Page 5 of Desperate Actions

“Uh, change of plans at the hotel,” he announces.

Balor Cruz works for Sigma International and Volkov Industries. He’s also Connor’s cousin, which is how he got pulled into this whole impromptu weekend.

I don’t know him well, but we’ve chatted. He strikes me as alright. Sharp, quiet, the kind of man who watches before he moves.

I respect that.

“Why? What’s going on?” Lucy asks from across the cabin.

Uncle Marat’s daughter. Opinionated. Beautiful. Nosy as hell.

Balor barely glances at her. “They can’t give us the entire penthouse because of some unexpected royalty showing up, so we’ll be on two floors instead. I’m emailing everyone their room changes now.”

A chorus of phone pings fills the air.

No one really cares.

And for me? It changes nothing.

I already know where I’ll be spending the night.

Because Aella is an only child. She’s never had to share her space, and she sure as hell won’t be sharing a room here.

That makes my plan easier.

Balor’s gaze catches mine for a fraction of a second. Too brief to mean anything, but I clock it anyway.

Does he see me? Does he suspect?

I don’t linger.

I steeple my hands, still and patient, waiting for the descent.

Waiting for her.

A few minutes later, the plane touches down, and we step onto the stairs leading to the tarmac.

Las Vegas air slams into me like a heatwave straight out of hell—hot, dry, stifling.

The sun is setting, and it paints the sky in a dozen shades of oranges and reds. Pretty. But still stifling.

The heat lingers, sinking into the pavement, wrapping around us like a second skin.

The air-conditioned limousines are already waiting.

Aella walks ahead, her curvy form slips gracefully into the sleek black car behind Amber and Jade—more of my honorary cousins.

I follow.

It goes mostly unnoticed—except for Andrea, my sister, who elbows me the second I slide in beside her.

I roll my eyes. “Jesus, Andrea.”

“What, did we lose a bet? How did you end up in our car, Grumpy Face?” She smirks, crossing her arms like she’s ready for battle.

Before I can respond, Aella beats me to it.

And it’s a fucking gut punch.

---