CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
THE EXCITEMENT SKYE WAS FEELING DISAPPEARED AS THEY WALKED inside. She was too much of a professional not to notice the room had been searched.
The subtle shift of a magazine on the coffee table. Drawers in the bedroom that hadn’t been completely closed. Toiletries in the bathroom moved from one side of the sink to the other.
“Well, he wasn’t subtle about it,” Edge said, his gaze following hers as they checked each room.
Skye looked up at him. “Doesn’t look like anything’s missing. You think Petrov was delivering a message? Telling us he can get to us whenever he wants?”
“Probably—and looking for anything that might indicate we were lying or working with the cops.”
“Which we aren’t,” Skye said clearly in case the room was bugged.
Edge just smiled. Skye went with him as he opened the safe in the bedroom and took out the disposable phone and a handheld bug finder. She knew the device was standard equipment in Edge’s gear bag. He held it up, and she nodded.
As he moved through the rooms, she watched the surface of the black plastic device to see if any of the lights lit up, but no warning colors flashed.
“Nothing,” Edge said. “But I didn’t really expect there would be. Petrov’s all about muscle and intimidation. He’s used to winning by force. I don’t think he’s a techie kind of guy.”
He set the device on the dresser, closed the bedroom door behind him, and made sure it was locked.
Skye’s anticipation returned. She glanced at the bed. “I wouldn’t want them to hear us. Are you sure your device is working?”
Edge’s gaze heated. “Sure enough.” Reaching out, he eased her into his arms. “Jesus, I’ve been hard for you all night.” Tipping up her chin, he settled his lips over hers and sank in, claiming her in a hot, wet kiss that melted her bones.
“Shouldn’t . . . shouldn’t we call Cross?”
“Later.” Damp kisses fell onto the side of her neck and over her shoulders. “That dress should be illegal.” Sliding off the narrow straps, he peeled the top away to expose her breasts. “I can’t stop wanting you.” He cupped the weight in one of his big hands, and Skye moaned.
Edge reached up and took down her hair. Skye shook her head, sending dark strands tumbling around her shoulders.
“Damn, I’m crazy about you.” Edge lowered his head to kiss her again, then paused. “I didn’t mean to say that, but I guess it’s no secret.” He kissed her before she had time to process the words.
Until that moment, she’d had no idea what Edge felt for her. Now she knew he cared about her—maybe more than cared—but the sad truth was, it didn’t matter. They had what they had for as long as it lasted. That was all.
Still, her heart had squeezed at his words.
The kiss deepened as Edge stripped her out of the dress, stopping at the sight of the little .380 semiauto strapped to the inside of her thigh.
“What is there about a woman wearing a gun?” he mused, his eyes hot as they roamed over her.
Skye leaned down and ripped off the Velcro tabs holding the holster in place, set the little pistol on the nightstand.
Edge leaned down and kissed her. Lifting her into his arms, he carried her across the room and set her down on the side of the bed.
A long, slow kiss, and he knelt in front of her, eased her back on the mattress. She was naked, Edge fully dressed. His broad shoulders wedged her legs apart, the fabric of his suit coat rubbing against her thighs. Delicious ripples of pleasure slid into her core.
“Your leg,” he whispered. “Am I hurting you?”
She swallowed, barely able to force out the word. “No . . .”
His hands moved down her body, stroking, soothing. Damp kisses roamed over her skin, moving lower, making her burn. When he reached his destination, everything inside her went white-hot with need.
Her mind went blank. They were in the middle of a dangerous operation that could get them both killed, and all she could think of was Edge and her need to feel him inside her.
“Please . . .” she whispered, moving restlessly on the mattress.
“Soon, baby.” Edge was relentless, using his hands and his mouth to drive her to the peak. In minutes, she was on the precipice, then tumbling over, crying his name as she reached release.
His zipper buzzed, then he was sliding in, driving deep. “God, I need you. I can’t get enough of you.”
Her eyes filled. This wasn’t supposed to happen, this overpowering hunger for a man she could never have. But the agonizing truth was, she loved him. And because she loved him, she wanted every moment she could get with him.
Skye gave herself up to the powerful emotions she didn’t want to feel, let Edge drive her up all over again, then joined him in a spectacular release.
* * *
Another hour passed before Edge made the call to Cross. Skye was lying in bed, her eyes heavy-lidded and drowsy, a faint smile on her lips. Standing a few feet away in one of the hotel’s white terry robes, Edge felt a shot of male satisfaction.
Cross picked up the phone on the first ring. “Why the hell haven’t you called? Our man followed you to the Bellagio and watched you go into your suite. I figured I’d hear from you a couple of hours ago.”
Edge’s gaze went to Skye. “I was busy.”
“Yeah, I’ll bet. You better start taking this more seriously, Logan. Petrov’s nobody to fool with.”
