Chapter 40 Everett
FORTY
EVERETT
The guys left about an hour ago. I don’t know where they went or when Kashton will be back. Who knows how long we’ll be in Sin City, so I went ahead and unpacked our things because I don’t like living out of a suitcase.
I walk out of our bedroom and see the girls must be in their rooms. I’m already bored to death.
I’m not much of a gambler, so I’m not sure what to do.
Plus, I’m not sure how Saint and Haidyn would feel if I took their wives out on the town.
I’ve seen what Ashtyn does when she runs wild in Las Vegas.
I knock on Charlotte’s door, and she opens it with a smile on her face.
“They said something about our own private theater. I thought we could watch a movie,” I offer. Kashton sent me a text of ideas to do with the girls without having to leave the Royal Suite. He was trying to be helpful, but I took it as a subtle hint to stay put.
“Sounds good. Give me ten minutes.”
I close the door and walk over to the one I think Ashtyn and Saint are occupying and knock on it.
She takes a little longer to open, and I give her a smile.
Be nice. I ignored her on the plane, but I can’t do that the entire time we’re here.
“Charlotte and I are going to watch a movie. Want to join us?”
“Yes.” A bright smile spreads across her face, and I feel bad for hating her so much. I’ve spent so much time all alone that I never stopped to think about someone like her—someone who once had friends and then lost them.
I give them both a few minutes to get ready while I call down to whoever is in charge of this room. I ask if we can watch a movie and am told they will get the room set up with everything we need.
Less than fifteen minutes later, we walk into a room that could easily seat fifty people with an IMAX screen and all the goodies we could think of, from popcorn to candy and ICEEs.
“What would you like to watch?” the man asks.
“I love Pretty Woman,” Charlotte answers.
“Hmm.” Ashtyn frowns at that option. “What about Titanic?”
“Oh, I like that movie too.” Charlotte nods, sitting in a black leather chair. She presses the button to recline her seat, wrapping up in a blanket. She places her cell in her lap and stares at it for a second. When she looks up and notices I’m watching her, she gives me a big smile.
“Everything okay?” I ask. She looks worried. Maybe she’s still getting sick and needs something.
“Yep.” When she looks away, her smile falls.
I glance at Ashtyn, and she’s staring at me expectantly.
Oh, yeah. Titanic. I shrug. “Sure.” I’m up for whatever.
I just needed something to do. I don’t want to be that woman who waits around for a man.
I almost roll my eyes at that thought. I followed him to Vegas, didn’t I? That’s already a failure in my book.
The butler starts getting everything ready, and Ashtyn grabs a cherry sucker out of a glass bowl. “Want one?” She holds another out to me.
“Thanks.” I take it as she tries to hand one off to Charlotte.
“No, thank you.” She yawns, and I have a feeling she’ll be the first one out.
We all get comfortable, and the movie starts. As I predicted, Charlotte is out, with her cell in her hand before Jack and Rose’s iconic back-of-the-boat scene.
Ashtyn sucks on her sucker like it’s a dick, and the slurping noises are grating on my nerves. She pulls it from her lips. “This…this is my favorite scene.” She looks at me, smiling.
And I don’t like it. It’s one of those I know something you don’t know smiles.
She shoves the sucker into her mouth once again and goes back to trying to get it off. I watch her, wanting to slap it out of her pouty lips.
KASHTON
The guys and I enter the conference room of the old, abandoned airport that they refer to as the Airport. It is known as the most elite illegal gambling ring in Nevada. The Mason brothers own it and are already sitting at a table, awaiting our arrival.
“Hooke,” Tanner Mason, the oldest brother, says. “Since when do you need an entourage to talk business?”
“What business?” Bones digs.
“That’s not why I’m here.” Hooke speaks to Tanner, ignoring Bones.
“Then what is the emergency, boys?” Tanner looks to each of us.
Haidyn pulls out his cell and scrolls through it for a second before holding it out. “You sent me this video. We need to find the woman.”
Tanner frowns. “Why? Don’t you have Hudson? Just ask him.” He, too, is in the video with the woman, walking around the Airport.
“Can’t.” Haidyn shakes his head.
“Did you kill him already?” Trey, the youngest of the brothers laughs.
“Nope, but I ripped his eyes out. He can’t see shit. And when I asked, he refused to cooperate.” Haidyn grunts.
“You ripped his eyes out and he survived?” Trey sounds impressed.
“Very fortunate, I know.” Haidyn smiles proudly.
“Why is she important?” Turner, the middle brother, takes a look at the video.
“She was a Queen,” Titan answers. “A few years back.”
“She’s also my assistant,” Hooke adds. “Has been for two years now. As far as I knew, she didn’t know the Lords existed. Then she gets spotted with one in Vegas…” He shakes his head. “We’re missing something.”
“Technically, Hudson isn’t a Lord,” Saint reminds him.
“Close enough.” Hooke huffs. “Whether he had been initiated or not, he was still working for them.”
“Maybe she was working that weekend?” Turner offers.
“No,” Titan says. “All bookings for Queens go through me. She knows that.”
“Maybe he offered her a bonus to keep it hush-hush. Old client who wanted to meet up? I’m sure it happens.” Trey shrugs and adds, “You can clearly tell she’s working.”
Titan runs a hand through his hair, not wanting to argue because it could be possible.
Hooke speaks. “That’s an option, but she told me she was coming here for a photo shoot.”
Tanner sits back, crossing his arms over his chest. “What kind of photo shoot?”
“It was for a magazine. The photographer was Harvey something.” He waves his hand in the air.
The Mason brothers exchange a look, and Hooke steps forward and barks, “Fucking speak.”
Tanner stands and Haidyn grabs Hooke’s upper arm to pull him back from the table. “We’ll check the cameras. Do a facial recognition, but it could take a few days.”
“We’ll wait,” Saint tells them.
“What exactly are we looking for?”
Hooke sighs because that’s an open question. “If she was with one Lord, I’m assuming she knows others.” He shrugs. “I’d look through footage before and after the date that she was here with Hudson.”
Tanner nods. “We’ll keep you updated.”