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I stood up straighter. “Where?”

“The Hard Rock, right on the strip. He asked to be near all the action.”

“I need you to arrange a flight for me to Vegas right away.” I said it without thinking. Farrah's squint made me realize how bossy I was being to someone who didn't work for me. “Sorry, I meant—if you could, but you don't... have to.”

Her smile was a welcome sight. “Ever fly First Class?”

****

Wandering the HardRock sounded like a good plan. In actuality, it was turning into a futile exercise. This hotel was gigantic, and it connected to other casinos and the Strip, giving me too much ground to cover.

It was getting dark out—I'd tried calling Bach ten times since I'd landed. What the hell was I supposed to do next?

“Hey! Don't I know you?” Someone was shouting. I didn't know they were talking to me until they tapped me on the shoulder.

“Santino Rice?” I asked, recognizing the musician. His pictures and name were all over the Strip—apparently, he was performing in Vegas for the next three nights.

“You're that girl.” He snapped his fingers a few times. “Amina! Yeah, you're Bach's new golden egg.”

I was startled at that. “You know Bach?”

“Used to be signed with his company. I got a better ride now, though. You come to Vegas to catch my tour?” He smirked dangerously, and when he leaned in, I smelled beer. “I can fit you into my roadies, if you show me you deserve it.”

My hands came up between us. “No thanks. I'm good.”

Santino recoiled with his eyes narrowed. His whole body swayed as he caught his balance; he reallywasdrunk. “What, you a dyke or something?” he asked loudly.

Some of the people playing the casino games nearby stared at him. It took me a second to recover from his offensive comment. “Excuse me?”

“With that short hair, it's gotta be it.” His frown morphed into a smile that turned my stomach. “Might be you need a good dicking to change your preference.”

“You're disgusting!” I growled.

He made a swipe for me, but I backed away. “Hey! I'm Santino Rice, you don't call me disgusting! Ungrateful little bitch.”

From the corner of my eye, I noticed the crowd was paying close attention. Some were talking on their phones. “Santino,” I warned him, “Go sit somewhere and take a breather. You're making an idiot of yourself.”

“Aw, girlie, I'll do it if you come with me.” Faster than I expected, he caught me around my waist. One of his hands squeezed my ass through my jeans.

That was the last straw.

Rushing forward, I slammed him against one of the Blackjack machines. Santino grunted from the impact. I expected him to release me, but the bastard hung on. “Bitch,” he slurred in my ear. He started to collapse on me, his hands squeezing me again. My insides roiled—was I going to be sick?

All at once his weight vanished. I sighed in relief, expecting to see one of the bystanders, or casino security, had come to my aid. But what I saw instead took the last of the air from my lungs.Bach?

It was him. And it wasn't. The man in front of me was more like an animal, throwing Santino violently to the hard floor of the casino, before lifting him up to do it again. Three times he laid his enemy flat on his back, his arms flexing under the strain.

Santino was heavy, but Bach acted like he was lighter than an empty box. I caught the flicker of fear in Santino's face. “Bach, stop!” I cried, hurrying forward to stop him from seriously injuring Santino. Bach didn't look at me, he just wrapped his fists in the other man's shirt and hoisted him up again. “Bach! Stop, please! Stop it!”

“I saw what you did,” he snarled. His eyes were toxic green as he held Santino close to his face. “You touched her. You don't get to do that.No onegets to do that!”

“Bach,” I whispered, gripping his forearm. “Put him down. I'm fine, I swear!”

There was sweat on his throat, it glistened as he pulled in ragged breaths through his nose. He wasn't wearing a suit-jacket, just an undershirt with his blue tie hanging loose. The man I'd come looking for was a mess. What the hell was going on?

“Move aside!” A police officer shoved through the crowd. He took in the scene with a serious frown. “What's happened here?”

Santino pushed his way out of Bach's grip. Amazingly, he let him go, sending Santino crashing to the floor. “He attacked me! Arrest him, now!”