Page 33 of Little Sunshine

I pushed on anyway.

“Ash. Beard. Short hair. Behemoth of a man,” I corrected, hoping I hadn’t majorly fucked up by taking such a big risk.

Considering how limited my view was—not to mention how out of it I was—there was a good possibility I was in the wrong building.

Even if it was Moonlight, it was also possible that Ash didn’t even work there. I’d just assumed so, but maybe I’d met him while he’d been visiting his security friend.

“Ma’am,” the man said again, “this lobby is for resort guests. I’m going to have to ask you to leave before I call security.”

His voice was filled with equal parts pity and disdain, like I was one of the drunks or druggies who hung around the casinos, hoping to score—either a jackpot or drugs.

Or a wealthy mark to pickpocket.

“Go ahead.” My words were clipped with impatience to hide the pain it caused just to speak. “As long as security also brings Ash. Now.”

I leaned on the counter for a moment, fighting against the wave of nausea that roiled my stomach. From the corner of my eye, I could see the man pick up the phone, but I couldn’t hear what he said. The whirring in my head was like a peaceful white noise compared to the hammering that took over the longer I stood. All the bright lobby lighting and reflective glass twinkled around me before bursting like light flares. The black around my vision was no longer hovering, threatening to push in. It was pulsating, thrumming to the beat of my pounding headache.

I need to go home before I get arrested.

No reason to carry on that family tradition.

I inhaled and gathered every bit of strength I had before forcing my fingers to release the counter.

“Ma’am, wait,” someone said.

Before I made it more than a couple of shuffling steps, the vibe in the lobby was suddenly different. Like the room had shrunk. Like a ripple of awareness moved through it. Like people were in awe or fear.

Or both.

I knew it was him even before he said, “Little girl.”

I didn’t have the energy to be annoyed at the name I’d told him not to use. I barely had the energy to breathe.

Regretting everything, I kept my head down and ignored him as I continued toward the exit. But suddenly he was there. In front of me. He must’ve caught some of the damage to my face from the harsh way he bit out, “Fuck.”

“It’s not?—”

“What happened?”

He reached for me, but I flinched away. “I was in a car accident.”

The lie tasted bitter on my tongue, but it was far better than the truth.

Actually, silence would’ve been the best. Which I could’ve had if I hadn’t stupidly searched him out.

This was a mistake.

Chapter 5

Stay Away from Drugs

ASH

It’s really her.

When my gaze had moved from the front desk employee to the woman slowly retreating, I hadn’t believed my eyes.

My luck.

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