Shit, I hated the fucker already.
My phone vibrated in my pocket and I pulled it out. There was a message from Nash.
“Everything okay?” She looked at me, concern on her face.
“Yeah. Nash asked us to meet him at the security office.”
She crumpled up the empty wrapper from her hot dog. “So everything isn’t okay.”
“He’s looking for Ava-Jane and the women.”
Her eyes widened and she stood. “Then let’s see what he’s found.”
I led her out of the food court and to a private elevator. Once inside, I pressed my palm to the scanner. It beeped and we headed down.
“There are underground levels?” she asked.
“Yeah. Security is all downstairs, along with a gym and training area.” And holding rooms, when the casino needed them.
The doors opened and I pressed my hand to the small of her back. My hand looked huge against her.
The security room was dark, with the walls covered in screens. They all displayed security footage of different parts of the casinos: the gambling floor, restaurants, auditoriums, elevators, and corridors. Several of the security team sat at computers.
Nash and Bastian were talking near a glass wall at the back. Beyond them were a conference room and the offices. Nash waved us into his office.
“Lili, you met Nash and Bastian earlier.”
“Hi, again,” she said.
“Glad you’re okay, Lili,” Bastian said.
“I like your casino.”
I knew women considered Bastian handsome and charming. He always wore slick clothes, and had a smile at the ready. Hewas nothing like me, and right then, I fucking hated her looking at him with a smile on her face.
“I’m glad to hear that.” Bastian smiled down at her. “I hope you get to enjoy more of it.”
“Cole said you got married.”
Bastian’s smile turned to full wattage. “I did. Best decision I ever made.”
“And he did just that,” a tart, female voice said. “Decided. He didn’t even ask me, just set up the wedding and had me show up, thinking it was a date.”
Bastian’s new wife, Lark, strode in. She was tiny, fierce, and deadly. Her hair was the color of the darkest part of the night, and she didn’t look like an assassin. A smiling Georgie was one step behind her.
“Lili, this is Lark…well, I guess it’s Lark Thorne now,” I said.
The tiny assassin grinned. “It is.”
Bastian claimed his wife, kissing her, then tucking her under his arm. I was well aware just how dangerous she was. Her small form hid a lot.
Georgie stopped beside Nash and he hooked an arm around her shoulders. Her blonde hair was a contrast to his darker looks. “Lili, I’m Georgie. I work here at the Avernus.”
“It’s nice to meet you all.” Lili smiled. “And thank you for the clothes. I wore them until Cole took me shopping.”
“Cole willingly went shopping?” Nash’s eyebrows winged up.
Georgie elbowed him. “You are so welcome, Lili. Believe me, I know all about being in a tough situation. That’s how I ended up here.”
