Hard to Hold

by Karen Foley

  With a low growl of frustration, he pulled up to the entrance of the casino and thrust the truck into Park. He leaped out and dropped the keys into the valet’s hands.

  “Keep her close by,” he muttered. “This won’t take me long.”

  He strode into the casino and paused, letting his eyes adjust to the relative dimness of the interior. Despite the fact it was still early, the place was thronging with people in T-shirts and Bermuda shorts, and above the laughter and noise was the steady hum of slot machines being furiously worked. The rich, dark carpet was offset by the glittering chandeliers and soft, recessed lighting, and the brilliant flash of colors from the slots.

  Colton hated casinos. He disliked everything about them, from the glitz and glamour of the decor, to the phony friendliness of the staff, to the greed that motivated both the owners and the patrons. Worse, he hated what gambling inevitably did to the unwary. He’d seen more than his share of good folks completely ruined by the lure of the one-armed bandits or the gaming tables.

  Impatient, he scanned the crowd. He spotted the security personnel keeping a close watch on the machines, and beyond that, the pits where the gaming tables were located. Waving away a scantily clad waitress with a tray of drinks, he worked his way through the slot room toward the tables.

  The place was cavernous, despite the deliberate effort to make the individual gaming areas cozy. He’d paused, debating whether he’d find Maddie at the craps or the blackjack tables, when some instinct made him look across to the far side of the casino. There was no mistaking her glorious hair or the body sheathed in shimmering gold. She was speaking with one of the security personnel, and even as Colton began to thread his way through the crowd, the man opened a heavy, ornately carved door and waved her through.

  Colton reached the door less than a minute later, but before he could push it open, he found his way blocked by a granite slab of a man who put a restraining hand on his arm. Colton’s first instinct was to throw the hand off. Instead, he gave the guard a chilling look.

  “Is there a problem?” He knew his voice was unfriendly, bordering on rude, but he was too impatient to be polite.

  The man removed his hand, but Colton didn’t miss how he stepped forward just enough to prevent him from gaining access to the room beyond.

  “I’m sorry, sir,” the guard said, looking anything but apologetic. “This is a private gaming salon.”

  “Meaning?”

  “Meaning we require our guests to adhere to a certain...standard.” His gaze dropped meaningfully to Colton’s black T-shirt and jeans. When he met Colton’s eyes, his own were courteous but implacable. “However, we do have a boutique here in the casino that carries menswear, sir.”

  Colton gave a bark of disbelieving laughter and ran a hand over his hair. “Great,” he muttered. He could have pulled out his badge and insisted on gaining entry as a U.S. marshal, but the last thing he wanted was to draw attention to himself. He wouldn’t risk Madeline making a run for it. With a stifled curse, he spun on his heel and strode away.

  Twenty minutes and several hundred dollars later, he returned to the private salon. The henchman guarding that sacred portal gave him a swiftly assessing look, taking in the black dress shirt beneath the black sports jacket, and then stepped back to open the door for him.

  Inside the private salon, Colton quickly scanned the opulent room, noting the distinct difference between the clientele here and the touristy gamblers in the outer casino. This was a high-stakes salon, a fact evident in everything from the expensive designer clothing of the customers to the richly luxuriant furnishings. As he strolled through the room, he knew he was being scrutinized, both by the pit bosses and by the hidden cameras that fed the monitors located in the secluded back rooms of the casino.

  He accepted a Scotch and soda from an elegant hostess and sipped it leisurely as he made his way from one crowded table to the next, seemingly trying to decide where to throw his money away.

  He spotted Madeleine at one of the blackjack tables and nearly choked on his drink. She had a man on either side of her, and while one leaned down to whisper into her ear, the other stroked her shoulder in a manner that could only be called proprietary. For her part, Madeleine was laughing in delight as she flashed each of them coquettish glances and playfully considered her cards.

  If Colton hadn’t seen the transformation for himself, he’d never have believed her capable of such behavior. There was no trace of a tomboy or damsel in distress in the creature who sat perched at the gaming table, her breasts displayed to full advantage by the plunging neckline of the dress she wore. The short skirt revealed a long expanse of slender thigh, and Colton’s fingers tightened around his glass.

  She hadn’t seen him. He moved away from the table and took a seat at the nearby bar, turning to watch her as she played. She commanded attention. Even the dealer seemed entranced by her throaty laughter and flirtatious looks. A small crowd of people had gathered around the table to watch, and Madeleine played to them like an expert.

  Colton also noticed she had a growing pile of chips on the table in front of her, and although she occasionally lost a hand, he realized she was winning significantly more. An hour passed as he watched. Her pile of chips doubled, and she was attracting attention from more than just the patrons. He kept an eye on the security people who had moved closer to the table and were talking in hushed tones as they watched her. If Colton had any doubts about what Madeleine was doing, they were dispelled by the presence of those men.

  Madeleine was a card counter.

  While that wasn’t strictly illegal, the casino retained the right to remove anyone they suspected of gaming the system, and Colton knew Madeleine was in danger of being forcibly escorted out of the high-stakes salon. He also knew they could bring her to one of those hidden back rooms and question her—or do things to her that might not be entirely legal.

