Fever

“You can tell me or the police. It’s your choice.” The seductive tone of his voice was instantly replaced by pure steel.

Roxie’s whole body stiffened reflexively before she forced herself to relax. “It must be really hard playing good cop, bad cop all by yourself.”

His dark eyes narrowed. “All right, let’s cut the bull. Just tell me how you did it, and I’ll let you go.” He popped his fingers. “Just like that.”

She set her full lips in a determined fashion, letting him know there would be no more involuntary confessions. “I have nothing to tell. I’m just a gambler who got lucky.”

She stood and he stood with her. Roxie felt her whole body shiver in response to the sudden nearness. Get a hold of yourself! she scolded.

“I don’t know who you think you’re dealing with, lady. But you are playing a dangerous game.”

Roxie was far more afraid than she let on. His words were the very reason she’d walked away from the poker table without a dime. Fear of an unknown danger so strong it was almost palpable. “Are you going to charge me with something or not?”

“We both know you were cheating. Why deny it? All I want to know is how you did it.”

She moved to go around him, and Ike cut off her path once again.

“The Desert Rose is owned by Bobby Kincaid.”

“So what?” she snapped, more out of nervousness that nerve. Suddenly, she was remembering every rumor she’d ever heard about how Bobby Kincaid made his fortune, most of it not good. How much did this man have to do with that?

He leaned closer. Roxie took a step back, but her retreat was stopped short, when a strong arm came around her waist and held her in place.

“You’re dancing with the devil.” His warm breath touched her ear, and she swallowed hard. Ike pulled back and looked directly into her eyes. “I’d advise you to remember that the next time you consider visiting this particular establishment.”

I know. She allowed herself to stare into the bottomless pit of his liquid eyes. I know. Roxie shook her head to break the spell he’d cast over her. She pushed past him, and opened the door.

“Next time I won’t care how you did it, but I’ll make sure you never do it again.”

His chilling words caused her to pause.

“If you ever show your face in my casino again, be prepared to face the consequences.”

Roxie knew there was no mistaking the threat in those words. She walked out and gently closed the door behind her.

As soon as she was through the door, Ike was on the radio telling one of his men to discreetly shadow the woman and report back to him with the license plate number from her car.

He fell into his chair, thinking about the mystery woman. He’d studied every detail of her face. Soft brown eyes, almost the exact same color as her flawless bronze skin. A cute little upturned nose over full, inviting pink lips. Her short curly hair, tinted with blond highlights covering her head in an unruly mass had framed her small face. He willed himself to see beyond the pretty face to the deceitful, conniving heart that must lie beneath.

She’d crossed her legs at the knee, and Ike had unconsciously licked his lips. They really were exceptional, he thought. But she was a con artist, a hustler, a cheat, and despite her very appealing attributes he must never forget that.

He wondered if maybe he’d poured on the Capone routine too thick. He wanted to scare her, and was certain it had worked. He only hoped it was enough to keep her away.

Ike thought she looked like a prim school-teacher reprimanding a disobedient student. Although, if any of his teachers had looked like her, he never would’ve graduated.

He closed his eyes, and lay his head back on his chair, remembering those incredible legs. He’d already identified, categorized and labeled the intense feelings. Raw lust, nothing more.

Bobby Kincaid leaned across the large oak desk. His fisted hands were braced against the surface as he stared in utter disbelief at the man who was more like a son to him than his own biological child. “Are you telling me that you just let her walk out of here? Without so much as a slap on the hand?”

Ike sat forward in his chair with his hands resting on his knees.

“What were you thinking?”

“What did you want me to do, Bobby? Arrest her on the charge of what we suspect?! She didn’t actually steal anything! She didn’t take a dime from the table. Not one cent. I had nothing—and she knew it. And more importantly, she knew we could not have proved it, even if she did take the money. Quite honestly, I’m not sure why she left it.”

Bobby huffed, as he considered that bit of information. He turned and paced to a full-length window that overlooked the Las Vegas strip. He took in the flashing neon signs, the various advertisements for dancing girls and other assorted forms of carnal amusement. This was not only Sin City, this was his city. “How do you think she did it?” Bobby asked the vague question, never taking his eyes off the scenery below.

“Honestly…I don’t know. None of my guys spotted her doing anything even the remotest bit suspicious…besides winning. Under different circumstances, I probably would’ve blown it off. But there is no way she could’ve won that amount—that quickly—without cheating. Lady Luck is not that generous.”

“Then how?”

“If I didn’t know better, I’d say she was counting the cards.”

“That’s impossible.”

Ike shrugged his shoulders. “It’s been done.”

“Not in my casino.” Bobby leaned against the front of the desk. “Besides, the chances of that are what? Like, one in a million?”

“Greater than that. But it is possible, how else could you explain it?”

Bobby returned to his position by the window. “I don’t buy it.”

Ike slumped back in his chair. “Okay, you were watching. You tell me how she did it.”

“I don’t know how she did it. But I do know that she didn’t count the cards.”

He paused for a long moment. “Find her and bring her to me.”

Ike shot straight up in his chair. “Why? It’s not even your money she was taking.” Ike spoke with obvious anger.

Bobby swung around at the venomous tone. Despite his small stature, he was a big man in Las Vegas. As the sole owner of the Desert Rose Casino, his name carried a lot of weight. There were very few men who put the fear of God in him. But when Ike, his godson, was angry, he shot to the top of that list.

Bobby was certain Ike would never turn on him, he knew the boy loved him as much as he was loved in return. But when Ike was angry, there was something in those dark eyes of his that just didn’t seem…normal.

Bobby was sure it had something to do with the Navy training, and those years Ike had spent as a SEAL. No matter how Bobby tried, Ike would never discuss those years with him. But like everyone else, Bobby had heard rumors of some of the things done to the young men who volunteered for the special tactical training. The cruel and often barbaric treatment was supposed to prepare them mentally and physically in the event they were ever delivered into the hands of the enemy.

Maybe one day, Ike would confide in him, but right now, all Bobby wanted was to defuse a volatile situation. He recognized the emotion in Ike’s eyes right away. He’d been on the receiving end of that look of jealousy—raw and dangerous—several times since the day he purchased the Desert Rose, but never from this young man. All this over a woman he’s just met?

“Ike, I know you think I’m some lecherous old man who jumps on every pretty woman who crosses my path—”

Ike arched one eyebrow. “Aren’t you?”

“Not this time. All I want is information. Think about it…what if she was using some new technique. Some new way to cheat that neither of us is aware of. This thing could kill Vegas overnight. We need to know what she knows.”

The chances of Roxie having a photographic memory were slim to none, but new technology was being confiscated in casinos everyday. The chances of her using some new methods that he was just not familiar with were much more believable, much more acceptable. And a lot easier to prove.

Ike unleashed a gruff breath, as much as admitting Bobby was right. “Okay, I’ll check with some of my sources, and other casino security teams to see if they have encountered anything like this.”