Reid caught me, and in an instant our bodies were melted together.
I looked up into his blue eyes.
His gaze was so intense, I almost felt I should close my eyes against it. At the same time, I couldn’t look away. As the lights from the strip flickered in the background, his blue eyes outshone even the brightest neon.
“Easy,” he said. “I got you.”
He held onto me as I broke free from the grate. Except—
“Crap. Really?”
“What?” he asked.
Warmth spread over my cheeks. The heel to my shoe had broken off and was still stuck in the grate.
I let out a harried sigh. “Nothing. Just my best pair of shoes.” I pointed.
“I’m sorry. You okay on your feet?”
“Yeah.”
He steadied me, and then he knelt down and pulled my broken stiletto out of the grate. “I know a good cobbler who can fix this.”
“Please. Don’t worry about it.”
“I’m not worried.”
Then I gasped as he hoisted me into his arms. “What are you doing?”
“I can’t let you stumble up to your apartment.” He laughed. “You’re light as a feather!”
That was a lie. A big one. I was five nine and muscled from dancing. I weighed one fifty-five. He was probably used to scrawny models. I said nothing, though, as he carried me along the walkway up the steps into the building.
“Which floor?” He approached the elevator.
“Fourth, and that elevator hasn’t worked in years.”
“Oh? We’ll see about that.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing. Which way to the stairs?”
I gestured toward a door, and he carried me through. Then up one flight. Two. Three. Four. My God, the man wasn’t even winded. Somehow, he turned the knob on the door and carried me into the hallway.
“Apartment 404,” I said, “on the left.”
A few more steps and then we stood in front of my place.
“Got a key?” he asked.
“Just knock. Mo is home, I think.”
“Mo?”
“Short for Maureen. One of my roommates. She’s in the show, and we’re dark tonight, as you know.”
“Ah. Okay.” Reid knocked.
A few seconds later, Mo opened the door, clad in her Lucy and Linus pajamas. “Zee! What happened?”
“Nothing. Just broke the heel off my shoe.”
Mo smiled. “And who’s this?”
“Reid. Reid Wolfe,” he said as he walked into our tiny place.
“You can put me down now,” I said.
“You sure? You didn’t twist your ankle or anything?”
“I’m fine. Seriously.”
He let me down gently, and I stood, placing weight on both legs. The left ankle was slightly weak, but once I kicked off my other shoe and was level, I felt better. A little sore but nothing I couldn’t live with. I’d danced with worse. A little ice tonight and tomorrow, and I’d be ready for rehearsal at three and showtime at seven.
Reid gathered my shoes. “I’ll have these fixed for you.”
“Please. It’s not necessary. They weren’t expensive.” I’d gotten them secondhand on Posh, but I kept that to myself.
“It’s no problem. They’ll be messengered back to you tomorrow.”
“I’m working tomorrow.”
“Right. About that dinner after the show?”
“Shows are at seven and ten. There’s no time between for dinner, and I said—”
“Then I’ll make reservations for midnight. I’ll see you after the show.”
“Wait, I—”
“Great meeting you,” Reid said to Mo. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Then he was gone. Like a flash. Totally forgetting how I’d said I was always beat after two shows…
“Those are some crazy gorgeous eyes,” Mo said, “and the rest of him… Wow.”
I said nothing. What could I say? She was spot on.
“Where’d you find him?”
“Just a…get-together.”
“And you didn’t invite me? Are there any more like him?”
“First of all, we’re not together. I broke my shoe.”
“And he carried you up here.”
“Yes,” I said matter-of-factly.
“Lucky girl.” Mo flashed me a smile and then walked to our tiny kitchen.
Funny.
I didn’t feel so lucky.
4
Reid
Oh, yes. This was going to be a challenge.
Any other woman would be in bed with me right about now, screaming my name.
Of course any other woman—at least any other living woman—hadn’t been so viciously victimized by my psycho father.
No problem. I had a few days at my disposal. I’d be working my ass off with the legal team, of course, but I never had trouble finding playtime.
I’d sleep on it.
I texted my assistant, Terrence, quickly and told him I needed tickets to Zee’s ten o’clock show tomorrow, pronto, and then I turned to emails.
I’d gotten through a few when my phone dinged with a text.
Terrence was damned good. He’d been my assistant for a couple years now, and I swore the dude had connections even the Wolfes didn’t have.
Except…the text wasn’t from Terrence.
I hear you’re in Las Vegas, gorgeous. So am I, as it happens. Want to meet for a drink?
Nieves Romero. My brother’s old flame who I just happened to fuck a couple weeks ago when she showed up in New York.
Not my finest moment.
But damn, she was hot. Rock had given her the brush-off, so she’d been ripe for the picking.
What the hell did she want? Then again, what did it matter?
I could use a good fuck.
Sure. I’m staying at Wolfe Premiere. Meet me in the bar in a half hour.
You got it, hot stuff.
How did she know I was here? Maybe I could also get some information out of her. She and her sister, Leta, seemed to be involved in this mystery somehow, but how? And why? They had no connection to my father.
Not that we knew of, anyway.
The limo dropped me back at the hotel. I checked my phone for the time. I had fifteen minutes before Nieves showed up in the bar. Time for a few games of blackjack. I was a whiz at the game.
The high-stakes tables called to me. I found a spot and laid a thousand dollars on the table for some chips. Then I laid all the chips out for the next deal.
The rush of gambling had been my downfall when I was younger, until my father taught me how to control the urge. He taught me never to leave too much to chance and to stay in control of every situation. If the table wasn’t cooperating, leave.
Lose two games in a row, get up and walk away, was his motto.
It hadn’t failed me yet. Sure, I lost sometimes, but more often than not, I left richer than I started.
Funny. My father was an asshole extraordinaire, but he taught me the ins and outs of business and pleasure.
I was fucking lucky he hadn’t drawn me into his hunting games. Had that been his plan?
I’d never know, thank God.