makes me nervous so I slip them off and go barefoot, feeling the cool floor under my toes. A massive chandelier, dripping in crystals, hangs down from the high ceiling. To my far left is a full kitchen, with a large bar dividing the cooking space from the expansive open dining and living room in the center of the room. I peer at the kitchen with interest. All the appliances are top-line brands. I run my hand gently over the dark granite countertops.
The elevator doors slide open and I snatch my hand back, feeling inexplicably guilty.
“Miss?” A timid-looking dark-haired woman steps into the room. She’s carrying a small package.
“Yes?”
“I have some things for you?” I realize that she’s a housekeeper. She looks almost as afraid as I feel. Is she afraid of me?
“Yes, thank you.” I give her a reassuring smile, hoping to reassure myself. “You must be Marta.”
“Yes, Miss.” She hands over the package, a full toiletry set.
“Thank you.” She has a slight accent and seems nervous. I wonder if she knows the circumstances of how I ended up here.
As soon as she’s handed me the goods, she scurries off, so I continue my exploration of the penthouse.
To the far right of the room, opposite the kitchen, a small spiral staircase leads up to another floor. Climbing up, I find a whole second level with a huge master bedroom, en-suite bathroom, and outdoor terrace. I step outside into the cool night air and lean on the railing overlooking the city below. A mixture of fear, excitement, and anticipation churns in my belly as I remember David’s dark eyes watching me walk away earlier. It’s a good thing that Mom and Dad won’t be calling. The cell service was so bad when I landed that they just told me to have a good time and that they’d see me in a week. If there’s an emergency, they’ll call Deanna. I take a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves. And I wait. And I wonder. Should I tell him that I’m a virgin?
Chapter Four
David
“How was the game, sir?” Terry asks as I step back into the Fortuna’s security hub. How the hell do I answer that question? I didn’t go into that poker game plotting to walk away with Lilly, as if she were just a poker chip to be won. But as a gambler you have to eye the stakes and see what’s worth playing for. And as I watched her throughout the evening, something in me was convinced that Lilly was worth playing for.
“I won,” I tell Terry simply.
He nods.
“I’ll have a guest in the penthouse for the next week,” I add, needlessly. No doubt the entire casino staff has already heard the gossip.
“Perhaps you should go check on her,” Terry replies with a smile. “I’m not sure our security detail is the most charming welcome wagon for a young woman.” I survey the room. Every one of the security camera operators is staring intently at his or her cluster of screens. Nobody dares look in my direction. Yep. They all know.
“I’ll review tonight’s reports in the morning,” I tell Terry with a nod. Then, I make tracks for the penthouse. I can already feel a hardness growing in my pants as I walk, thinking of Lilly’s last backward glance to me as Ben escorted her out of the room earlier.
I was surprised by her reaction. Relatively calm and collected. Committed. And when she looked back, she gave me the tiniest smile. It seemed like a suggestion, a secret message saying I’ll be waiting for you.
“Hello?” My voice booms through the penthouse as I step out of the elevator. I spy a pair of dirty sandals at the elevator door. She’s here.
No response. Maybe she’s already in bed? I check my watch. It’s nearly midnight.
“Hi.” A soft voice floats down to me from the upper level of the penthouse, sounding uncertain and nervous.
I mount the stairs two at a time, impatient and annoyed. Maybe I didn’t think this through. Now I have to babysit this scared girl all week? You can always have staff keep an eye on her, I remind myself. It’s not like you have to spend time with her.
That thought flies right out of my head the second I see her. She’s standing in the middle of the massive master bedroom, her bare feet buried in the fuzzy white rug that adorns the otherwise cool marble floors. She’s wearing an oversized, plush, white bathrobe, and