  Setting his drink down, Colton strolled over to the table and leaned down to speak into her ear. God, she smelled good.

  “Game’s up, darlin’,” he said softly, his breath stirring the tendrils of hair at her temple. “Collect your winnings before the big bad boys over there decide you don’t deserve them, and let’s go.”

  She stiffened as he spoke, and although she didn’t look at him, he could sense her shock. She hadn’t thought he would find her. Or at least not so quickly. She recovered swiftly, though, scooping her chips into her hands and rising gracefully from the table.

  “Thank you so much, but I need to leave,” she said, smiling sweetly at the dealer as she handed him a valuable chip. “Big brother’s found me, so no more fun.”

  Only Colton knew she meant big brother as in the Feds, rather than any sibling relationship. She ignored the protests and friendly farewells that her departure generated. She spared Colton just one swift glance before she determinedly pushed past him and sailed gracefully toward the private salon’s exit door. But Colton had seen the anguish and hostility in that one glance, and knew she was furious with him for interfering. For putting an end to her amazing winning streak.

  He fell into step beside her, cupping her elbow in his hand. “The last time I checked,” he murmured, “card counting wasn’t looked upon favorably by the casinos.”

  “How did you find me?” she demanded in a low, tight voice.

  “Darlin’,” he drawled, “there was never any question of my finding you. In fact, it was almost ridiculously easy.” He was lying through his teeth, but there was no way he was going to let her know the frustration and anxiety he’d felt at not being able to immediately track her down. “In fact, if I didn’t know better, I’d think you actually wanted me to find you.”

  She made a low sound of irritation, but otherwise ignored him, making her way toward the cashier’s cage. Colton estimated she had close to five thousand dollars’ worth of chips in her hands. But in the ne
xt moment, he saw two of the casino security guards threading their way through the crowds toward them, and he suspected Madeleine might not get the opportunity to cash out.

  “C’mon,” he muttered, and steered her toward the exit. “I’ll come back later with the chips, but right now I think we need to leave.”

  “No way,” she protested, trying to pull free from his grasp. “I’m not leaving here without my money.”

  “First of all, darlin’,” Colton growled in her ear, “you don’t have any choice in the matter. You’re in the custody of a deputy marshal, and if you’d like me to cuff you and read you your Miranda rights here in front of everyone, I’m happy to oblige. Secondly, if those apes heading in our direction have anything to say about it, you’ll be lucky if you leave here with your skin intact, never mind your precious chips.”

  Madeleine glanced toward the men who were moving toward them with deliberate steps, and she blanched. She clutched her chips tighter, and it didn’t escape Colton’s notice when she moved perceptibly closer to him. They were making their way past the rows of slot machines, pushing through the crowd of casually attired tourists, and the exit was just steps away when they were stopped.

  “Excuse me, ma’am?” A meaty hand descended on Madeleine’s shoulder.

  She whirled around to face the two men, her expression one of surprise and innocence. Colton turned as well, preparing to pull his badge out and intervene, when Madeleine suddenly tripped. With a startled yelp, she pitched forward, directly into the unsuspecting guards. She flung one arm up, and Colton watched a handful of brightly colored chips fly into the air, spiraling in all directions. The guards turned their eyes to the chips as well, reaching up in an attempt to snag them in midflight. They hit the ground and bounced, rolling madly beneath the feet of astonished tourists, who began scrambling over each other in their haste to scoop up the coveted disks.

  Colton found himself shoved sideways, and nearly lost his balance as a heavyset woman on her hands and knees reached for a chip that had landed between his feet. He staggered, and only just managed to regain his balance when he realized he’d lost sight of Madeleine.

  The chips and the security guards were all but forgotten as he spun around, searching the crowd. She was nowhere in sight. He turned toward the exit and cursed as he caught a twitch of her shimmering skirt disappearing into the backseat of a taxi before it sped away.

  6

  HE’D RUINED EVERYTHING.

  She still couldn’t believe that he’d managed to find her so quickly. She’d been so careful! She was back at the seedy motel where she’d left her belongings, knowing she had just moments to pack her gear and get the hell out of the Hold ’Em Inn before he’d be there. Regardless of the monumental disaster that was quickly becoming her life, she needed to pull herself together. She had to stop crying and start moving.

  Maddie swiped at the tears on her cheeks and stepped out of the fragile sandals she was wearing. She struggled to reach the zip on the back of the dress, swearing softly when she failed to catch it with her fingers. It took several minutes, but she finally managed to unzip it, nearly tearing the delicate fabric in her haste. She stepped out of it, wasting valuable seconds as she folded it carefully between sheets of tissue paper before stuffing it into her backpack. She’d spent way too much for the garment, using the precious money from the sale of her car to buy an outfit that would allow her to gain access to the private gaming salon of the Glittering Gulch Casino. And it had all been for nothing. She’d sacrificed almost half her chips in order to escape, and what remained amounted to just over three thousand dollars—not nearly enough to free Jamie.

