Chapter 12
Chapter Twelve
She could potentially be in a serial killer’s lair.
A very elegant, very expensive lair.
Charlotte let the guard escort her to the study, and with every step, she paid careful attention to her surroundings. She noted doors. She noted windows. She made a mental map of the penthouse.
“In here.” The guard opened the door to the right.
Charlotte slipped inside.
Big study. Shelves lined with leather-bound books. Heavy desk. A massive globe near the desk. Based on its size, she figured that globe probably contained a hidden bar inside it. She’d seen globe bars like that one before.
“I’ve brought you some refreshment.”
She glanced back at the feminine voice.
The woman with the long, sleek mane of black hair walked into the room. The woman who’d stood beside Ares in the dining room. Only she wasn’t alone. A waiter—looked like he was in his early twenties—appeared with her. He carried a champagne bottle and a flute on a silver tray.
“Open the bottle for her,” Evelyn instructed as the waiter put down the tray. She sent Charlotte a wan smile. “Apparently, the individuals in the other room are not very trusting. They want the bottles opened right in front of them. I am assuming you want the same thing?”
“That would be great.” She had zero interest in champagne and one hundred percent interest in searching as much of the penthouse as possible.
The waiter popped the cork. The bubbly flew, and he poured it into her flute with a flourish.
“A fantastic offering,” he said with a grin. “I’m sure you will love it.”
She took the flute. “Thanks.”
“We can also bring you in a collection of cheese, fruit, anything that you—”
“Sure, bring in a charcuterie.” Again, zero interest. But, why not?
The waiter slipped away. Evelyn lingered. Her stare was very watchful as it assessed Charlotte.
“Don’t you need to go deal?” Charlotte asked as the silence stretched. “I thought you were going to be passing out cards tonight for Ares.”
“Ares wanted me attending to you. Someone else stepped in for the games.”
There was literally not a single hair out of place on the woman’s head. How did she manage that?
“Hmmm.” Evelyn arched one brow as she continued to linger with Charlotte. “I’ve never heard of Logan bringing anyone to these events. He’s usually a solo player.”
“Guess I’m special.” She peered down into the champagne. The bubbles drifted to the top.
“Are you?”
Her gaze lifted.
Evelyn studied her far too sharply. “Are you special to Logan?”
Now she got it. “I see.” A nod. “Your boss told you to come grill me. Ares wants you to find out how deep my connection is to Logan.”
Evelyn shrugged one shoulder.
“Super deep,” Charlotte informed her. “In fact, I think he might even marry me.”
Evelyn’s eyes widened.
Charlotte laughed. “I am kidding!” She sipped the champagne.
Just a little sip so it looked as if she was relaxing and going along with whatever plan was scheduled for that night.
In reality, she was getting ready to grill Evelyn.
“Look, Logan isn’t serious about anyone.
” A chummy tone. As if she was confiding, woman to woman.
“I’m just enjoying the ride for as long as I can. ”
“Are you?”
Before Charlotte could respond, the waiter returned with a truly massive selection of cheese and fruit and who knew what else on the big tray.
After putting the tray on the desk, he ducked out almost immediately.
“Please make yourself comfortable. If you need anything,” Evelyn waved toward the desk, “you can ring that bell.”
Sure enough, a silver bell perched on the edge of the desk. A few inches away from the tray.
Evelyn turned away.
“How serious is it between you and your boss?” Charlotte asked on a whim.
Evelyn paused.
“It was the way you looked at him,” Charlotte said. A lie. There had been no giveaways. “You’re sleeping with Ares.”
“It’s not serious at all,” Evelyn turned without glancing back. “Ares is incapable of actually caring about anyone.” She exited. Closed the door behind her.
Turned the lock.
Wait, wait, wait. Charlotte bounded across the room. She wrenched the doorknob because surely that woman had not just locked the door.
But the door would not open.
The lock had been set.
Charlotte clutched the champagne flute with one hand while she jerked on the knob with the other. But the locked door would not open.
Not cool, Evelyn. Not cool at all.
Whirling, Charlotte rushed back to the desk. She lifted the silver bell. Rang it. Over and over.
No one came to the door.
Right. So much for the whole “If you need anything” crap about ringing the bell. Why even have the bell in that room?
Probably because Ares rings it all the time when he wants something.
“Dammit.” Charlotte swallowed a little more of the champagne, then clunked the flute down on the desk.
Whatever. Like a locked door would stop her. She’d pick the lock and get out. Easy. But, first, she intended to search the room she was in. She rushed around the desk and grabbed the top drawer.
