Page 45 of Targeted By Desire

“I’ll be fine,” I promised. “I took care of myself before, and I can do it now.”

“Alright,” he sighed. “But if you need help: don’t hesitate to make a scene.”

Nodding, I left his side and made a beeline for the bar. My admirer seemed to have a thing for a faux sense of privacy, so I sat near the end of the bar near one of the quiet, dark hallways.

I ordered my usual drink and sipped on it while I waited. If he was here, I knew he’d come over eventually. It’s not in his nature to see his prey sitting out in the open and not pounce. I was curious to see what his plan of attack was this time.

“What’s your poison?” His voice slithered into my ear after a few minutes. The chair beside me scratched the floor as he pulled it out and took a seat.

I glanced to the side, catching a pair of hands folding on the counter. It was the first time I’d seen his skin. In our past run-ins, he’d worn gloves. I didn’t know a rich, umber brown complexion lay underneath them. “Margarita,” I answered. “Yours?”

He waved the bartender over and asked for an old fashioned.

I grimaced at the order. “What are you, sixty?”

He chuckled. “If I was, I wouldn’t be able to keep up with you.”

The bartender slid him his drink.

From the corner of my eye, I watched him take a sip. He’d cloaked himself in the tiny corner of darkness at the end of the bar, so I couldn’t make out much of his face. Just the outline of his lips as they slipped around the edge of the glass. “I didn’t take you for a gambler.”

“You either.” He set the drink back down on the counter. “What are you doing here?”

“Oh, you know, I figured I could use a little weekend getaway.”

“To Vegas?” He asked, a grimace in his voice. “Why? Are you and pretty boy over there going to elope?”

“If we were, you probably would’ve known already. Since you like to be all up in my business and shit.”

“Oh, hush. You know you like it. If you didn’t, you wouldn’t be here right now.”

I scoffed. “Don’t flatter yourself. I did not miss you.”

“Then why travel all this way to check on me?”

I opened my mouth to respond, but I couldn’t think of a lie good enough to stand on its own.

Chuckling, his hand crept underneath my chair and yanked mine closer to his. My body tensed as his lips brushed against my ear.

“You were hoping to see me sweat, weren’t you?” He whispered, his deep voice sending trickles down my spine. “You wanted to see me squirm. Watch me spiral into a panic, wondering ‘how the hell did she find me’.”

“You’re not?”

It was his turn to scoff. “You wish.”

I turned my head to meet his gaze. He’d pulled me into the darkness with him, hiding us both away from the motions of the casino. Although I couldn’t see, I could feel his gaze piercing through me, searching for the smallest hint of fear. Something I refused to give him.

“Then, what do I get for coming out here? Seems a bit rude to know what a girl wants and leave her hanging.”

“Oh, I’d never leave a woman unsatisfied.” His hand clasped around my wrist, tugging me out of my seat. “You came here to play games - and I have the perfect one in mind.”

THE ASSASSIN

I thought Simone would’ve put up more of a fight when I towed her towards one of the private game rooms lining the hall. Instead of trying to wiggle her wrist out of my grasp, she eased her hand up into mine. Her skin, softer than velvet, grazed the callouses on my palm - and for a second, I wanted to drop her hand and bolt like a boy in over his head. But, releasing her was not an option. Not when there was still a chance she could run.

I led her into one of the empty rooms. The red carpeting from the main hall continued to run inside. The golden walls glimmered underneath the small bulbs embedded in the ceiling. A small card table, made of glossy wood, sat in the middle of the room. Four cushioned chairs sat on every end.

Simone barely glanced at the decor. Keeping her eyes straight ahead, she walked to the chair farthest from the door and took a seat.