Authors: Lily Bishop
“I don’t know about that,” he said. “I
would feel better if you stayed in the room. Grab something to eat from the
minibar and we will have a late dinner when I come back.”
“What? It’s a hotel. I didn’t say I was
going to go walk the strip by myself. I like to people watch, and where better
to do that than Las Vegas?”
Ric frowned. “I need for you to stay in
the room while I’m gone. Can you do that, or does Xavier need to stay with you?”
Lindsey glared at him. “Fine. I’ll wait.
But I’m not spending the entire trip in the room waiting for you.”
Ric left Lindsey in the room with the
television remote and a bag of snack mix. He hoped she would do as she
promised. He met Xavier at the elevator and his attention turned to their
meeting with Miguel.
“Are you going to be okay seeing Javi?”
Ric knew how hard it was for Xavier to see his twin brother Javier. They had
not been on good terms in a decade, not since Giada had left Xavier for Javi.
Xavier stared at him not blinking. “I
don’t care if he is there or not. He is dead to me.”
“You don’t have to go. You can shadow
Lindsey.”
Xavier’s lips tightened. “I don’t trust
Miguel. I’d rather stay with you.”
The two of them went up to meet Miguel.
Javier opened the door and grunted when he saw his brother. The two brothers
had aged similarly, which was why he had been able to pass for Xavier. Javier always
wore a beard, but this time he was clean-shaven.
“Javier, good to see you. It’s been a
while,” Ric said.
Javier grunted. “Ricardo. I heard you had
sold out to the Yanks.”
“I run a resort. In fact, you were there
yesterday. I don’t know what you run, except my cousin’s social life.”
Ric pushed past him and went to Miguel,
who sat at the dining room table cutting into a huge steak. Xavier kept watch
at the door, glowering at Javier, who had yet to speak to him.
“There you are,” Miguel said. “I ordered
you a steak—still medium rare?”
“Always,” Ric answered. He adjusted his
cuffs and unbuttoned his jacket before he sat down, but left the jacket on. It
hid the gun in his waste-band.
Miguel motioned to the waiter standing in
the corner. “Bring
mi primo
his steak, please. Set the boys up with
their own plates at the counter there.”
Ric sighed, irritated. He hadn’t planned
on dinner with Miguel. Lindsey would not be happy. “While we’re waiting,
explain why I had to fly all the way to Las Vegas to talk to you. I don’t have
all night.”
“It would be rude to talk before we both
have our food.” He poured two glasses of red wine. “To our new partnership.”
Ric lifted his eyebrow, but he drank the
wine, a good Venezuelan variety if he wasn’t mistaken.
The waiter brought Ric a covered plate and
served it with a flourish. Ric cut into the center, and when he saw the bright
red streak, he nodded his approval. The waiter melted back into the corner.
Miguel leaned back and waited, watching
Ric. After a minute, Miguel continued cutting his steak into bite-sized pieces.
Ric watched as he cut the entire steak at once, instead of eating it bit by
bit.
“I need your help for my new enterprise.”
Ric hoped the recorder in his new watch
was picking this up. “And what is that?”
“All in good time. I need to move goods
through your island. Will you keep me clear of the customs inspectors?”
“I have to know what risk I’m taking. What
goods are you moving?”
Miguel just laughed. “I can’t tell you
everything yet. You have to prove yourself. Low risk. High reward.”
Ric closed his eyes, disgusted with his
cousin and himself. He had to do this to see if he could get hard evidence the
FBI needed. “I’ll agree to let you stop and refuel at my island without
repercussions for one year. After that, I’m done.”
“Just one year?”
“One year. I’m not committing longer than
that. What am I looking for? Your ship?”
“No, Robert’s.
The Atlanta Lady.
He’s
in a bind financially. Let’s just say that he lent it to me indefinitely.” That
probably meant gambling debts. Or some sort of blackmail. A ship that couldn’t
be traced directly to him was ideal for his cousin.
