Maybe I could make him think I was too drunk to walk—
No, then he’ll call a cab. You have to avoid being alone with him!
I grabbed the glass without waiting for his okay and knocked it back, drinking more of the alcohol-laced soda than I’d intended. And that told me one thing. I’d drunk far more than I should as I sat there, nerves and hope and doubt dancing a nasty little limbo inside me while I waited for Sly.
Sly.
It was hours yet before he’d be done with rehearsal.
If security didn’t notice—
“Come on, doll,” Topher said, drawing me to my feet. I was limp, my legs not wanting to move the right way, but he didn’t seem to care.
Jamming my hands into my jacket, I let him lead me out of the pit of slot machines and toward the doors. Why hadn’t I picked a spot deeper inside the casino, where we’d have to walk by more people?
Why hadn’t I stayed upstairs?
“Where are you taking me?” I asked.
“I already told you, doll. Come on…just through here…you really shouldn’t drink so much this early in the day, Emerald. It’s not good for you.”
“Where are you taking me?” I asked again.
“Stop talking so damn much,” Topher said, leaning in. “Otherwise, she just might get cut up while you watch.”
I whimpered before I could stop it.
The doors of the casino loomed large in front of me and I twisted my head around, looking for one of the security guards.
“What are you doing?”
“I…um…” Think of something! “I don’t want to leave the hotel. Why are you making me leave? Can’t I have another drink?”
“Fuck, you’re drunk,” he muttered.
“Topher,” I whined as he jerked me in closer under the guise of steadying me when I tripped.
I thought I heard someone call my name.
Whipping my head around, I saw one of the security guards near the stand by the check-in station—probably forty feet from where we stood. He was walking toward me.
But Topher jerked me through the doors and once we were outside, he practically glued me to his side and began to walk.
“Topher, stop this…please Topher, stop this,” I said, intentionally slurring my words. I needed him to believe I was shitfaced. I needed him to believe I was completely shitfaced. “I don’t want to go anywhere with you.”
“What the fuck have you been drinking, Emerald? You were almost sober not even ten minutes ago,” he snapped as he hustled me to the street.
Behind me, someone had definitely called out my name, but I had no chance to look because we’d reached the curb—and a car. It was like it had been waiting for him. Shit, shit, shit…he’d planned this, or had been planning…something. My head was definitely hazy with alcohol, but not completely sopped with it. Still, I couldn’t think completely straight and I gaped at the gleaming black car. He opened a door and shoved me inside.
Terror swallowed me whole.
19
Sly
The door banged open just as I was about to be lowered into the glass case.
Jerking my head up, I watched as three of the top people in our security detail burst into the room.
“Boss!” Giana called out, addressing all of us, although her topaz eyes locked on me.
My gut bottomed out and I propelled myself forward, landing six feet below on the stage. Shooting a look at my assistant, Mika, I nodded at her. She came rushing over, keys in hand. I was already working on freeing myself, but she went to work on the buckles and locks of the straitjacket.
Giana leaped up onto the stage and came over, stopping halfway between Mac and me.
“That bastard found Emmy—he got her out of the hotel,” she said flatly.
One of the others said, “We’re so fucking sorry—”
“Don’t waste her time on apologies,” Giana barked before continuing. “Gunnar is already en route, following. He’s right behind them and we’ve got the video feed.”
“How did he get her out of the hotel?” Mac demanded.
“She’d had a couple of drinks,” Giana said. “I’d been keeping an eye on her, but there was a problem in one of the other pits and when I went to settle it…shit, never mind. She’s gone but we’ve got a tail. If you’ll come with us…” Her eyes were on both of us.
“We’ll all go,” LeVan said softly, stepping between us, one hand coming up to rest on our shoulders.
“What do I tell Angel?” Mac asked as we ran through the building.
“She’ll be fine,” I said, my mind focused on Giana’s long, slim back. Her ponytail bounced in time with her strides and it was oddly mesmerizing. If I focused on that, maybe I wouldn’t be too eaten up by the fear—
Fuck it.
The fear was already eating me alive.
“Have the police been called?”
“I’ve got Holsten on that,” Giana shouted over her shoulder. “He saw it all go down, got Gunnar in the car to go after them. He’s holding down the fort for now.”
The fort.
What fucking fort?
If we had a fort, then Emmy would’ve been safe inside.
A car was waiting out in front of the casino, ignoring the laws against parking. Two of the hotel security people were hovering close by, no doubt to run interference if need be.
The three of us hit the car at almost the exact same time. LeVan was the fastest of us but adrenaline had me all but flying across the pavement.
I got through a door already open and waiting for me while the other two were close behind me.
The driver, Bender, took off before the door even slammed shut. “He's at the south end of the strip. Traffic is holding him up.”
“Gunnar has a good eye on him.” Bender met my eyes in the mirror. “He’s not getting away from him, Sir.”
“Where are the cops?” I demanded. Fuck, what a laugh that was, coming from me. Cops, something I hated and now I needed them.
