Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 73580 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 368(@200wpm)___ 294(@250wpm)___ 245(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73580 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 368(@200wpm)___ 294(@250wpm)___ 245(@300wpm)
“I know this is distasteful to you, but you need to step it up to ensure your safety. Play the besotted lover, or at the very least, the whore latched on to her favorite wallet. Whatever you need to do to tell the story, I don’t give a fuck.”
She nods, the set of her shoulders the only revelation of her tension. “Why? Why are we doing it this way, and not like hiding me in a closet somewhere until this all blows over?”
I give her a little smile. She’s earned it for not slapping me the second I grabbed her ass. “Because running and hiding isn’t my style.”
Something enters her eyes, not the questions I’ve watched her wrangle into submission every time she sees me, but something else. A darker knowledge I wouldn’t ascribe to a pampered princess like her. “What is your style?”
I lean in and scrape my teeth along her jaw. She arches into me, and for a second, I think we might pull this off if her reactions stay as genuine as that little shudder I just felt. “I don’t run and hide. I lay in wait. I learn everything I can about my enemies, then I strike hard and fast enough that they never see me coming.”
She digs her fingers into the back of my neck, leaning her face back as if welcoming my mouth on her skin, as her nails tangle in my hair. “What does that make me? An accomplice or a target?”
I nip her one more time and release her to hit the button on the elevator. Her face is flushed, her cleavage is higher in that obscene little red dress, and she looks thoroughly ready to fuck, as I intended. “I haven’t figured that out yet. So I guess for now, you’re safe.”
The elevator dings, and I hold my arm out for her to take, but she wraps herself around my side, letting me lead her out onto the loud floor.
Immediately, the sounds overwhelm me, but I quickly tune the dings and clinks of the machines and tables out in trade for the voices. People screaming in excitement, in anger, some happy, some intoxicated.
It doesn’t matter how many times I walk these floors; I always find the vibrancy of it all a little exciting. Like the carnivals I used to see as a kid and never got to go to. But that’s the point. Wind the people up and take their money.
I lead her along the edge of the floor, drifting, as if we have all the time in the world. To her credit, she doesn’t stumble along beside me, she clutches me tight, and saunters, exactly as I expect she would if she were walking in front of her people.
When I risk a glance at her face, she’s even wearing a slightly dreamy expression, like she can’t quite believe what’s happening. It’ll do, since I rarely even acknowledge our working girls.
We head to the club at the far end of the casino. It’ll just be picking up, and I can get a good read on where any action is happening tonight.
I lead her to the bar and signal the bartender. When the man comes over, he gives Selena a strange look, so I sit on the stool and pull her into my lap. She settles and leans into my chest, gathering my hand in hers and threading our fingers together. I toss fifty dollars on the counter and order two whiskeys. Technically, I don’t have to pay here, but I’d rather no one who doesn’t need the information know who I am.
He places the drinks in front of us and heads off to deal with more customers.
While she’s leaning back, giving me access, I trail my mouth down the side of her neck. “We’ll relax in the VIP area for a bit, and listen for anything helpful, and then we’ll head back upstairs. You won’t have to endure this for long.”
She wiggles in my lap like she’s ready for me to do a lot more than hold her. “Fine, lead the way.”
I ease her up, stand, and grab our drinks, pinching the glasses together in one hand, still holding hers in the other. We enter the VIP section, which is almost full already, and find a table near the border of the public area of the club and this more restricted area. It’s better to be able to hear things on both sides of the line.
A couple of the real working girls saunter past, swaying their hips, giving me wide Bambi eyes. I should have expected the attention since I don’t typically mess with any of them. They probably considered me off limits until now. Shit.
I pull her over into my lap again, this time putting her sideways so I can speak to her easily. “See, that wasn’t so hard.”