Ric lifted his eyebrows. “That I did not
know. That ship has a high profile—it’s dangerous to ship contraband on
something so noticeable, don’t you think?”
Miguel shrugged. “Meh. Finding a ship in
the Caribbean is not easy. I’m not worried. My men just need a place to pick up
fuel and supplies between the US and home.”
Ric put down his knife and fork and folded
his napkin. “Here’s what I want in return.”
Miguel smiled, looking like a feral cat.
“And what is that?”
“Stay away from Lindsey.”
“What? The little mousy girl? What do you
see in her?”
“I plan to marry her, and you will stay
away from her. Do you understand me?”
Miguel shrugged. “A girl like that needs a
marriage bed. I didn’t see a ring on her finger.”
Ric stood up and pushed his uneaten steak
away. “I’m done here. Just remember that I protect what is mine.”
From her seat in
the restaurant, Lindsey couldn
’t see the blackjack tables. She knew they
were there, just on the other side of that wall. It didn't matter that she
would have to walk through the entire casino to reach them.
She had waited for Ric until her stomach
growled a few times, and then she left him a note. When she found the Italian
restaurant closed for a private party, she decided to try the buffet. After she
ate, if Ric hadn't turned up, she would play a few rounds of blackjack. He
would find her eventually.
She hoped he wouldn't be mad that she
hadn't waited in the room. She had wanted to come to Vegas ever since she had
been playing blackjack. First, she had to wait until she turned twenty-one, and
then she didn't have the money. There was no way she would miss this trip.
The waiter came around telling her about
the specials and the buffet. She ordered an iced tea and the buffer, and then
went to fill her plate. When she came back with a full plate, the tea did not
look like she expected. When she tasted it, she found that it was an alcoholic
drink. She waved at the waiter.
“I wanted an iced tea.”
“Yes, a Long Island Iced Tea. That’s one
of our specials.”
“I wanted a regular tea," Lindsey
said, irritated.
“Oh, well just keep it. I’ll bring a tea
out."
Lindsey tried the drink again, and sort of
liked the taste, so she drank some more of it. She was halfway through her
salad when a man sat down on the other side of the booth from her.
“I'm not looking for company—” she
started. She trailed off when she looked up into the cold, unfeeling eyes of
Vaughn Bruce. He had shaved his head and grew a beard, but she still recognized
him. Her eyes narrowed. “What are you doing here?”
“I’ve been waiting for you. I thought we
could reminisce over old times.” He motioned to the waiter and ordered a vodka
tonic.
“I don’t think so.”
“Not happy to see me? You owe me an
explanation.”
“Ric won’t like it if he sees you here.”
That was an understatement. After promising Ric she would wait in the room,
here she was with Vaughn. No, that would not look good at all.
“I came to collect what I’m owed. About a
hundred grand, if I’m doing my calculations right.”
The waiter brought Vaughn his drink.
Vaughn smiled and lifted it in a toast. “To business partners.”
Lindsey ignored him. “Just leave.”
“Sure. When I get my money.”
Lindsey sighed. “That money’s not yours. I
won on my own, without any help from you. You disappeared and left me to fend
for myself, remember? They accused me of stealing. Counterfeit chips? You
thought you’d get away with that?” She took a deep drink from the alcoholic
drink, hoping it would calm her nerves.
Vaughn leaned forward, his face contorted
in an ugly grimace.
“You've forgotten that I'm the one they
arrested. And then you left with my money.” He didn’t raise his voice, but his
hands clenched on the table, as if he were barely holding it together.
“What was I supposed to do? They said we
were playing with fake chips.” She took another sip of the Long Island Iced
Tea, starting to like it.
“Did it ever occur to you that I was
framed? That your Ric was trying to get you for himself? I have my sources. I
know the two of you got cozy, staying together in that penthouse.”
“It wasn’t like that. At first, and he
scared me to death! You left me with no money and no passport. The money I won
is not yours. Ric gave me the entrance fee for that tournament.”
“I’ll just be he did,” Vaughn sneered.
