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“This is Luke.”
I can’t hear what the person on the other line is saying, so I search for my panties before I remember he slipped them in his suit jacket pocket.
“What the hell?”
He picks up a remote and points it at the ceiling. A projector lights up a screen on the wall. With the push of a few more buttons, a local gossip show plays on the screen.
My stomach lurches when I see an old photo of me pop up on the screen.
“Allison Chamberlain known to her clients as Zara Blaire, is thought to be living in London near her paternal grandparents, but she grew up in Las Vegas and even attended The Apostolic Church of the Redeemer. Seems like our girl has strayed from the gospel,” one woman quips.
Another shakes her head. “Unless she’s been trying to embody Mary Magdalene.”
The other hosts at the table laugh, and rage heats my face.
“Turn it off, please.”
He does as I ask, and returns to the call, though his eyes never leave me.
But I don’t hear anything he says. All I can think about is the fact that my life as I know it is over.
Chapter 20
Zara
Tenminuteslater,werace across the city with Luke talking into his Bluetooth, and me scrolling the news for any additional information. So far, my name and rumors have just been posted to a few gossip sites and some local shows. Nothing national, thank goodness.
“Is it safe to take her back to the hotel?”
How did anyone find out I was here? I’ve been so careful all these years and I’ve been lying low since I arrived in Las Vegas.
“What about my place?” Luke asks whoever he’s talking to. “It’s not likely that the feds are coming back, but I don’t want to take that risk.”
He pauses for a second then nods as if whoever was on the other end can see him.
“Thanks. Are you sure? OK. We’re heading there now.”
He taps the Bluetooth in his ear and looks at me. “We’re going to Matteo’s. Someone will bring us our stuff from the Pink Sapphire.”
There’s no point in arguing, so I just nod and keep looking for more pictures of myself.
“This could ruin me, Luke. I don’t even know where to begin to fix this,” I finally say.
“I’m not sure yet either, Flower, but we’ll figure it out. We’re going to get through this and you’re going to be OK. As long as it stays local, we’ve got some powerful friends who can kill any more stories. If it goes national, though, it might be harder to contain. No matter what, we’ll protect you.”
He sounds so certain, but I don’t have the strength to be that positive yet. Perhaps I’ll get there soon, but right now I’m just feeling devastated.
“Is Skylar going to mind having you in her house?” I ask, needing to fill the silence with something.
Luke chuckles. “She doesn’t live with Matteo. Not yet. I suspect they’ll be living together before too long, though. He’s going to stay in her apartment at the Diamond Desire that she gets as part of her residency contract. She does fifteen to eighteen shows a month and they provide her an apartment and full-time security.”
“Didn’t she used to date the guy who owns the casino?”
“Something like that. From what I understand, it’s complicated. But Matteo works for him as head of VIP services at one of his nightclubs.”
“Why is Matteo working for someone? Aren’t you all independently wealthy?” It’s an unimportant question to ask all things considered, but it’s the only thing I can focus on right now.
“Why does anyone work, Zara? Sometimes we just need to in order to stay sane. But all four of us have other jobs besides the club and our… organization. Not only does it keep us sane, but it also gives us more legitimacy to move through the city and do what we need to do.”
