“Who said some thing to you?”
I shifted in my seat. “I don’t really want to talk about it.”
Greyson took my hand into his. “I’ve been raking my brain to think what I could have done to make you run away. Please tell me so I won’t do it again.”
“It’s nothing you did.”
“Then what?”
I didn’t say anything.
His mouth twisted as he thought. “Mya was the only one who talked to you . . . it was her. What did she say?”
I cringed.
“Nadia, what did she say?”
“You have to promise you won’t get mad at her. She didn’t realize what had just happened between us. Her words were innocent.”
“I promise I won’t be mad.”
I studied his eyes to make sure he was telling the truth. “She said I was one of the easiest guests you’ve had in a while and most of the women that stayed here are demanding and high maintenance.”
Greyson sat back and groaned. “Can I take back my promise?”
“No.”
“I’m sorry you had to hear that.” His eyes caught mine. “I can’t tell you she’s wrong.”
I put my hand up to stop him.
“Let me finish,” he said. “While she’s not wrong, it might sound worse than it is. I don’t have time for as many women as you might suspect. Honestly, you aren’t like any of them.”
“I don’t really want you to have to explain. I was tired and overreacted. I understand your lifestyle doesn’t allow you to tie yourself down. I’d be an idiot to think you would live like a monk. Please, let’s drop this and move on.”
Greyson tugged me over to his side. His hands moved to cup my face. “We’re good now?”
He didn’t give me time to respond. His lips were on mine and I melted into him. So much for being mad. One kiss and I’m as passive as a sleeping kitten. Maybe the twenty minutes on the punching bag made me weak. I should think about pawning it off on someone else. Or, maybe, I should just punch men who tick me off instead of a bag. It was something to ponder, but not at this time. I needed sleep. My temperament wasn’t on an even balance and making everyone suffer.
“Greyson, I can’t do this.”
“You can’t do this?” He asked and nipped on my earlobe.
“No.”
“How about this?” He moved down to my neck.
“Nuh-uh.”
“Hmm, how about this?” His hand slid to cup my breast. His thumb stroked my nipple.
My breath caught. “Maybe that.”
He smiled as his finger stroked and circled. “You still have a few more hours to go before we can both sleep. We should probably go into the bedroom and wait it out in there.”
“Greyson, I was supposed to tell you something,” I said as he unhooked my bra.
“What?” He asked, pulling my shirt over my head.
“I, uh, can’t remember when you do that,” I said as he bent down to capture my nipple with his teeth.
“It couldn’t be too important,” he said, lifting me from the couch and carrying me to the bed.
“I can walk you know.”
“This way is more fun.”
He laid me on the bed, stripped me of the rest of my clothes, and pressed me into the bed with his weight on top of me. Kissing away all brain cells, my body hummed as his mouth roamed the length of me.
“Greyson, I really am supposed to tell you something.”
I still couldn’t recall what I was supposed to tell him. Not sleeping and his deliriously intoxicating kisses made my head blank. I brought his head up to gaze into his eyes. His eyes . . . David.
“What is it?” He asked.
They both had the same haunting steel-gray eyes. Something was hard and unyielding in their eyes. But when Greyson looked at me with hungry need, the predatory edge softened slightly to make my blood boil with the same need.
He didn’t wait long for my reply and bent to steal my lips with his.
“David,” I whispered into his lips.
His head shot up with widened eyes. “What?”
“You heard me.”
“I don’t understand. And it’s certainly not the name I want to hear you whisper in bed. What’s going on?”
I brought his head down to whisper, “He thinks your place is bugged, along with your limo and phone.”
“You can’t be serious.”
I nodded.
He jumped up taking me with him. “Let’s go to your place,” he said with a growl.
Once dressed, he led me out the door. Greyson called Remy to meet us in the front. He whispered something to Remy as we exited the door. Remy’s eyebrows flew up so high I was pretty sure they’d get lost in his scalp. He nodded and left Greyson’s side to order a taxi.
“Remy will perform a thorough inspection of the limo and penthouse,” he said when we were inside the taxi. “I told him to use your number to get in touch with me. I would bring you to my house, but I’m not sure that’s safe either.”
“It’s okay. I could really use my bed right now.”
Greyson’s eyes darkened.
“I didn’t mean that.”
He smiled. “Yes, you do. You just don’t want to admit it.”
The taxi pulled in front of All Celebrities Chapel. We hopped out, and Greyson handed a couple of large bills to the driver. I don’t think Greyson looked at the bills to see how much he paid, but the driver didn’t mind. In fact, he grinned like Christmas just arrived.
Groucho Marx opened the door to the chapel. Greyson’s eyes crinkled at the corners with amusement.
“Greyson, I don’t think you met my friend, boss, and landlord, Frankie.”
“Yes, we met at the theater,” Greyson corrected me.
“Oh, it’s so nice to meet you officially. Thank you for taking care of my star. She’s going to make me rich,” Frankie said. “But you’re already rich. I’ve read all about you in GQ. I didn’t read the Forbes article. I get headaches when I read about wildly successful people. You were smokin’ in that tailored three-piece suit. Not many people can pull it off, but you looked like a poster boy for money and sex.”
