by Rosanna Leo
Alex grabbed Dana’s hands. “I’m trying hard to stay calm here. So, in my calmest voice, I’m telling you these are your options. I know what you’re thinking. I have no right to tell you what to do.”
She huffed.
“But I’m telling you anyway because the thought of anyone hurting you scares the shit out of me.”
“Alex.”
“If you insist on working, you either work from my home or I work from yours. Either way, you’re stuck with me.”
“I know you’re worried.”
“You’re right. I am. Patterson found a way into your office. I’m not letting you out of my sight, Dana.”
He’d been lax with Shannon.
He wouldn’t make the same mistake again.
She stroked the skin at the edge of his splint. “What happened to taking things as they come and not rushing our relationship?”
“Shit happens. We adapt.” Cupping her cheek, he drew her in for a kiss. “I’m sure the cops will find Patterson right away. In the meantime, humor me, okay? Just with this one thing.”
“Okay.” She smiled. “But you stay in my condo.”
His shoulders relaxed and he pretended to grimace. “Your place, huh? I saw your hall closet. Not very feng shui. We need to talk about that.”
She punched him in his good left arm.
Chapter Sixteen
Alex moved his things in late that afternoon. A few of his things, anyway. Dana couldn’t help grinning when he walked into her condo with only his laptop bag, a small piece of luggage, and a garment bag that held a few suits. Of course, he lived right down the street. If he needed anything else, he could literally walk to Vice or send his driver.
He set a leather toiletry bag on one of her bathroom shelves and popped his toothbrush in the holder next to hers. “See? Low maintenance. You’ll never even know I’m here.” He grabbed her around the waist, pulled her close, and began to nibble her earlobe.
“Right.” She squirmed as his breath tickled her skin. “You’re practically invisible.”
“I know this is weird, and I’m not trying to force my way into your home or your life. I just want you to feel safe.”
“I know.”
“We can still take things easy.” His left hand trailed down her back, over the curve at her waist, toward her hip. His voice softened. “Nothing needs to be rushed.”
Desire pooled in Dana’s belly. “Sure. We’ll keep things casual.”
“I can even sleep on the couch.”
“No need to go to extremes.” She danced her lips over his jaw, toward his mouth. “It’s not as if we haven’t slept together.”
“This is true. And there would only be one set of sheets to fix in the morning.”
“Sleeping together is just more efficient.”
“I’m all about efficiency.” His hand crept up to caress her breast. “As long as you’re sure.”
“I’m sure.”
With one hand, Alex began to unbutton her shirt. “You should probably give me the tour of your bedroom. You know, so I don’t bump into anything in the night.”
As he teased her shirt from her shoulders, her skin rioted with delighted goose pimples. “Of course. We wouldn’t want you to stub your toes.”
She led Alex to her bedroom. He removed his splint and set it on her bedside table.
“So,” she said, laying back on the bed. She wriggled out of her work skirt and tossed it into a corner of the room. “This is my bed.”
“Looks sturdy.” He removed his shirt and dropped it on the floor.
“Oh, it is. You should probably test the mattress, though. You’ll want to make sure it’s firm enough.” She dropped her gaze to his pants zipper.
Alex pulled the zipper down. “It’s firm. Trust me.”
Dana held out her hand and drew Alex onto the bed. He rolled onto his back and she climbed on top of him, making sure she didn’t bump into his right hand. Clad only in her panties and bra, she slid up and down his length. “Rock hard, actually.”
Their mouths joined. Alex cradled her head and tugged on her curls as he plunged his tongue into her mouth. Her whimpers were met by his moans. The temperature in her bedroom skyrocketed, or so it seemed.
Dana surrendered to the heat.
Were they getting ahead of themselves by shacking up? Probably.
Did she care? Not at the moment.
***
“Thanks for meeting with me, Pierre.” Alex welcomed his driver into his office and gestured to the chair opposite his. “Have a seat.”
Pierre looked around the office, as if expecting someone else to pop up behind a potted plant. Fiddling with his jacket buttons, he sat down. “I was surprised you wanted to see me.”
Alex sat at his desk. “I know your shift just finished and you’re probably eager to head home. I’ve been in touch with Payroll. I understand you asked for an advance on your pay.”
“They told you?” Pierre paled for a second, but immediately schooled his face into a mask of annoyance. “I can explain. There was just a bit of a mix-up with one of my bill payments this month at the bank. I was just hoping to avoid some red tape, that’s all. I’m sorry they bothered you with that, Alex. I don’t understand why it had to be escalated.”
“It might have something to do with the fact you’ve asked for three advances lately.”
“Three? No, that doesn’t sound right.”
“I’ve got copies of the emails you sent to Payroll.” Although radiating what he hoped was calm from the waist up, Alex’s nervous tic manifested under the desk. He put a hand on his knee to stop his leg from bouncing up and down. “You’re one of my drivers, Pierre. I want to make sure you’re okay.”
“It’s just a temporary cashflow problem.”
“I understand.”
“Do you?” When he caught the harshness in his tone, Pierre shook his head. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”
“It’s okay. I am concerned, though. Several team members have come forward recently, saying you asked them to lend you large amounts of cash.”