“They haven't hit the hotel yet, Sir.” The driver tapped his earpiece, clearly listening to a conversation we couldn't hear.
“Put that on Bluetooth,” I said. “I want to know what’s going on.”
Bender hit something on the dash and the sound of chaos filled the air. The three of us in the back shared a look and then focused back on Bender who seemed to be able to keep track of the multiple conversations happening.
“Holsten, update,” Bender barked.
I heard a voice. “Gunnar?”
Then it was Gunnar talking. “He's turning off the main drag. I'm right behind them, couple cars back.”
“Don't lose them,” I said, raising my voice.
He heard me just fine. “Don't worry, Boss, I won’t.”
Don't worry. Yeah. Sure. I wouldn't worry.
He had her at the Golden Bridge Casino and Hotel.
If I've got a bridge in Arizona to sell you, I found myself thinking, half hysterically.
If she was hurt, I was going to buy this moldering old piece of shit hotel and raze it to the ground. I just might do that anyway. I didn't want her seeing any of it and having bad memories.
Gunnar came running toward us as we all piled out of the car.
“He took her in there.” He was panting, his face red.
He was a formidable war dog, but he spent most of his day walking the pit and he was past fifty.
“I think I know about where they are but I didn't want to do anything until I had a better idea what was going on. We need the cops—I already tagged Holsten to let them know where we are, but I don’t know if this ass is armed or what.”
Gunnar was one of our top security people and came from a number of years in law enforcement himself. Under most circumstances, I would defer to his judgment.
But I wasn't waiting for any damn cop. While Mac and LeVan nodded, I took off running.
LeVan shouted my name but I ignored him.
I hit the door with enough force to r
attle the hinges and threw them open. Once inside, I stopped and just listened.
Where are you? I thought.
Where are you, baby?
20
Emmy
Dread curled through me as Topher unlocked the door and hustled me inside.
I braced myself for whatever ever horror he had waiting for me.
But the room was empty. Stumbling after he pushed me toward the middle, I turned around and glared at him. “Where is she?” I demanded. “What did you do to her?”
He laughed at me. “Oh, she would love to tell you. She's another one who ran from me. But I caught up with her. Just as I caught up with you.”
This big smile on his face made something hot and nasty slide through my belly.
“What are you talking about?” The words came out in a trembling rush. I had to fight not to let myself shake.
“She's not here, sweetheart. She's old news. That was my college girlfriend. I haven't seen her…” Something ugly twisted his face and for a moment, it was like he wasn't even there. But then it was gone and he smiled at me. “We don't have to talk about her. Let's talk about us. You and me. Why did you run from me, Emerald?”
“Well, for one, you blew up my house.”
“But you didn't belong there,” he told me softly. “You belong with me. Why can't you see that, Emerald?”
“I don't belong with you. This is insane.” That time I managed not to let my voice tremble, but it was getting harder to control the fear that wanted to come boiling out of me. I had let myself be tricked. I had been so, so stupid. And now… Images of that woman’s terrified face flashed through my mind. “Your college girlfriend, whatever happened to her?”
I had to distract him. One of the security guards had seen us. They were doing something. They had to be.
But how long would it take to find me in a city this big? Did anyone notice the car? Did anyone realize it was Topher?
I had to buy time.
Better yet, I had to get away from him.
But my mind was still spinning from three cocktails, and the breakfast I'd only half-eaten wasn't doing much to stave off the alcoholic haze.
Adrenaline burned inside me, mixing with the booze to have a dizzying effect.
You can do this. I thought. I just needed time. I sucked in a slow breath as Topher edged a step closer. “She doesn't matter,” he told me again. ”She's old news.”
Jutting my chin up, I demanded, “Did you hurt her? Do you plan on hurting me?”
“I'd only hurt you if you made me. I wouldn't even have blown up your house if you would’ve cooperated with me. I just want to be with you, Emerald.” He smiled at me, looking and sounding so logical, so sane.
It terrified me.
“Why would I want to be with you?” I half-shouted.
The second the words left my mouth, I knew they were a mistake. Madness twisted his features and he was in my face in an instant. His hands gripped my arms and squeezed, squeezed, squeezed. “Don't you know what I've done for you?”
“You're hurting me,” I said forcing my voice to remain level despite the fact that it felt like his fingers might tear flesh. He was so strong. Something flickered in his eyes and he blinked, sucking in a deep breath.
“Don't make me want to hurt you.” He let go and backed way. “I don't want to hurt you but I will if you make me.”
He reached up and brushed my hair back, smiling.
I smacked at his hand, not able to stand the thought of him touching me, even though it was likely going to have a very bad effect.
I was right.
The second I knocked him away, his face did that awful twist and it was like I was looking at someone else entirely.
I backed away slowly, prepared this time.
“If you touch me again,” I said softly. “I’ll scream. And let me warn you…I scream loud.”
He lunged.
I screamed.
21
Sly
I heard her scream.
Spinning to the left, I started to run.
It wasn’t hard to hear where she was then because the sounds of people struggling became pronounced.
