Total pages in book: 158
Estimated words: 145803 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 729(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 486(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145803 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 729(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 486(@300wpm)
Wallin was back to sounding like a gentleman, being kind and solicitous of her. She already knew he was a shark. She needed to get out of there, not just because she could feel the deadly paralysis wanting to invade her body, but because it made her ill to be in the same room with a man who may have actually killed someone or had them killed because they beat him in a poker game.
“Thank you for the warning. Fortunately, I don’t live or work here, nor do I have any intention of doing so. I’m quite happy where I am.” She stood up, forcing him to straighten in his chair, giving her breathing room. “If you’ll excuse me, I have to pack up. I told you, I have other commitments. My friends arrived last night and I’m anxious to see them.”
“Congratulations again, Vienna.” Daniel extended his hand.
He had a very firm grip. She was very certain he hadn’t congratulated her when she’d won, not that it mattered.
“I’m sending security with you to escort you to your room.”
“That’s not necessary.” She was more afraid of his security team than she was of the crowds.
“It is very necessary. You have no idea what it’s going to be like outside of this room now. Just remember, forty years ago, there wasn’t the media coverage there is now when we were playing poker, and yet someone killed Liam Gram. Our game was televised. Art, Jameson, Leo and I all lost to you. Millions of people saw that happen. Overnight, you became a sensation and we became humiliated. It’s possible we could allow that humiliation to eat away at us. Don’t think it couldn’t happen. They might smile at you and congratulate you, want to be photographed with you, but make no mistake, Vienna: they are not your friends.”
“I get that. Just as you’re warning me they aren’t my friends, you might not be either.” She eased toward the door, thankful the game hadn’t taken very long and she hadn’t had to use her “gift” too much.
Daniel signaled to his security staff and they immediately surrounded her. Vienna had to admit the owner of the hotel knew what he was talking about. The moment she stepped outside the room, she was swarmed by media. Behind them, a crowd of people looked as if they might crush her. The security team knew what they were doing, forming a diamond around her.
“Keep your head down and your hand on Wilder’s back,” Rachel instructed. She was directly behind Vienna.
There were two others on either side of her. Vienna didn’t recognize either man and she didn’t look at their uniforms. She just did what Rachel told her to do and looked at the floor as they made their way to the private elevator. Breathing deep, she matched her steps to Wilder’s the entire time, blocking out the sound of reporters calling out to her.
It was difficult to process the various emotions coming at her with the energy of the massive crowd pressing so close. There were too many people. She had Daniel Wallin’s parting shots running around in her head as well. The elevator doors opened and Wilder stepped aside to allow her entrance. He faced the crowd, his gaze moving over the people even as his body blocked hers. She couldn’t even see around him. He was just a little too good at his job, but it did allow her to briefly process a few of the stronger emotions emanating from the crowd. One of them was a strong malevolence. That dark strain she’d felt before was radiating toward her, but this time it was much more poisonous.
The rest of the security force stepped onto the elevator and the doors silently slid closed. She knew there was a camera in the elevator recording everything they did, maybe everything they said. The ride was eerily silent after all the cheering on the floor. As soon as the doors slid open, she made a move to exit, but Rachel held her back as Wilder stepped out first, looking down the wide hallway, left and right.
He signaled to his team to allow her out of the elevator, and they walked her to the door. “When you’re ready to leave at any time, call for us to escort you, Ms. Mortenson,” Wilder said.
“Thank you, I appreciate it.” She slipped inside her suite quickly.
Two of her friends had come at Zale’s encoded message to Sam, and they rushed her as she closed her door. Shabina Foster was all of five foot four. She’d inherited her mother’s incredible blue eyes, thick dark hair and beautiful skin from her Saudi ancestry. Shabina owned the Sunrise Café in Knightly.
Raine O’Mallory was an intellectual powerhouse packed into a slender five-foot-two body. She was on the extremely quiet side until one riled her, and then it was never a good idea to argue with her because you were going to lose—she knew too much. She had some hush-hush job with the military, although she appeared to be an independent contractor with them. At least, Vienna was certain she wasn’t in the military.