I cringed.
Greyson chuckled. “Thank you.”
“Why aren’t you in your expensive penthouse?”
“I’m trying to get away from all the money.”
“Ah, getting away from the money but not the sex.” He winked at Greyson. “I gotcha. Have fun you two,” he said, letting us pass him.
I groaned. “Please don’t encourage his behavior.”
“I don’t see why I shouldn’t. He was only telling the truth.”
“I suppose, but it makes my life more difficult.”
We ascended the two flights of stairs and entered into my apartment. I closed the door behind us.
“So, tell me what’s going on,” Greyson said.
“David wouldn’t tell me a lot. He said he took a big risk coming here.”
“Is that going to make me feel happy he’s meddling in my life?”
“I don’t know his intentions, but he did tell you about the money.” I hesitated. “You know when I talked to you on Remy’s phone? I wouldn’t have called the police. I hope you know that.”
A smiled crept on his face. “I know. I wanted to tell Remy to bring you back, but I knew you needed space. I’m sorry for cornering you. If I would have just let you go then you wouldn’t have had to say that.”
I led him to the couch. He relaxed onto it taking me with him.
“Where did you see him?” Greyson asked.
“David? He was waiting for me here.”
He clenched his teeth. “He was inside here?”
“Yes. He came through the window. He has some supernatural abilities. Do you know you both have the same eyes?”
“Why did he come here? Why didn’t he come to me?”
“He said you were being watched. And it’s probably easier to scale my building than yours. I’
m sure he could find a way to scale yours too.”
“He didn’t scare you, did he?”
“I was a little shocked he was here. But no, he didn’t scare me. What happened between you two?”
Greyson shrugged. “I thought I knew my brother, but I didn’t at all. He left his new wife in my hands. He just walked off and left her and the family. We didn’t know whether he was dead or alive. It was only in the last couple of weeks I spotted him and knew he was alive. The family still doesn’t know.”
“He said if I helped him he could return to Mya sooner.”
“We’ll see about that.”
“Whether you like it or not he’s trying to help you. By helping him, I’m helping Mya and you.”
“What does he want you to do?”
“Right now, just relay messages to you. He wanted to make his presence known to you.”
“That’s it?”
“He also wanted to make sure you’re aware you’re being watched. I agreed to play poker against a guy by the name of Dagor Moliente.”
Greyson shook his head. “No way. Dagor only plays high stakes. When he loses he makes sure his thugs hunt down the winner and takes the money back with interest.”
My throat constricted. “Why would people play with him?”
“No one dares leave the table when he sits down. It’s easier to lose the money and walk away with all your bones intact. He’s banned from my casinos.”
“Then I’ll have to find him at a different one.”
“Why does David want you to play him?”
“To ask him questions.”
“Does he think Dagor has information on the counterfeiting?”
“I believe so. David’s already wired the money into my account for the buy-in.”
“I don’t like this. Remy will go with you.”
“No way. Everyone knows Remy works for you, and he doesn’t play poker. It would be obvious why he was there with me. As you said, I want to keep all my bones in one piece.”
“What about Roy? Can you take him?”
“No, I like him too much to put him in danger. If he was aware of what was happening, he’d try to stop me.”
“I don’t even know Roy, but I like him already.”
“I’ll be fine. As long as I have money, Dagor won’t care why I’m there asking questions. I’m not a big name poker player, so no one will know who I am.”
“I still don’t like this. Will the information from Dagor help?”
I shrugged. “It’s worth a shot.”
“What if I have an invitational poker night at the casino? Then I could keep an eye on you.”
“That wouldn’t work and you know it. You said yourself he was banned from the casino. And David thinks he knows about the fake money, so why would he step foot into your casino?”
“Damn it.” Greyson stood up and paced back and forth in my small living room. “This is a fucking mess! Every time I think I’m one step ahead, I get sideswiped by something else.”
“Let’s just see what happens. First, I have to find where he plays.”
“That won’t be hard to figure out. Only a few casinos allow him in and none of them are on the strip. You have to bring someone with you. You can’t go by yourself.”
“There’s no one I can bring.”
“I’m going to shoot myself for saying this, but maybe you should bring Caleb.”
“You don’t really want him in on this, do you?”
“Not really. But he’d be able to secure a spot at Dagor’s table without any problems.”
I shook my head. “No, I can do this by myself. I’m sure David will be there.”
“How do you know?”
“He’s been watching. He knows how to become invisible when he wants. I’m sure he’ll be there.”
“I wouldn’t bet on it.”
“I would,” David said.
My eyes shot over to my bedroom door where David was standing. Greyson’s eyes narrowed at David.
“She’s right. I would be there,” David said.
“How long have you been here?” Greyson asked.
“Long enough.”
“You need to stop playing games and tell me what the hell is going on.”
“Greyson, despite what you think about me, I’m here to help you.”
“Why aren’t you helping your wife?”
“I keep my eye on her. I make sure she is taken care of.”
