Chapter 30
BASTIAN
“Bowling?” Lark let out a laugh.
I liked seeing some of the tension melt off her. I’d brought her to the casino’s bowling alley. The crack of balls hitting pins rang through the place. There were several groups at one end of the lanes. We had a more private lane at the other end.
“You’ll have fun,” I promised her.
And for at least an hour or so, she wouldn’t think about death or the man who’d killed her parents.
“Um, okay.” She looked up, peering at the pins. “I’ve never bowled before.”
I stilled. Fucking Ed. He’d taken in a young girl and never let her have any fun. Had he ever let her be a kid?
No. He’d probably started her training as soon as he could. He hadn’t known any different.
“It’s the perfect time to learn.” I picked up a bowling ball. “Okay, get a feel for this.”
She took the ball, testing the weight. “It’s heavy.”
I grabbed a lighter one. “Here. Put your fingers in the holes.”
She lined up, eyeing the pins again. She glanced over at the other bowlers. “It doesn’t seem too hard.”
“There’s an art to it.”
She cocked a brow. “Really? An art to throwing a heavy ball?”
I smiled. I loved that look on her face. “Yes.” I maneuvered her into position with my hands on her hips. “It’s best that I show you the correct stance and technique.” I caressed her ass.
She laughed. It was a beautiful sound and things inside me tightened. I reached around, cupped her cheek, and kissed her. She made a needy sound and went up on her toes.
Thunk.
I broke the kiss and saw that she’d dropped the bowling ball, thankfully not on our toes.
“Oops,” she said.
“Come on, little bird. Let’s see who’ll win.”
I handed her the ball back, then input our names onto the small computer screen. They appeared on the larger screen above the lane. Reaper and Nightingale.
Her gaze narrowed. “I’m not going to let you win.”
“Good.” I knew she wouldn’t. She was too competitive and she’d make me work for it.
Especially when it came to winning her carefully guarded heart.
I drew in a breath, watching her line up to bowl her ball.
I’d never wanted someone’s heart before. But I wanted hers. This woman—this small, fierce woman—was mine. The missing piece of me.
With Lark, I was myself. She knew my history, everything I’d done. I had nothing to hide from her.
And I knew she had the strength to stand with me, and stand up to me.
I’d never pictured realizing I was completely in love with a woman, and I’d definitely not pictured it while standing in the middle of a bowling alley.
She swung back, took a step, and tossed the ball. It rolled at top speed down the lane and knocked down all the pins except one.
“Yes!” She threw her arms up and did a victory dance.
This. I wanted this. The quiet moments where I could make her happy. Life didn’t always have to be life and death.
“It’s not over yet.” I took my ball.
We bowled, we laughed. She celebrated her strike, and pouted at mine.
I won the game, but only by a few points.
“You only won because of that lucky strike at the end,” she complained.
“Skill, not luck.” I slid an arm around her shoulders and led her out of the bowling alley. My plan was to feed her before she lost herself again trying to find the Red Ribbon Killer.
“I’ll get you next time,” she promised.
We walked onto the casino floor. I figured we’d grab something to eat from some of the casual dining options out by the casino shops.
It was busy this evening. All the tables were packed, and there weren’t any empty seats at the slot machines.
“Looks like you’re making lots of money tonight,” she said.
“It does.”
“Then you can give most of it away.”
“I don’t need it all. Have you been digging?”
“Yes. I know everything about you, Sebastian Thorne. You hide it well, but I found out about all your charitable causes.” She leaned her head against my shoulder. “Who knew the Reaper was such a nice guy.”
“I’m not a nice guy,” I said, offended.
She grinned. “Yes, you are.”
“The donations are tax deductible.
She made a scoffing sound. “You’re just a big softy.”
I hauled her closer. “Take that back.”
“No.”
“I think you need another spanking.”
She shivered. The blood in my body went south to my cock. Damn. I needed to get her back to the penthouse.
Then she stiffened, looking past me.
“Lark?”
Her brow furrowed. “I thought I saw…” She shook her head. “I must be working too hard and seeing things.”
No. Lark was the most observant person I knew. “What did you see?”
“I caught a glimpse of a guy at one of the roulette tables. He wasn’t watching the game, he was watching us.”
I felt a cold skitter down my spine. I scanned the roulette tables but didn’t notice anyone. “Go on?”
“He was older. Late forties, maybe early fifties. For a second, I thought he could have been the man from the photo.”
I scanned the crowd.
“There’s no one there. My brain must’ve imagined it.” She turned. “Come on, let’s—”
Now she went as stiff as a board.
I followed her gaze. The man was at least ten years older than me. He was in good shape, but there was plenty of gray at his temples.
It was the man from the photo.
I sucked in a breath. Seeing him in person, I recognized him.
“He was a CIA agent.”
“What?”
“Ed mentioned him once. David Thomas Dean. He was a mediocre agent who went rogue. Was caught selling classified secrets. He was kicked out of the agency and disappeared off the face of the earth.”
She hissed. “It’s him. The second Red Ribbon Killer.”
The man smiled and waved at us. Then the bastard turned and disappeared into the crowd.
Before I could do anything, Lark took off, sprinting after the man.
Fuck. I chased after her.