look up, realizing I have wandered into the part of the hotel and casino that’s being remodeled. Some walls have sheetrock on them, others still in the process of being framed. Wires lay exposed from outlets, and plastic hangs down from the ceiling serving as a barrier between me and what lies beyond it. Only the faint hum of some machine and then a sharp crack echoing from down the unfinished hall. I freeze. Another crack sounds, this time closer. Gunshots? My heart slams into my ribs as I turn to run, instinct taking over. I shove open the nearest door, a bathroom by the looks of it, slipping inside and pressing myself between the concrete post and the wall, forcing myself to calm my breathing. Another round of shots crack through the air, closer, but not near as loud as before. Silencers maybe. The faint sound of voices echoes throughout and my body moves quickly, going nowhere but up. I shimmy up the wall the best I can, bracing myself against the post and wall until I reach the ceiling.
My hands shake as I drag one of the ceiling tiles aside, just enough to push myself through. My muscles scream at me as I haul myself up into the space above. I have the upper bodystrength of a baby bird. I shift onto the thin beams, forcing myself to be as still as possible. The ceiling tile doesn’t sit quite right below me. There’s a small gap. If they look up they’ll see me. The bathroom door slams open, followed by voices and boots against the concrete. Men move throughout the room, fast and aggressive, kicking in each stall door one by one. Each bang of the doors rattles the beam I’m sitting on. I squeeze my eyes shut as they continue to check each stall. When they reach the stall door below me, it crashes open hard, slamming into the wall hard enough that I nearly fall from the beam.Please don’t look up. Please don’t look up.
The men speak in hushed voices so I can’t make out the words. One by one they start to retreat. I let out a slow breath, as my body starts to tremble as the adrenaline starts to catch up. Ever since I got here it’s been one thing after another. Why didn’t I just leave? Just when I think it’s over, a strong arm wraps around my waist hauling me back until we reach a wall. I gasp as a hand clamps over my mouth. “Don’t scream.” Gunfire erupts again, shielded by a silencer, but loud enough it’s deafening to me. This time, it’s ripping through the ceiling tiles just inches from where I was. I jump, pressing harder into the man’s body. He moves fast, shifting me behind him, shielding me from the shots. My eyes snap open, at the movement, and it’s him. Ledgar. His eyes find mine, and I see the moment his eyes flick with worry. His finger lifts to his lips, telling me to stay quiet. I can’t help but roll my eyes. How dumb does he think I am? His phone lights up silently in his hand. A call. He answers it, never taking his eyes off me as he does. He doesn’t speak, just listens. The call ends as quick as he answered it.
He hovers over me, pressing me harder into the wall. His gaze is dark, scary even. His thumb brushes roughly over my bottom lip. My heart races, and my body trembles from everything that just happened. That’s when I realize I no longerhear any shots. No hushed voices. No footsteps. Just the sound of my own heart racing in my chest. His hand wraps around my throat, and I instinctively flinch. Not tight, but enough to remind me I barely know anything about this man. His hand drops slowly from my throat, skimming my body just enough to make my breath hitch before it’s gone. I close my eyes, taking a deep breath. When I open them again, he’s gone. Is he angry? I couldn’t tell. I know I saw something flash in his eyes that looked like he was worried…about me. I slowly make my way down, hauling ass back to the hotel and locking myself in the penthouse. I’m not sure what just happened or how I got caught in the middle, but he made sure I survived it.
CHAPTER 29
Ledgar
I slamthe door to my office shut. The noise from the casino fades as I move to sit behind my desk. I run my hands through my hair, pulling, letting out a long ragged breath as I do. I contemplate on what I need to do. Do I call my brother and Jarrell, or do I pretend nothing just happened. It’s not the first time for that to happen to me, but that wasn’t directed at me. I think. And I can’t just ignore that. I pull my phone from my pocket and hit the dial. The line connects quickly as Griffith answers. “Brother,” he says sharply.
“I’m patching in Jarrell,” I say, dialing his number.
“Talk.” No greeting, no wasted time. He knows if I call something is usually up.
“Someone breached the construction level. They were armed, organized, and shot up the ceiling in one of the rooms.”
“What else?” Jarrell asks.
“This wasn’t random. They were looking for someone, and knew they would be here,” I continue. Silence stretches for a blip.
“Who?” Griffith cuts in, his voice sharp. It sounds like he’s up moving around, due to the noise coming from the background as he speaks.
I lean back against my chair, my gaze drifting to the security monitors. “She shouldn’t have been there,” I say instead.
Jarrell is the first to understand. “Payson.”
“Yes.”
Griffith exhales sharply. “How the hell…”
