Page 14 of See You There
Dahlia was relievedwhen Chandler agreed to go to the illegal casino again. She’d expected it to be a bigger battle. At first, he had balked, insisting they had nothing to be afraid of, but when Dahlia told him about the men waiting for her, he had grown quiet.
“Don’t worry about it, Lia. I’ll handle it.”
“What does that mean?” she demanded. “Pay them!”
A few hours later, Chandler called her back and told her the problem was taken care of. He insisted he had the money to pay, and they would just drop it off and leave.
However, when Chandler picked her up in his Range Rover, Dahlia was unpleasantly surprised to see the studio owner, Matt Crawford, sitting in the front seat. Dahlia called on all her training to keep her expression neutral and not betray the nerves that consumed her.
“Hey, Lia!” Matt gave her a smarmy smile. She was on high alert, but she managed a weak smile back.
“Get in. We are already running late,” Chandler said impatiently. He hadn’t bothered to get out of the car.
Dahlia climbed in the back seat and clutched her purse tightly on her lap. The July heat was sticky, but Dahlia stillchose black cotton pants and a thin blue gauzy top over a nude tank. As protection, it wouldn’t provide much, but being dressed conservatively comforted her.
Chandler gave her a quick once over, his lip curling. “That’swhat you’re wearing?” Dahlia didn’t respond, just raised her eyebrows at the other front seat passenger’s back. “Matt’s coming to help us,” Chandler said.Was Matt going to pay Chandler’s debts?
“Helpyou. This has nothing to do with me.” She didn’t want Matt to think that she owed him a favor. By the look the studio head cast over his shoulder at her, he had understood her completely. He should. The last time he insisted she owed him, she had pressed a steak knife to his balls. That had made him back up fast enough.
Dahlia knew he would try to make her pay for it eventually, but once she had new representation, she never wanted to work with Peachtree Pictures again.
Too soon, Chandler pulled the Range Rover to a stop in front of a two-story home in an upscale, suburban neighborhood. The first time they visited a few months before, Dahlia hadn’t understood the ‘for sale’ sign in the yard.
Chandler had explained that the men who ran the pop-up casino had an arrangement with a local real estate agent. For a fee, the agent allowed the casino access to vacant homes to set up one-night events. The sellers and neighbors were told it was a private listing event.
“Haven’t seen you in a while, Lia,” Matt said, putting his hand on her back as she walked past him.
Dahlia pressed her tongue to the top of her mouth to keep from snapping at him not to touch her, but she was more worried about what they would find when they entered the house.
“I heard they got you and Chandler onGood Morning Atlantanext week to promote the movie and a couple of other events. Should be fun.”
Matt Crawford was new to the entertainment industry. Until a few months ago, he was the CEO of the global conglomerate, Bloom Communications, a company his mother owned. When Peachtree Pictures was shopping for investors, the Crawfords bought the studio outright. The rumors circulating the studio were that Matt didn’t enjoy the corporate lifestyle, and Courtney Crawford bought Peachtree Pictures to give him and his younger brother, Trey, more glamorous jobs.
Dahlia put on her professional smile, ignoring the sweat trickling down her spine. “Yes, I can’t wait.”
Her eyes darted around her, looking for either of the two men who had accosted her in the parking lot. At the front door, they were greeted by a man she’d been introduced to on her last visit. Anton Petrov was dressed in a white silk shirt and black pants, his large watch glinting under the porch light.
It would be easy to mistake him for just another generic, rich man in Atlanta, but the tattoos on the backs of his hands along with the predatory light in his eye, as he looked their group over, broadcast just how dangerous he was.
“Chandler, good to see you and the always lovely Ms. Everton.” He smiled as his eyes trailed down her body.
Dahlia didn’t give any indication of how it repulsed her. After her last visit to the casino and the subsequent ride home alone with Matt, she was glad she had very little skin on display.
She offered him a serene smile, extended her hand, and said in a low, sultry voice. “It’s nice to see you again, Mr. Petrov.”
His eyes flared, and his fingers squeezed hers before his attention shifted to Matt, who stepped closer to her shoulder. Dahlia could feel the testosterone rolling off the men. They were like animals claiming their territory.God, men are exhausting.
“Who are you?” Petrov eyed Matt. Petrov’s tone was insulting.
“Matt Crawford. We’ve met. I own Peachtree Pictures. I’m here to help Chandler out.”
Petrov’s brows lifted, and his smile widened. “Just what I wanted to hear. You’re a little late. We’ve got a full house tonight.”
He gestured with his arm for them to enter. Chandler swaggered past the man, his blue sport coat swaying around his tight-fitted, white T-shirt, oblivious to the danger they were in.
Dahlia frowned as she followed him. Matt and Chandler may not be worried, but Petrov tripped all of her survival alarms. Chandler was in over his head and was too stupid to see it. She wouldn’t relax until they were on their way home.
Dahlia tugged on Chandler’s arm when they reached the great room that flowed off the foyer. Petrov’s men had placed craps tables and a roulette wheel in this room, and from her last visit, she knew the poker tables would be in the living room off the kitchen.
