Page 18 of Virtue & Vengeance

“When I finally do get out of here, you’re going to wish we’d never met, Zander Hale.”

He closed the distance between us, his spicy cologne stinging my nose and sending memories of his naked body through my mind. “Don’t count on it, gorgeous.”

“Let me out of here,” I repeated.

He shook his head. “I might do that, but first, I have conditions.”

I knew he wasn’t going to let me out until he said what he had to say and if all I had to do was humor him until then, I could do that.

“Fine. What are your conditions?”

His eyes widened briefly before his cocky confidence slipped back into place.

“First of all, you’re not leaving Vegas.”

I gritted my teeth, knowing good and well nothing was stopping me from leaving. “Fine. I’m not leaving. Next?”

His eyes narrowed at me like he knew exactly what I was doing. “I’m serious, Eden. You’re not leaving until Kennedy gets back from New York.”

“I said I wasn’t leaving.”

We stared each other down before he continued. “You’re staying with me at Empire until Kennedy comes home.”

My mouth popped open, and I snorted.

Screw that.

I had limits and staying with him was definitely pushing it.

“Forget it.” I waved my hand in the air. “Let them throw away the key for all I care because there’s no way I’m going to stay with you.”

He shrugged. “Well, there’s no way I’m letting you stay at Kennedy’s, alone. Especially after the way you reacted when I told you about the man looking for you.”

I’d almost forgotten about Allen.

I guess being locked up took precedence at the moment.

I sighed and ran cold fingers over my heated forehead. “I told you … I have no idea who the man is. He obviously had the wrong person, or he’s a regular.”

“That man has never been inside my casino. I promise you that.”

“Well, I don’t know what to tell you then, Zander. All I know is I’m not staying with you.”

He shook his head, a grin on his lips as he looked down. “You realize if I bail you out, you’ll owe me?”

I frowned. “Bail me out? You had your friend arrest me, why would you have to bail me out?”

More money.

It always came down to money when it came to me.

“It has to look real,” he said, picking at something on the front of his suit jacket.

“That makes no sense. He’s your friend. He arrested me. He should be able to drop the charges or whatever.”

He shrugged. “That’s not how it works. You were arrested. If you want to walk out of this place, I’ll need to bail you out. So in short, you’ll owe me.”

He had me.

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