Page 41 of When He Plays

“She’s dangerous. Most of the people in my world are.” He unfisted his hands. Once more, he offered his arm to her.

This time, her fingers curled around it.

“Stay near me when we head to the elevator,” he told her. “Everyone will be watching, even if they are acting like they aren’t.”

When he took her out of his office, he was far too aware of the people on the floor of the casino. His place ran twenty-four, seven, so there were still patrons playing the slots. Trying their luck at the tables. Waitresses bustled around, the cleaning staff vacuumed and tidied, and security personnel stood at attention.

Logan and Charlotte strode past a blackjack table. The man there barely slanted them a glance as he tapped the table with his index finger, indicating another hit.

But Logan leaned close to Charlotte. His lips brushed her ear. Deliberately so. “Your partner is about to lose a hundred bucks,” he warned. “He should have held at seventeen. Even amateurs know that. When you’ve got a hard seventeen, you don’t take a hit.”

Sure enough, the dealer flipped over a face card. Busted.

Charlotte’s body tensed briefly.

Logan eased his head away from her. Right before they entered the elevator, Logan glanced back. The man at the table—tall, wide shoulders, dressed in khakis and a polo—turned his head toward the elevator.

Logan winked at him.

The doors closed.

“Who were you winking at?” Charlotte asked.

“Your partner. I thought about kissing you dramatically in front of him but decided that’s bad form.”

“What partner?”

“Oh, darling, really, do not insult me. I spotted the guy in London. I know you worked with him back then. A careful phone call to the right individual even gave me his name. Jamar. It’s good that you have him close, keeping a watch on you, but tell me, are the rumors true? Will he be leaving after this case? And, if so, then who will be keeping an eye on your sweet ass once he’s gone?”

“You…I…”

The elevator rose.

“How did you get that intel?” Charlotte demanded and those words were confirmation.

“Ah, so it was dead-on target. Don’t worry. I’ll help you find an appropriate partner. Someone you can trust.” He’d vet the individual personally.

“Right now, you are my partner.”

“And you can trust me. I won’t let you down.” Did she understand that those words were a vow? “I swear to keep a very, very close eye on that sweet ass of yours.”

“Logan.”

“Yes?”

“I need you to be serious for like, five minutes. Can you do that for me?”

“I can. But will I?” He exhaled. A long, heavy exhale. “Only if I must.” Honestly, sometimes, he got tired of the careless mask that he had to wear so often. Right then, his head throbbed incessantly. Adrenaline had his blood boiling. And lust for her still beat in his veins. “Fine. Being serious. You have five minutes.” The elevator was nearly at the top floor. “And since we’re being serious, who is the target that you’re after?”

Her eyes widened.

“If I have to be serious, then so do you. Five minutes of truth from us both.”

She hesitated.

He could feel her hesitation. “Be clear on this. You will tell me. I’m done walking in the dark on this case. Yes, I owe the CIA. But I’m repaying my debt. Hell, I invited all the players that your boss wanted to my back room game.” Her boss had been the one to send him the guest list weeks ago. It had been filled with people he knew, players who often came to his private events. And scheduling another game had not seemed like a hardship.

Then Charlotte had demanded to actually attend the game. He’d suspected she would do that even before she’d made the request. After all, why would her boss give him that particular guest list if she hadn’t wanted her agent close to the fireworks? Still, though, he’d hesitated to let Charlotte enter. And his warnings to her had been legitimate.