“So how long have you been working here?” she asked.

“About a year and a half. Why?” He slid the drink across the bar on a cocktail napkin.

She shrugged. “Because my sister used to serve drinks here. I’m looking for people who saw her before she disappeared.”

So much for anticipating her behavior. The only expected thing so far had been her quivering voice. But despite her nerves, she’d gone right for the killer question.

He kept his tone casual as he asked, “What’s your sister’s name? There’s plenty of babes who work here and move on.”

“But only one who disappeared, I assume.”

Before Connor could reply, Maria sauntered over and placed her tray down on the counter. Connor didn’t need a distraction, and Maria, with those eyes that saw too much and who got to him in a way no woman ever had, diverted his attention too easily. She’d also been ducking his come-ons in a way he wasn’t used to.

“Why don’t I refresh your memory,” Ariana said. “My sister’s name is Zoe. That’s a pretty unusual name and she’s my twin. Another reason I’d think you’d remember her,” Ariana said, forcing Quinn to tear his gaze from Maria.

Maria, meanwhile, glanced back and forth between Connor and Ariana and a scowl crossed her luscious lips. Lips he fantasized about in his sleep, drifting across his body and giving him immense pleasure.

Her displeased expression was the first indication Connor had ever had that Maria reciprocated his interest. Suddenly stringing Ariana along took on greater appeal, and he bit back a grin.

He leaned across the bar, closer to Zoe’s twin. “Is your sister a beautiful redhead like you?” he asked in a deliberately husky voice.

“Okay, assuming my face isn’t ringing any bells, no, she doesn’t have red hair,” Ariana said, her exasperation obvious. “She has long black hair. At least she did the last time I saw her.”

Was it Connor’s imagination or had a fleeting frown crossed her face?

He had no time to think further because she continued speaking. “But as I said, we’re twins, so thank you for the compliment.” She fluttered heavily made-up lashes and shot him a wide smile, no evidence of sadness at all. He wasn’t sure which was the act and which was forced, nor did he care to figure her out. He just needed to keep her in the dark.

Without warning, Maria lifted her tray and smashed it down on the counter, clearing her throat at the same time. “Some of us are here to work, not pick up women. Think you can take my order sometime today?” Maria asked.

Ariana jumped, while Connor bit the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing. He’d busted his ass to get through Maria’s reserve, and all it took was another woman’s interest to light a fire beneath her. Hot damn.

He let his gaze slide provocatively over Maria’s tight black miniskirt and tight white stretch tee. “Green’s an awfully pretty color on you, sweetstuff. I’ll be with you in a second.”

He turned to Ariana, though he watched Maria from the corner of his eye. A red flush stained her cheeks, making her hotter and sexier than usual. Damned if he didn’t want to get in on all that pent-up passion.

But first he had business to deal with. “I remember her now. Your sister hasn’t been around here in awhile,” he said to Ariana, finally acknowledging the truth. Maybe Ari would accept surface answers, but Connor doubted it. “The police stopped by asking questions, but from what I heard, they came up empty, too.” He tilted his head toward her. “My condolences though.”

Her eyes glazed but to her credit, she recovered with a swing of her shiny hair. “None necessary. Zoe’ll come home soon.” Rising from her seat, she slid twenty dollars across the wood countertop, waited for him to make change, then left him a nice tip.

“Where are you off to?” he asked.

She shrugged, drink in hand. “Maybe I’ll check out the slots.”

Bullshit, Connor thought, but he just didn’t know exactly what Ariana Costas had in mind. And that made him nervous.

“If you hear anything about my sister, I’d appreciate it if you’d give me a call.” Her gaze held his a few seconds too long, and he saw the desperation in her eyes.

He’d been in this business long enough not to fall into the trap of guilt. He only hoped his buddy Quinn could hold out, too.

“Bye,” she said with a wave.

“See ya.” He glanced down. Only then did he notice she’d left a card with her handwritten phone number on it along with the gratuity. He pocketed the paper in his back jeans pocket.

Across from him, Maria seethed with jealousy, and Connor wondered how to best use this unexpected show of emotion to his advantage.

With full appreciation of what fate had shown him, he turned his attention to Maria. “I’m all yours, sweetstuff. What can I do for you?”


• • •

Quinn stretched out at a booth in the lounge across from the baccarat tables, Damon beside him. His boss liked to monitor the big gamblers, and this view gave him ample opportunity. Damon’s woman of the week, this time a busty blonde, hung on to every word he said, but all the while Damon surveyed his domain. And Quinn watched Damon. It was a scene Quinn had repeated nightly since being let into the casino owner’s inner circle.