He straightened. “I get it. Believe me.” He shifted the phone closer to his ear. “The meeting went better than expected. Petrov’s a businessman. He liked what we had to say. He’s already had us vetted. Since we’ve got no connection to law enforcement other than the raid in Blancha Springs and handing his boy, Daniel, over to the county sheriff, I think he might go for it. The question is, what happens if he does?”
“We need him to corroborate the information our informant has already given us.”
“I thought you said Henson wasn’t talking.”
“This is someone else. But we need more info. A wire would be best, but we can’t risk it. If Petrov found out, you’d be dead before we had a prayer of getting you out.”
“So what’s the alternative?”
“One of our inside people put a bug under Petrov’s private table. He eats in the club almost every night. Always sits there. He and his latest mistress.”
“Platinum blonde? Big tits and too much makeup?”
“That’s her. Name’s Sasha Jankova. See if you can get him to invite you and Skye to supper. Then bait him, get him talking. Like you said, he’s a businessman. He likes to brag about how he came from nothing and how much he’s worth now. If you can get him to incriminate himself, we’ll get it recorded. Combined with the informant’s testimony, we’ll have enough to nail him on drug and racketeering charges.”
Charges that carried very long sentences. Just what Petrov deserved. “We’ll see what we can do.”
“Keep me posted—for both our sakes.”
“Will do.” Edge ended the call and set the phone down next to the bed. Skye drew back the covers, inviting him to join her.
Edge tossed the robe and climbed back into bed. They still had hours until morning.
* * *
Enjoying the luxurious suite, they slept late, then ordered room service for a breakfast of coffee, eggs Benedict, and fresh-squeezed orange juice, which they enjoyed in front of the windows overlooking the Bellagio fountains. The sun was well up by the time Skye dressed for the day in khaki cargo pants and a pair of sneakers, a white tank, and white jeans jacket.
She glanced over at Edge, who wore jeans and a light blue, short-sleeved button-down. He tossed a navy blue windbreaker over the back of a chair to cover the shoulder holster he planned to wear when they went out.
Cross was right, Skye thought. Petrov was a dangerous enemy and not to be underestimated. Edge would be armed with his Beretta, while Skye carried her little .380 semiauto in her purse.
They were ready to prowl the shops, have lunch at Mon Ami Gabi in the Paris Hotel and Casino, maybe gamble a little, whatever it took to pass the time until Petrov called.
Or didn’t.
Edge grabbed his windbreaker just as Skye’s cell phone rang. Worry rushed through her as she recognized Conn’s number. “Hey, what’s up?”
“Good news.”
“Really? I could use some.” She flicked a glance at Edge, who’d moved a little closer. “It’s Conn.” She put the phone on speaker.
“The good news is the police arrested Klaus Mahler last night. He and a guy named Webb Rankin.”
“Wow, that is good news. According to Callie, Webb Rankin was Sarah’s supposed husband. He was one of the men who had killed her. I’m glad they caught him.”
“Callie’s safe,” Conn said, “but even so, she and Lila are going to stay with me a little longer. Both of them are anxious to get back to work, so they’ll be looking for jobs. Apparently, Lila has some experience as a bookkeeper. Callie’s looking for a job in a restaurant. She’s decided to go back to community college in the spring, pick up where she left off, maybe even continue, get her bachelor’s degree.”
“That’s great.”
“They want to share an apartment as soon as they have enough money.”
“Tell Callie I’ll loan her first and last month’s rent and whatever else she needs. She can pay me back once she’s settled.”
“Okay, I’ll tell her.”
“Thanks for everything, Conn. You went way above and beyond. I know Callie and Lila appreciate it.”
“Actually, it was kind of fun having some female company again.”
Skye felt a twinge of regret. Conn still missed his ex-fiancée. Rebecca was never right for him, which she had finally figured out and Conn had reluctantly accepted. But living by himself in a house that size had to be lonely.
The call ended, and Skye tucked the phone into her purse.
“With Mahler in jail, that’s one problem solved,” Edge said. “Too bad the cops didn’t round up Harley Purcell along with him.”
Skye thought of Purcell and the threat he still posed to the woman he considered his wife. “I hope Molly’s okay.”
“Yeah. I wonder where Purcell went after he left Chamaya? No sign of him among Petrov’s crew so far.”
“From what Molly said, he was Daniel’s man all the way. With Daniel under arrest, he could have gone anywhere.”
“Let’s hope Molly keeps her head down long enough for Harley to lose interest.”
Skye felt a chill. In her work as a private detective, she had known men like Harley Purcell. Brutal and unrelenting, some of them stalked their wives or girlfriends for years, just waiting for the chance to make them pay for whatever imagined crime they had supposedly committed.
She felt Edge’s hands on her shoulders, turning her around. “You can’t save everyone, Skye.”
She looked up at him. “I know.”
“Come on. Let’s get something to eat. Maybe by the end of the day we’ll hear from Petrov.”
Skye just nodded. Petrov was their target now.
Her resolve strengthened. Sooner or later, they were going to bring him down.