Layers Off (20 page)

“No more bets.” The dealer swooshed his hand across the table and Laura’s knees began to bounce higher and higher. So had mine. Her way of managing the excitement was definitely rubbing off on each of us. Sam was biting her nails and Allie kept on tapping the side of the table, completely fixated on the spinning wheel.

“Come on, harder, harder. Right in my lucky hole!”

I almost spat my soda. A few men at the side were now glancing our way, probably completely unaware we were already spoken for, but it was still nice to feel like the center of attention. Our stay in Vegas was turning out awesome thus far. I hadn’t been drawn to the private parties we’d been invited to or to the booze and drugs that were available each way I turned. There couldn’t be a better test to prove I was ready to go back to Kissed. If I could handle Vegas and not be tempted, then I could handle Kissed. I truly missed my club – and for all the right reasons. Julian had suggested a big re-opening with a band and a show, and I’d already started working behind the scenes to arrange our guests. Even if I haven’t stepped into the club yet, I knew that the day I did would be important. It would prove to everyone that I had changed and this was the right step in my future. And honestly, no one’s opinion besides Julian’s and my closest friends truly mattered. For the first time in my life I felt like someone really had my back. Their support was invaluable.

Feeling my last drink seep into my bladder, I leaned over to Sam and said, “I’m going to the bathroom.”

“All right. Need me to join?” she cautiously asked. I knew she didn’t want to babysit me and I appreciated her concern, but before I had a chance to reply she added, “Forget it. You’re doing great, K. We’ll wait here.”

“Thanks.” I gave her a hug of appreciation.

On my way to the bathroom, which turned out to be a few tables away, I thought I felt someone’s stare on my back. I turned around but couldn’t see anything unordinary. Shivers passed over my arms and I wondered why. Perhaps it was the hundreds of cameras above, watching my every step, that made me feel so aware, as if someone was waiting for me to fail (which I wouldn’t).

When I turned back around I bumped into a stranger, inadvertently spilling the chips from his grip.

“I’m sorry.” I crouched down to pick them up.

He lowered his lean body, collecting the colorful circles, and said, “I’m not.”

I felt heat rush to my cheeks and looked into his eyes that reminded me of tropical waters. God, they were beautiful. And that caramel tan totally enhanced his strong masculine features.

“Can I buy you a drink?” he asked.

“Thank you, but I don’t drink.” I handed him the chips, quickly noting their ample worth. I could buy three Beamers with what he held in his hands.

“Some mineral water, then? And maybe a dinner. Please say yes.” The stranger had a rare genuine smile that should have made my heart do cartwheels, but didn’t.

“I’m sorry. I don’t think my boyfriend would appreciate that.”

“I should have known that someone as beautiful as you was already taken. I’m Sean. Can I get your name, at least?”

“Kendra, and I’m sorry for spilling your chips, Sean.”

“Thank you. Kendra. Are you staying at the hotel?”

“Yes, we’re here for a bachelorette party for my friend who’s already married. That sounds strange, doesn’t it?” Why was I feeling so flustered?

He laughed, “No, it’s not. People do weird stuff in Vegas. Stay clear of the southeast corner of this casino if you want to keep clear of trouble.” He winked with a mischievous look.

“Sounds like legal advice. Are you here on business or pleasure?”

I wasn’t sure why I continued our conversation, but Sean was very easy to talk to.

“A little bit of both. I don’t get to be on the other side of the country often.”

“You’re from the East coast?”

“New York.”

“Me too.”

“Well then maybe I’ll be lucky enough to run into you there one day. Call me if it doesn’t work out.” He handed me a business card. “Enjoy your stay, Kendra.”

I put the card away in my back pocket without looking at it, saying, “It was a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

We stood up at the same time. Sean turned toward the poker tables, leaving me in awe. I wasn’t sure why I remained in that spot for a few seconds, but the warm feeling of being wanted surprised me.

As I washed my hands in the bathroom, a woman came out from one of the stalls. Her eyes and nose were reddened, and I held my breath, remembering the haze I used to be in when I was using. I wondered how much she’d had, whether she’d mixed it with a drink, and how long she’d been doing. She turned on the tap beside mine. I warily leaned in to her, saying, “I almost died doing what you do. I was kidnapped by a sex trafficker, sold to men, raped by several at a time, tortured, and hit.”

