Page 14 of Passion and Deception

“What’s up?” Maggie asked, nervous about the determined look in the manager’s beautiful face.

“I just wanted to congratulate you, Maggs. I know that you don’t date often, and when you have in the past several years, it’s been a miserable mess. But this guy…are you sure that he’s on the level? He’s not going to break your heart?”

Maggie smiled and leaned a hip against the cart. “Yeah. He’s sweet and kind and I think he’s pretty…special.”

“You’ve said that. But Maggs, you’ve been through a pile of miserable men. Including your father. I know that he smacked you around until your mother rescued you. Then your high school boyfriend liked to use you as a punching bag.” She moved closer, enfolding Maggie in a gentle hug. “I really hope that this man is different because you deserve some true happiness.”

“Thanks Em,” she whispered back, hugging her friend tightly. “I agree.”

Emily pulled back, then laughed at the tear trailing down her cheek. “Good grief! I don’t understand why I get so emotional!”

A grunt came from behind them. Both women turned as Hendrix Piralti, the head of the club’s security team, walked by. Maggie suspected that he and Emily were in love with each other, but…well, that was none of her business. When Emily was ready to confide, Maggie would be there for her friend.

Ignoring Hendrix’s indecipherable grunt, she turned back to Emily. “Because you’re a good person,” Maggie replied.

Emily added a furious sniff towards the man who had disappeared down the hallway, then sighed heavily, turning back to Maggie with a stern look. “You are too!” She looked around, noting the other wait staff moving about the room, getting everything ready for a night of drinking, gambling, and secrets. “We’d better get moving and finish up the pre-opening tasks. But I want to meet your new guy as soon as you decide that things are getting serious.”

Maggie nodded, omitting the fact that she’d spent the night in Ramit’s arms and had the wildest, most uninhibited sex she had ever experienced! Because Maggie knew that, even though the sex was amazing, to a man, a sexual interlude, no matter how wonderful, did not necessarily indicate “serious”.

They moved through the tables set up in the gambling room, checking to ensure that everything was ready. Emily moved off to inspect the other rooms while Maggie surveyed the gaming room, which would be her station for the night. She’d be in charge of four waitresses, all of whom were moving efficiently about the room, doing last minute cleaning.

Maggie nodded to each of them, adjusted a tie on one, tucked in a stray curl on another, and nodded approvingly at the other two.

“Ready?” she whispered as the first group of arrogant, entitled billionaires stepped into the gaming room. Their raucous laughter warned the staff that they were going to want drinks immediately.

“Good evening, Mr. Stilton,” she greeted the leader of this group. “Can I get you a bourbon on the rocks?”

Joseph Stilton clapped his hands together as if he’d just been presented with a sweet treat. “Maggie, Maggie, Maggie!” Joe called out. “I was hoping that you’d be working tonight!” He turned and laughed to his buddies and they all joined in, chortling as if Joe had just said something hilarious. Maggie winked at the man, playing along. She glanced at the others as she said, “I’ll bring your drinks while you settle in at your favorite table. Sound good?”

The men all nodded, eagerly heading to their favorite corner table where some would lose and others would win thousands of dollars over the course of the evening.

Chapter 10

Ramit glared at his head of security. “I hate this!” he growled to Nittan. The image of Maggie popped into his mind. He wanted to go back to her tonight. He wanted to hold her in his arms and lose himself in the glory of her body as he’d done last night. He smiled, thinking about the shock on her face last night. She’d been so beautiful as she’d learned to release herself to her desires. Every moment was etched in his mind. Last night had proven that she was a relative innocent. Oh, she hadn’t been a virgin, but she’d been uneducated in the ways of desire.

Until he’d shown her what her body could do, he reminded himself smugly.

He wanted to show her more. He still chuckled at the crestfallen expression in her eyes as she’d admitted her failure at cooking last night.

Not that he’d given a damn about the food. It had been a heady moment when he’d taken her into his arms.

“Your Highness?” his guard prompted.

Ramit turned, unaware of the smile lightening his features. At the confused expression on his guard’s face, Ramit remembered the reason they were all here in Philadelphia.

“Right,” he grumbled. “We have six hours to figure out a plan.”

He and Nittan worked through the details, examined the building’s architectural plans and figured out all of the ins and outs of the building.

“What if he comes in through this doorway?” Ramit asked, pointing to a door over to the left of the layout.

“I can have two guards stationed here,” the guy replied, pointing to an alleyway that flanked the doorway. “We can surveille him from there and capture images of anyone helping him.”

Ramit nodded, but he asked more questions. They went over the plan again and again, refining the details until they were both confident that the night would end with the culprit caught and the threat eliminated.

Chapter 11

The night was just as busy as anticipated. Maggie worked the tables efficiently, moving swiftly from the club members to the bar, then back again. Thankfully, the poker room only served drinks, so she didn’t have to deal with food orders. Also, most of the guests in the room were regulars tonight, which meant that she knew their preferred drinks and knew when to get them another, not to mention, when to leave them alone.

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