Page 10 of Diamonds & Deception

“No. I’m serious. I’ve already kept you long enough. Besides, maybe I’ll linger around, play some cards, or something. I hear the dance club is amazing.”

His eyes narrow. “Don’t go without me. I’ll take you soon.” He starts to leave, then comes back, kissing me breathlessly one more time. “I have to go.”

“I know.”

My eyes have a mind of their own as they latch on to his delectable ass as he walks away. The short dinner date was perfect. Drake was perfect. Except for his words of warning.

Way too sweet for me.

Don’t go without me.

Is he giving me a silent warning that danger lurks in his casino? Or is the warning that he is more dangerous than he appears?

CHAPTER THREE

“Dude. You’ve been holdingout on us.” Ryder sets a box of donuts in the middle of the conference table, while Nolan juggles four coffees from Dunkin’ Donuts.

“I would have picked up your breakfast order, Mr. Reynolds,” Nancy says as she moves files out of the way.

I don’t know what I’d do without my administrative assistant. Two years ago, when we interviewed over twenty candidates for the various admin jobs needed around the casino, Nancy stood out among the rest.

We all agreed she should be my assistant, and she hasn’t let me down once. The busy mom of three teenagers is never late, never complains, and is extremely detail oriented.

“I don’t pay you to get me coffee, Nancy. It’s well below your pay grade.”

“The day one of you boys dumps the tray of coffees on my reports will be the last day I let you juggle food and drink over this conference table. Can I get you anything else?”

“We’re good. Thanks.” I chuckle as she closes the door behind her.

“She doesn’t like you,” Trey jokes to Nolan as he leans over the table and grabs his extra-large black coffee. No cream or sugar for him, but he makes up for it with the four donuts he puts back every Friday morning.

We’ve been meeting, the four of us, and our hoard of Dunkin’ since we opened eighteen months ago. Weekends are always our busiest, and it’s a good time to fill each other in on the week and run through any glitches we’ve encountered.

“Okay. Now that we have our caffeine and sugar, let’s get down to business,” Ryder starts.

I squint at him over my steaming coffee. He’s never the one to start a meeting, and he’s never one to want to shop talk first.

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