The old me, the one in need, would have asked for a hit, but I didn’t.

She just stared at me, so I continued, “You still have a way out and you’re the only one who can make a choice to do so. You can get in touch with her if you need help.” I handed her one of Allie’s business cards, which I now carried everywhere with me. “She saved my life.”

The woman wiped her nose on her sleeve and straightened her clothes. From the look in her eyes I first thought she was going to curse at me to mind my own business. Instead, she reached out for the card, said, “Thank you,” and then walked out the door.

“You’re welcome,” I said to myself, because she was already gone. Chances were Allie’s card would end up in the trash somewhere, but it didn’t change the warm feeling in my chest. I could really pull through this, and I would never stop thanking Julian and my new friends – who were probably beginning to wonder where I was.

As I headed back to the table, I got that same sensation of someone staring at me. I swiped my hand behind me, looking back at my ass to make sure I wasn’t dragging toilet paper. Goose bumps spread across my arms. I stopped and turned around. Behind me, a man with darker grey eyes stared with intent. He had that European look about him, exotic and dangerous at the same time. While his features didn’t compare to Sean’s, he was certainly on the luckier side of the gene pool. What in the world did they serve in the water here? It seemed everywhere you looked, another Chippendale lookalike strolled by. But his clean-cut suit didn’t match the unkind look he was giving me. He crossed his arms over his chest and waited, as if contemplating how to approach me. There was something familiar about his face, but I couldn’t quite place it. The wider jaw bone, widely spread eyes, and sunken cheeks reminded me of someone, but I couldn’t remember who. One of his brows rose for a moment, lifting a fraction of his other brow, which was too close to the center. It seemed he was trying to make that initial contact, but was wavering.

I inhaled a deep breath in and took a step toward him. There was only one way to find out who he was and why I’d caught his interest. Something deep inside told me it was more than just a lustful glare of desire, the same kind I’d experienced from Sean. I was used to those the same way I knew how to dismiss them. It seemed this man knew me, yet I didn’t know him.

“Can I help you?” I finally asked.

“Hello, Katherine,” he smirked.

Everything inside me shut down. My heart rate jumped a gear into its Ferrari speed.

“I’m sorry, but you must have mistaken me for someone else,” I took a step back.

“No, I haven’t, Kendra.”

“But you just called me Katherine. My name is Kendra.”

“But it hasn’t always been, has it?” He said it like he wanted me to know that he knew my secrets – all of them. My knees trembled. Whatever his intention was, the tone of his voice, unlike Sean’s, was not kind.

“Who are you?”

“My name is Peter Donato, and I’ve been looking for you.”

C
HAPTER
18

The familiar last name swallowed me whole, and I thanked God I’d just peed a minute ago, or otherwise I’d soak my leather pants. That’s why he looked so familiar. His face was younger than that of the teacher I remembered cupping after he tried to seduce me. The memory brought a bitter taste to my mouth, along with the rekindled agony of abuse while I was held captive. I wanted to forget the moment I grabbed Mr. Donato’s nuts and squeezed them until he squirmed in pain. But that first sexual contact with a man had left me scarred. Donato left me no choice. He would have assaulted me and perhaps raped me, but back then I had enough strength and smarts to fight off the bastard in the only way I could.

This man in front of me resembled my teacher, and I wondered how closely related they were. And what the hell was this guy doing here? Why was he looking for me, and how did he know who I was? My old name was supposed to be hidden from everybody, especially those in Congress. But Mr. Donato, my high school teacher was just that, a teacher – not a Congressman. Peter’s identical last name had to be a coincidence, didn’t it?

“I’m sorry, but I need to get back to my friends.” I turned toward the roulette table where I’d left the girls, except they were gone. Someone else sat in their spot. Did I get the tables wrong? I swiveled on my foot, checking my bearings. In a casino this size, it was easy to get lost. I listened for Laura’s high squeaking and Sam’s laughter, but couldn’t hear either among the dinging coin machines.

