Fever

Slowly, he lifted his eyes and looked directly at her for the first time. Coal-black eyes as dark as a starless night and just as unsettling pinned her to her chair. Gypsy eyes, trimmed in the longest, blackest lashes she’d ever seen, studied her, seeking the answers he knew her lips would never reveal. It was like he’d reached beyond the surface and was searching her soul.

Roxie quickly looked away.

She tried to ignore the man, but with each hand, another player dropped from the game until only the two of them were left. She studied her hand, biting her lip in concentration.

“It’s your play.” The sultry voice drifted across the table, and Roxie looked up in surprise to find those intense, dark eyes on her once again. He was waiting, watching like the careful predator he was. Roxie felt trapped. Something about those eerie eyes spoke of unseen peril. She realized in that instant just how little she knew about the people she was dealing with.

This was Vegas, after all—ruled with an iron fist by a small group of overlords.

What if Bobby Kincaid decided to carry out his own brand of justice? What if the man sitting across from her was the only judge or jury she would ever stand before?

Suddenly, her little plan to take back what had been taken didn’t seem as clever as it had that morning. She looked at the large pile of chips in the middle of the table, considering how close she’d come to winning her parents’ money back. But getting arrested—or worse—wouldn’t help Theo and Tessa. She would have to find another way.

Roxie turned her cards face down and gently placed them on the green felt table. “I fold.”

The wolf quirked a curious eyebrow.

The dealer watched the play before speaking. “Lady Luck is obviously on your side. Are you sure you want to end your winning streak?”

Roxie stood. “I think I better end my streak, before my streak ends me.”

The man on the other side of the table was studying her with a strange expression. “If you walk now, you’ll lose everything.” He gestured to the large pile of chips in the center of the table.

Her heart sank as she realized all her effort had been futile. She came in with nothing and was about to leave with nothing. She tried to paste on her most benign smile. “A true gambler knows not to push her luck.”

Ike tossed his cards down and stood, coming around the table to block her path. “Is that your secret? Luck?” he asked with poorly veiled sarcasm.

Her eyes narrowed when she noted how neatly he’d cut off her exit. “What else would it be?”

He gave a slight nod to someone behind her. “I don’t know, some of the truly high rollers claim to have a method.”

Roxie began backing away from the table and then stopped when she saw one of the little wolves standing in the path to the nearest exit. She turned and looked at another exit, and yes, there was the other little wolf in position. And all with a nod of his head, Roxie thought, as she met his steady eyes, which were boring into her.

“Well, I’m not a true high roller.” Roxie stepped back again.

For every one of her backward steps, Ike took a step forward. He watched her look around in every direction, clearly wondering if she were crazy enough to make a run for it.

He extended his hand. “Ike Bancroft, casino security. And you are?”

Roxie stared down at his long, elegant fingers. She forced another stiff smile. “Roxie…Smith.”

Ike smiled, probably at her lack of creativity. “Roxie…that suits you.”

Roxie looked around again. “You think so?”

He nodded slowly in affirmation, as his eyes slid over her slender form, taking in the gold dress that fit so well. “So, Roxie, can I buy you a drink?”

Chapter 2

“No thanks.” Roxie turned sharply, preparing to flee, and felt her arms suddenly locked in a vise grip.

“Not so fast.” His soft breath tickled the hairs at the nape of her neck.

“Let go of me,” she hissed between clamped teeth. Roxie yanked against his hold, but struggling against him was like fighting bands of steel. “You can’t prove anything.”

She gasped in surprise at her own words, realizing she’d as much as confessed. “I said, let me go. You have nothing to hold me on,” she spat, realizing their private battle was becoming public.

“Why don’t we have a little chat, first.” Pushing her ahead of him, Ike guided her across the crowded casino with little effort.

Every once in a while Roxie would jerk discreetly in a continuous, but useless effort to free herself, or try to catch the eye of one of the casino patrons in a silent plea for help. Once she almost succeeded when a man standing near a roulette table saw the desperation in her eyes. He started to move toward the couple, but the cold, dead stare he received from her companion stilled his desire to be a hero. The Good Samaritan found his feet frozen in place.

Once they were past the roulette table, Ike leaned close to her ear and whispered, “Try that again, and you gonna get someone hurt tonight.”

Roxie took a deep breath, determined to ignore the erotic feel of Ike’s warm breath on her neck. She needed to concentrate on finding a way out of this mess.

He guided her through the kitchen, ignoring the staff that looked up in mild surprise, to a small office near the back entrance. After slamming the door shut, he plopped her down in one of the two chairs facing the desk.

Ike took the seat behind it and slumped in the chair, locking his eyes on his captive.

Roxie refused to meet those eyes of his again; they were just too disconcerting. Too deep-seeing. Instead, she looked around the small office. The walls were covered with various licenses from the city and state. The small metal desk was bare, all except the small stack of papers on the corner and the remnant of a meal from a take-out restaurant.

Ike broke the silent standoff. “How about you explain to me exactly what happened out there?”

“I don’t know what you mean.” Ignorance was her only defense, she decided. He couldn’t prove anything as long as she admitted nothing.

He sat forward and folded his arms across the desk. “I think you do.”

Her response was complete silence.

“You’ve piqued my curiosity, Roxie.” He smiled softly, revealing a glimpse of white teeth. “Just tell me how you did it. That’s all I want to know.”

More silence.

“I must admit, I’m a little disappointed. You struck me as a pro, a real smooth operator. But now I see…this is just another amateur night.”

Unable to help herself, Roxie’s eyes flashed to his.

Ike stood and came around to the front of the desk. He leaned one hip against the empty surface, and moved forward until their faces were level.

Roxie felt her heart pick up its cadence, beating rapidly against her chest. She pressed herself back into the chair trying to put as much distance as possible between them, still unsure of the fearful excitement he seemed to arouse. Granted, he was a good-looking man, but she knew it wasn’t his face that she was responding to. It was something else, something deeper. He was such a still creature, slow moving and quiet. But the energy coming off of him was like bolts of lightning shooting around her head.

“Come on,” he cooed seductively. “It’s not often I get the opportunity to talk to someone with your expertise.”

Give me a break. She maintained her silence, focusing her attention on a small puncture hole in the vinyl covering of the other guest chair. Her busy mind worked for a way to extricate herself. A way that did not involve being detained half the night, or being turned over to the police. Despite his sweet talk, Roxie knew for certain that as soon as she even hinted at the truth, the wolf would rip her to shreds.

“I’m not looking for a collar tonight, just a lesson. Educate me. How’d you do it?”

Roxie folded her arms over her chest. “Either charge me or let me go. I know my rights. You can’t just hold me here indefinitely.”