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“Wildcard, wait up. There was a woman here looking for you. She was at the gate when you got shot,” Hunter says. “She hightailed it out of here in a cab before I could open the gate to let her in.”

“Did she give you her name?”

“Yeah, Brigit Jones.”

“She was here? Where the fuck did she go?”

CHAPTER FOUR: BRIGIT

Seeing Wildcard shot down spurs me into action. Shit! Two shootings in one day? What are the odds? Ignoring the calls of the prospect, I speed walk back to the cab and climb into the back seat.

“Was that a gunshot?” he asks when I close the door.

“We should go,” I tell him.

He nods and slams the car into gear. He does a 180 instead of driving past the clubhouse gates. “Where to?”

I have no idea. I’m shaking. All I can see is the image of that man shooting Wildcard. Why?

“Mommy, what’s wrong?” asks my son, Colt, as he puts his hand on my arm.

Fuck. I have to be strong for him. “Nothing, sweetie, just need to find a place to stay.”

“Do you have a place in mind?” the driver asks.

“Any hotel not owned by the mafia?” I ask.

He chuckles like I was making a joke. Granted, I made the statement with a bit of tongue-in-cheek, but my reality right now is that I need to stay away from any place that might make it easier for Misha to find me.

“I know the perfect place,” he assures me. We return to The Strip.

“Look at all the motorcycles, mommy!” Colt calls out, bouncing in his seat as he stares out the window. Rows upon rows of motorcycles fill the parking lot of a sleek hotel and casino. Lights above the entrance flash the words ‘Ride or Die’ above the name; The 1%, Hotel and Casino.’ The hotel looks new and I know it wasn’t here when I lived in Vegas.

“What is this place?” I ask the cabbie.

“It’s owned by the Demon Dawgs. They built it soon after their new President, Puma, took over. He’s a former NBA player, Maklin Brooks. Maybe you’ve heard of him. No? Doesn’t matter. He knows how to draw a crowd. This is the most popular casino in Vegas.”

“It’s a biker casino,” I muse. “Is it dangerous?”

He laughs. “Not more dangerous than going to their clubhouse.” My heart hurts at the memory of seeing Wildcard shot. I can’t break down. Not yet. I need to get Colt and myself somewhere safe. I’m not sure a casino built and run by bikers is safe. “But seriously, it may look intimidating, but it’s safer than any other casino on the strip. The Demon Dawgs have more security and they’re fanatic about safety. I promise you that if I were going to bring my family to stay at a hotel, this is the one I’d pick.”

I glance at the man to gauge his honesty and I can see that he means what he’s saying. I glance back at the hotel and bite my lip as I consider my choice.

“Do they have a pool?” Colt asks the cabbie.

“They do. It’s pretty awesome. They have an entire area just for kids to play. They have a team of attendants who have gone through vigorous training and background checks. I know because my sister is one of them.”

“Can we stay here, mommy? Can we? Please?” Colt begs, and I smile at his enthusiasm. Two motorcycles pull up near the cab, pulling his attention away. A striking woman with long blondehair climbs off the back of one. She’s laughing as she leans over to kiss the man.

I’m teetering on the edge of saying yes when the cabbie speaks quietly.

“Not sure what you’re running from,” he says, glancing at Colt to make sure he’s paying more attention to the newcomers than us. “But they take care of women here. Trust me. I’ll take you to the front desk and help you get settled in. They’ll make sure no one can find you.”

I glance at him with hope, and he gives me a nod of assurance. “If anyone asks me about you, I won’t talk, either. As far as anyone is concerned, I dropped my fare off at the clubhouse. You’re safe here.”

“Thank you,” I whisper as I reach into my wallet to pay the fare.

“You already paid me. Now, let’s get you inside.”