Let it Ride (Casino Nights #1) (7 page)

“What the hell, Rem?” she snapped.

“Quiet.” His body had gone hard and
he was staring at her door.

She studied the door and spotted
what had caught his attention. Along the frame were streaks of a dried
substance. It was a dark color. Her first thought was blood, but that didn’t
make any sense. Plus, on further examination, it was shit brown. She glanced at
the carpet and didn’t see any residue.

Remy pulled out his phone. “Call
George from Security and tell him to get his ass up here,” Remy barked.

She started to step forward. “Why
don’t you call him while I check out my room?”

He yanked her back against the wall.
“Francesca,” he snarled. “You don’t go in there. I’ll check it out, and you
wait here.”

No way. She handled situations in
her hotel all of the time and she wasn’t standing in the hall while the big bad
alpha took care of her. “How about we both check out
my
room.”

His eyes were cold as they studied
her.

“You can go in first.” She saw a
flicker of warmth in his eyes. “I’ll have your back in case someone jumps you.”
Then she smiled slowly, recognizing that she was getting her way.

“I don’t like this,” he mumbled as
he loosened his grip on her arm.

“I know, but I’ve seen plenty of
ugly stuff in our hotel, so I’ll be fine.” They now stood in front of the door.

Remy took her key card and unlocked
the door. The light turned green, he pulled down on the lever, and kicked the door
open. It crashed into the wall. He went in against the wall to his right and
she knelt low to see straight into the room.

She saw no movement, but the smell
assaulted her right away. She followed Remy in as he checked her bathroom.

“Clear,” he barked.

She threw back the closet door and
checked the area in front of her and then moved to the other side. “Clear,” she
echoed, remembering to breathe through her mouth.

They moved the two steps further
into the room. It was a disaster. The walls were painted with streaks of a
brown substance, as was the loveseat and chair. The mattress had been torn
apart and lay against the wall on its side. The chair had been sliced open and
some of its stuffing was on the floor. The drapes had been pulled free from
their rod and were coated.

Francesca’s clothes were strewn
around the room, they had been sliced apart, and from the odor, someone had
urinated on them.

Finally the words spilled out. “What
the fuck happened in here?” She turned in a circle, having difficulty
processing all of the damage.

“Francesca, go. Go stand in the
hall,” Remy ordered.

“No, I’ve got to get photos of this.
Christ, I can’t believe someone would do this to my stuff.” She pulled out her
phone and opened the camera app. She started taking photos. As she walked
toward the window, her foot slipped. She looked down only to discover she was
standing in a puddle of urine. “Fuck, this can’t be good.”

“Out,” Remy boomed.

“Oh-
kay
.”
She stretched the word out, she got it.
Geez, no need to get
bossier.
She left the room but shot Remy a passing glare.

She wasn’t mad at him; her emotions
were in hyper-drive so her reactions were maximized. He responded by raising an
eyebrow at her behavior.
 

Fifteen minutes later she stood in
the hallway with Remy, George from hotel security, Melvin the hotel manager,
and Elizabeth Horn a member of the convention board.
 

“Ms.
Luchetti
,
I’ve called the police. The amount of damage coupled with the threat that was
directed toward you earlier, forced me to ask for them to investigate,” George
told her. “Hotel policy.”

“I’m so sorry Ms.
Luchetti
for this inconvenience, I will see to it that you
are not charged for your stay and that you’re moved to another room.” Melvin
was clearly upset, and he kept shaking his head as if he couldn’t believe the
damage.

Melvin was the master of
understatement, downplaying the destruction done to her room. She decided to
cut him a break, obviously he wasn’t used to this kind of incident. Sadly, in
the casino life, it was all too common to find a room trashed.

“No new room for her. She’ll stay
with me,” Remy interjected.

Melvin waited for her affirmation,
so she gave a nod and he continued. “As soon as we can, I’ll have our staff
move your things into Mr. Cooper’s suite.”

“I don’t want any of it,” she told
them. “Wait, I want what I locked up in the safe, but anything left after the
cops are done, you can pitch.”

“But what will you do about
clothes?” the hotel manager blurted.

“I can shop, I guess. Chicago has
good shopping.” She started mentally listing things that she would need;
Make-up, shoes, clothes,
fuck this was a
mess
.

“I think I can help with the
shopping part,” Elizabeth spoke. “Pick a department store, Francesca. I’m sure
that Melvin or one of his staff can arrange transportation and for a personal
shopper to stay late and help you. I use Yolanda at Neiman’s downtown. I can
give her a call if you would like.” She gave Francesca a warm smile.

