Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 73302 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 367(@200wpm)___ 293(@250wpm)___ 244(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73302 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 367(@200wpm)___ 293(@250wpm)___ 244(@300wpm)
“It’s not a problem for this assignment, but it’s going to become a problem.”
I shrugged, hoping she didn’t know how I was spiraling inside. “We’ll handle that later.”
“You’re fucking him, aren’t you?”
“Of course not.” I was in so much trouble.
“Zach, do you really think you can lie to me like that? To me?”
“Okay, fine. Maybe I am. What difference does it make?”
She frowned, drained the rest of her glass, then said, “I thought you were…”
“I thought a lot of things, but the last week has pretty much turned my life upside down.”
“And you’re trying to do it to mine too.”
“Not intentionally.”
She ran a hand over her hair despite not one strand being out of place. “Fuck, Zach. I wish you’d change your mind. I couldn’t officially approve this. I got these through unofficial channels.” She slid an envelope across the table. I was sure it contained the identification I needed.
“Thank you. I owe you one.”
“You owe me a lot, but get Ivanov and it’ll be a lot closer to even.”
I smiled. “Deal.”
“I can’t protect you from everything, Zach.”
“I know. This matters more.”
“Be careful.”
“Aren’t I always?”
She rolled her eyes, grabbed her bag, and slid from the booth. “Keep in touch.”
She walked out without looking back, and I wondered if this would be the last time I worked with her.
30
RAFE
“Sir?”
Marco, my head of security, stepped close to me as I chatted with some female patrons who were throwing all of their money away at one of my roulette tables. “Ladies, excuse me. Business calls.”
One of them giggled and laid a hand on my arm. “Feel free to join us again later. Room 1217.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” I said, giving her a smile that made her think there was a chance I’d show up at her room, then turned to Marco and motioned for him to walk with me. “What is it?”
“There’s a man here asking to see you. He claims to be an FBI agent. He says he has a warrant to do an audit of the casino.”
It was time to play a part. Normally, I was ninety percent honest with Marco, but for now, I couldn’t be honest with anyone except Zach. How strange was that? And why did it feel so fucking right?
Marco led me to a room where Zach was waiting in his black federal agent suit, except he didn’t look precisely like Zach anymore. I would’ve known it was him though. I thought I’d be able to identify him anywhere by the way he moved. I liked this new version. I’d hoped for red hair, but instead, he was blond now, a little longer on top than I’d expect from the FBI—long enough for me to get a hold of, and damn if I didn’t want to put him on his knees.
He’d put in contacts, making his eyes a piercing blue, and he had on black-rimmed glasses. I’d make him take the contacts out before I fucked him. I needed him looking at me through those green eyes I’d gotten used to. But the glasses? Those could stay.
“Rafael Theriot?” Zach asked, his voice sharp and cold, not at all like what I was used to. What would it be like to have him talk to me like that? I might like it. I might ask for it tonight.
He’d said we needed to stay apart, and he was right; we couldn’t be seen together in public. But there had to be a way to see each other. How long could I go without him touching me? I was already feeling antsy, and it had only been a day.
“Yes, that’s me.” I didn’t accept his hand. For one, if I actually thought the FBI was here investigating me, I wasn’t going to shake hands with them. And two, if I touched him, I might give myself away.
He dropped his hand to his side. “Special Agent Matt Stevenson. I have a warrant to begin an audit of your casino.” He pulled a folded piece of paper from the pocket of his suit coat.
“Under what grounds?”
“Suspicion of money laundering and racketeering.”
I sniffed. “There’s nothing illegal going on at this casino, Agent Stevenson.”
“Then the audit will come through fine, and I’ll be able to move on. I’m willing to keep things quiet. If you give me a room to work in and access to the materials I need, I won’t need to make this public.”
I glared at him as I held out my hand, indicating the paper he held. “I need to see that first.”
“Of course.” He held it out, and I took it, being careful not to brush his hand.
“This looks legitimate, but I have some questions. I’d like you to follow me to my office.”
I could tell Zach didn’t like this change of plan, but he didn’t argue. Once we were in my office alone with the door closed, I turned to him and smiled. “I like this,” I said, giving him a once-over. “I think it’s better.”