She was waiting for me in the living room. She took the shirt and smiled. “Thanks.”
After I’d made a call to sort a room for her, I escorted her up the winding path and into the casino.
Bastian had designed the Avernus to be pure class. Everything was done in black and shades of bronze. The walls were black and dotted with carved bronze metal artwork, the plush carpet was black with an elegant bronze pattern. He’dnamed the place the Avernus, after a volcanic crater and lake in Italy that was rumored to be an entrance to the Roman underworld. He’d kept up the underworld theme for naming most things in the casino. The former assassin had a dark sense of humor.
I avoided the main casino floor, although I could hear the annoying dings of the slot machines and therat-rat-ratof the roulette wheel. One of the uniformed front desk employees met us at the elevators. Even at this late hour, his bronze shirt and black trousers were crisp and his blond hair well-styled. Bastian only hired the best staff.
“Hi, Cole.”
“Oscar.”
The young man held out a keycard, flicking a curious, and appreciative glance, at Lili. I barely stopped my scowl.
“Room 712. Have a good night.”
We silently rode the elevator to the seventh floor. After a short walk down the hallway, I stopped at her door, and swiped the card.
Lili looked into the plush, elegant room, her lips parting. “Wow.”
It was spacious, with bronze and cream carpeting, and bronze accents around the room. The bed was high and covered in pillows.
“Order something to eat.”
She smiled. “It’s after midnight.”
“I don’t care.”
“Okay,” she murmured.
She fiddled with my T-shirt in her hands. “Will I see you tomorrow?”
It was best if I didn’t. I’d ask Alessio to get her things, and I’d give him some cash to give her. Enough so she could get away and get herself set up somewhere. “Probably not.”
More disappointment crossed her features, before she managed a shaky smile. “Well, thank you again, Cole. I mean it.”
“Goodbye, Lili.”
She swallowed and gave me a tiny nod. “Goodbye, Cole.”
She closed the door, and I stood there, staring at it for several minutes before I forced myself to walk away.
CHAPTER 5
LILI
The hotel room and adjoining bathroom were so fancy. Fancier than anything I’d ever stayed in before.
I finished toweling off after my long, hot shower in the enormous shower stall. There were so many shower heads, I didn’t know how to work them all. Nabbing the swanky bathrobe off the hook by the door, I slipped into it, then used a towel to clear the steam off the backlit, bronze-framed mirror.
My reflection looked back at me. I looked a little pale, my red-brown hair shades darker since it was wet. My cheek was still a little red from the hit I’d taken.
No wonder Cole couldn’t wait to be rid of me. One, I’d brought him trouble to deal with, and two, I looked like some homeless waif.
Well, I pretty much was homeless.
I sighed. Tomorrow, I’d try to dredge up some excitement about a new start. Tonight, I was just a little rattled, sad, and tired.
My thoughts turned to Ava-Jane. My reflection frowned. Did Goodyear know where she was? Had he done something to her?I thought she’d just moved on. She was nineteen, almost twenty and determined to make it as a model.
