Chapter 24 #2
“You’re wicked.” I tuck her under my arm and let the dancer grind on us. “You know how to take it up a notch. That’s for sure.”
“Wait until I get my turn with the guys.” She wiggles away from me and says to the woman who now has her top off and whose breasts are coming toward my face, “Do your best. He deserves it.”
I shift from beneath the stripper. “You’re pretty and have an impressive body, but my fiancée is over there about to have some muscular dude slipping and sliding all over her, and that’s not a vision I want living in my head.”
“I get it.” She shrugs and slinks over to Bren.
He opens his arms and welcomes another dancer onto his lap. “Thanks, Cash. It means there’s more for me.”
I roll my eyes. “Like you don’t get enough.”
“But this time, my sister is serving up the goods.” He leans back further to give the women more room to move.
I stalk to Livianna and tap the male dancer who’s taking off his pants, standing right in front of her. “Okay, that’s enough fun from other people.”
She giggles as I take her by the hand. “You’re being a party-pooper.”
“Guilty.” I look over the room.
Sexy music plays as the hired entertainment grinds and rubs against all the players in the room. They’re enjoying the time together, and there’s no doubt about that.
“Callum.” Livianna peers up at me with a smile full of sin. “If we can’t be a part of this, what do you think we should do?”
“Oh, love. I have an idea or two.” I lead her away and into our huge room.
She turns to me when I close the door behind us. “If you think you’re getting me out of my dress before we’ve even gone out, you’re sorely mistaken.”
“I don’t need to remove your clothes.” I step closer to her, unzipping the front of her dress.
She shakes her head. “Not yet.”
“Why?”
“Because I want to build up your desire for me.” She zips her dress up again.
“Vixen, I couldn’t want you more than I already do.”
“Not true. If you have to wait for me, you’ll want me more.”
I growl, but I’m not upset. “You’re killing me.”
“I’m not trying to, but this will be fun.” She opens the door. “Let’s go to one of the private gambling rooms they have. Maybe we’ll get lucky.”
“There are other ways to get ‘lucky,’ Livianna.” I adjust my pants to give me more room as I follow her out. “What about our friends?”
“I’ll text them where we are, and they can meet us.” She saunters into the living room, where five people are getting lap dances.
They’re grouping together, and I know exactly what my mates are thinking. This is only the beginning. If we don’t get out of here, there’s no telling what will happen.
I check my pockets. “You’ve got a key?”
“Yes.” She lifts her purse off a small table in the foyer. “Catch me if you can.”
She bolts out of the suite, and I’m on her heels in seconds. Two guards are already positioned outside the suite door when we emerge into the corridor.
I grab her around the waist. “You’re not getting away from me. Not tonight. Not ever again.”
She screams, but it’s fake. “Help me. This crazy man is chasing me.”
I can’t help it. I burst out laughing. “Livianna, people don’t know you’re acting, and you’ll confuse our security team for the night.”
She peeks back at them. “I’ll never get used to the idea of needing security like this.”
“We’re famous, love.” I guide her toward the elevators, hand at her back. “They go where we go.”
She considers that for a step or two. “I still forget that sometimes. To me, we’re just Callum and Lily.”
“That’s what they’re for.” I press the call button. “You get to forget it. I pay people to remember it for us.”
The elevator doors open. We file in with both guards, then descend. Livianna remains quiet on the ride down, fixing her hair in the mirrored panels. The doors slide open and we file out.
The main casino floor is all crystal and low light. The ceiling runs high. Gaming tables stretch out to the left, and the rings and dings from slot machines fill the air. Frosted panels mark the private rooms to the right, and that’s exactly where I’m heading.
“This way, Livianna.” I point to the closed-off area.
She veers that way. We’ve barely cleared fifteen feet when a man cuts a direct path toward us.
“Welcome to Efron Lux Towers.” Hunter Efron extends his hand to me first. “Cash Mayze and Livianna Hemings. I heard you were celebrating here tonight.”
“Hey, Mr. Efron. I always enjoy my time here.” I take his hand and shake it. “We’re planning to make good use of the casino tonight.”
His attention settles on Livianna. “Livianna, what a pleasure. Cash has played a few shows here, but the last time I saw you was New Year’s Eve, a few years back.”
“When was that?” She huddles closer to me. “Where were we?”
“We were in this hotel in one of the main event halls Mateo Beckett owns.” Hunter studies her when she stares at him with a blank face. “It was New Year’s Eve. I believe you were nineteen at the time.”
She shows him a kind smile. “Oh, that was a while ago. I’m having a hard time remembering that night.”
“Your friend Gia was with you.” He narrows his gaze. “Mateo Beckett and Jaxon Crowne were with you.”
“Mateo, the guy who owns those…?” Her cheeks turn red. “And Jaxon Crowne? They were with me?”
The name drops into the air between us and I leave it there, another piece of her past I have no business feeling anything about. But we just can’t escape him.
Livianna squeezes her eyes shut for a moment, like it physically hurts her to recall that evening.
Her eyes pop open and she gasps. “Oh my god. I apologize for being…too tipsy most of that night.”
Does she really remember, or is she faking it to maintain the facade that she doesn’t have her memories?
Hunter’s gaze softens. “I wasn’t with you that long, so I didn’t notice. Besides, most people who come here for New Year’s Eve are ‘tipsy.’ Don’t think twice about it.”
I place my hand on the small of her back. “As always, thank you for your hospitality.”
“Anytime. Mayhem brings in a great crowd when you have a gig here.” He gives a measured nod. “Your business is appreciated.”
“Thanks.” I wrap my arm around Livianna’s waist and pull her closer. “We wouldn’t stay anywhere else.”
“Thank you for your kindness.” She extends her hand to him.
He takes it, then tips his chin toward the frosted panels. “Enjoy the evening. An attendant will take you through.”
“We appreciate it.” I steer Livianna toward the panels, guards falling in behind.
A man in a dark suit waits near the doors. He pulls them open and leads us down a private corridor without a word.
Livianna leans into me as we stroll together, tensing when she does. “He didn’t seem to know I have no memories from that time.”
“We’ve kept it quiet, and those who know wouldn’t leak the information. But I’m curious, did you recall something back there?”
She goes quiet for a step or two, turning her head away from me. “Nothing important.”
Yeah, I’m not buying it. Something made her gasp and turn bright red. And now I have a dreadful feeling growing in my gut.