Page 76 of Devil's Dilemma

“Is the Vegas club different to the Colorado one?”

“Yes, and no. Devils are pretty similar. Their compound is an old warehouse, a few miles out of town. Nothing special.” He laughs. “Has Jayden told you about the Tucson club?”

“A few times,” I smile. “Has it really got a swimming pool?”

“Yes. It was an old vacation resort and looks like one.”

“Has Red got an old lady?”

He snorts. “No. Red, er, Red likes the ladies if you get my drift. Can’t imagine him ever settling down.”

I bump his arm. “I seem to remember you weren’t much of one for settling, either.”

“Nah, but it takes a very special woman to give up the single life, and I met you first. There’s only one of you, darlin’. Red’s out of luck.”

I smile at the implied compliment. Then continue my inquisition. “And he’s called Red, why?”

“I think you’ll find out when you see him.”

Pyro’s just as tense on landing, so our conversation falters. I sit, watching the ground come into sharper focus beneath, but rather than trying to pick out the sights of Vegas, I’m seeing Skull’s face in my head.

The man beside me is keeping me sane, though I don’t think he knows he’s doing it. If I didn’t have him, if he wasn’t so earnest in how he sees me and what he feels for me, if his declarations didn’t drip with sincerity, and had those words not come at exactly the right time, I’d feel completely destroyed. Worthless. Though those feelings are there, lurking, Pyro is helping to keep them at bay.

I find out the reason for Red’s handle much sooner than I’d expected. It’s the Vegas prez himself who’s driven to the airport to collect us. He almost needs no introduction, his cut with the name and Prez patches were redundant in relation to his thick red hair and bushy beard which scream who he is. Though Pyro uses the words while making the introductions, I really didn’t need them.

He’s tall, about the same height as Pyro, well-built and his tee, struggling to contain his muscles, shows he’s ripped.

I nudge Pyro and he bends down so I can whisper into his ear, “If I’d seen him first, you might not have had a chance.”

His eyes widen, then he sees me grinning. His hands come to my sides and the bastard tickles me.

“Stop, stop!” I demand, unable to stop giggling.

“Christ. And I was led to expect a demure pregnant woman.” Red’s eyes sparkle though, and the way he relaxes leads me to suspect that he was worried he’d have a distraught female on his hands.

He might well have had, if I didn’t have Pyro to distract me.

Red’s eyebrows have risen at my whispered words and Pyro’s response. “Anything I should know, brother?”

Pyro looks at me. I mouth,don’t you dare tell him.He shrugs. “Mel was just saying…” I gasp. “…that she’s never been to Vegas.”

“Well, then, let me welcome you on behalf of the city.”

Pyro sits up front alongside the Vegas prez. I’m happy to sit in the back, and take in the new surroundings, only half-listening to the conversation between the two men. I can’t stop myself searching for the man we’ve come to find, half-hoping, half-dreading that we’ll see him. Of course, it isn’t that easy, and anyway, Vegas is vast.

“Judge, Wills and Sparky arrive okay?”

I eavesdrop on Pyro and Red’s conversation.

“Yeah, they got in last night. Didn’t say they had any problems.”

“Any sightings yet?”

My ears perk up. “Nah, had all my guys keeping their eyes open. They’ve got copies of those pictures you sent. So far, they haven’t come up with anything. Will help now your men are here as they actually know him.”

“I’ll go out myself once I’ve got Mel settled.”

“Hey, Pyro. I want to come along.”

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