I looked at the empty bottle of wine near his feet. There was one between eight of them. They’d need more for it to have any effect, which they’d no doubt figured out.
I wasn’t down with fuelling their efforts. “There would be money in it if I had your assurance you wouldn’t ask someone to buy you booze with the cash.”
Just like that I lost their interest.
“How much?” The first girl planted her hands on her hips. “I’m saving for a car.”
Truth.
“I can swing twenty.”
She smirked. “The people who run The Dens are scary. Make it fifty and you have a deal. I’ll draw the bouncer away.”
“How do I know you won’t just take my money?”
Her jaw clenched. “I won’t.”
Truth.
Digging in my clutch, I extracted a fifty and passed it over, sincerely hoping Sascha wasn’t already on high alert from feeling my presence in town. “Got a plan?”
“How do you think we got the bottle of wine?”
I didn’t want to know.
Watching her cross the street, I started walking back to Ella F to throw Sascha off guard. I listened as the girl approachedThe Dens, slipping off my heels to hold them.
Shouts erupted, and when the girl took off up the hill, I sprinted toward the casino.
Hairy was in pursuit of her.
I grinned, boosting up the hill at—a very quick—human pace. Speeding past the line, I jumped the cordon to the gasps of those watching.
Success!
I donned my heels and strode into the bar.
Every pack member was watching me from their stations, but no one approached. In a bid to get farther from the exit, I weaved between the tables and dancing patrons to enter the casino.
What now?
Should I force my way into staff quarters? Sascha definitely knew I was here. I couldn’t smell his reaction over the crowd, but he was in his office.
He could be watching me on the cameras right now.
Better give him a show.
Walking through the casino, I greeted the Luthers I passed.
“That’s quite the dress, gorgeous lady,” said an older gentleman with a moustache.
I’d never been attracted to older men. Well, that was ludicrous when I wanted a near-on one-century-old man for my own. But I’d never gone for the silver fox.
“Thank you, sir. Have a good evening.”Go away.
“May I buy you a drink?” he asked.
I walked around the patron, but a hand latched around my wrist. Bliss flowed through my body, and my eyes fluttered closed, lips parting as the contact swept away my worries and replaced them with a surety that everything would be okay.