“Ah, man. A twenty here, a twenty there. We’re not exactly talking about big bucks.”
“Those aren’t the figures I received.”
Pierre’s mouth opened and closed a few times. “Are you firing me?”
“No. I’m offering to get you some help.”
“I don’t need any help.”
“You’ve been seen gambling at the Golden Nugget.”
He let out a nervous laugh. “So that’s what this is about. You’re ticked because I didn’t gamble at Vice.”
“That’s not it at all. Do you deny you were gambling?”
“Is this because I ran into Wade? Is he the one who ratted on me? Because I told him I was just blowing off some steam.”
“There’s a difference between blowing off steam and addiction.”
“Addiction? I’m not addicted to anything. Ask anyone who knows me. I’m a straight shooter and always have been. Jesus, I’ve never even touched a cigarette.”
“Which is why I want to offer you my support. I know this can’t be an easy thing to handle. Less than twenty percent of compulsive gamblers seek treatment.”
Pierre rolled his eyes. “Oh, boy. Someone’s been doing his homework. You’ve got statistics on your side.”
“Pierre, you have an addiction. As your boss, I want to help you kick it.”
“Do you really think that little of me? Do you think I’m like those losers out there in your casinos, the ones who don’t know when to call it quits?”
“No one is calling anyone a loser.”
“Because I can stop anytime I want!”
“You were seen at the Golden Nugget five times this week alone.”
“What I do on my own time is my own business.”
“Three of those times were during your shifts.”
“Alex, come on. You’ve always said you don’t expect me, or any of the other drivers, to b
e your shadow. I can’t believe you’d insult me like this.”
“This isn’t an insult. Pierre. We work in the world of Vegas casinos. A place like this has a lot of temptation. You’re only human. That’s why I’d like you to take a paid leave and get some counseling. I’ll cover the cost and your job will be waiting for you when you get back.”
“I don’t need counseling. I just need a bit of cash. Maybe if you spotted me the money…”
“That’s not going to happen.”
“Oh, I see. Don’t want to make a dent in your enormous wallet? Just can’t spare the change today? I see how it is.”
“That’s not it. If you had a legitimate need for the money, I’d give it to you, no questions. But I’m not going to fund your habit.” Alex pulled out a brochure and handed it to him. “There’s a local organization called New Horizons. A friend of mine has recommended them. They can help you with your addiction.”
He tossed the brochure into the trash basket at the side of Alex’s desk. “Yeah, right.”
“Pierre, please. I can’t make you go to counseling, but would it hurt to check them out, maybe attend a meeting or two? Be sensible.”
He turned his head.
Even though he wanted to shake the man, Alex remained calm. His Human Resources manager had warned him Pierre might fight back. It wasn’t unusual to find gambling addicts working in casinos and one of the first things Alex had insisted on learning when he took over from Liam was how to address the issue with empathy. “How about I get you a coffee and we talk about next steps?”
“Next steps?” Pierre stood and backed away from the desk. “You want to know what my next step is? My next step is paying off my creditors. Care to help me with that?”
“I’ve made it clear I won’t throw money at your problems. It won’t help anything.”
“Well, then, Alex. It seems I have no fucking next steps with you. I can’t believe you’d treat me like this.” Pierre headed to the office elevator and pounded the button.
Alex followed him. “Like I said, I just want to help you.”
“And how long will it be before the rumor mill starts turning? Give it a couple of days and everyone in this joint will avoid me like the plague. No, thanks, boss. I’ll take care of myself. I don’t need your help.” The elevator arrived and Pierre got in. “I’m done here.”
As the door closed, Alex considered racing down the emergency stairs after him, but decided not to. Pierre was pissed. He was in no position to accept help, not yet anyway.
It was a good thing Wade had come to Alex with his concerns after spotting Pierre at the Golden Nugget. HR had already reached out, and Wade’s observations had allowed Alex to connect the dots.
He would call Pierre tomorrow. Maybe then he’d see sense.
He’d done a good thing here today, probably the hardest thing he’d ever had to do on the job. The outcome had been disappointing, but hopefully Pierre understood someone was on his side.
Alex sighed. If it was such a good thing, why did he feel so rotten?
***
When the familiar three knocks sounded on her unit door, Dana looked up from her work. She smiled as Alex walked in. “Alex, I gave you a key. You don’t need to knock.”
“Just trying to respect your space.” His half grin didn’t reach his eyes. No sign of Zeus anywhere.
She pushed away from the table and went to him, running her fingers through the hair near his ear. “Hey. Are you okay?”
“Yeah.”
“Rough day at work?”
“You could say that. I had to deal with an employee who’s addicted to gambling. I just feel bad for him.”
“That is rough. Come on in.”
He removed his tie and took off his suit jacket, hanging them both on a chair in her living room. After undoing his top two shirt buttons, he wrapped her in his embrace and kissed her. “Mmm. Something smells good, something other than you.”
Dana led him to the kitchen, where a couple of pots sat on the stove. “I was inspired between meetings. Do you want to talk about the situation at your work?”
