Page 39 of Clay

“That would be fine. I’ll check in at the front desk at one o’clock,” she said, triumph coursing through her as she disconnected.

Clay gave her a big grin. “Dev knows Chastain and Malone, the head of casino security, he says it’s legit. I’ll be on site with you as your significant other,” he gave her lascivious grin. “Dev will be there as well, kind of coasting in the back. He might be recognized but no one will think too much of him being there.”

“Well then, I guess I’d better get ready. This is gonna be the job interview of my lifetime.”

Chapter Ten

“Mr. Chastain will be out in just a moment,” the chipper young front desk worker said. “You’re welcome to have a seat,” she gestured toward a bank of plush velvet seats clumped together next to a short hallway.

“Do you have a restroom?” Ivy asked.

“Just around the corner,” the woman replied with a smile.

Clay grasped her hand and reeled her in. “You okay?” he asked, keeping his voice low enough that the front desk worker wouldn’t hear. It didn’t matter that they were literally next door to the penthouse tower. She was his to protect.

“Fine,” she said with a smile. “Nerves. I just want to freshen up a bit.”

Clay nodded, and even though he was sure they were safe from Hamilton, he kept a wary eye. Dev was ghosting somewhere around the roulette wheels, also keeping the front desk in his sights.

A few moments later, just when Clay was starting to get worried about Ivy, an older man came from the office behind thedesk and strode around the corner. He held out his hand. Clay accepted it, shook twice, then said, “Miss Foster will be here in just a second, sir.”

“Miss Foster? I have to admit I’m a bit puzzled. I don’t have anyone on my schedule right now. Can you tell me what this is regarding?”

Clay took about two seconds to process the man’s words and then bolted for the ladies room. He threw the door open, not caring if there was anyone inside and booted open each of the stall doors. They were empty.

His heart was in his throat, but everything else about him went icy calm. Dev shot through the door, alerted by Clay’s sudden movements. “What’s up?”

“He’s got Ivy.” Clay said succinctly. “I have no idea how he got past us.”

Dev swore and pushed up in the doors to see for himself that Ivy wasn’t crouched on top of the toilet seat. The window above the sinks was glass block that couldn’t be opened. There was only one way in and out. Somehow Ivy had been taken from under their noses.

It had to be Hamilton, and he had done it without causing a disturbance, which Clay knew Ivy would have made if she could have.

They strode angrily out of the women’s room and up to the front desk to a very confused-looking Chastain. “I’ll need to see the footage of the ladies room entrance,” Dev said. “You’ve got a kidnapping on your hands.”

Chastain paled. “Mr. Beck. I’m not sure how you’re involved, but of course we’ll do everything in our power to assist you. He turned to the receptionist. “Get Malone down here, now.”

While Dev engaged with the man Clay opened the tracker app on his phone and breathed a sigh of relief when it picked up herlocation. But she was moving away from the hotel, out toward the freeway.

He started moving toward the door and Dev joined him at a trot.

“I’ve got her on the tracker, but they’re moving fast,” he said, and Dev cursed.

"I'll handle everything here," he said, pushing Clay toward the door. "Go after her. We've all got access to the app, we'll meet up wherever they stop."

Clay ran toward the casino entrance, dodging the afternoon crowd as they poured into the air-conditioned building. And because he didn't have a second to lose, he flagged a cab idling at the curb. He climbed in and looked at his phone to give the driver the address. But the dot that represented Ivy was just... gone.

"Fuck," he shouted and beat at the back of the seat.

"Watch yourself," warned the cabbie, as he reached for the two-way on the dash.

Clay took a precious second to stem the absolute and utter despair that boiled through him. Then he looked at the driver. "Sorry. I won't need that ride after all."

He climbed out of the cab and ran back into the casino, where Dev still stood, as if waiting for Clay, and he realized that Dev knew, had seen the tracker go silent just as he had.

When his friend would have moved forward to comfort him, he waved it off. Any small kindness right now would make him shatter into a million pieces.

"He shut down the phone," Clay said, his voice tight.

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