I wanted to cry the moment I saw the emerald shining at the center of the beautiful diamonds surrounding it.
“It’s—”
“We need you to look the part,” he said, turning away almost immediately.
My heart plummeted into my stomach at his coarse words. This was a job. Nothing more. He needed to find out who was after us so he could go back to his life.
I sucked back the disappointment and took the necklace out, struggling to put it around my neck. When the clasp wouldn’t connect, he sighed and walked back over, hooking it for me.
But his fingers lingered, brushing against the nape of my neck. Heat flushed my body as our eyes connected in the mirror, but it was gone in a flash, and I was left staring at the beautiful piece of jewelry draped around my neck.
“It’s just a job,” I reminded myself as he walked out of the room. Thinking anything else would only get me hurt.
I steppedoff the elevator with my arm draped through Rob’s. I really tried to pretend that it was nothing more than a night of fun, but the throbbing between my legs every time I looked athim suggested that my body wasn’t completely on board with the plan.
“Anything that looks familiar or feels familiar,” he murmured. “Let me know immediately.”
I took a deep breath and stepped forward in my sky-high heels that matched my dress. I was unused to wearing anything like this. Hell, my shoes of choice were cowboy boots, and those only had a low heel.
I wobbled as we walked forward, and Rob caught me more than once when I would have fallen over and made a fool of myself.
He, on the other hand, seemed to fit in perfectly in his expensive suit and shoes. You’d think he wore it every day for work. Then again, he wasn’t in heels, so I gave myself bonus points for that.
Bells rang in the distance and chips flooded the tables, each of the noises drawing my attention a little more than the last time, sending my brain into overload. Faint images of a dealer sitting across from me flooded my mind, but gave away nothing useful.
“Anything?”
“Not that would help,” I sighed.
I closed my eyes and tried to pick out the details from behind the dealer. There was a sign for the restrooms, but other than that, there was nothing.
“The decor matches,” Rob said, his brows furrowed. “This is definitely the hotel.”
“Well, of course it is. Our names were registered at the front desk.”
“I mean, this is where it happened.”
Glancing around the room, I spotted a sign for the restroom. Studying it carefully, I was pretty sure it was the same sign. “Over there,” I said, tapping his arm.
“By the Blackjack tables?”
I nodded, walking over with him, trying not to run. I was desperate for answers, to figure out what happened to those days of my life. And yet, as soon as I found out, it would all be over.
Rob pulled out the stool for me, and I gently slid onto it, careful not to pull my dress in any way to reveal something I shouldn’t.
I glanced around as Rob talked to the dealer. I knew nothing about Blackjack, and I wasn’t about to start learning now.
“Krista,” he said, drawing my attention.
“Huh?”
“Anything?”
I shook my head, but just as I did, I saw a man staring at me. His eyes were most definitely focused on me, and he lifted his wrist, whispering something. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end, and Rob’s hand slipped around my waist.
“We have company.”
I nodded in agreement, unable to take my eyes off the man who was now walking toward us.