Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 88580 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 443(@200wpm)___ 354(@250wpm)___ 295(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88580 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 443(@200wpm)___ 354(@250wpm)___ 295(@300wpm)
“Go to dinner with the guy. Sleep in his bed. Talk to him after work. Fuck him.”
“Roxie.”
“I mean it, keep on fucking him. Make sure there’s a real connection, not just a spark that’s going to fizzle out in a few weeks after all this commotion blows over.” She sits up straight suddenly and leans closer. “Do you know how often this sort of thing happens? This guy’s been your guardian angel for nearly a decade. He’s straight up obsessed with you, and he also happens to be beautiful and rich and yeah dangerous, but still. You won’t get another shot at this.”
I try to let her words sink in. I really work to picture myself with Adler, maybe having children for real, living in the hotel and working at the tables, making my life in the Sunrise. It’s hard for me to imagine, but it’s also a pleasant little dream. This place has been my home away from home for years now, and becoming Adler’s wife for real will only solidify my connection to this place in a way I never dreamed.
Someone knocks at the door. Roxie flinches, and I get up to check it out. Will’s standing in the hallway, looking bored.
“What can I do for you?” I ask, poking my head out.
His eyebrows arch. “I have a surprise for you.”
“I’m not sure I like the sound of that.”
“It’s not bad. Come to my office.”
I turn to look back but Roxie already waving at me. “Go ahead, I’ll see you later. I hear the spa calling my name.”
“She seems comfortable,” Will says as we head to the elevators.
“Can you blame her? Adler’s paying for everything, so she figures, why not?”
He shrugs and jams the button for the third floor. “I suppose this works out for her. You marrying Adler.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Not everyone gets this kind of treatment.”
“I’m sorry, are you pissed at her or something?”
He stares at the doors in front of him, lips pursed. “Roxie’s been a good employee for years. Why would I ever give a shit about her?”
I don’t know what to say. His shoulders are tense and his jaw works, and it seems like he’s pissed about something. Except I don’t think Will and Roxie have ever spoken in all the time I’ve been at the Sunrise, and I have no clue why there’d be anything between them.
I keep my questions to myself as Will leads me to his office. It’s down the hall past the security rooms. Enormous screens cover one wall, each showing a different view of the Sunrise’s gaming floor—from the table games to the slots. I stare in amazement at the level of detail as the facial recognition software works in the background, analyzing faces, pulling up profiles, scanning through the crowd. I barely notice the person sitting on the chair in front of the desk until he clears his throat.
“Hey, big sis.”
I blink rapidly as Shane stands up. “What? You’re here?”
“Been here for a couple days.” He gives me a sheepish grin. His skin’s pale and he’s covered in a sheen of sweat, but he looks better than I’ve seen him in a while. At least his eyes aren’t glassy. “Struggling through.”
“Are you serious?”
“Cold turkey,” he says. “Sort of. I got a doctor giving me some methadone to help take the edge off, but it doesn’t fucking work.” He glares at Will before composing himself. “Sorry. Struggling.”
“It’s okay,” Will says. “Take a seat, everyone.”
I walk over and hug Shane tightly. He smells like cigarettes, but that’s better than the alternative. “I’m so happy you’re here.”
“Will found me and brought me in. Didn’t give me much choice though.”
“I’m just glad you’re safe.”
“I thought I was good at hiding.” He laughs, rubbing his head. “Guess not.”
We sit then and Will studies us from behind the desk. His fingers steeple under his chin and his lips press together. He’s a decent-looking guy, and I wonder if Roxie got involved with him somehow without telling me. It’s totally possible—she can be secretive sometimes—and he’s totally her type: tall, intense, tattoos, dark hair, dark eyes. But it’s probably just my imagination and there’s nothing between them.
“I’ll be honest, this isn’t an entirely happy reunion.” Will looked at something behind us. “But I’ll let him explain.”
I turn to look over my shoulder—and find Adler closing the door behind him.
“What’s going on?” I ask.
Adler gives me a hard look then turns to Shane. “We need to talk,” he says. “And it’s about Tony Vetch.”
Chapter 38
Adler
The tension in the room gets heavy. Casey doesn’t look happy, and her brother’s practically shaking with detox and nerves. Not that I blame him—the poor bastard inserted himself into the middle of a nightmare.
“I don’t work for him anymore,” Shane says. “That job ended a while ago.”
“But you did work for him,” I say, not giving him a chance to wriggle out of this. “He sent you here to spy for him and you happily complied.”