We stepped off onto a floor. I didn’t take notice of which number, though. The guards retook their positions, and I walked beside Adrik. This floor seemed more salubrious, and I really felt underdressed.
I leaned closer to Adrik. “I feel out of place here. You should have told me to wear a suit.”
He stopped and faced me. “I noted the first time you wore one, you seemed uncomfortable.”
“Um, I was a bit, but I’d still wear one for places like this.”
“You are with me. You do not need to worry.”
Stupid heartwarming words.
Ignore them, West.
I shrugged at him. “Okay.”
He studied me for a moment and nodded. Before we could walk further, two women appeared in front of us.
The blonde clapped and beamed up at Adrik, who frowned. “You’re Adrik Hail, right? The owner of this casino?”
The owner?
Adrik owned this place.
No wonder he told me not to worry about what I was wearing.
“Da,” Adrik clipped.
“Da? What does ‘da’ mean?” They giggled.
“You’re very good-looking,” the brunette added with a slight slur to her words. Great, they were drunk.
“We would love to keep you company for the night.” The blonde winked.
Adrik’s nostrils flared. I had a feeling he was about to sic his guards on them or verbally abuse some paying customers.
Just as the blonde reached for Adrik’s arm, I took her hand and pulled both of their attention onto me. I smiled wide. “That’s really sweet of you two beauties to offer, but Mr. Hail is very busy tonight.” I glanced around and saw Leonid. I waved him over. Thankfully, he listened even if he glared at me. “Leonid here would love to get you ladies a couple of free drinks to make up for declining your lovely offer.”
“I will not leave—”
“Sdelay eto,” Adrik bit out. Whatever he’d said caused Leonid to stiffen and nod.
“Please, come this way.” He waved toward one of the bar areas.
“That’s so nice,” they both cooed before they followed Leonid with a final wave to us.
I jumped when a hand landed on the small of my back. “Come,” Adrik said, his tone softer than it had been.
My skin tingled along with my balls from his touch. Even when it was innocent, I couldn’t control the extra beat in my heart or the small stumble I took as we walked. Adrik was kind enough to ignore my clumsiness.
At another set of elevators, we stopped. Adrik turned back and said, “You can all stay here.”
“Where will you take him?” Death asked.
“Up to my office, where we will have dinner.”
“One hour,” Death said.
I stiffened. Adrik hated the reminder of our time. But all he did was nod, face the elevator, and swipe a card through the panel beside it. The doors opened, and his hand was back, teasing my body.
It really wasn’t good that I wanted to feel his hands on my skin. To have them run over my body like he wanted to consume me.
Fuck me with a double dildo. I really was screwed with my feelings for this man.
How could it be so?
Why after only three meetings with him?
Why him to begin with?
Maybe it had to do with him opening up to me slowly, very slowly, each time we were together. I never thought he’d own a casino. Hell, he might own more than one. But… I didn’t care about what he had. I cared about who he was on the inside—
Fuck me, please someone come along and shoot me in the head because I sound like a total smitten dickhead from a love story.
Only this love story wouldn’t have a happy ending. I’d have a broken heart, because Adrik Hail was and would always be a client.
Chapter Four
West
Shaking my head, I’d come to the decision I needed to get my ass into gear and really talk to someone about how I was feeling. I also needed to pay attention to the now.
In the elevator, I asked lightly, “Do you always get women offering themselves up to you?”
“Mostly. Some men as well.”
I choked when I sucked in a sharp breath. “Really?”
He smiled, and a small “Da” slipped from between his lips.
Lips I had to stop staring at. I lifted my gaze and quickly turned to face the front because I’d been caught. I was grateful the doors opened. Stepping off, I glanced around. Half the room was made up of windows. I went straight over to them.
“Wow,” I stated. The view was of the floor we’d just been on. Men, women, workers, tables, poker machines, bars, drinks, food… I could see everything.
“Do you like?” Adrik asked from beside me.
I laughed. “If I owned this, I wouldn’t want to leave. But then again, I’m a people watcher. I could sit in a coffee shop and just watch people. And, oh my goodness, that sounds like I’m a creep.” I grabbed his upper arm. “I promise I’m not some stalker or killer.”
Adrik chuckled. “I know.”
I smiled. “So,” I drew out. “You own this place.”
His gaze went back out the window. I took mine there also and rested my hands on the windowsill. “Da. This and two others. I bought them when I moved here.”
“Wow again. That’s pretty impressive, but it must keep you very busy?”
“I like busy.”
But did he? I saw the dip to his brows when he said it. My stomach twisted for him because I honestly didn’t think he was happy. Why would a man in his prime want to hire an escort for company when he could obviously get anyone he wanted? It was hard to guess the reasons, but it did have me wondering what went on the receipt when a client hired an escort.
Was Adrik hiding his sexuality?
Did he have parents like my own who didn’t accept it?
I hoped one day my parents would, but they were highly against homosexuality since God apparently never created us that way.
I wanted to ask about Adrik’s but knew I couldn’t. “Maybe one day you’ll get to settle down a little.” I bumped my hip into his. “For now, I’m starving, and things could get ugly if I’m not fed soon.”
His lips twitched. “It’ll be delivered soon.”
I looked around me. “Do you have telepathy? I didn’t see you tell or ring anyone?”
“They would have seen me arrive. I ordered for you.” He winced. He actually winced. Worried I wouldn’t want him to take control, maybe?
I would not think about him taking control in the bedroom.
I wouldn’t.
Shit, it was in there now, and I had to abort the thought quickly because Adrik was staring at me like I’d lost it. Which was a possibility.
I cleared my throat. “No, that’s fine… I’ll eat anything, really. As long as it’s not anything with pineapple.” I screwed up my nose. “I hate that stuff.”
“On pizza?”
“Yes! People who have it on pizza are monsters.”
With a laugh, he waved me over to a table I hadn’t seen. “I eat on pizza.”
I went to sit down and nearly missed the seat, which caused Adrik to chuckle some more. “You don’t.”