I stopped at the door where I could hear all the noise and reared back just as Mac and LeVan appeared at the end of the hall.
Emmy’s scream echoed down the hall again and my friends started running toward me.
I crashed into the door.
It held.
Mac joined me and the two of us took the door completely down as we hit it together.
Emmy lay pinned under a man, fighting with teeth and nails and fists, but he had one arm against her throat. He went to cover her mouth with his hand, unaware of me bearing down on him.
Emmy bit him—I think.
But then I was close enough to grab him and a bloody rage closed over me as I caught him in a bear hug and hauled him off her, hurling him to the ground. I threw one look at Emmy—
She sucked in a breath, then another.
She was okay.
The man struggled to run away.
My temper snapped and I grabbed him again and threw him to the ground, the rage and the fear inside me exploding in a fury of fists. I felt flesh give, smelled blood, but it wasn’t enough. I wanted to hear bone break, feel cartilage crunch. Driving my fist into his face, I heard him scream.
Someone shouted my name.
I kept on hitting him.
He’d touched Emmy.
He struggled under me and I remembered how she struggled under him. Ramming my forearm against his neck, I asked, “You like how that feels? You gutless coward.” Reaching down, I shoved my hand into his crotch and grabbed his balls, twisting until he screamed, screamed, screamed.
He was breathless by the time I let go, the only sounds in the room my ragged breathing…and a soft voice.
“Sly.”
I looked up.
Emmy stood in front of me, half leaning against Mac.
Beneath me, Topher stirred and the rage stretched, calling me.
“It’s over, Sly,” she said.
Outside, I heard footsteps, then LeVan’s voice. “Cops are here, man.”
She held out a hand.
Slowly, I got to my feet.
Taking her hand, I hauled her up against me and buried my face in her hair. “I’m so fucking sorry,” I whispered. “He wasn’t supposed to be able to touch you.”
“It’s okay,” she said, stroking a hand up, then down my back. “You found me, Sly. That’s all that matters. You found me.”
“You found me. That’s all that matters.”
Bullshit.
She was in the hospital now, getting looked over although she’d insisted she was fine.
I’d all but dragged her here, because there were bruises all over her, on her arms and her throat—he could’ve crushed her throat. She could’ve stopped breathing.
All because I’d failed to keep her safe.
Another failure.
She sat on the edge of the exam table as the doctor checked her reflexes and asked her questions. The doctor asked me to leave, but Emmy was adamant that I stay. I should get the hell out, because I knew what the doctor wanted to talk to her about, but Emmy held out a hand and how was I to say no to that?
Closing my fingers over hers, I stared at the wall and listened as the doctor patiently and kindly asked questions no woman should ever have to hear. I wanted to break things and hurt people, but the person who needed to be hurt—hurt more—was now out of reach. I’d heard the cops talking and it was likely he’d be taken out of state—remanded to custody were the words I’d heard used. Apparently, Branson had a claim on him and they had a more serious case against him now that he’d gone and put his hands on Emmy.
Put his hands on her…
She squeezed my hand and I wondered if I’d made a sound or said something. That light touch helped ground me and I focused on what was going on instead of what had already happened. I’d dwell on all o
f that, and how I’d failed her, later.
Failed.
Again.
Images of a small face washed up from the depths of my memory and I slid off the exam table. Giving Emmy’s hand a gentle squeeze, I mumbled something about needing to move and I started to prowl the room. The walls felt like they were closing in on me but I wasn’t going to let myself pussy out when she needed me.
Although why in the hell she did, I didn’t understand.
Doors blasted open on the heels of that thought and the doctor turned on the intruder, but when her patient cried out and reached for the blonde in the doorway, she lapsed into silence. I watched as Angel and Emmy all but collapsed around each other, the two women folding each other into their arms.
Angel’s tear-streaked face was visible over Emmy’s shoulder and she met my eyes as Emmy clung to her.
That was what Emmy needed, I realized. Someone to hold onto, someone to comfort her. It didn’t have to be me. She’d probably rather it wasn’t, really, once things settled.
“How about I…uh…you two probably could use a few minutes alone,” I said, feeling awkward and out of place. I rarely felt that way because I didn’t really give a damn—what did it matter to me if someone didn’t want me around? I went where I wanted.
But this was Emmy.
I don’t think either of them heard me and I started for the door, figuring a quiet retreat was the best option.
But I didn’t move, let alone make it close to the door.
“Sly, where are you going?” Emmy asked.
Her voice was huskier than normal, a leftover sign of the minor damage done to her throat. The doctor had assured her it was minor and her throat would recover without any trouble.
Still, the sound of the raw rasp only added to the fire in my gut.
“You should have some time alone with Angel,” I said lamely, reluctant to turn and look at her. As much as I felt like I didn’t need to be here, I didn’t want to go, because some part of me was still adjusting to the fact that I’d found her, that she was okay, that he hadn’t really hurt her.
Rule You (Vegas Knights Book 3) Page 14