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Alice pushed back from the blackjack table and tossed the dealer a couple of chips. “I’m done. Thanks for the game.” She was up about five grand. Easy to do on the high-roller tables. She’d had bigger wins, but the trick was to never get greedy when she counted cards. Lose a little, win a little, and spend enough on other games to keep her free suite and not be asked to leave.
She looked at the ceiling, spotted the nearest camera, and smiled, then headed for the cashiers’ station. The simple action felt like ants crawling under her skin. She’d worked so hard to hide, and now she was exposing herself on purpose. To Jabberwock. Please let him be in the mood for a game. She said a second prayer that game would be letting her keep going, rather than some sort of psychological torment.
She handed her chips to a cashier. As she received her money, she looked up at the closest security camera. The elevators were her next stop.
It had been six months since she left Blake. Thinking about him still gnawed at her chest, but only if she let herself fall into that past. The first few weeks after, she struggled to get by. Two-hundred dollars didn’t go far.
It was easier to stay off the grid than she thought, though. With no credit cards or ID, as long as she kept her head down and was nice to the right people, she could accomplish a lot.
She glanced at the camera on the lift ride up. It was nice to not have to wear the prosthetics today. They itched, but they made her face look like it had a different bone structure. The comfort didn’t make up for the ill-ease clawing at her veins, begging her to stop this now.
Today, she needed to display her identity. The rational part of her mind hated being back in this world, but fury and the need to be the person in charge of her life overrode that. The time she spent in lockdown, and before that with Hare, she let someone else dictate the rules. And they didn’t hesitate to manipulate and use her.
They’d done the same to Alex and Wayne, and fuck it if she refused to let that stand. Maybe some of Hare’s madness had rubbed off on her, but she didn’t care if that contributed to her motivation, as long as she saw this through.
The hallway to her room was empty. There were only a few suites up here. She strolled toward her door and pulled her card from her purse.
Someone wrapped their arms around her waist, and she recognized Hare’s scent immediately. She hovered on a knife’s edge between fear and revulsion. It took all her willpower not to jerk from his touch.
He brushed her ear with his lips and whispered, “The Lion and the Unicorn were fighting for the crown. The Lion chased the Unicorn all around town.”
“Lion?” She turned to face him but didn’t pull away. Her body molded to his, increasing her disgust another notch. “Another name?” she said. “How are you keeping track of them all?”
“You tell me, Alice.”
She licked her bottom lip and gave him what she hoped was a wicked smile. “I’m glad you were here today.”
“You’re not very well hidden if you go places you expect to find me. And fleecing a casino owned by a business acquaintance of mine doesn’t really live up to that threat you made last time we spoke.”
“No. It really doesn’t.” She shifted against him, and nausea flickered inside when his cock hardened against her hip. She ignored her reaction. This was the game now.
She wouldn’t have found him if it weren’t for Alex’s information. The photos Jabberwock himself made her take a second look at. The embedded code Alex left for her eyes only, that gave her insight into some of the organizations best kept secrets.
Jabberwock trailed his nose up the side of her neck. “I missed you.” His phone buzzed.
“I can tell. You’re vibrating with excitement.”
He rolled his eyes, stepped back, and scanned his screen. “It’s Queen of Hearts,” he said without looking up.
“I thought you were the only royalty.” She didn’t know why he shared, and the note certainly wasn’t from the person she expected.
“I’ve tightened ranks, and Dormouse earned a promotion.”
“Ah.” Who she expected, after all. “Then we all have new names. What am I calling you?”
“It’s not a secret anymore. I’m Jabberwock. Fuck.” He looked at her. “Apparently, there’s a virus on one of our servers. Only one. It’s publishing a series of my IP addresses to the internet.”
She widened her eyes and poured fake shock into her voice. “Oh my God. How horrible for you.” She didn’t expect him to flinch when he got the news of her first step toward her promise, but she did want to see his face. Mission accomplished. Thank you for the tip from beyond the grave, big brother.
“It’s nothing that can’t be fixed.” He leaned in. He hovered his mouth over her lips. “Until next time.” His breath fell across her skin.
She didn’t miss that he dropped something in her purse, before he left.
She watched him walk away, then turned and headed in the other direction. Everything in her room could be replaced. Anything she needed, she carried on her. It was time to move to her next stop.
The Story Continues in The Hatter and the Hare...
Keep reading for a free sneak peek of the first two chapters
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If you’re enjoying Allyson Lindt’s suspenseful stories with a techno-twist, and enjoy demons and angels, check out the Ubiquity series, starting with Uriel’s Descent.
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