Page 125 of Vegas Daddies

ALICE

Why doesLevi tossing the gun on the floor startle me more than the gunshot itself?

“Sorry.” His eyes find mine.

I bite my lip. His eyes stare with certainty. The same kind I saw all those years ago when we first met at the frat party. Ocean-blue eyes consistent on mine. Lips slightly parted, entranced, as if lost for words. My heart clenches as I look into his eyes. Time stands still. It’s three years ago again, and I feel my younger self come alive. Love isn’t what I felt that night. It was belonging.

There will always be a place in my heart for him.

I’m notinlove with him, but love is an emotion I’ll always feel toward him no matter what, kidnapping aside.

Because younger me needed him.

Without him, I wouldn’t know what love is.

Wouldn’t know the difference between love andbeingin love.

I turn to Vlad on the floor. Even in death, something about those eyes feels just as haunting.

I look up. Catch Brander’s eyes. They hold a question—“Are you okay?”

I nod.

Vlad is dead. Relief should swim through me, but it doesn’t.

His men still live.

Gunshots echo through the room, rippling through my nervous system.Fuck.I scurry to the back wall and press my back up against it, the concrete cool against my practically naked back that drips with sweat.

Daddy still slumps over on the floor, and his pained eyes find mine.

“Everybody stop!” Since when did Levi have a voice capable of silencing an entire room? “Say cheese to the camera.” He walks into the center of the room, arm extending to the ceiling.

I don’t see it at first—the flashing red light that’s been recording this entire time.

“What’s wrong? You’re supposed to smile.”

Vlad’s men take one hesitant look up at the ceiling and all flood out of the room, cursing in Russian or something.

Their footsteps echo up the stairs, eventually dwindling away to nothing.

I step away from the wall, careful not to get too close to the dead bodies. Many cover the ground. More than I initially thought now that the room has cleared out. Pools of blood collect on thefloor. One man reaches a hand above his head, fingers stretching to reach a knife he can’t quite get. He gives up with a groan.

Lifesaver moves closer to Levi. “You were recording this whole thing?”

“I hoped that one of you was gonna kill Peter,” he says. “To be honest, I thought you would. Killing the guy would solve all your problems with Alice and all. I could’ve edited the recording, shown the video evidence of you murdering Peter to the cops, and then broken the Venom Vultures up. Pretty impressive. Might’ve even wowed Vlad. Shown him what I’m capable of and made him more likely to consider me as a hacker.”

I watch his eyes, expecting them to turn regretful, but they don’t.

He sacrificed his future for…what?

I smooth a hand over my stomach. It’s still flat, but the thought of a tiny human growing inside excites me. With Vlad dead, danger doesn’t lurk around the corner anymore. Blood is on Levi’s hands—not any of ours, so the Russians will be on Levi’s back if they wish to take revenge.

“I know what it’s like to grow up with one parent.” Levi bites his lip. “Your baby needs a father, Alice, or in your casethree.” He looks at the three bikers.“If one of you three pulled the trigger, Vlad’s men would’ve made sure that you ended up in prison. A man can’t father a child behind bars.” Levi flicks his gaze to the floor to stare at his boss’ lifeless body, then looks up at me. “I’ll always love you, Alice. Killing Vlad was the only way. He wouldn’t have stopped. Not until you were all dead.” Something feathers in his jaw as he deepens his gaze. I’ve never seen his eyes hold this much emotion before. “I’m sorry that I put you through?—”

“Levi Washington,” echoes a voice down the staircase.

Two bodies appear moments later, stepping into the half light wearing beige uniforms and serious faces.

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