“Ric this, Ric that. He played you like a schoolgirl and you don’t even realize
it.”
At first, Lindsey froze at his accusation,
and then she flung her napkin down on top of her plate. She didn’t need to hear
anything else. “He did not play me.”
“I saw the two of you coming into the casino,
all smiles and hugs. Now it’s time to pay your debts.”
“I don’t owe you anything.” The waiter
brought her the check, and Lindsey signed for it. She had started to feel a
little bit loopy. Surely one drink wouldn’t have affected her so fast. “I’m not
feeling so well.”
“Do you want me to take you to Ric? I saw
him outside.”
Lindsey knew she shouldn’t leave with this
man, but the thought faded when he helped her stand up. He supported her and
half carried her through the casino and out the front door. She tried to get
him to slow down and explain what they were doing, but she couldn’t form the
words.
“I need to find Ric.”
“We will. That’s it, one foot in front of
the other,” he said, his voice gentle. Wasn’t there a song about that? The song
caught in her head and she followed him.
#
Ric and Xavier
left Miguel
’s
suite and rushed to the elevator to get to their floor. He sent a text to Agent
Quinn McGuire, the FBI agent he had been working with. Nothing yet. Still in
Vegas.
He would ask Quinn later about Robert. Ric
had promised Lindsey he would come back in time for dinner. He would just have
to order a small meal or an appetizer so she wouldn’t eat alone.
“So, what the hell was that about?” Ric
asked Xavier once they made it back to the floor where they each had a room.
“I have no idea. A show of force from
Miguel?”
Ric slid his key card across the lock and
opened the door. “A damned waste of time if you ask me.” He looked around the
suite, but didn’t see Lindsey. “Lindsey, we’re back. Are you ready to go to
dinner?”
Silence greeted them, and a quick glance
told them she wasn’t in the main area or the bedroom.
He found a note on the table that she had
gone to dinner in the Italian restaurant downstairs. “Damn it, I told her not
to leave. Why won’t she ever just listen?” He called her phone, but she didn’t
answer. “Come on—let’s see if we can find her.”
“Well, if the threat was from Miguel and
Javier, and they were with us, she’s probably fine.”
Ric ignored the word probably. “I just
pray you are right.”
Ric went straight to the Italian bistro,
but. The sign said private party. The closest restaurant was a buffet. He
looked inside and didn’t see her, but low walls and plants broke up several
small seating areas.
“Wait—isn’t that her sweater?” Xavier asked,
gesturing to a vacant table that held two empty highball glasses.
The signed folio was still there. Ric
walked past the hostess to check. He didn’t know whether to be happy or sad
when he saw her signature.
“Sir, may I help you?” He turned at the
frosty tone of the hostess.
“Yes, this is my fiancée’s sweater. Did
you see where she went?” Ric asked.
Xavier handed the woman a crisp, smooth twenty-dollar
bill to encourage her assistance.
“Oh, certainly sir. They went that way,
back toward the main entrance.”
“Thank you.” They? He didn’t even have
time to ask her about that. He grabbed the sweater and left before the woman
reconsidered. A weight in the sweater hit his side. When he found her phone in
the pocket, he realized why she hadn’t answered his call.
“I don’t know who she would have shared a
drink with. She barely drinks. It would have to be someone she knew.” As soon
as Ric said the words aloud, he guessed who it must have been. Xavier met his
eyes. They shared the same idea.
“We need to look for Vaughn Bruce,” Xavier
said.
The truth hit Ric hard. “I think you're
right.”
Ric raced to the door and thought he
caught a glimpse of a woman resembling Lindsey on the other side of the casino.
She moved with the crowd leaving after a theater performance, walking next to a
tall man with a shaved head. His instincts told him the man was Vaughn Bruce.
If they pressed through the crowd, they would lose her.
“Think this through,” Ric muttered,
freezing in place. “I think he is taking her to the parking garage the long
way, trying to give us the slip. There’s nothing else on the strip in this
area—that has to be it. You follow them, and I’ll go down the elevator to the
garage. We'll have them pinned in.”
