“Mr. Harding, delighted to see you. And may I say how beautiful your…” He did a doubletake, scanning my smaller stature, peering at my ears and nails. “… lady companion looks tonight?”
“She does, doesn’t she?” Bryce put a gloved hand on my lower back.
The guy, finally got his smile locked back in place, after the shock of seeing a human. “Your VIP area’s all set up. I can show you to it whenever you’d like.”
“Thank you. But first…” He gestured to Dagger with his eyes. “I’d like you to give Detective Pierce here”—Bryce looked at Dagger slyly—“two thousand dollars in chips, on the house.”
Dagger let out a whistle. “Thanks, man. I’d hug you if I—”
Bryce raised a hand. “You can only cash out if you win at least ten grand on top of that, otherwise it all goes to charity, deal?”
Dagger mulled it over. “Ah, what the hell. It’s for charity, right? You’ve got yourself a deal.”
The staff member ducked away, presumably to gather the extra chips.
Dagger held out the dice to me. “Blow for good luck?”
I pursed my lips and blew into his fist like I’d seen in a movie once.
He ducked to kiss me as I straightened, and I let out a little laugh.
“That’ll do,” Hunter said, putting a hand on my lower back. “We’ve got to get the lady some food and find her friend.”
“All right. Save me a dance, Cowgirl.”
I patted Dagger’s muscular chest. “Only if you’re good.”
He kissed my satin-clad hand. “I’m the best.”
I smiled despite myself as I let Hunter lead me toward the buffet, still in the circle of guards.
As we walked, Hunter whispered into my ear, “I want you tohave a great time tonight, and I don’t mean to make you paranoid… but I’d like to ask one favor.”
“Sure. What is it?” I asked, returning the hushed volume.
“Stay cautious, all right? Any of us will be happy to escort you anywhere you want to go. Until Dagger’s got Conrad in cuffs, the thought of you all alone in a crowd makes me nervous.”
I had the same worries he did, but didn’t want to tell him and make him any more paranoid.
I reminded myself of Seb’s reassuring words and tried to put on a brave face for him. Then I discreetly gestured to all our private bodyguards, plus the uniformed police stationed in pairs all around the place. “Handsome, there’s more security here than the whole of downtown. Don’t worry, it’ll be okay.”
“I know.” As our escorts stopped in the buffet line, he pressed his forehead to mine. “But if anything happens to you, I’ll…” He pulled back with a sigh, shaking his head against the thought, and the tug on my heart lifted me onto my toes to kiss him.
When I pulled back, he wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me close again with a soft gasp.
“Nothing’s going to happen. I’m with you.” I stroked his cheek. “I promise to stay close, but promise me you’ll let yourself relax tonight.”
“I will, I promise.” He squeezed me. “Just, after what happened at the Grand Sapphire, it’s harder to shake that feeling, you know?”
The security detail shifted as Bryce moved down the line, pointing out items for the staff to heap on several plates. Hunter and I scooched along with them without breaking our embrace.
“That’s because we’re dwelling on it,” I told him. “Trust me, I’ve been the same way, but there’s nowhere more secure in the whole state tonight.”
“You’re right.” He kissed my forehead. “Now let’s make sure Bryce is picking out some real food and not just—”
“Oh fuck,” Bryce blurted, shocking me with the curse.
I peered between the bodyguard gaps to see a male and female couple approaching, arm in arm. Bryce’s face sank longer with each step they took. “Please have that sent to my VIP table on the terrace,” he told a red-vested staff member, who began putting the plates on a silver tray. Bryce signaled his team to step away from the buffet and faced the oncoming guests with the look of a soldier headed to the trenches.
