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Striding into the main, bustling casino floor, I scan left, right, and straight ahead. There she is, glancing over her shoulder as she maneuvers through the crowd. With months of experience as a cocktail server at the casino, she moves faster than expected, but I have the advantage—I’m not wearing that fancy dress and heels to hinder my progress, and I own the place. Knowing some shortcuts, I cut left, and there she is in the distance, still searching for me. I duck out of sight and around the room.
She's frantically looking for me now, but she doesn't see me yet. I mean business. The element of surprise is mine. Circling in front of her, I appear as she turns around.
"Where's the fire, Robyn?"I inquire, my voice low, leaving no room for misinterpretation.
"I needed to go to the bathroom,"she claims, but it's clear she's not telling the truth.
"You know as well as I do the bathrooms are in the opposite direction. You're headed toward the front door. Going somewhere?"
Chapter Eight
Robyn
My heart races as I try to make sense of the mess I've found myself in. Getting to know Kingpin has been the best thing to happen to me amidst the chaos of caring for my family. His presence is a light in my dark world, a place where I can find myself again. The intimacy we shared was unparalleled, a respite from my burdens.
Everything was going well. My brother had given me tips on counting cards, and I was making money from tips during the day and winning at night in the underground. But in the last 24 hours, I noticed a shift in Kingpin's behavior. He started treating me like a stranger, and something felt off.
When he walked into the high rollers' room for the blackjack games, the air changed. He had been there every other night, but his entrance this time carried an air of indignation. The way he looked at me sent shivers down my spine, and not in a good way. It was clear—he knew what I was up to. Panic set in, and I knew I had to get out of there as soon as possible. The frustration of falling for a man I knew so little about added to the turmoil in my mind.
My mind is a whirlwind of anxiety and upset as I try to make a quick exit from the casino. In my haste, I realize with a sinking feeling that I left my money on the table—an amateur mistake that cost me well over $50,000. But there's no time to dwell on it; my priority is getting out before Kingpin catches up with me.
I keep glancing over my shoulder, trying to spot him in the crowd. Lost in the sea of people, I think I've escaped. I turn, ready to make a dash for the door, only to collide with a solid wall of a man. The scent of his masculine presence surrounds me, and I can't help but react to him. But that is short-lived because I know I'm in trouble.
Taking in Kingpin from head to toe, I try to find an excuse for my hurried departure. He doesn't buy it. With a firm grip on my elbow, he ushers me in the opposite direction of the front door—the direction of my supposed freedom. I'm trapped, and I can feel the weight of impending consequences closing in on me.
"Where the hell are we going?"I demand, my heart racing as Kingpin directs me back toward the high rollers' room—the very place I was desperately trying to escape. My questions fall on deaf ears, and he remains silent, slightly behind me, pushing me forward with his body. Though he is thoroughly displeased with me, I can still feel the stiff erection pressed into me, his hand firm at the small of my back. To an outsider, we might appear as a high rollers' couple enjoying the casino crowd. In my heart, I wish that were true, but reality is far from the fantasy.
“Just keep walking, Robyn. Please do not cause a scene,”he hisses against my ear from behind.
I turn my head to look up at him, but his jaw is set, and his hazel eyes blaze with intensity.
Shit, he knows.
As we approach the high rollers' room, a man who I think is the Pit Boss—Tyrone—comes closer, addressing Kingpin.
“You good here, Boss?”
Confusion swirls in my mind.What does that even mean?Before I can ponder it further, Kingpin nods and walks right past the high rollers' room down a dark hallway.
The farther we go, the more muffled the sounds of the casino become until we reach what looks like a service elevator."Answer me! Where are you taking me?"I demand, my frustration building. Kingpin pushes a button; the elevator immediately opens, and he ushers me inside. In my two months at Forrester International Resorts and Casino, I had never ventured down this hall. As the elevator ascends, I'm left in the dark about where we're headed and what awaits us at our destination.
Knox
"Where are you dragging me, Kingpin?"she demands, her irritation clear.
"Seriously, that's not my name,"I retort, feeling equally annoyed.
"Well, that's what everyone else calls you. How am I supposed to know your real name when you haven't bothered to tell me?"Her frustration grows. If I weren't so agitated, I might find it amusing.
The elevator swooshes to a halt at the penthouse level. Stepping out, I guide her through a plush hallway leading to my suite in the casino. This is my hideaway from the chaos below, quiet and reserved for me alone.
Pulling her closer, the tension between us palpable, I mutter,"You'll figure it out soon. Then we can talk about why you've been playing games."
I usher her into the massive suite, its opulence extending from floor to ceiling. The windows offer a breathtaking view of the city in Queens, New York. Robyn is stunned, taking in the luxurious space. Unbeknownst to her, I've let her go, and she only realizes it when the door clicks shut behind us. She turns back to me, about to speak, but I cut her off.
"It's Knox,"I correct her.
She narrows her eyes, trying to connect the dots, but the equation isn't clicking."As in KnoxForrester,"I say, emphasizing my last name. Realization dawns in her eyes as she steps back, mouth agape. She stumbles over her words and her feet, I step in closer and steady her, our bodies close as I have become accustomed. I’ve missed the warmth of her touch, and it’s only been 24 hours. She looks up at me, her eyes searching my features as I stare back.