“I probably shouldn’t. Confidentiality and all.”
“I understand. Well, let’s see if I can distract you with food, then.” She lifted one of the pot lids. “Vegan curry. It’s got cauliflower, cilantro and quinoa. And we’ve got steamed asparagus on the side.”
“You made all of this?”
“Yeah. I’m not a great cook, and I’ve never cooked vegan food before, but I’ve been doing some quiet research since you’ve been here. I know we normally order in, but I had some time and I wanted to make you something nice.”
He leaned in and sniffed the curry. “It smells incredible.”
“It’s ready whenever you are.”
Alex stared at her for a moment, his gaze bright with wonder. He paced the kitchen a couple of times and then plunked himself down on the couch.
Dana went over and sat on his lap. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“I like this. Being here with you.”
“You haven’t tried my curry yet.”
“I mean it, Dana. I know I’m just staying here temporarily, and I realize your condo isn’t my place, but I get excited coming home to you.”
“You mean you like me being your domestic goddess?”
“You know what I mean. I like being in the same space as you, breathing the same air. Sharing the same bed, the same utensil drawer, the same closet.”
“I like it too.”
She dropped a soft kiss on his cheek, but he captured her mouth, seducing her with the velvet glide of his tongue. His left hand curled around her hip, his fingernails digging gently into her jeans.
“You make me look forward to the future,” Alex said between kisses. “I want you in my future.”
It was still hard for her to envision where she would be in a year’s time, never mind beyond then. Still, she didn’t argue about it anymore, not even with herself.
Alex had helped her start looking forward too.
“You really need to try my curry before you make any rash decisions.” She eased off his lap and grabbed his left hand, leading to the kitchen. Dana grabbed a fork from the utensil drawer, lifted the lid off the pot and speared a piece of cauliflower. She held it to Alex’s lips.
He ate the cauliflower, his gaze on her. As he chewed, his smile widened, restoring her Zeus to her. “It’s delicious.”
Dana stifled a giggle of happiness. She liked making Alex smile like that.
She didn’t want a day to go by without seeing that smile.
***
Pierre Dubois checked his bank balance on his cellphone.
Where had it all gone? He was sure his funds would have lasted longer.
Of course, he had been spending a lot of his time free time at the Golden Nugget. Even more so since Alex canned him.
He didn’t can you. He made that clear.
It didn’t seem to matter.
This was Alex’s fault. The day he’d offered to help, Pierre had gone right out, despondent. He’d headed for the craps table at the Nugget and had won big. His elation had been all-consuming. He’d continued to gamble and had promptly lost his last dollar.
What was he supposed to do, accept Alex’s help? Because of him, Pierre was in this mess. If Alex had bothered to provide a bit more stimulation on the job, Pierre wouldn’t be forced to look for stimulation elsewhere. And there was so much stimulation on the Strip. How was he expected to avoid it?
Being a driver for Vice had sounded so glamorous. Carting Alex around Vegas, as well as the odd celebrity, had seemed like a dream come true.
In reality, there were long stretches of boredom. It wasn’t as if Alex needed him on a constant basis. What was he supposed to do? Sit on his ass and stare at the wall until the big man decided he needed help getting from Point A to Point B? Maybe get the Escalade washed one more time? If he buffed it any further, the paint would peel off.
Convinced
he’d made a mistake, he checked his bank balance one more time, but none of the numbers magically changed. He was officially in the red. His rent was coming due. He owed big time on his credit card, and his ex-wife kept emailing him about his inability to keep up with support payments.
It didn’t matter that Alex put him on paid leave. No matter what he did, his paycheck always ended up in someone else’s pocket.
One big win would help so much.
But he needed cash to place a bet.
Sweating, he walked up the Strip. Vice loomed before him, the taxi bay alive with activity as customers got in and out of cars. Alex’s palace. The entitled golden boy probably loved sitting on his throne, passing judgment.
His cellphone rang. He was tempted to let it go to voicemail but when he realized the phone company would likely cut off his service soon, he figured he’d better answer. “Pierre here.”
“Is this Pierre Dubois?”
“Yeah. Who’s this?”
“My name is Gordon Dean and I need your help.”
Dean. Why did that name sound familiar? “What kind of help?”
“I have a little problem with Alex Markov. I need some information.”
“Problems with Alex? Get in line. And by the way, my help doesn’t come free of charge.”
“If you give me the information I need, I can pay you.”
“You’ll have to be more specific.”
Dean told him what he wanted, giving him a figure.
“I’m going to need you to transfer some funds before I say a word.” He gave Dean the email address attached to his bank account. Within seconds, he received a notification that funds were being transferred. Four figures worth of funds.
“Well?”
It was just an address. Pierre wasn’t hurting anyone. And with the money Dean had just transferred, Pierre could return to the Nugget and win everything back. He gave him the address on Dean Martin Drive.
“Thank you,” said Dean.
“Hey, it was nice doing business with you, Gor—”
Dean hung up.
Pierre ignored the burn of guilt in his stomach and headed toward the Golden Nugget.