My mind drifts to Alfie. I haven’t seen or heard from him all day. I also haven’t attempted to reach out. We have seen each other every night for the last week, usually in the middle of the night because he works odd hours. But I’ve always heard from him throughout the day, which makes it odd that he hasn’t been messaging or calling me.
If you had told me two weeks ago that you could get comfortable, addicted to someone’s presence within a couple of days, I would have told you to see a shrink. Now, I’m starting to think that maybe Alfie has cast some kind of voodoo spellover me, because I am addicted. I find myself looking forward to hearing from him, and I stay up waiting for him to come to my suite. There are times he comes and picks me up, just to take me back to his house. And I have to admit I much prefer being there than stuck in a stuffy hotel suite.
I do wonder what’s going to happen when I leave. I can’t stay in Las Vegas forever. I have a company to run. A home. A life. Okay, maybe not so much that last one, considering all I do is work. But I do need to get back to Seattle soon.
“You should just call him instead of looking at your phone and wishing for it to light up,” Angus tells me.
“I don’t want to be needy. I’m not that girl.”
“I don’t think the guy cares if you’re needy, Mol. I bet he’d get off on it.”
“Do not think about my boyfriend getting off, Angus.” I scowl.
“Oh, so we’re back to theboyfriendlabel again, are we?”
“No, it was a slip of the tongue,” I lie.
I think I really might like the idea of Alfie being my boyfriend more than I’m willing to admit out loud. Probably because I know it’s not going to work once I go home. Also, Alfie doesn’t seem like a commitment kind of guy. He’s the guy who enjoys a good time, not a long time.
“Just message him, Mol.” Angus rolls his eyes as he holds the car door open for me.
I pause before getting in and glancing around the street.
“What’s wrong?”
“The detail isn’t here.” I might pay my security detail to stay hidden, blended in, but I always know that they’re here. I do spot the five goons Alfie has following me. Two in a car behind the one I’m about to get into and three on the street just a few meters away.
Angus searches up and down the street. “Where the fuck are they?” he hisses.
“I don’t know.” I frown. My security team is paid to work exclusively for me. They don’t work for anyone else and they’ve never not been there. “Something feels off.”
“Get in the car, Mol. We’re going back to the hotel,” Angus says.
“No, we’re going to Alfie’s.” I slide into the back seat. I don’t know why, but I feel safer at Alfie’s house. I pull my phone out and call him to let him know I’m heading there.
“Molly, how’s your day going?” he answers after the fourth ring.
“Ah, fine. I’m on my way to your house. Do you mind if I bring Angus?”
“I don’t mind, but I’m not there,” Alfie says.
“I… ah…”
“What’s wrong?”
“My detail is missing and I don’t know why or where they are. I just know that they’ve never not been around before.”
“What do you meanthey’re missing?”
“I mean, I walked out onto the street where they should have been waiting and they weren’t. Your five goons were there, though. They’re following me now.”
“Okay, good. When you get to the gate, place your palm on the scanner and the doors will open for you.”
“Just like that?”
“I programmed your handprint into the system.”
“When did you do that?”
