Eleven #2
“Wait,” Roxie said, startled that he was putting it on her. “You can’t give it to me.” The cool metal settled against her body as she curled her fingers around the gem hanging over her breasts. “Is it real?”
“Yes,” he said, taking her fingers away from the diamond to admire it. “If you lose it, you have to tell Ballard immediately.”
“Immediately? So he can have me arrested?”
“No,” he said, amused again. “So he can cancel your credentials. It’s your security pass.”
“I don’t… I don’t understand.”
“There’s a chip built into the setting,” he said. “We don’t want our guests worried about codes or cards. The chip will speak to any protected doorway as you approach.”
“If I’m allowed in, the door will work. If I’m not, it won’t.” He nodded once. “Does that mean I should be careful about standing too close to protected doors? How will I know it’s protected?”
“It’s smart technology, Lola,” he said. “The door literally senses your approach. If you are not the person moving toward it, it won’t open.
It doesn’t work only by proximity; the doors have motion sensitivity…
Anything seriously restricted is behind more than one door anyway.
Even if someone got through an initial door, they wouldn’t get through the second. ”
“You’re a paranoid guy.”
“A smart guy,” he said and reached over the bar again. He put a small jewelry box on the bar and picked up his phone. “I also happen to have a relationship with Dyce Technologies.”
“They invented basically… everything.”
“And we have access to their R&D department.”
“Because you own part of that company too?” she asked, reading in his expression that he did. “I saw their CEO on the web one time, they were launching something or something.”
“Yeah? Couldn’t have been a successful launch if you can’t remember what it was for.”
“He smiles too much,” she said. “I got the impression he was counting his money while he talked to a bunch of suckers.”
He laughed. “I’ll tell Zane you said so,” he said, nodding at the box. “Put your thumb on top.”
“What?” Roxie asked, still recovering from the whiplash of the last comment. “You don’t mean that you’ll actually… You’re not really going to tell him I—”
“I sit on their board. We have an AGM coming up.”
Flicking her hair from her face with a quick head turn, Roxie didn’t know whether or not to believe him. “Did I just insult one of your friends?”
“Zane’s a serious guy. There’s nothing like feedback from the audience. Maybe the next launch will be even more successful.”
“I am not his target audience. My phone is like six years old. I’m definitely not an early adopter.
” His expressive eyes twitched in question.
“Yeah, I’m not a complete idiot. I minored in business.
” He cleared his throat in what she was sure was a disguise for an instinctive laugh.
Roxie glared. “You think I’m an idiot because I’m not one of your billionaire buddies? ”
“No. I’m sorry, I… I imagine you’d be more of a distraction than an asset in the boardroom.”
“Because I’d actually ask questions rather than toe the company line?”
“Toeing the company line is not something you’d ever be accused of, Lola,” he said. “You’re too honest to make it at the top level, and believe me, that’s a compliment.” Roxie wasn’t so sure, but he kept on smiling and gestured at the box again. “Put your thumb on top.”
Still side-glaring at him, she shifted the box to do as he said. “Why are we doing this?”
“Hold it there.”
He was doing something on his phone again. This time, Roxie peeked. “Am I your patsy?”
“No,” he said, another laugh riding the word.
“You smile too much too,” she muttered.
“Only when you’re around, Lola,” he said without giving pause. “Okay, you’re good.”
“I can move now?” she asked and got the nod. “What was that for?”
“Just toss the box into your room on your way out.”
“I get to keep the box?”
“And the pendant,” he said. “Put the pendant in the box if you take it off. It’s coded to your thumbprint.”
“Wow,” she said, picking up the box. It looked like any other jewelry box, an off-the-charts high-end one, but still a jewelry box. “It would be impressive if it wasn’t for one major flaw.”
“What’s that?”
“If someone wants to steal it…” Roxie held up the box. “They can take it in this.”
“The chip won’t work while it’s in the box.”
“So they could steal it, but not use it? I guess that gives me time to tell your buddy that it’s gone. The diamond is probably worth more than most people make in a year. That’s worth selling on its own.”
“It’s insured,” he said, opening an arm. “Your friends are waiting.”
Leaving? Yes, she was supposed to leave. Downing the last of her drink, she hopped off the stool, ready to hit the road. The rest of her had a different plan. Dizzy, she caught his arm to balance herself. Heels on marble while her blood was twenty proof wasn’t a great combination.
“I’m good,” she said, letting go of him in a hurry. “All good.”
Staying close, he began to walk her toward the entrance. “Ballard will look after you,” he said. “He’ll drive you there and take you in the side.”
“I can’t go in the front? Because you can’t show the world you’ve lowered your standards so far?”
“Gotta keep up appearances, Lola, you understand.”
He was hilarious, in his own way.
“Now I won’t feel guilty about not drinking all night,” she said, head held high. “I won’t be lining your pockets.”
“You can use any of the facilities and won’t pay for your drinks.”
News flash! “I won’t? Why won’t I?”
“Because you’re my guest.”
“Wish I’d known that before I went to the liquor store.”
He frowned. “There weren’t drinks in your room?”
“Do you know how expensive those minibar products are?” The pitch of his mouth adjusted again. “Okay, fine, so you can afford it. That doesn’t mean I’m interested in spending your money.”
He bowed a little lower. “You’re on the company dime, Miss Kyst.”
“So I can bankrupt it with booze?”
“You can try,” he said. “The media might recognize the spending anomaly in our financials. If you’re happy to face their scrutiny, have at it. Don’t think I’ll cover for you, I’ll point right at you in public when we start to talk layoffs.”
Shaking her head, his enjoyment at her expense was perplexing. He was so different from what she’d first assumed. “Zairn,” she whispered, stepping closer when he straightened.
“What?” he asked when she didn’t follow his name with anything.
“Nothing, I… don’t think I’ve said it before. In my head, you’re Lomond.”
“My last name isn’t an insult.”
“No,” she said. Her hand rose of its own volition. When her fingers sank into his hair, she grinned. “I’ll keep those to myself.”
Stroking his hair, she didn’t feel any impetus to stop or apologize.
“Too much gel?”
“No,” Roxie breathed, her fingers repeating their motion in his tapered businessman hairstyle.
His soft locks were always perfectly styled. Its length would look just as good relaxed… maybe better. Maybe Zairn wanted the world to believe he didn’t do relaxed… her private time with him revealed that wasn’t so.
They couldn’t stand there all night. She exhaled and lowered her hand.
“Have a good time,” he said. “Ballard will get you whatever you need.”
“Thank you,” she said as he opened the door.
It had been on the tip of her tongue to ask if he was going to be at the club later when she spotted the man in the outer hallway. He came over from the elevator, fixed on Zairn.
“Roxie Kyst, this is Sean Ballard.”
“It’s a pleasure,” Ballard said as a formality. His attention quickly switched back to his boss. “Og going over with you?”
“No, I’ll drive.”
“Last time you did that in Vegas we didn’t see you for three weeks.”
“Risk is the way of this city,” Zairn said, laying a hand on the small of her back to ease her out. “Enjoy yourself, Lola. Take care of her.”
The door closed, sealing her in the hallway with Ballard. About the same height as Zairn, he was bulkier, security must be his usual gig.
“You’re the guy who accused me of threatening Zairn.”
“Water under the bridge, Miss Kyst,” he said, stepping back to press the elevator button. “Shall we go get your friends?”
Despite being in Vegas, she was losing the urge to party. Still, her girls expected it and Roxie couldn’t let them down.