the desolate ride, Max kept them to himself. He understood payback and, from the couple’s tension, how long overdue it must be. He’d never met middle prince, Lee Terriot, but recalled Cale’s description of him as a troublemaking coward and a bully. Though he usually shied from family squabbles, these spilled over into his world with potentially dangerous consequence. Best to keep a lid on them if possible and, if not, lend a supportive hand.
Their destination crouched on the seedy edge of the Strip like a shunned, poorly-behaved relative at a holiday gathering. The couple in front squared up, tension strung tight by whatever memories they held of the shabby casino. Then Sylvia answered his unasked questions.
“Row’s brother James had a part-interest in this shithole. He used it to conduct the darker side of personal business, like imprisoning and nearly killing his own brother.”
“Who owns it now?”
Turow slid a glance back at Max. “My guess was Lee, and Kip confirmed that yesterday.”
“What makes you think he’ll be here?”
“Collection day. He’ll want to pick up that bonus personally. And when he does, we’ll pick him up for a fond reunion.”
“You plan to just walk in there? Won’t you be recognized?”
“He won’t be looking for us. He thinks we’re busy digging a hole to pull in behind us in New Orleans.” A narrow, rather frightening smile. “And he’d never expect to see you. Imagine his surprise.”
Though it was just past three in the morning, the parking lot was impressively full. The outer aisle where they’d parked lay in hazy shadow, reflecting marque lights winking like fireflies upon rows of dark auto glass. There, unnoticed, Sylvia stripped out of her jacket, revealing a silky wrap blouse cut nearly to the waist of her skintight leather pants. An eye-popping canyon of cleavage hosted gaudy costume jewelry a female of Sylvia Terriot’s exquisite taste would shudder from in horror.
As oversized, glittery-framed glasses covered shrewd green eyes, she drawled, “With me on your arm, who’ll notice you?”
“I’m going to have a hard time noticing anything else.”
She winked at her sullen mate. “Exactly.”
Sylvia knew her stuff and how to strut it. When she leaned against the still crowded bar, the fellow tending it fell brain-over-eyeballs into her majestic cleavage until her forefinger stroked beneath his jaw, closing it with a snap and tilting his attention a bit higher.
“Hey there, sugar pie. I’m looking for someone named Lee. I guess he kinda runs this place. He told me to look him up was I ever in his part of the Wild, Wild West.” A breathy giggle. “Well, here I am.”
Eyes glazing as if in a diabetic coma from her faux accent, the bartender stammered, “He’s in his office upstairs, umm, in a meeting. If you’ll give me your name, I’ll let him know you’re here.”
She tapped his mouth playfully. “And spoil the surprise? No, darlin’, don’t do that. I’ll just sneak on up.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He pointed off to the left, glassy eyes fixed upon the plump lips she sensually wetted. “Go right up those stairs. Tell the fellow in the hall Rondell said it was okay.”
She pressed fingers to her mouth then his, whispering huskily, “You are a doll, Ronnie. How can I ever thank you?” then turned away before he could slurp up his drool.
As they crossed the crowded floor, Turow grumbled, “I may have to rip out those buggy eyeballs before we leave.”
“Oh, that is sooo sweet!”
“Just a romantic at heart.”
Lee Terriot was too preoccupied by the female kneeling before his desk chair with her face buried in his lap to look up as the door opened and shut. Eyes dazed with drink and pleasure eventually lifted then widened in shock. He drew a breath as the curl of Turow’s forearm about his bobbing Adam’s apple pinched off his shout of alarm.
Sylvia gripped the equally wide-eyed employee by the elbow to help her to her feet, smiling as she said, “Thanks, but we’ll be finishing him for you.”
A large denomination slipped to her by Max with a request that she keep the details between them earned a hurried nod and her quick exit.
Turow’s vice grip loosened enough for his brother to grab a noisy breath and awkwardly close his trousers before looking up at him in dismay. “Row! How’d you find me?”
“You’ve never been all that clever, or you’d know I was Jamie’s guest downstairs in the back not so long ago. And now you’re ours. If you want your experience to end better than mine,