Chapter 4 Georgie #2
Maybe. I sure as hell didn’t recognize the young man I’d crushed on in this hard, rough-looking man.
Even if I did find him, would he care? He’d left, he’d promised to come back, but he never had.
I was probably just a distant memory to him.
He was gone, like everyone else in my life.
He’ll always help you out, Georgie. What he’s turning into…he’s enough to scare the biggest bad away.
He’ll always help you out.
My brother’s voice echoed in my head.
If Nash was as well-trained and as dangerous as Elliot had suggested…
Resolve tinged with electric excitement filled me.
I’d take one chance to see if I could find him, but I wasn’t going to waste time on it. If I didn’t find him, then screw it.
I stared at the photo on my phone again. Was the man spotted in the Avernus casino really Nash?
A part of me screamed that I didn’t need him. That I was better off doing this myself.
The only person I could depend on was me.
Slipping off the stool, I headed for the door. I wasn’t going to let Snyder use and kill another woman.
I was going to kill him.
But as I neared the door, I saw a group of Snyder’s goons. Bruno and five others. They milled around, all relaxed and confident, sure they could get away with anything.
How the hell would I do this alone?
I had money. I could pay for help. My nose wrinkled. There was no one I trusted.
I headed for the exit, and my hand slipped into my pocket and clenched on my phone.
Having someone to help me might also increase my chances of actually killing Dean Snyder.
For that, I’d risk anything.
What the hell was I doing here?
Still in my outfit and black wig, I wandered through the casino floor at the Avernus.
The place was gorgeous.
It wasn’t as tacky and in-your-face as some of the other casinos. It was like walking into classy sin.
The casino was done in black with bronze accents.
The carpet was a plush black, with bronze geometric designs.
Around me, poker machines sang and dinged.
I wandered through, eyeing the cocktail waitresses and waiters.
They looked just as classy as the rest of the place.
They all wore black pants and shirts, topped with a bronze vest covered in an ornate pattern.
I passed a roulette wheel, clacking as it spun, my gaze skimming over the people laughing and playing.
They didn’t seem to have a care in the world.
I’d already told myself I wasn’t going to find Nash.
But a little voice sang to me that maybe it was fate.
It didn’t matter. Whatever happened, if I had to take down Dean Snyder myself, I would. Hopefully in time to save Shandy, and any others he was grooming.
I caught the attention of a nearby server.
“What can I get you?” the woman asked, a friendly smile on her face.
“I’m looking for a friend.” I pulled the folded piece of paper out of my pocket. I’d stopped at a 24-hour printing place and printed out a copy of the photo. “I was told he comes here. Have you seen him?”
She glanced at the picture, her brow creasing. “He doesn’t look familiar, honey. Sorry.”
I nodded my thanks.
I checked the bar and got more head shakes. Dammit. This was turning into a wild-goose chase.
Spotting another server heading my way, I shot him my best smile. “Hi.”
He smiled back, balancing a loaded tray of drinks like a pro. “Hi. You want to order something?”
“Not right now. I’m looking for my friend. Another friend said he’d been in here.” I held up the picture.
The man’s face stayed neutral, but I saw a flicker in his eyes. “Nope. Sorry. He looks like a hundred other guys who pass through here.”
I stepped closer. “You know him.”
The man’s eyes widened. “I don’t.”
I grabbed his arm. “Please—”
He wrenched out of my hold. “I can’t help you.” He turned and hurried away.
Nash. Nash was here.
Or he had been.
“Sweet cheeks, I can be your friend.”
I spun around. A guy wearing a baggy suit, in his late thirties or maybe early forties, was standing too close to me. He was holding a glass of whiskey, and he shot me a smile he probably thought was sexy. His face was flushed. This clearly wasn’t his first glass.
“No, thanks.” I turned.
An arm snaked around my middle. I stiffened, fighting the pain as he put pressure on my sore ribs.
“Let me go,” I said through gritted teeth.
Hot breath brushed my ear and I smelled alcohol fumes.
“Sweetness, we can have so much fun together.”
Anger speared up like a geyser. This guy thought he could ignore what I wanted, touch me without permission. I was fucking sick of assholes who thought they could just do whatever the hell they wanted to women.
I stomped my sharp heel down on the top of his foot. He cursed and bobbled his drink, spilling it over his hand. His arm loosened.
Spinning, I grabbed his other arm and twisted it up behind his back.
“Ow. Ow. Bitch.”
“Oh, it’s bitch now, not sweet cheeks?” I landed a hard shot to his ribs, and he sucked in a breath.
I twisted his arm some more.
He went up on his toes. “You’re gonna break my arm!”
“Sounds like fun.” I twisted a little more.
Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted security incoming, pushing through the crowd.
That was the last thing I needed.
I leaned in close. “Keep your hands to yourself next time.” Releasing him, I strode into the crowd, letting myself disappear.
This was a waste of time.
I needed to be spending my energy on staking out Snyder and finding the right time to strike.
I’m doing this for you, Viv.
I ensured my pace stayed slow and steady. I walked unhurriedly out the front door of the casino. Even outside, I was careful to keep my pace measured, like I wasn’t in a rush. Nothing to see here.
It wasn’t until I was a block away, and getting close to where I parked my car, that I pulled the wig off. I shook my hair out.
I just wanted to get back to my hotel room, take my makeup off, and put my pajamas on. Maybe I’d find some action movie to watch and zone out.
I’d only taken a few more steps when I realized that I’d dropped the photo of Nash. I patted my pockets. No photo.
Oh well. It probably wasn’t him.
Maybe it was a sign that it was time to forget about him, once and for all.