“Your friends are already in our custody.”

“Custody? What are you talking about? Who are you, exactly?”

At that same moment, two bulkier men stepped out from between the slot machines, one on each side of me.

“Kendra, don’t make this more difficult than it needs to be. We just have to ask you a few questions, that’s all.”

It sure didn’t seem like
that
was all.

“And harass my friends? You haven’t exactly answered my question: who are you?”

“If you want to see your friends, you’ll come with me.”

At this point I knew that I couldn’t abandon the girls. And since they weren’t waiting for me at the roulette table, these thugs must have taken them in too. I needed to play it smart.

“Follow me.”

I stayed in my spot, contemplating. Whoever this guy was, he had to have the casino’s security on his side, so I had no chance even if I wanted to run to safety. Plus, there was no way I was leaving Sam, Allie, and Laura on their own. In the past I’d gotten my friends into enough trouble, and I wouldn’t do anything stupid – especially since we’d done nothing wrong. And my chances with two black belt karate holders and ex-cops were probably better than on my own.

Where the fuck were those Leprechauns when you needed them? Probably stuffed in Laura’s pockets.

“We can do this the easy way or the hard way.” Donato’s tone held the hint of a threat – the kind I didn’t quite appreciate.

“Fine.”

Donato lead me out a side door right beside the washrooms. The security officer opened it without asking to see his ID or anything. I wondered whether Laura’s lucky streak finally ended and the casino had decided they couldn’t lose any more money on her, cutting her off. But that didn’t make sense. This guy called me Katherine for a reason. If he knew who I was, then he probably knew the family I came from, and that could be dangerous for me and my friends.

We walked down a well-lit hall. One of the lights flickered above my head. The eerie atmosphere reminded me of a movie –
The Green Mile
– and I hoped I wasn’t walking to death row.

Perhaps I was overreacting. Maybe by some chance they’d mistaken us for someone else. What would Julian do in this situation? He definitely wouldn’t have allowed another man to threaten me the way Peter had. Neither would Tristan or Gabe or James. Now part of me wished we’d taken their offer of coming along.

“I need to make a phone call,” I said reaching for the phone in my pocket.

“Don’t bother. The signal has been disconnected.”

“Why would you—”

“—for the exact reason you’re thinking. So you couldn’t call the Crosses.”

Yeah, there was no way this was a coincidence or mistaken identity.

Crap! This is worse than I thought.

But I had no time to finish the thought as Donato opened a door to a windowless room. The two security guards who followed us stayed behind. Inside, Laura, Sam, and Allie sat by a table, their hands cuffed behind them. Allie’s and Laura’s cheeks were flushed with red, and I swear their gazes spat acid at Donato. Their hair was messed up and a darker spot appeared on Laura’s shoulder. I had a feeling the girls hadn’t come here by their own free will either.

Two other guards stood in the corners of the claustrophobic room, staring into one spot like statues.

“What the hell happened when I went to the bathroom?” I asked, as Donato sat me on a chair beside them and cuffed my hands. This was the second time old feelings I’d tried to manage swarmed through me. The metal against my wrists, tight grip, forced to comply against my will; it all began building up into a panic inside me.

I took a deep breath in and repeated in my mind:
I’m just sitting down. They’re not going to hurt us.

“We were hoping you could tell us. Come on, K. Are you using again? Is that what this is all about? Did they catch you in the bathroom with drugs?” The disappointment in my friend’s voice pierced my soul.

“Sam, you know I wouldn’t.”

Although I knew that was the exact thing the old me would have done. Her accusations were well-founded. After all, I was the reason she had been buried in a coffin six feet under by a mobster and nearly died.

“I would never do that again, Sam. I promise,” I said in a quieter voice, praying she would believe me.

Sam simply nodded that she did, her eyes glistening. I could only assume she was reliving the memory of what had happened to her and couldn’t get a word out; and I couldn’t blame her.

“I’m sorry,” I said to her. It was an apology for my past doing, which I had imprinted in my mind.

“I want to call my lawyer,” Laura and Allie said at the same time.

“You’ll get your chance. As soon as Katherine here tells me where her parents are hiding.”