“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I mutter, shaking my head. I can’t even pretend to be surprised, knowing at least Dax wouldn’t have let me walk away while he still felt there was a chance for us. At least if he had, his heart would have been mostly intact to be given to another. The idea makes me irrationally jealous, but his happiness is more important to me than my own.
“I know who you are, and had expected some sort of rescue attempt but this seems a little lacking, don’t you think?” Perelli is looming over Garrett, who is grinning like the Cheshire Cat while I focus my questioning stare on Dax. His stunning blue eyes flick to me apologetically before puffing his chest out and taking control of Perelli’s attention.
“Do you or do you not consider yourself a fair man?” He asks boldly, quoting the wording from the note he must have found. Perelli’s head swings to the side, his posture growing rigid from the accusation. “You’ve had a target on the twin’s heads since they were conceived. I think it’s time you gave them the chance to win back their freedom.”
“And what do you have in mind?” Perelli bites back. Dax doesn’t falter in his confidence, a new forceful side of him coming to light. I share a concerned look like Meg, who is clutching onto my arm like we might start to merge into conjoined twins if she holds on tight enough.
“A game in your casino of your choosing. I will play for Avery’s life and Garrett will pay for Meg’s.”
“Erm, no. I don’t think so.” I pipe up, not letting a man swoop in to save my ass when I’m perfectly capable of saving myself. “We will play for ourselves and the game will be blackjack.” Perelli glances over his shoulder at me, the smirk back in place and a new light dancing in his eyes.
“Deal.”
∞∞∞
Meg rubs my wrists as we walk until the sensation returns enough for me to move my fingers. I hadn’t realised how awkward my restrained position had been until I was released from the cuffs, my shoulders screaming with stiffness as I’d first tried to move. Perelli’s phone is glued to his ear as he leads us through the busy casino with one of his goons up front, our two failed rescuers and another set of guards following behind while lights flash at us from all directions.
Except for the musical tunes filtering through the rows of slot machines, the casino is oddly quiet, cautious glances being thrown our way. This is a haven for the serious gamblers who have some serious cash to blow. I notice the security by the main door peering through the glass curiously, probably wondering why I’m being given a tour by the owner after two guards had rushed out upon seeing me and dragged me inside.
I lean into Meg, eager to be as close as possible until the inevitable end. I’m not an idiot, I know Perelli won’t let us go free or will find a way to cheat but this charade is solely for Dax’s benefit. He clearly needed to burst in and be my faithful knight but letting him play a crooked gangster for my life would only have made his mourning for me that much harder. Hopefully, this way, he’ll be able to grieve knowing he tried his best and it was my stubbornness that caught up to me in the end.
Pushing through a set of double doors, we pass through a hotel lobby and all squeeze into a normally spacious elevator. Dax’s fingers find mine in the crowd, so I grip onto his firmly, giving him the last bit of comfort he needs. I don’t let the image of how life could have been between us enter my mind, banishing it before the longing starts.
The doors slide open to reveal a long corridor, black carpet with silver logos lining the floor to match the casino. The closed doors either side are gleaming white, black flourishes surrounding fancy numbers as we approach the one at the far end. The four of us huddle together in the doorway like penguins desperate for reassurance in the face of a raging storm. My eyes flick around yet another lavish space, not that I expected any less. Every inch of the casino is dripping with money and the hotel is no different.
A green felt table sits before a wall of glass facing an incredible view of Chicago, people as small as ants going about their business below. The day is that perfect mix of sunny yet fresh, a gentle breeze flowing through various open top windows which makes me long for a picnic in the park. Four brown leather chairs have been placed around the table with a deck of cards still in the cellophane placed in the centre already prepared for our arrival.
The tension in the room is thick enough to choke on and there’s so many things we need to say but no one moves or speaks until Perelli has shuffled with the use of his cane and takes a seat across the table. Dax’s fingers are yanked away from mine as guards shove the pair over to a cream corner sofa across the room and I instantly miss his touch. No turning back now, I stride over to drop into the chair opposite the old man, ready to see what fate has in store for