Surprise, surprise, it was locked, too.
She snatched up a letter opener from the top of the desk, and Charlotte went to work on that lock.
She certainly hoped Logan was off to a better start than she was.
He won the first hand.
Lost the second. A deliberate loss. Not like he wanted everyone too suspicious of him.
He won the third round. Picked up a nice bit of change. At least the night would not be a total loss for him.
Now they were in the fourth game. Logan lounged at the table, body relaxed, but mind spinning. He didn’t like having Charlotte out of his sight. He wanted to go find her, and this BS play was getting him nowhere.
“Let’s raise the stakes,” Ares suddenly threw out. He inclined his head toward the dealer. “Evelyn, how high should we go?”
“The sky is the limit,” she murmured back.
Someone else had actually dealt the first hand, then Evelyn had returned and taken over for the second and third rounds.
Freya let out a bored sigh as she stared at her hand.
“I’m afraid the sky is not the limit for me.
I’m done.” She tossed away her cards. “I’ve reached my limit of play.
Three hands will be more than enough for me.
” A sly glance at the others. “I suspect the business you all want to conduct doesn’t really involve me anyway. ” She rose.
Pierre bit his lip as he studied his cards. “Not higher.” He tossed down his cards. “Already lost too much.” A seething glare toward Logan.
Logan winked at him. “Win some, lose some, mon ami.”
“Bring me something stronger to drink,” Carmichael groused. “And maybe I’ll stick around. Otherwise, my ass will be heading for the door soon.”
Ares didn’t pay the others any attention. “What about you, Logan? Are you ready to go higher with your bet? Or, perhaps after such an uneven night—wins and a loss—you might be…scared to continue.”
Seriously? “I am terrified,” Logan told him, voice hushed. “Shaking in my seat.”
Ares’s mouth tightened.
“What else do you even have that I want?” Logan mused. He let his eyes widen. “Oh, wait, this building is nice. In fact, it’s kinda the whole reason I came tonight. To get an up close look at the place.”
Evelyn cut her gaze toward Ares. Definitely a nervous tell.
You don’t want me looking at this building too closely. And why not? Now his curiosity had been stirred. “All right, Ares, I have a deal for you.”
“Do tell.” Ares didn’t blink.
“How about I offer up the Loutraki casino you just lost?” Logan kept his cards face down. He knew what he had. “In exchange, you can give me this building.”
Ares hesitated.
“Honestly, it’s one hell of a wager for you. The casino is worth more than this place, but I guess I’m just in a generous mood.”
Evelyn’s fingers reached out. Curled around Ares’s upper arm, almost as if she was trying to reach out and stop him.
What is so important about this building? Logan bet the authorities would love to have the opportunity to thoroughly search it. What is hidden inside? Weapons? Drugs?
Striving to appear disinterested, Logan cocked his head and rolled one shoulder. “Or I can just go collect Charlotte and spend the rest of the night having a much more fucking fun time?” Emphasis on the fucking part. “So, what’s it gonna be? Are we playing or is it game over for you?”
Why was the room spinning?
Charlotte slapped her right hand against the bookshelf near her side. She’d searched the desk. Turned up nothing useful, and her attention had shifted to the bookcase on the right. She’d barely started to explore them, though, when the first wave of dizziness hit.
Her eyes closed. She sucked in a deep, gulping breath. Then when she opened her eyes again…
Spinning. The bookshelves are spinning. The room is spinning.
Or…
Am I spinning?
Because she was suddenly on the floor, her knees having just given out on her. She stared up as everything seemed to spin and spin and…
I have to get out of here.
She rolled over and crawled for the door. A journey that seemed to take forever as nausea rose in her throat. She wanted to just stop. To curl up on that floor.
Have to get out.
Have to get…Logan.
She reached the door. Lifted her arm up and curled her fingers around the knob. Only the stupid knob wouldn’t turn. Why wouldn’t the knob turn?
It’s locked, Charlotte. You remember this. Evelyn locked you in.
Her thoughts were getting blurry. Fragmented. Charlotte feared she might just be on the verge of passing out.
That could not happen. If she passed out, she’d be vulnerable.
I need Logan.
But he wasn’t there.
She’d have to save her own damn self.
Evelyn licked her lips. Her hands hovered over the cards. She’d cheated while dealing the last hand. Oh, he knew that she had. Logan had been watching her carefully, and the woman was good, but she wasn’t outstanding. Especially when it came to cheating.
He could teach her a few useful tricks. If he’d been so inclined. But he wasn’t.