He hoped it wouldn’t last much longer. Quinn was sick of living out of a hotel room. He missed his small house on the beach and the freedom to do what he wanted, when he wanted, without people looking over his shoulder. Most of all, he missed Dozer, his mixed breed who was currently residing with Al Wolf, director of the youth center. He hoped Dozer was behaving himself and not slobbering all over the kids, or else Wolf would… Holy shit.

Quinn’s thoughts trailed off as the woman who’d promised him she’d return to Vermont strode into the room. Even with some outward changes, Quinn would recognize her in a heartbeat. She made her way into the casino, hips swaying, newly cut hair bouncing against her shoulders, and those green eyes darting around the room, something he recognized as pure nerves showing through.

Since tackling the professor in her dark suit two days ago, he’d bet she wasn’t used to her new look or sexy clothing. Neither was he. Under any other circumstances, he’d enjoy the view, but not tonight. He was furious, and when her gaze met his and remained, he refused to look away, forcing her to hold his stare or blink first.

She held her own.

She’d promised to get her ass on a plane. She hadn’t. By walking in here, she’d shown she wasn’t scared of the repercussions. She should be, Quinn thought as he rose from his seat.

But before he could intercept Ari and prevent Damon from seeing Zoe’s twin, Damon put a hand on Quinn’s shoulder. “Is that the woman you were talking about?” Damon nodded toward Ari.

“That’s her,” Quinn muttered.

As if Damon’s date sensed competition, she hung on more tightly to his arm.

The fact comforted Quinn, while he tried to figure out what to do about this newest complication. “I thought she was leaving, but don’t worry. I’ll get rid of her.”

“Let’s see what she wants first,” Damon suggested.

Quinn watched through gritted teeth as Ari strode up the three steps to the bar and greeted them with a wide smile. Thank God Damon preferred blondes, Quinn thought.

“Hi.” Her gaze encompassed both men and Damon’s date.

“What are you doing here?” Quinn asked, to hell with preliminary niceties.

She shrugged but didn’t flinch at his angry tone. “I thought I’d check out where my sister works.” She motioned around the room with one elegant sweep.

“Worked,” Quinn reminded her. “You wanted to see where your sister worked.”

She lowered her gaze, the confidence in her demeanor not as strong now. “I’m just not used to thinking of Zoe in the past tense.” She drew a deep breath. “But you’re right. I wanted to see where my sister worked.” When she looked up, her grin was nowhere to be found.

A punch in the gut would have been a gentler way of hurting her, Quinn thought. But if she trusted him at all, which she had no reason to do, she’d play this game through. In the end, she would see her sister again.

“So now you’ve seen. Don’t you have a plane to catch?”

Damon stepped forward. “Tsk, tsk, Quinn. That’s no way to speak to a beautiful lady.”

Damon’s arm candy started to whine, but Damon cut her off by pulling cash out of his pocket. “Go play,” he ordered his companion.

The blonde whose name Quinn hadn’t bothered to learn treated Damon to a kiss on the cheek and sashayed off.

Ari raised an eyebrow Quinn’s way. “I’d appreciate an introduction to your friend.” Her sultry gaze settled on Damon.

Unlike when she’d convincingly lied to Quinn, now he detected traces of nervous energy as Ari made a show of fingering her purse and tapping her foot.

She was scared. Of Damon, he hoped, because that would mean the professor did indeed have the brains Zoe credited her with. And then Quinn could count on her to behave, at least while she was in the casino.

“Yes,” Damon said from beside him. “I believe introductions are in order.” He oozed charm. Slimy, not-to-be-trusted charm.

“Ariana Costas, I’d like you to meet Alec Damon. Mr. Damon owns this casino, in case you’ve been living under a rock for the last two years.” Or in Vermont. “Damon, this is Zoe Costas’s twin,” Quinn said pointedly.

Damon smiled. “I thought I noticed the resemblance. Nice to meet you, Ariana.”

“Same here.” She swallowed hard. “I’ve heard so much about you, Mr. Damon. Not from my sister, since we… we hadn’t been in touch in awhile, but my mother talks about you often.”

“Only good things, I hope?”

She nodded. “That’s another reason I came by. I wanted to meet you. To thank you in person for lending my mother money when she was in need.” Ari held out her hand and Damon took it.