Page 69 of Double or Nothing
Five minutes later, we’re going as fast as we can in terrible Vegas traffic. “Damn, Leroy!” I say to him. “Is there a back way there?”
“If there was, I’d already be taking it.” His large hands grip the steering wheel as he maneuvers skillfully through the crowded streets. “Don’t worry. If Jade said she’s fine, then she’s fine. We’ll get there and then you’ll be able to see for yourself.”
His attempt to reassure me does little to calm my nerves. “I shouldn’t have let her go into the casino by herself. We knew Igor was still out there somewhere. He’s probably been stalking her for days. Or Natasha. We let down our guard and she almost got hurt, yet again. We suck at keeping her safe.”
“Don’t be so hard on yourself,” he says. “You can’t keep her under lock and key forever, though I suspect that’s exactly what you boys would like to do. What is it with you three, anyway? You’re all crazy in love with her, which, if I’m being perfectly honest, is so fucking weird to watch. It reminds me of being back in middle school and all the guys having a crush on the same damn cheerleader.”
“It’s hard to explain,” I reply, my gaze drifting to the glittering city beyond the window. “She’s a part of us and it’s felt that way from the very first moment I saw her. I guess we were all missing something in our fucked up lives, and Jade fills that empty spot.”
“But aren’t you just a little bit jealous when she’s with the other guys?” he probes further. “That’s the part I can’t figure out. The three of you have always been competitive. You turn everything into one big game. You’re always trying to find out who is the fastest, the strongest, the smartest. Well, maybe not the smartest, because everyone knows that would be you. And there wouldn’t be any need to compare dick sizes, not with Kit’s big ole elephant trunk. Vulcan has the two of you beat on anything athletic. Hell, I don’t know why you play those stupid games, anyway, since you know who is going to win before you start. Then to see you sharing one girl is just freaky.”
“I hear what you’re saying. If someone had told me a month ago, that I’d be in a relationship with a girl and my two best friends, I would’ve laughed my ass off.”
His hearty laugh fills the limo. “Don’t get any ideas about me joining your little circle jerk,” he adds. “Because I enjoy keeping my ladies all to myself. Big Leroy is more than enough for any gal, if you get my drift.”
“We won’t,” I assure him, trying not to smile. I’d wondered how long it would take him to bring this up. He’s probably been sweating bullets worrying about us pressuring him into a gang bang.
“Don’t get me wrong,” he continues, his tone turning serious. “Jade’s a fine woman, but she’s more like a little sister to me.”
“Perfect,” I reply. “I’m sure she thinks of you the same way. I appreciate you looking after her, too. It makes me feel better.”
“The address you gave me is up ahead,” he says, nodding towards the glow of a neon sign. “I’ll pull over at the curb because I’m not driving this limo down at creepy back alley. Not in Vegas.”
I text Jade to tell her we’re almost there. Soon Leroy is pulling the limo to a stop near the shadowy alley. The girls emerge from behind a graffiti-covered dumpster and climb inside. Jade immediately snuggles close to me, while Natasha, after giving me a cool, cautious glance, takes a seat at the far end of the limo.
The familiar scent of Jade’s shampoo envelops me as I wrap my arms around her, pressing a gentle kiss to her hair. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there to protect you. I knew that was a mistake letting you go off without backup. From now on, no more test runs without at least one of us shadowing you.”
She nods against my shoulder, her voice shaky, but determined. “You’re right. We let our guard down and Igor took advantage of that. It could’ve turned out way worse. Trust me, next time we’ll be better prepared if we end up in another dangerous situation.”
The limo’s interior is momentarily illuminated as a nearby flashing billboard switches ads. Natasha’s piercing gaze meets mine.
“Did you kill him?” I ask. The heavy weight of my question hangs between us.
“I can only hope,” she replies, her tone dripping with ice-cold vengeance. “But I’m not that lucky. Igor will live on to terrorize us again.”
“Damn! That’s a shame he’ll survive.”
“Next time he won’t,” Natasha vows firmly. “He’ll strike again, and I’ll be waiting for him. And then he’ll be the same as Ivan, his bones turning to dust in the desert.”
In the dim light of the limo, I cast a glance at Jade. “You told her?”
She lifts her eyes to look up at me. “Yes, I told her about Ivan. She deserves to know the truth. It’s bad enough knowing that one brother is out there, constantly hunting her down. We’re all in this together now.”
“Don’t be alarmed, Magic Man,” Natasha’s voice cuts through the air, laced with an unexpected warmth for a change. “Your secret is safe with me and my friends. I owe you for taking care of Ivan. I give you my word that I will never reveal your secret. Never. That is my promise to you.”
I nod in response, a silent pact forming between us.
“Are there security tapes of the parking lot at Platinum?” I prod, leaning forward slightly, eyes searching hers. “Ivan was there that night until we… removed him from the premises.”
“Not any longer,” she murmurs, a slight smile tugging at her lips. “Why would we keep evidence of the Russians ever being at the club? We erase our security camera footage regularly. Do not worry. We are one step ahead of you.”
Jade’s voice breaks through my thoughts. “What will happen when the police find Igor?” she asks. “I assume if he’s still alive, he’ll go to a hospital to be treated for his knife wounds.”
Leroy’s voice chimes in from the front, the rearview mirror catching the glint in his eyes. “Want me to check around and find out what hospital he’s at?”
“Might not be a bad idea,” I tell him. “We need to keep tabs on him.”
“Dimitri will never allow him to sit in jail,” Natasha says. “He would kill Igor himself first. Russian mafia do not go to jail.”
