Chapter 1 #2
She tried to extinguish the longing in her eyes, but I caught it.
“You can go,” I said hastily, hating the attention on me.
“No,” they all said and started in my direction.
I backed up, holding my hands up. “It’s fine. They’re full. I’ll wait.”
They hesitated. They wanted to be ride or die, but they also wanted to go into the trendy casino nightclub run by a hot CEO. It was all they’d talked about on the flight down.
Kaitlyn frowned, wringing her hands together. “We can’t.”
“Go.” I shooed them away. “Really. I’ll be fine. I might even go back up to my room. I’m really tired.” That was the truth, but humiliation was better experienced in private.
Destiny shook her head, the light dancing off her glossy black hair. “Autumn—”
“Last chance,” the first bouncer barked at my friends.
“Go on,” I stressed. “Really, it’s fine. I’ll be in in a few minutes.”
“Only if you’re sure,” Kaitlyn said, her glossy lower lip pouty.
The second bouncer ushered them into the silver-tinged shadows. I waved and forced a big smile. “Have fun.”
I watched them rush away, tears poking the backs of my eyes. I turned a direct gaze toward the first bouncer. “I’m not getting in, am I?”
To his credit, his expression contained mild regret, and he shrugged. The bouncer next to him waved three more girls inside. Each of them wore a handkerchief and little else.
Right. I pushed a lock of hair behind my ear. I’d left it down for once. I might have a matronly style, but my red hair screamed young and vivacious. It was the only part of me that was wild. Most of the time, I was okay with that.
I might’ve wished to be lying in bed and watching a movie a few minutes ago, but the reality of doing so because I hadn’t been sexy enough for a club in Vegas stung.
I stepped out of the line, but I didn’t want to go back to my room. There was a bench by the wall. Maybe I’d wait for a few minutes. The club might be so boring my friends would pour out and we’d go do something fun, something we could all enjoy.
I’d just wait for a few minutes.
Gideon
For fuck’s sake, she was still there.
I glared at the screen on my desk. I could scroll through any part of Silver any minute I wanted.
I could go back three months, or I could watch live like it was my very own streaming show.
Rarely did I need to. But when the reservation system had sent a flag to my office weeks ago, I’d made sure I was ready.
That fucking family.
I had put the goddamn Baileys into the system. If they used a credit card or tried to reserve a room, I’d put a stop to it. On a whim, I had added the Kerrigan sisters too. Were the Baileys trying to get dirt on me?
There were no secrets. I’d worked fucking hard to get this corner office and an entire casino of staff under me.
Like my grandfather had said, What a man owns defines him.
I didn’t own the place, but I ran it. I controlled it. I grew rich from it. Rich enough to buy anything I wanted—only to have my father ensure I didn’t have a say about the one property that mattered to me.
Goddamn him.
You need to make this yours. A man is nothing without his legacy. My grandfather’s words had been running nonstop through my head since Dad had called to tell me he was selling.
I squeezed a fist as I watched the woman on the edge of my screen. The image was slightly grainy. She had one leg crossed over the other and was scrolling through her phone.
She hadn’t been allowed into Glitter.
What had she been thinking? Couldn’t she tell she was way out of her league? The girl wasn’t showing more than an inch of skin at her collar line. Her bare neck wasn’t enough to gain entrance into the club.
Glitter’s manager was relentless about his “standards,” and I’d had more than one argument with the board about that jackass, but Glitter’s bottom line spoke louder than me.
I studied my screen. I didn’t know Autumn Kerrigan personally.
I knew she taught third grade at the lone elementary school in Bourbon Canyon.
I knew she and her sisters had been adopted after their parents had died in a nasty wreck.
And I knew that she was staying in room 1405, ten floors below my own suite.
She must’ve known that she wasn’t getting inside.
Her friends had ditched her?
A tingle of dismay crossed through me. I didn’t like her, but getting ditched hit a sore spot with me. Who needed enemies when you had friends like that?
Autumn was buried in her phone, hunched over the device like she was trying to disappear in a casino full of cameras that caught every angle.
I’d seen all those angles.
Ever since she’d checked in. I’d seen the way she’d tapped her foot while waiting for her card to run.
How she’d laughed with her head back and that wavy hair falling down her back.
How she’d held the door for all her friends to enter the public restrooms first, like a damn gentleman.
She’d shown them more consideration taking a piss than they had for her a half hour ago.
My phone buzzed. I didn’t bother to check it.
Taya was at the club and wanted me to join her. We’d have our own private booth. As the brains behind the casino’s financials, she’d want to talk shop. Then she’d want more. I hadn’t succumbed in a while.
A part of me was . . . restless. Taya and I worked together, and occasionally, we fucked. She looked good on my arm, and she liked how my name opened doors for her.
I glanced at the screen. I’m waiting.
She didn’t like to wait.
I had told her we could talk over the plans to restructure the parking garage and renovate several rooms into luxury suites. Rich people didn’t want to park with the masses.
I clicked out of the surveillance system and left my office. In the elevator, I snapped my suit coat straight and buttoned one button.
When I got to the second floor, I exited. The nightclub was street level, but I hated walking through the casino. The barrage of sounds would only make me cranky before a financial discussion with Taya that was sure to be irritating. There was another bank of elevators closer to the nightclub.
Half the time, we fucked because we had to release the tension from arguing over finances. I got told what the investors wanted and it was up to me and her to carry out their wishes.
I rolled my shoulders. I should schedule a massage and get these kinks worked out.
I ignored the gawking of tourists. They were used to the tuxes of the casino staff, but I stood out. How, I didn’t know, but it was a reaction I’d accepted over the years.
An older couple loaded into the elevator in front of me.
She grinned, eyeing my suit. “Don’t you look fancy? Plans for tonight?”
“Yes.”
Her brows rose like she was waiting for me to continue. Her shirt matched her husband’s. A picture of dice with snake eyes on the front. Very Vegas. Very touristy.
She finally nodded and exchanged a get a load of this guy glance with her husband.
I suppressed a sigh. If only I could get a private elevator to the club, then I wouldn’t have to deal with the public. I ran the casino. I wasn’t the PR team.
When the elevator dinged, I hung back to let them out first. I was about to follow when a short bundle of cotton-candy-smelling woman crashed into me. I caught her by the shoulders before she staggered backward and fell.
“Oh, crap. I’m sorry.” Her rich voice rolled over me like a warm wave.