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As we walked out, I jerked out my phone, dialing Brogan’s number. Then I stared at the ring for the second time that day. Being a member of the Brotherhood had several benefits, including the use of expertise and equipment when necessary. This was one of those times.
“Constantine,” Brogan huffed, his Irish accent something I’d always found amusing since he’d been born in the States, his mother of Spanish origin.
“Brogan. How goes it?”
“The usual bullshit.”
The man had recently lost his license to practice psychiatry, which had surprised me. “I need a favor.”
“What can I do for you?”
“I need to find someone.” I gave him what few details I had, and he laughed, likening it to finding a needle in a haystack.
I’d knew he’d come through.
As I hung up the phone, several filthy things crossed my mind, including all the sadistic things I was going to do to her luscious body for punishment.
Beautiful Jade.
The woman who’d vanished without a trace.
Soon she would be stripped of her freedom, taken into my dark world.
Soon she would comprehend the wrath of an evil, dangerous man.
Soon she would surrender to me in every way, exposing her darkest desires.
Soon she would beg me for more, crying out my name over and over again.
Only then would she begin to understand that she now belonged to me.
CHAPTER2
Jade
The casino was full of idiots and assholes, half of them already drunk. I’d known that before, of course, having worked in one of the six five-star restaurants in the posh resort for several months, but tonight I was getting a firsthand look up close and personal. The facility catered to the wealthy and powerful, mostly men with pretty little perfectly thin girls hanging on their arms. I was sick of hearing their giggles, watching as they were offered the opportunity to blow on a pair of dice.
As if they really offered good luck.
When I heard another loud squeal, followed by several cheers from gawkers wishing they had the guts to place a twenty-thousand-dollar bet, I grimaced as I’d been doing the entire night. I was here for one purpose, and if one more gutless jerk put his hand on my ass, I was going to slug him. The only reason I hadn’t was because I wasn’t supposed to be on the casino floor at all. Gambling was against the rules, although I’d never been one to follow guidelines.
Maybe I’d gotten that from my father, although I was just guessing. While I was never self-conscious when I wore a wig, tonight my skin was crawling from seeing the number of soldiers standing like vultures on steroids, just waiting for a guest to try to disregard the systems set in place.
Dealers were experts in discovering card counters and past posters, popular methods of cheating. However, the truth was that few people knew how to keep their cool no matter the circumstances. Still, I was more nervous than usual. Not only was I running out of time, I needed my job just to make ends meet.
As I walked through the crowds of people, several men gawked appreciatively. I had to admit that I looked good, damn good tonight. My sleek black dress, sheer stockings, and rhinestone-adorned stilettos were a direct contrast to the flaming red lipstick I’d chosen. As I moved toward the poker tables, I held my head high, acting as if I owned the place, yet as I approached, my nerves almost got the better of me.
Now I’d wished I’d had a drink instead of two giant cups of coffee. I was jittery, which wouldn’t bode well for cheating the system. The drink would come later, after I’d won several hands and could safely slide under the covers. As I eased into a vacant seat, I realized there might be a wait given only one other person was at the table. This wasn’t the high stakes section. Those tables were hidden behind closed and locked doors, by invitation only. I’d cased them out, offering to take fresh beverages to players several times.
Hundreds of thousands of dollars changed hands, not just the table limit of one thousand a bet. I was risking everything for tonight, but I had nothing to lose.
Except my health and likely my life. If I didn’t pay off the loan shark by ten in the morning, he’d send one of his Neanderthals to rough me up. At least that’s what Fast Eddie had told me when he’d accosted me outside my apartment.
But the threats had gotten worse.
I took a deep breath, putting my purse on the floor. Almost immediately a waiter approached. I ordered champagne for a prop, although I was beginning to think indulging would be in my best interest given my nerves. The dress and the shoes had taken a chunk from my last paycheck, which meant I’d only be able to afford a single glass of bubbly. It was more about looking the part. At least I owned the back seam stockings and matching lace underwear. Maybe I wasn’t a complete fraud.
Tonight, I needed to think positively, which had been tough for me to do as of late. Tonight I’d win a minimum of fifty-five thousand dollars with ten percent going to the house, a hefty amount but the composition and wealth of the players was worth the high percentage. Tomorrow I’d pay off the repulsive gremlin disguised as a businessman the forty-two thousand, five hundred and eighty-seven dollars before he hiked his interest rates. It would still leave me enough to pay rent on time this month.
