Raising the Stakes

“They were keeping tabs on Dawn, Baron, not on you.”

“I don’t understand.” Gray hissed as he put the wet towel against his temple. “Why would they do that?”

“Don’t play dumb with me,” Keir snapped. “You might have fooled her but I saw right through you from the beginning. You’re up to something.”

“Listen, O’Connell, I’ve got my hands full right now, okay? I’ve got to figure out a way to make a woman stand still long enough to hear the truth. You want to fight? Well, save it for another time.” Gray looked into the mirror and caught Keir’s eyes with his. “You’d be wasting your time, anyway. Dawn’s in love with me.”

“She’s been hypnotized by you, is what you mean.”

“Sorry, pal. She’s in love with me.” Gray dropped the towel into the sink and turned around. “And I’m in love with her.”

“Sorry? You think I’m interested in Dawn as more than an employee? I mean, she’s great, she’s terrific, but…” Keir narrowed his eyes. “You’re good, Baron. I come busting in here because I know you’re up to no good and now you’ve got me explaining that you’re wrong about what I feel for Dawn Kitter—”

Keir swallowed the name as soon as he said it, but it was too late.

“You know,” Gray said in amazement.

Keir jerked his thumb toward the door. “I know that you’re going to be out of here in five minutes.”

“You know who she really is.”

“Five minutes. After that, I’ll have you tossed out on your—”

“Dammit, man, don’t play games with me!” Gray clasped Keir’s arm. “How much do you know?”

“Everything,” Keir said coldly. He shook off Gray’s hand. “That’s why you’ve been wasting your time. Did you really think we wouldn’t figure out that you were working with her husband?”

“That I was…” Gray barked out a laugh. “You’re dead wrong, man. Her husband is scum.”

“That’s the only thing you and I would agree on. And after I throw you out of my hotel I’m going to find Harman Kitteridge and toss him into the gutter with you.”

“Listen, O’Connell, you’ve got this all…” Gray caught his breath. “What the hell are you saying? He’s here? Dawn’s husband is in Vegas?”

Something in Gray’s voice made Keir bite back the sarcastic retort that had sprung to his lips.

“Yeah. He’s here.”

“You’re sure?”

“Ninety-nine percent. Give me a break, Baron. You expect me to think—”

“Does Dawn know?” Gray demanded, curling his fists around the lapels of Keir’s suit jacket.

“Get your hands off me!”

“Answer the question, dammit. Does she know?”

“Yes. She—”

“Jesus Christ, O’Connell, she’s going to run!” Gray jammed a wad of toilet tissue against the oozing cut over his eye, raced into the bedroom and grabbed a shirt. “You don’t believe me? Call downstairs. See if she’s in her office. I’m betting she ran straight out the door and into her car.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Do it, man!” Gray swung toward Keir. “I’m not working with Dawn’s husband. I’d just as soon beat the bastard to a bloody pulp as look at him. It’s true, I came here to find her but it had nothing to do with Harman. It’s too complicated to explain right now. You’ll have to trust me.”

“Yeah,” Keir said grimly, “and the check is in the mail.”

“I love Dawn. I want to protect her. And I can’t, because she’s gone after her kid and I don’t know where the hell he is!”