Page 70 of Kings Against the World

“Hey,” I say, reaching for her hand. “Let’s talk about it. I’ve never met a woman who?—”

“Don’t touch me,” she snaps suddenly. She shoves the champagne bottle into my chest, then pivots on her heel. In two quick steps she’s at the hotel door, wrenching it open and rushing out into the hall, leaving me more confused than I’ve ever been in my life.

17

ZOE

I’m notsure what’s going through my head when I storm out of the hotel room. I’ve gone from the excitement of tonight’s victory to the shock and humiliation of having my personal issues ripped wide open.

But there’s one thing I do know as I rush into the elevator and smash my finger on the button for the ground floor—I’ve never felt more vulnerable in my life.

My worst nightmare.

Ozzie had no right to go through my things. He had no right to look in my toiletry bag. His cavalier attitude made it so much worse. The way he’d stared at me in the mirror as if he was looking at some sort of kindred spirit.

I was the one woman who was like him, and by default, that somehow meant we belonged together.

The entire situation was frightening and jarring. The last thing I was prepared for.

My stomach roils as the elevator drops and takes me down the ten-plus levels to the ground floor. The moment the doors roll apart, I’m darting out in a frenzy. I shoulder my way throughthe crowd of last-minute travelers checking into the hotel. A few of them shoot me disgruntled looks that go ignored.

The moment I’m outside, I’m sucking down gulps of fresh air. The heavy traffic from the Strip buzzes in my ears and the glittering lights blur together.

All of it more than enough to overwhelm me in the moment.

I can feel the energy crackling through me. The blood cells coursing through my veins, no matter how minuscule. It’s an acute level of awareness that quickly becomes tortuous, as there’s no escaping the rush of sensations and stimulation.

I don’t know what direction I’m headed in or where I even want to go. I’m aimless wandering down the street, trying and failing to reel myself in.

It’s been a while since I’ve felt like this, so charged up that I’m almost an entirely different person. Eventually, I stop and plop down on a bench at the end of the circular walkway at the front of the Azure Sol.

My face drops into my hands as I urge myself to calm down and focus. Herding cats would be easier. My mind’s racing and the thoughts quickly pile up one after another. I’m thinking about tonight’s victory planting the hidden camera in Boone’s lounge and then how good it’d felt to head up to the hotel room with Ozzie. Thoughts of Duchovny and the investigation clutter my head, all the expectations of him and the others at the bureau, and what about Mom and Dad? What have they gotten themselves into over the last week I haven’t been in touch? How many fires do I have to put out?

Zani needs me. She’s looking down at me from… somewhere.

I drop my hands and glance around, suddenly feeling like I’m under a microscope. What if Boone’s watching me? Or if Benz or someone else from their crew finds me? What am I even going to say at this point?

I have to focus. I can’t drag my feet on this investigation.

There’s no more time left. The hidden cameras won’t be enough. I have to do more.

Jumping to my feet, I take off running. For the second time in minutes, I’m rushing somewhere, knocking into people as I go, causing them to shout and curse me out.

This is urgent. This is extremely important. I’ve wasted so much time getting pulled into some illusion with Ozzie when I should’ve been working nonstop to take Boone out. I’ve let my guard down and I’m paying the price for it.

Gogogo! FASTER!

My inner voice screams at me as I rush back inside the doors of the Azure Sol and then make a sharp left to the elevators that’ll lead me not to the hotel but the underground level. I was off shift an hour ago, but I’ll work some extra hours. I’ll do what Duchovny said I should and cozy up to whoever I need to.

The instant the elevator takes me to the underground floor, I dash out like I’m responding to an emergency.

In my head, I am. This is urgent and it can’t wait another second. Boone has to go down.

“Jade, what are you doing here?” Sugar asks, her usually bright tone weighed down by bemusement. “I thought your shift was over.”

“I’m back. I need the extra hours. Is Benz here?”

“Benz isn’t home right now, but Daddy Boone is.”

---