“But what if I go in there and he calls the cops?” I’m just playing for time here, scanning my brain for a solution. “Won’t that just put an end to it anyway?”
“Don’t you think I’ve thought of that? I have people ready to ensure that doesn’t happen.”
“What people?” He doesn’t answer me. “What fucking people? Are you kidding me?”
I’m no longer in control. I’m spinning and twisting into the abyss as I lose the tight control I have of my life. That was only an illusion anyway, nothing real, just something I told myself so I could feel better. But Lucas has control. He’s whipped the rug out from underneath me, stripping away the foundation I exist upon, leaving me with nothing. I grip my chest, trying everything I can to get my breathing straight.
“Lucas, please don’t do this to me. Don’t. Don’t ruin my life. I’ve been good to you, haven’t I? I’ve been good. I don’t know why you’re ruining this. I can’t understand. I don’t want any of this . . .”
The words tumble over one another. I can’t get them out fast enough, but Lucas just laughs nastily at me.
“There is, of course, another solution. A way that we can make all of this go the hell away.”
I cock one eyebrow, already knowing I’m not going to like this. If I would, he’d have suggested it first.
“Go on then, Lucas, you might as well just tell me what it is already.”
“Leave him and get back with me. Simple. We’ll go back to the good old days when it was just me and you.”
I snort with angry laughter. “And how exactly will that pay off your debt?”
“I’ll work it out. You don’t need to worry about that.”
“If you can ‘work it out,’ why can’t you just do that now? Work it out on your own?”
“Because I don’t want to, if I’m honest. Not if I can’t have you.”
I shake my head, anger and disappointment running all the way through me. “Well, you can’t.”
“So you’re just giving up on us, just like that? You don’t even want to give us a try?”
“We did that, remember? And it didn’t work out. There’s a reason it didn’t work out, and that reason hasn’t changed. You haven’t built your life back up, you aren’t in a better place. If anything, you’re worse off.”
“That’s because I don’t have you.” He grips me again, letting his hot breath tickle my cheek. “If I had you, everything would be different. It would all be so much better. I would be happy.”
I try to yank myself away, but he has me tight. His face almost presses up against mine as he tries to draw me closer to him. This isn’t the Lucas I liked when I first came to Vegas. He’s changed. He’s become dangerous. It’s like he’s hooked on some drugs or something, more than just the gambling. Although, in the heat of this moment, it feels like I’m the drug. I’m the one coursing through his veins, and he needs another hit.
I’m just a normal person. Why do all these guys react like this to me? I don’t get it.
He shoves me hard against the wall, scraping my back against the bricks. His face presses right up against mine as if he’s about to kiss me. I stop breathing, my heart stops beating, I’m all hollow inside as I wait.
“I’m going to make you mine right now. If I take you here and now outside his casino, then he’ll never want you back. Then you’ll have to belong to me. Do you understand what I’m telling you?”
I turn my head, refusing to let him plant the kiss on my lips. “Don’t you want the money?”
“You’ve already told me that you can’t get the money. You can’t change your mind now.”
“Maybe . . . maybe Brock will give it to me.” I squeeze my eyes shut, wishing I was back inside with him right now rather than out here. “Maybe if I explain what’s going on, he’ll give me the money.”
His fingers curl even harder. The hot pain radiates right through me. “What if he doesn’t?”
“He . . . he will.” I can hardly get my words out now, I’m such a mess. “I’m sure of it.”
“That’s not good enough. I want you to break up with him as well. I want you to be mine.”
“You can’t have both . . .. Argh!”
“Don’t fucking scream, you crazy bitch.”