Page 15 of High Roller

Instead, she inhales through her nose and closes her eyes. “No, Master Victor. That won’t be necessary.”

“Good. Now let’s get Lili settled. Can you find her something to wear?”

Gracie nods. “There are some pajamas we provide to VIP guests who want to stay over. I’m sure we have some in her size.”

Lili has stayed quiet through this entire exchange.

“Size six,” she offers now.

“I guessed,” Gracie says with a smile at my captive.

Maybe having Gracie sit with her is a bad idea. She’s softhearted, and I worry Lili might try and manipulate her.

“I won’t be gone long,” I offer, dumping Lili on the bed. “Don’t let her escape or try to sweet talk you into letting her go. She’ll try it.”

Gracie puts her head in her hands. “I hate stuff like this. I agreed to come here if you didn’t get me involved in the illegal stuff. You’ve been good about that all these years. Why now?”

I pull her hands away from her face and tuck a finger under her chin. “I understand that I’m asking you to do something really hard, Gracie. But it’s important. This woman is married to the person who has been trying to hurt our family. We’re going to use her to stop him.”

Gracie looks back at Lili as if she doesn’t believe me about her identity, but there isn’t time to sit here and coddle her. If I’m going to get ahead of Matteo, Luke, and Owen’s anger, I have to get moving.

It wouldn’t surprise me if Owen was already aware of something going on, since he’s in charge of security at all the Novak casinos on the strip and has access to every bit of security footage that exists.

Finally, Gracie gives me a brief nod. “OK. I’ll help you.”

“Thank you, Mariposa.” I offer her a kiss on the cheek, then head to my office while praying I haven’t just made the biggest mistake of my life.

Chapter 5

Gracie

Istareatthewoman wearing Victor’s overcoat, and I’m desperately trying to process what the hell just happened.

“Is what he said true? Are you Phineas Draven’s wife?”

The woman, who looks oddly put together for having just been kidnapped, nods. “I’m Liliana Draven. But if it helps, I was planning to leave Phineas after I spent as much of his money as humanly possible. I discovered the bastard was cheating on me with my own assistant and best friend.”

I wince having been cheated on before. It’s not a great feeling.Don’t feel sympathy for her. Victor says she’s the enemy.I repeat that to myself over and over as I watch her.

And I believe Victor. Of all the owners of The High Card, he’s the one I’m closest to, but they’re all trustworthy men.

“I hate to be a pain, but can I get those clothes? I’m naked under this thing because after Victor talked me out of my clothes last night, he wouldn’t give them back to me once he found out who I am. That’s the last time I sleep with someone out of spite. Of course I pick the one guy with a gun and a vendetta against my husband. Then again, a lot of people in this city hate Finn. Not that I fucking blame them. He’s a monster.”

Lili is rambling, and I’m doing my best to keep up, but my brain gets hung up on the fact that she apparently slept with Victor. So this was a booty call. I’m angry and can’t stay in this room anymore, so I back towards the door.

“I have some work to finish up, but I’ll get you those clothes when I’m done. The door locks from the outside, so don’t even think about trying to leave.” My tone is icy, but it’s that or I’ll burst into tears.

Lili looks at me for a second and her eyes grow sad. “Oh, honey. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have told you about Victor and me. It should have been more obvious from the way the two of you interact that you have feelings for each other.”

“Just… be quiet,” I say, trying my best to sound forceful. I hurry from the room and head to the end of the hallway where we keep extra supplies for the suites and find a pair of silk pajamas for Lili.

But I don’t take them back right away. I’m irritated that I’ve been pulled into this situation, and that one of Victor’s sexcapades has become my responsibility. We’re friends, but he’s completely clueless sometimes.

I drop the pajamas outside her door, and head to the back room of the sandwich shop and make a plate of sandwich toppings and two bread options plus a bottle of water.

When I open the door, Lili has taken off the coat and is searching the room while she’s stark naked.

I’d be lying if I said she doesn’t have a great body. Even with the scratches down her back that I know are likely Victor’s handiwork, she’s flawless. It makes me self-conscious of my own body, but it also stirs up my inner bisexual, and I force myself not to stare. Then she turns around and I see all the bruises on her thighs and the claw marks on her breasts. Did Victor do all that to her? Some of the bruises look old, so I don’t think it’s all from him. I know Victor has a sadistic side, but these look cruel beyond Victor’s tastes.

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