“Got it,” Xavier said and he pushed his
way through the crowd.
Ric scrambled down the stairwell, his
shoes echoing on the concrete. He burst out into the highest level of the
garage, but no one was there. For a minute, Ric doubted his plan, but then he
heard footsteps coming from the street entry to the garage.
“Where is Ric? You said he was waiting for
me.” Lindsey’s voice carried from the top of the garage. The footsteps moved
closer.
Ric slipped into the shadows, waiting to
reveal himself. He drew his gun, hoping he wouldn't have to use it.
Vaughn Bruce may have shaved his head and
grown a beard, but Ric would know the man anywhere.
Lindsey chose that moment to pull away
from Vaughn. “I am not going anywhere with you until you tell me where Ric is!”
“Yes, you are,” Vaughn said, pulling her
back.
Ric lunged, knocking Vaughn over in a hard
tackle. He looked up to see Xavier running towards them. Within minutes, Xavier
had pulled off his belt and tied Vaughn's hands behind him.
Vaughn had hit his head on a piece of
concrete and wasn't moving. Ric checked that he was breathing and rolled him
over on his back.
With Vaughn down, Lindsey ran to Ric. He
caught her against him and steadied her on her feet.
“There you are. I couldn’t find you,”
Lindsey said, her voice near tears.
“It’s okay, baby. Did he hurt you?”
“No.” She hid her face against his chest.
The elevator opened behind Ric, and he
glanced behind him to see Miguel and Javier joining the party. Xavier moved
beside Ric, his gun still in his hand.
“Miguel, you crossed the line this time. I
negotiated in good faith with you and you sic your dog on my woman? This is not
over. You crossed the line.”
Miguel just smiled. “What? She doesn’t
wear your ring. That tells me that she is fair game.”
“She is NOT fair game. You know that.”
Miguel shrugged. “Come Javi. Pick up that
garbage and let’s go.”
Javier lifted the unconscious Vaughn, put
him in the back of big white SUV and they left.
Ric shielded Lindsey until they were gone
and then held her back so he could see her face.
“I was so worried.”
She looked up, her eyes glistening with
tears. “All I wanted was to find you. I love you,” she said.
“I love you, too. Come on. Let’s get back
to the room.”
“I can’t go back in there. Not yet. Let’s
go for a walk."
Ric brushed her cheek with his hand. She
still seemed unsteady to him. "Are you sure you're okay? Maybe we should
get you to the hospital."
He had already leaned down to her. Now she
pulled him farther down so she could reach and kissed him, full, on the lips.
Her passion seared into him. When she pulled away, he blinked, surprised.
“You drag me to a hospital and they will
laugh at you. I'm fine. Trust me. Now come on. I saw a place across the street
that I want to check out.”
In that moment, Ric would have followed
her anywhere.
#
They emerged onto the street, and the
smells of car exhaust mixed with the perfumed women they passed. In the distance,
sirens competed with honking horns. Men tried to push business cards into their
hands. Ric pushed them away, shouting at them in Spanish. One of them found its
way into Lindsey's hand, and she glanced down to see a woman's naked chest
staring at her.
“
Son las putas!
” Ric said, ripping
the card from her and thrusting it away.
“It's okay, just ignore them,” she said,
rubbing his forearm. Seeing that she wasn't offended, he began to relax. She
moved from his forearm to hold his hand. Ric was her connection to reality. She
gloried in the strength in his grip and the knowledge that he would never let
her go.
Her mind still felt a little bit fuzzy but
it seemed better. She didn't know what had happened in the parking garage, but
she pushed those thoughts away. All that mattered was here and now. Ric had
claimed her in the garage and her doubts about the relationship had faded away.
Straight ahead, the neon white, pink and
purple of a wedding chapel called to her. She knew what she wanted. She wanted
to marry Ric.
“Come on,” she said again, pulling Ric’s
hand. He held back, and she saw him exchanging glances with Xavier. She pulled
harder and he followed.