sit next to the woman he loved at dinner every week. It just hurt too much.
Leaning forward, he scanned his iris and entered the dark room filled with monitors. “Do we have anything interesting?”
“Besides you beating the douche in the kitchen? Not yet, but the night’s still young. We have video on the high stakes game Prince Liam has set up. We have security posted outside the room. It’s been swept by the Secret Service, the French contingent, the prince’s guards, and our own. Catering and the bar are being set up now and will clear as soon as everyone is ready to sit down and play,” Luke said from behind the main control center.
“Who’s the dealer?”
“One of the prince’s guards. He insisted, and everyone has agreed to it. They don’t want any ears on this game.”
An uneasy feeling rolled through him. He knew high rollers liked to keep things secretive, but they never brought their own dealer. If it were more confidential, Luke or Reid himself would deal. The guests made them sign confidentiality agreements and then freely talked. The secrets Reid knew . . . but it’s what made his casinos the place to be for whales. They felt secure here, and that was worth it.
“I don’t like this. Keep all cameras up on the screens. I’ll be back up at midnight to monitor it personally. What do the players all have in common?” Reid wondered aloud.
Luke shrugged his skinny shoulders. “We’ve seen stranger things before.”
“True. I’ll see you in a couple of hours.” Reid headed to his office and pulled up his computer. They may have seen stranger things; the Motorcycle Grandmas for Yeti Rescue was one of them. But his gut told him this was something more.
He looked at the list of people participating in the poker game. There had to be a connection, a link somewhere. The prince, the senator, and Ambrose had a connection—Mallory Westin. As for the others, he had some digging to do.
CHAPTER SIX
Mallory twirled around in her red ball gown. Her hair reflected the romantic glow from the low lights, her makeup was flawless, and her laugh seductive. She had Liam right where she wanted him. Every move was predetermined. Every look and every hand placement was meant to encourage his trust.
The dance came to an end, and Liam looked at his diamond-encrusted watch again. What was she doing wrong? Every so often she caught him looking distracted. “Am I boring you?”
“What?” Liam looked up quickly. “Never. It’s just that I have to go. I have a meeting in five minutes.”
Mallory raised an eyebrow. “Then your evening’s up. Sorry, but I didn’t have enough time to make a decision,” she said coldly as she looked over Liam’s shoulder. She found Bowie and smiled. Bowie took the hint and headed straight for her.
“There’s my girl. Let’s get out of here,” he said as he put his arm around her waist. “You don’t mind, do you, Prince?”
Mallory held her breath. It was now or never. “Why should he mind? He’s leaving me.”
“His loss is my gain,” Bowie chuckled.
“Not tonight. I’m sorry, Bowie, but Miss Westin will be joining me all night. After all, I only have tonight to make a favorable impression.” Liam’s eyes twinkled, but his jaw was tight as he held out his hand for Mallory.
Mallory looked between the two men and rewarded Liam with a dazzling smile. “That’s right. And a man who puts his lady first, even if he has to do business, is one I’d like to spend more time with.”
Liam shot Bowie a haughty smile as Bowie frowned. “Shall we?”
“We shall.” Mallory walked quietly with Liam to the elevators. “Where are we going?”
“To a private room. I’m meeting with some people over a game of poker. You will know most of them, your father included. Should we announce our engagement?”
Mallory covered her surprise with a giggle. Her father was going to be there? And wherever her father went, Ambrose went too. This was not a complication she
Leaning forward, he scanned his iris and entered the dark room filled with monitors. “Do we have anything interesting?”
“Besides you beating the douche in the kitchen? Not yet, but the night’s still young. We have video on the high stakes game Prince Liam has set up. We have security posted outside the room. It’s been swept by the Secret Service, the French contingent, the prince’s guards, and our own. Catering and the bar are being set up now and will clear as soon as everyone is ready to sit down and play,” Luke said from behind the main control center.
“Who’s the dealer?”
“One of the prince’s guards. He insisted, and everyone has agreed to it. They don’t want any ears on this game.”
An uneasy feeling rolled through him. He knew high rollers liked to keep things secretive, but they never brought their own dealer. If it were more confidential, Luke or Reid himself would deal. The guests made them sign confidentiality agreements and then freely talked. The secrets Reid knew . . . but it’s what made his casinos the place to be for whales. They felt secure here, and that was worth it.
“I don’t like this. Keep all cameras up on the screens. I’ll be back up at midnight to monitor it personally. What do the players all have in common?” Reid wondered aloud.
Luke shrugged his skinny shoulders. “We’ve seen stranger things before.”
“True. I’ll see you in a couple of hours.” Reid headed to his office and pulled up his computer. They may have seen stranger things; the Motorcycle Grandmas for Yeti Rescue was one of them. But his gut told him this was something more.
He looked at the list of people participating in the poker game. There had to be a connection, a link somewhere. The prince, the senator, and Ambrose had a connection—Mallory Westin. As for the others, he had some digging to do.
CHAPTER SIX
Mallory twirled around in her red ball gown. Her hair reflected the romantic glow from the low lights, her makeup was flawless, and her laugh seductive. She had Liam right where she wanted him. Every move was predetermined. Every look and every hand placement was meant to encourage his trust.
The dance came to an end, and Liam looked at his diamond-encrusted watch again. What was she doing wrong? Every so often she caught him looking distracted. “Am I boring you?”
“What?” Liam looked up quickly. “Never. It’s just that I have to go. I have a meeting in five minutes.”
Mallory raised an eyebrow. “Then your evening’s up. Sorry, but I didn’t have enough time to make a decision,” she said coldly as she looked over Liam’s shoulder. She found Bowie and smiled. Bowie took the hint and headed straight for her.
“There’s my girl. Let’s get out of here,” he said as he put his arm around her waist. “You don’t mind, do you, Prince?”
Mallory held her breath. It was now or never. “Why should he mind? He’s leaving me.”
“His loss is my gain,” Bowie chuckled.
“Not tonight. I’m sorry, Bowie, but Miss Westin will be joining me all night. After all, I only have tonight to make a favorable impression.” Liam’s eyes twinkled, but his jaw was tight as he held out his hand for Mallory.
Mallory looked between the two men and rewarded Liam with a dazzling smile. “That’s right. And a man who puts his lady first, even if he has to do business, is one I’d like to spend more time with.”
Liam shot Bowie a haughty smile as Bowie frowned. “Shall we?”
“We shall.” Mallory walked quietly with Liam to the elevators. “Where are we going?”
“To a private room. I’m meeting with some people over a game of poker. You will know most of them, your father included. Should we announce our engagement?”
Mallory covered her surprise with a giggle. Her father was going to be there? And wherever her father went, Ambrose went too. This was not a complication she
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