“I do believe the cop doesn’t want to hurt him.” He prayed, at least. “He’s known my grandfather since he was a child. Ajoba is the reason his father became a citizen.”
“I cannot even fathom having roots in a community that deep. My dad never even talked to our neighbors.”
He wanted to know what effect that had had on her, but she hadn’t seemed pleased to resurrect her childhood memories. “My mother hated it, growing up. Said it was like living in a fishbowl. I like it, though. Especially tonight, knowing the man watching my grandfather has some feelings for him.” He sent another prayer up.
“I’m so sorry.”
Her voice broke, and he glanced over. She looked out the window, her profile sharp. Not a single frown marred her face. But those hands were fisted even tighter.
“For what?”
“You said it yourself. My family’s the reason you’re here.”
He hadn’t said—oh. He had said that, when they were trying to escape that shack.
“Your grandfather is in danger, and he wouldn’t be if it weren’t for me. You wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for me. I wish . . . I wish I’d never come to your office.”
Still emotionless, but her hands were so tight he wondered if she was cutting off her own circulation.
He couldn’t help himself. With his right hand, he covered hers. She stilled. She didn’t draw away, so he didn’t either. “Your family’s the reason I’m here. Your dad, more specifically.”
She tensed, but he continued. “You’re not at fault. Or if you are, it’s also your aunt’s fault for hiring my grandfather. Or my grandfather’s fault for taking her on as a client.”
“That’s extraordinarily fair of you.”
His family might say he was too fair, especially when he was wronged. “It’s common sense.” Her hands loosened. Naveen considered bringing up the bomb Emi had dropped, about her playing poker to line her father’s pockets as a child, but he didn’t want her to tense up again. “Have you ever played an escape room?” he heard himself saying.
“What? No.”
“Do you know what they are?”
“You have to, like, solve clues to get out of a locked room?”
He nodded. “I love them. I started playing a couple years ago. I go almost every weekend, with my friend Alan.” And then, because he wanted to see her smile for a change for some unfathomable reason, he added the next words, though he would rather die than reveal this fact to anyone else in his life. “We call ourselves the Who-Dinis.”
He glanced over in time to catch the way her lips turned up. Her smile was small, way smaller than that reckless smile in the suite, but it was real.
“Do you get it? It’s like Houdini.”
“But a pun.” Another centimeter to her grin. “Get out.”
“Nope. We hold records at multiple locations.”
Her smile grew. “Now you’re bragging.”
He wobbled his head. “A little.”
“I don’t remember Alan.”
That’s because I met him in rehab, a good year or so after we broke up. “He’s a recent friend, but a great one.”
“Escape rooms seem like a very different sort of weekend hobby for you.”
He put his signal on and switched lanes. “That’s because when you knew me, all I wanted to do was go to a party or a bar when I wasn’t working. That was my outlet then. This is my outlet now.”
“Sounds very wholesome.”
“I like it because it forces you to play as a team.” He shot her a glance. “Consider this an escape room, Mira. We’re partners. We have to play as a team.”
Her smile faded. “Hmm.”
“That means we collaborate on any plans going forward. We trust each other, and believe that we have each other’s best interest. And no more splitting up, no more even floating the idea of splitting up. Got it? We’re going to get through this but only if we can work together.”
Her fists loosened, and she flipped her hand, so they were palm to palm. He didn’t budge, though driving one-handed was awkward for him. “You said that earlier. And what if we can’t get through it? There’s a real possibility that this is a wild goose chase.”
His grandfather’s words came back to him. You might need him someday. His eye twitched. No, he couldn’t go running to his big brother.
Even if your lives depend on it?
He bit the inside of his cheek. “I may have a resource we can tap. But I need to think about it some more.”
They were silent for a while. Finally, she tightened her hand on his. “Okay. Let’s be a team.”
Chapter Eleven
If Mira could hold Naveen’s hand forever, she would be okay with that, which was surprising. Holding hands was not something she’d ever cared very much for. They hadn’t held hands all that much while dating. It was nowhere on her spreadsheet for a desirable mate.
He’s not in the running as your mate.
Except as a teammate. Which was unique, because she wasn’t sure if she’d ever been a part of an official team. At work, they often made noises about being a team player and handed out free fleeces with logos on them, but she preferred to audit alone. Or rather, everyone assumed she liked to audit alone, because that was what she’d always done, so they didn’t hassle her.
We’re going to get through this.
It had sounded different when he said it this time. Less grudging, more certain and optimistic. Unless he was faking, and she didn’t think he was, the depth of his fairness and maturity was shocking.
Don’t get your hopes up. Her life motto, really.
Lights flashed over them from the passing cars and billboards as they narrowed in to their destination. Las Vegas traffic wasn’t like L.A. traffic. Things were far apart in the desert, but it was moderately easier to get to them.
They pulled up in front of the big building. He parked, and withdrew his hand from hers. It was only then did she realize that he’d been keeping her warm.
He peered out at the strip club. They weren’t far from the Strip, and the lights and noise spilled over onto this street. The building itself was huge, with multiple stories. Music blared from within.
“Magnificent Mike’s,” he murmured. “Interesting name.”
“Emi didn’t tell me what it was called.”
“I’m guessing this place is for men strippers?”
Mira checked her phone and scrolled through the Yelp listing. “Uh, looks like it’s a mix. Each floor is different.”
“How inclusive.”
Judging by the variety of customers in line, the place was inclusive, and as Emi had noted, extraordinarily popular. The crowd wrapped around the parking lot. More than one person gave them dirty looks as they passed by. They finally reached the bouncer, who gave them a cursory glance. “Staff entrance is in the back.”
Naveen took a step forward. “We’re here to see the owner.”
“No one sees the owner.” The bouncer looked them over again and gave a delicate sniff. “And if you’re a guest, no one gets in here in sweats, ma’am.”