“Then why is she serving cocktails? She refuses to take any money from me.”
“I don’t know why she’s serving cocktails. I wire five thousand dollars into her account every month. She has enough money to live comfortably without working.”
Confusion etched on Greyson’s brow. “Where does she think the money is coming from?”
“She’s never been good with money. Who knows what’s going on in her head.”
“Why the hell is she working at my casino then?”
“Maybe to be close to you,” I offered.
“She can see me any time she wants.”
“Do you really believe that?” I asked. “You know your work comes first. Right now, you’re all she has left of David. You both have the same eyes and features. You also have similar voices and you carry yourselves the same way too. If I was Mya I might do the same thing. You’re her tie to David.”
Greyson raked his hands through his hair. He flicked his eyes at David. “When the hell are you coming back?”
“It’s not up to me.”
“You picked up a mission, didn’t you?”
David shrugged.
“Must be one hell of a paycheck for you to leave your wife.” He eyed David. “This better not be a mercenary mission.”
He smirked. “At least I don’t sit behind a big desk and hide from marriage.”
“No, you’re reckless. You hurt a sweet girl who idolizes you.”
“She’ll forgive me.”
The muscles in Greyson’s jaw began twitching from clenching his teeth so hard.
“David, I thought you were afraid Greyson was going to kick your ass if you came back,” I said.
He smiled. “Maybe ten years ago he could have but not now. He sits behind a desk all day getting soft.”
“Soft?” Greyson barked. His eyes sparked with a fierce glow.
“That’s what I said.”
Greyson glanced at me. “You aren’t going to say any thing?” He asked me.
“What do you want me to say?”
“You could stand up for me the way you stand up for Mya.”
“I only stand up for Mya because she’s sweet. You’re not.”
Greyson rubbed his forehead trying to stop a growing headache.
David chuckled. “Though it’s fun to pick on you, we need to go over some plans. Then I have to leave.”
“Let’s get this over.”
David settled in the chair opposite of us. To bring Greyson up to speed, David relayed some of the same information he gave me earlier. After a couple of minutes my eyes closed with heavy lids. Their deep soothing voices lulled me to sleep. I tried to open them, but they fluttered shut. I felt an arm circle around me, and I leaned against Greyson’s chest. Right before I fell into a deep sleep I heard David’s voice.
“What are your plans for her?”
“Right now, to keep her safe from Dagor. No thanks to you.”
Chapter 12
I awoke to the sound of my phone ringing. I rubbed my eyes and peered around my bedroom. Somehow I ended up in my bed. The last thing I remembered was being on the couch with Greyson. My ears perked when I heard his voice coming from the kitchen as he answered the phone.
I crawled out of bed and shuffled to the kitchen find Greyson at my table with his laptop. Gus was hunkered next to the laptop staring pointblank at Greyson. Greyson smiled as I entered the room. Gus grunted.
“I’ll see you in a few minutes,” Greyson said into the phone and disconnected. He turned to me. “That was Remy.
He found all the bugs and he’s coming to pick me up. I have a lot on my plate today especially with David on the loose.”
I nodded and headed to the coffee maker. There was already hot coffee brewed and the smell wafting from it made me smile.
“I didn’t know you could make coffee,” I said.
He stood and crossed the distance to me. He brought me in for a warm cuddly hug making the coffee seem insignificant.
“I wasn’t born with people waiting on me.”
“What else can you do?”
“I can make an awesome omelet.”
“That’s what I wanted to hear,” I said. I dug out a pan from the bottom cupboard and handed it to him.
He chuckled. “Why don’t you shower, and I’ll make you breakfast.”
“I think I could get use to people waiting on me,” I said. “You’ve got it figured out, don’t you?”
“That’s why I make the big bucks.”
I smiled. “By the way, how did Gus climb on the table? He normally can’t jump that high.”
“He was waddling near my feet giving me an evil eye. I finally picked him up and set him on the table. He’s been vegetating there ever since.”
“You picked him up?”
“Yeah, why?”
“I can’t even pick him up.”
“Can you relay that to David the next time you talk to him? Tell him I haven’t gone one hundred percent soft yet.”
I shook my head with a grin and shuffled to the bathroom. By the time I was showered and changed, my breakfast was on the table and Remy was looming in the doorway talking to Greyson. I took a seat in front of my perfectly executed omelet and dug in.
“You weren’t kidding,” I said as I took a bite. “You make a kick ass omelet. It’s all fluffy and cheesy.”
“I told you I can do a few things.” He strolled over, kissed me on the top of the head, and picked up his laptop. “I have to go back to work. I’ll be in touch with you later about Dagor’s location. We can come up with a game plan once we know what casino he’ll be in.”
“Okay. I think I have to work with Lupier today. I should be free later.”
“You’re working with Lupier again? Even after the last performance?”
“I’ve been told I boosted the ticket sales by mooning every one and then lighting myself on fire.” I cut a piece of omelet. “You know, not every one can be as entertaining as I supposedly am.”
The Big Blind (Nadia Wolf) Page 13