“Next hand,” the dealer announced.
After a quick glance at their cards, the players placed their bets. And Viktis won again.
And again.
After the fourth time, his hands started to sweat and he furtively wiped them on his tuxedo trousers. This wasn’t supposed to happen. He’d programmed the hack to only let him win enough to stay in the game, not to obliterate everyone in every game.
Beside him, Kitty smiled slyly. “I had no idea you were such a shark, Mr. Zero.”
“You must be my lucky charm,” he replied breezily.
Keva shifted her weight, glancing around the room nervously as the crowd started whispering. The noise swelled louder than the sound of the slot machines, but Viktis blocked it out, focusing on his next batch of cards.
A royal flush. Shit.
There was nothing to do but play it.
The noise crested higher, and the other players at the table studied Viktis with narrowed eyes. He took a sip of the champagne at his elbow to chase away the sudden acid burning at the back of his throat.
Behind him, Keva coughed. He glanced back at her. And then at the trio of casino officials approaching.
The man who’d kicked off the evening shindig glared at him. “Mr. Zero, we have some serious concerns regarding your wins this evening. Would you please stand up and place your hands face down on the table.”
Viktis’s swallowed as he stared at the men. “I assure you, gentlemen, I haven’t been cheating.”
“We’ll determine that for ourselves. On your feet, sir.”
Two casino guards approached and Viktis scrambled to stand up.
“Search him,” the Conyara ordered.
Viktis held up his hands. “Is that necessary?”
“Cheating at this casino will not be tolerated. Men, search his pockets.” The two guards approached and Viktis backed away, bumping against the table. His frantic gaze fell on Kitty Cordoza, watching him calmly from her seat, and his stomach dropped to the floor as it hit him.
She’d framed him.
“Not so lucky after all, Mr. Zero? Or whatever your name is.” She leaned back, her dress spilling open to show off her long legs. “I’m sure I’ll have plenty of time to figure it out once I win here. You won’t be going anywhere for a very long time.”
One of the guards grabbed his arm, while the other shoved a hand into the pocket of Viktis’s tux. He struggled, but the guard pulled out a small electronic device and held it out to the tournament official.
“Looks like a transmitter of some kind.”
Where the hell had that come from?
“Yes. I’ve seen these before. Take him to the security office and lock him up. We’ll deal with him after the tournament.” The official shook his head. “It’s disgusting that someone would try to cheat at a charity tournament. Only the worst kind of criminal would steal from these children.”
Rough hands grabbed Viktis by the arms and dragged him away from the table. He met Keva’s worried gaze, his skin turning icy. For the first time in his life, he was completely at a loss as to how to get out of this one. If he attacked the guards, hundreds of people could get hurt. If he played along, he’d find himself in a jail cell at Kitty Cordoza’s mercy. Neither option appealed to him.
“I’ll call your lawyer,” Keva shouted over the catcalls and jeers from the crowd. “We’ll get you out of this.”
He had no idea what that meant, but if Kitty was on to him, she had to be suspicious of Keva, too. He shook his head. “Don’t do anything stupid,” he ordered as they dragged him away.
CHAPTER 9
Keva watched the guards haul Viktis off to the security office, her heart thundering like a runaway horse. She’d watched Kitty’s expression during the whole thing and there was no doubt that the woman was behind all of this. And if she’d figured out who Viktis was, it was a good bet she already had Captain Finn.
Now she had two men to rescue.
Before anyone could notice she’d stayed behind rather than follow her employer to his cell, she slipped into the crowds. Stopping behind a potted palm tree, she pulled up her watch tablet and quickly checked her messages.
Her stomach clenched. There was one from Captain Finn. How had she missed that earlier? He sounded rushed, his voice muffled like he was talking softly to not be overheard. But his words sent a shiver of fear down her spine. . He’d followed Kitty down some hallway in the hotel lobby.
Keva sprinted toward the area he’d specified and scanned for the door near the palm tree.
There!
She rattled the doorknob but it was locked. Dammit. She did not have time for this. She pulled her small pistol from the holster around her thigh and switched it to silent mode. But when she fired a shot at the lock, the low bang still echoed around the lobby. Everyone stopped dead, staring at her.
She waved and smiled. “Sorry, stiff lock, pay no attention,” she called before darting through the door. She’d only have a few minutes before someone alerted Kitty. She needed to find the captain and get him the hell out of here so they could put an end to this. Viktis’s plan was still in motion and it would blow up spectacularly if they weren’t there.
She raced down the hallway, throwing open the doors that dotted either side. They were devoid of any life, just storage rooms full of chairs and boxes. And then she spotted the double doors at the end of the hall. That had to be it.
Normally, she’d take her time and try to scope out the scene, her MYTH training screaming at her to be cautious. But with the adrenaline pumping through her and fear churning her insides, she kicked open the doors, gun sweeping the space.
She was almost disappointed to find it empty of Kitty’s goons.
Keva did a quick circuit of the space, skirting the large, glass table and spending a few extra seconds on the gorgeous swords displayed on the wall. Early Kriss era, Priell ultrasteel if she wasn’t mistaken. But she didn’t have time to study the antiques. A desk sat against the far wall and she headed directly for it. Kitty was too smart to leave information lying around, but maybe there was some sort of clue. Anything that would lead her to Captain Finn.
She yanked open the top drawer, but it was empty, save for a few sheets of paper. The next was bare, too. But when she pulled open the bottom drawer, Keva gasped.
The captain’s gun. She’d recognize the MYTH-issued blaster anywhere. It was the same one she carried herself.
Kitty definitely had him, but where? More importantly, was he even still alive?
Her gut twisted, and for a moment, Keva thought she’d be sick. Taking a deep breath, she threw her shoulders back. She couldn’t think like that.