Rocco’s heart jumped to his throat and began to pound so hard it hurt.
“In that case,” Anker said, shoving the remainder of his chips forward. “I’m all in.”
Nico did likewise. “So am I.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
ROCCO AND NICO
Rocco watched Nico walk out of the casino with her winnings. He took off after her. She was headed for the elevators. Once there, he saw her press the button.
Don’t arrive.
Not yet, he thought as he shouldered his way through a crowd of people.
He saw her step forward,
Not yet.
He raced and, once arriving at the elevators, shoved his hand in between the doors just before they shut. He exhaled as they sprung back open and he saw her standing there—alone.
He stepped in.
“What—” she started but quickly stopped when a man raced up and was about to enter.
Rocco held up his hand. “This one’s broken.”
The man smiled. “Oh. Thanks.” And then just as the doors were closing, the man seemed to realize his mistake. “Wait, if it’s broken, then how come you’re—” The rest of what he said was lost as the doors shut and the elevator began to rise.
Rocco leaned against the back of the elevator without pressing the button for his floor—the fourth floor. He folded his arms and looked straight ahead, telling himself he would wait until they reached her floor before he would say anything. He was angry and needed to cool down.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her finger poised to press the fourth- floor button. He took her hand in his and pushed it down, and with his arm across her body, he gently pushed her back and away from the panel.
She looked down at his hand holding hers. He let go.
“What was on the table back there?” he asked, not doing anything to mask the anger in his voice.
She wouldn’t look at him. “You saw what was on the table. Do you want to count it?”
“What did Anker whisper to you?”
“Oh, that,” she huffed.
“Yes, that!”
“He suggested we throw something else into the wager.”
“And you agreed.”
She shrugged.
“What?” he demanded.
“It doesn’t matter. I won.”
“And what if you hadn’t?”
“That wasn’t going to happen.”
