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SEBASTIAN
“Old Faithful, is that you?” someone asked behind us.
After getting busy in the hotel room, we cleaned up and decided to go for a nightcap at the swanky bar at the top of the hotel. We’d just finished up and were heading back to the room to finally catch up on sleep. The whole evening had been quite a success—so much so that I had gotten complacent, my guard down. Probably a little too much because I didn’t pay the caller any attention until they called again.
“Old Faithful?” a woman said again, more insistent this time.
When Faith stiffened next to me, my antenna went up, and I began searching for Beck. From the corner of my eye I saw him scanning the busy casino floor.
I tucked Faith into my side, putting a barrier between her and whoever was calling out.
A brunette woman rushed up to us. Her dress was so skimpy her breasts nearly popped out from the dental floss keeping them secure.
Beck intervened, his large body blocking the woman from us.
Faith peered over my shoulder. "Hi, Brittney."
The woman’s eyes lit up. "I knew that was you."
"Where have you been? I've tried calling," Brittney said. While her words were directed at the woman behind me, Brittney’s eyes roamed my body as I remained on high alert. Patrons walked around us, trying to make their way across the casino floor.
"Faith, do you know this woman?" Beck asked, giving her control when I'd rather we just bounced.
Faith's hand landed on my shoulder. "You can stand down, soldier."
With that, Beck insisted we move to the side. He ushered us to a quiet corner while he and his new guy, Tate, blocked anyone else from joining us.
I remained at Faith's side as she spoke to the woman. I watched closely as the smile she gave her didn't quite reach her eyes. From the outside, you might not notice it. You might mistake that smile for friendship.
But I knew better than that. Knew that there was no love lost between Faith and this woman.
For one, she would have told me. As far as I knew, Faith's circle closed considerably in the last year. She’d pruned it to only a trusted few. Not unlike her brother. At this point, I could count on my hand the number of people she trusted.
"I'm Brittney, and you are?" she asked me, hand extended.
"It doesn't matter," I said, not bothering with niceties.
She flinched as if I'd struck her.
Faith moved closer to the woman. "Don't mind him, he's surly from being around so many people." She said it with a wink that instantly set the other woman at ease. The woman gave me another curious glance, her gaze lingering on my package.
Faith cleared her throat.
Brittney’s attention snapped right back to Faith.
"We should be going soon," Beck said quietly. "We don't want to draw a crowd."
"How long are you here? We need to hang out before you go home. You’ve been so mysterious lately. Don’t think I haven’t noticed you avoiding my calls."
Faith shot her a tight smile. "We're actually here for business. Unfortunately, I don't think we are going to have a lot of extra time to hang out."
She laughed. "Business? Seriously. What kind of business could you possibly have in Vegas?"
"She's here with me to solidify a multi-million-dollar deal."
The woman's eyebrows practically flew off her face. She narrowed her eyes at Faith. "Seriously? You're helping him with business." The woman placed a hand on Faith's shoulder and patted it. "That's adorable." She nodded in my direction. "He's funny. I didn't peg him as funny.
Faith frowned. "What exactly about me helping him with a business deal is so funny?"
