Bullshit, Connor thought, but he just didn’t know exactly what Ariana Costas had in mind. And that made him nervous.
“If you hear anything about my sister, I’d appreciate it if you’d give me a call.” Her gaze held his a few seconds too long, and he saw the desperation in her eyes.
He’d been in this business long enough not to fall into the trap of guilt. He only hoped his buddy Quinn could hold out, too.
“Bye,” she said with a wave.
“See ya.” He glanced down. Only then did he notice she’d left a card with her handwritten phone number on it along with the gratuity. He pocketed the paper in his back jeans pocket.
Across from him, Maria seethed with jealousy, and Connor wondered how to best use this unexpected show of emotion to his advantage.
With full appreciation of what fate had shown him, he turned his attention to Maria. “I’m all yours, sweetstuff. What can I do for you?”
• • •
Quinn stretched out at a booth in the lounge across from the baccarat tables, Damon beside him. His boss liked to monitor the big gamblers, and this view gave him ample opportunity. Damon’s woman of the week, this time a busty blonde, hung on to every word he said, but all the while Damon surveyed his domain. And Quinn watched Damon. It was a scene Quinn had repeated nightly since being let into the casino owner’s inner circle.
He hoped it wouldn’t last much longer. Quinn was sick of living out of a hotel room. He missed his small house on the beach and the freedom to do what he wanted, when he wanted, without people looking over his shoulder. Most of all, he missed Dozer, his mixed breed who was currently residing with Al Wolf, director of the youth center. He hoped Dozer was behaving himself and not slobbering all over the kids, or else Wolf would. . . Holy shit.
Quinn’s thoughts trailed off as the woman who’d promised him she’d return to Vermont strode into the room. Even with some outward changes, Quinn would recognize her in a heartbeat. She made her way into the casino, hips swaying, newly cut hair bouncing against her shoulders, and those green eyes darting around the room, something he recognized as pure nerves showing through.
Since tackling the professor in her dark suit two days ago, he’d bet she wasn’t used to her new look or sexy clothing. Neither was he. Under any other circumstances, he’d enjoy the view, but not tonight. He was furious, and when her gaze met his and remained, he refused to look away, forcing her to hold his stare or blink first.
She held her own.
She’d promised to get her ass on a plane. She hadn’t. By walking in here, she’d shown she wasn’t scared of the repercussions. She should be, Quinn thought as he rose from his seat.
But before he could intercept Ari and prevent Damon from seeing Zoe’s twin, Damon put a hand on Quinn’s shoulder. “Is that the woman you were talking about?” Damon nodded toward Ari.
“That’s her,” Quinn muttered.
As if Damon’s date sensed competition, she hung on more tightly to his arm.
The fact comforted Quinn, while he tried to figure out what to do about this newest complication. “I thought she was leaving, but don’t worry. I’ll get rid of her.”
“Let’s see what she wants first,” Damon suggested.
Quinn watched through gritted teeth as Ari strode up the three steps to the bar and greeted them with a wide smile. Thank God Damon preferred blondes, Quinn thought.
“Hi.” Her gaze encompassed both men and Damon’s date.
“What are you doing here?” Quinn asked, to hell with preliminary niceties.
She shrugged but didn’t flinch at his angry tone. “I thought I’d check out where my sister works.” She motioned around the room with one elegant sweep.
“Worked,” Quinn reminded her. “You wanted to see where your sister worked.”
She lowered her gaze, the confidence in her demeanor not as strong now. “I’m just not used to thinking of Zoe in the past tense.” She drew a deep breath. “But you’re right. I wanted to see where my sister worked.” When she looked up, her grin was nowhere to be found.
A punch in the gut would have been a gentler way of hurting her, Quinn thought. But if she trusted him at all, which she had no reason to do, she’d play this game through. In the end, she would see her sister again.
“So now you’ve seen. Don’t you have a plane to catch?”
Damon stepped forward. “Tsk, tsk, Quinn. That’s no way to speak to a beautiful lady.”
Damon’s arm candy started to whine, but Damon cut her off by pulling cash out of his pocket. “Go play,” he ordered his companion.
The blonde whose name Quinn hadn’t bothered to learn treated Damon to a kiss on the cheek and sashayed off.
Ari raised an eyebrow Quinn’s way. “I’d appreciate an introduction to your friend.” Her sultry gaze settled on Damon.
Unlike when she’d convincingly lied to Quinn, now he detected traces of nervous energy as Ari made a show of fingering her purse and tapping her foot.
She was scared. Of Damon, he hoped, because that would mean the professor did indeed have the brains Zoe credited her with. And then Quinn could count on her to behave, at least while she was in the casino.
“Yes,” Damon said from beside him. “I believe introductions are in order.” He oozed charm. Slimy, not-to-be-trusted charm.
“Ariana Costas, I’d like you to meet Alec Damon. Mr. Damon owns this casino, in case you’ve been living under a rock for the last two years.” Or in Vermont . “Damon, this is Zoe Costas’s twin,” Quinn said pointedly.
Damon smiled. “I thought I noticed the resemblance. Nice to meet you, Ariana.”
“Same here.” She swallowed hard. “I’ve heard so much about you, Mr. Damon. Not from my sister, since we. . . we hadn’t been in touch in awhile, but my mother talks about you often.”
“Only good things, I hope?”
She nodded. “That’s another reason I came by. I wanted to meet you. To thank you in person for lending my mother money when she was in need.” Ari held out her hand and Damon took it.
“My pleasure.” He released his grasp, his astute gaze raking over Ariana’s body. “Your mother was a hard worker and a very talented dancer.” He inclined his head. “Do you share her ability?”
She laughed. A full-blown, light and airy sound. Quinn’s groin immediately tightened. Damn the woman, anyway.