  Angry tears blurred her vision. She snatched the fake diamonds from her earlobes and tossed them into the backpack on top of the dress before throwing the sandals in after them. She straightened and stood for a moment, listening.

  She was just reaching for something—anything—to cover herself with, when the door to the motel room exploded inward.

  Maddie screamed, despite the fact she knew precisely who it was silhouetted in the doorway. She snatched up a pillow and held it against herself, knowing it did little to conceal the fact she wore nothing but a silk thong.

  She stared at Colton in mute despair. He was clearly furious. He slammed the door shut behind him and advanced into the small room. Maddie backed away, hugging the pillow tightly against her bare breasts. Even as her heart leaped in alarm at the dangerous expression on his face, there was another part of her that secretly thrilled at seeing him.

  He looked dark and forbidding in his black shirt and jacket. His face was set in taut lines, and his eyes traveled slowly over her, lingering briefly on her damp face, missing nothing. Maddie felt herself flush beneath his cold scrutiny.

  “What?” she demanded, taking refuge in sarcasm. “Your badge gives you the right to barge unannounced into a lady’s room?”

  “When that lady is in possession of a stolen gun, you’re damned right it does,” he growled. “I want to know what the hell is going on, Maddie. Why would a girl like you resort to robbery, kidnapping, drugging, auto theft and cheating at cards? Tell me, please, because I’m not getting it.”

  He advanced into the room, and Maddie stepped back, not missing his use of her nickname. “At least turn your back and let me get dressed.”

  He snorted. “No way, darlin’. I’m not letting you out of my sight.”

  His eyes were cold and challenging as he continued to stare at her, and Maddie knew there was no choice but to get dressed as quickly as possible. With her gaze locked on his, she dropped the pillow and reached swiftly for her jeans. His lips tightened and she thought he swallowed a little convulsively, but otherwise his lean features betrayed nothing at the sight of her nudity.

  She struggled into the jeans, leaning forward to yank them up her legs. When his gaze became riveted on her breasts, she snapped upright and without pausing to button her jeans snatched a T-shirt from the bed and dragged it over her head.

  “So what now?” she asked waspishly, shoving her bare feet into her sneakers as she fastened her pants. “You drag me to the nearest precinct and throw me in jail?” She shot him an accusing glare. “Isn’t it bad enough I lost all my winnings? That was my one chance to make everything right, and you went and ruined it all.” Her voice broke.

  “That’s crap and you know it.” His voice was harsh. “You were cheating, and if I hadn’t intervened you’d be spread-eagled across a backroom pool table right now, begging those apes at the casino to take the money and just let you go.”

  He was furious, that much she could tell. It was there in his tightly coiled muscles, his rigid jaw and the way his eyes flashed black fire at her. She shivered.

  “I’ve managed to get along without you for this long; I’d have been okay.” Even to her own ears, her tone was less than convincing.

  He snorted. “Yeah, right. So where in hell did you learn to count cards, anyway?”

  She tipped her chin up and met his gaze squarely. “My father taught me when I was a little girl.”

  His lips tightened. “That must have been one hell of a childhood. Why do you need so much money? Whatever the reason, it can’t be legal.”

  Maddie swallowed. There was a part of her that wanted to confide in him, to tell him of the fear that consumed her, and what might happen to her brother if she didn’t come up with fifty thousand dollars in the next few days. But another part of her feared he could completely destroy her brother’s chance for survival if he insisted on intervening. If the kidnappers even suspected she had involved the law, they would kill Jamie.

  So instead of answering, she hugged herself around the middle and stared out the window, refusing to look at Colton.

  He made a sound of disgust. “C’mon,” he finally said, swiping a hand across his eyes. “Let’s get out of this dump.”


  But when he attempted to take her arm, Maddie jerked it away. “Don’t touch me.”

  If he did, she just might lose it. Might fling herself against his broad chest and weep all over his jacket. Now, more than ever, she needed to be strong. She needed to keep her head clear and figure out how to get out of this mess. She needed to get that money and contact the kidnappers, and she needed to do it soon. Time was running out.

  She saw Colton’s lips tighten in response to her sharp command. With a growl of frustration, he grabbed her backpack off the bed and opened the door to the motel room, ushering her out.

  As she slid into the cab of the truck, she watched him cautiously. He started the engine and then looked over at her. Maddie knew her mascara was probably smudged around her eyes from crying, and her hair had come loose from the elegant updo.

  “You look tired,” he observed curtly. “I’m going to take you someplace where you can have a shower and a decent meal, and then we’ll talk.” He arched a black eyebrow, as if expecting her to argue.

  But Maddie just nodded. She couldn’t even summon the energy to fight with him. She was completely exhausted. And hungry. She hadn’t eaten anything since the cold ham sandwich she’d shared with Colton the previous night. Right now, a hot shower and a good meal sounded like heaven. After that, there would be time enough to escape.

  * * *

  COLTON WANTED TO throttle her. It was either that or kiss her. He was furious, both with her and with his own attraction to her. Despite the fact he knew her to be a cheat and a liar, he couldn’t deny that he wanted her.