“I work with Chantal
Blisak
at Neiman’s back in Vegas.” Francesca bet that the
shopper could forward her information to her equal here.

“Melvin, have your concierge arrange
a private shopping run to Neiman Marcus downtown,” Elizabeth instructed the
hotel manager, then stepped away to make a call to Yolanda.

“Right away. I’ll call downstairs
and we’ll get right on this.” Melvin started pushing buttons on his phone.

Remy turned to Francesca.
“Shopping?”

“Well, I do need clothes.” She let
out a loud sigh. She didn’t think that Remy was the type of man to sit outside
the dressing room waiting.

“I would rather you were naked in my
room.” His eyes heated.

“Yeah, the meeting with Rico would
go real smoothly with me sitting in your room naked, or wearing one of the
hotel robes, but if you’re comfortable with that, I can be flexible,” she
teased.

“No. We’ll go shopping.” Remy
scanned the hallway for the security director. “How long until we can get out
of here? We need to go downtown to get her some clothes.”

George cleared his throat. “If you
leave now, I’ll handle the police. They’ll want to talk to you at some point,
but I think I can stall them so that you can do your thing.”

Francesca gave the head of Security
a thankful smile. He was doing a good job. “That would be great. I’ve talked to
my security guy and he’ll be here in about three hours. He’s going to be
looking for you about one minute after he lands. He can handle any preliminary
questions from the police.”

“He’s familiar with your history
with Blake?” George glanced at Remy.

 
“Yes. He can provide files full of
information.” Francesca answered and George redirected his attention onto her.

“Francesca.” Elizabeth was motioning
for her to join her a few steps away. “I have Yolanda on the phone. She would
love to help you. I told her that you would be on your way in a few minutes.”

Francesca took the cell from
Elizabeth.

When she finished talking to the
shopper, she thanked Elizabeth for all of her help and joined Remy with the
hotel manager.

“Ms.
Luchetti
,
we have a car waiting to take you downtown. When you’re ready, simply step
outside and let the valet know that you are ready.

“Thank you. I appreciate your help.
Your entire staff has been wonderful.” She knew first-hand how much work it
took to scramble to meet a guest’s request.

“You all have my number if you
should need anything further?” Elizabeth waited for their reply.

They nodded.

“I hate that this has happened, but
I know that you’re in good hands.” Elizabeth winked at Francesca.

“Thank you Elizabeth.” Remy sounded
so serious.

“Thanks for thinking of Neiman’s.”
Francesca threw over her shoulder as Remy led her down the hall.

“Let’s go shopping,” Remy attempted
a smile.

“Do you think the driver would stop
at a drive-thru? I’m starving.” Francesca wondered.

“Christ babe, how can you think
about food after smelling shit and piss for an hour?” Remy tapped the elevator
call button.

“Sadly, that wasn’t my first or even
my twentieth experience with excrement smeared around a hotel room. I will say
that was an extreme example, but hey, I need food, shopping takes a lot of
energy.” She shrugged her shoulders.

“Fuck, you are amazing.” Remy pulled
her into a one arm hug as the elevator door opened.

Yolanda was a woman of a certain
age, probably in her fifties, but looked to be mid-forties, model thin, and
blonde. She wore a Michael
Kors
dress and had met
their town car at the back entrance to the store. Currently, she had Francesca
in a luxurious dressing room and Remy was left sitting on a sofa outside,
nursing a beer and some snacks.

During the ride downtown, over the
phone she had given the shopper a brief list of what she needed for the next
two days. Yolanda had spoken with her counterpart in Las Vegas and had a list
of sizes and preferences.

Yolanda was organizing the hangers
on a rolling rack as she spoke. “I pulled a few dresses that I thought would be
appropriate. You mentioned that you’d packed maxi dresses for this trip.”

Francesca looked at the choices and
immediately rejected two of them. “If you can find any long skirts, I’d wear
them with a lightweight sweater or tunic.”

“Certainly, I’ll tell my assistant.”
Yolanda tapped her tablet and sent the message. “I meant to ask about cosmetics
and toiletries. I can also have my assistant put together some things to get
you through this visit. Oh, and what about a suitcase?”

“I hadn’t even thought about a
suitcase, thank you. All of that would be a huge help.” She would have to get
her shopper a gift when she returned home and send something to Yolanda.
Itemizing her preferences had turned out to be a huge time-saver.

Yolanda left the room and Francesca
started to try on the clothes.

One hour later, she’d made her
clothing selections and now needed shoes. She had volunteered to go to the shoe
department, but Yolanda had countered with the offer of delivering some choices
and then if they did not suit, they would travel to the shoe mecca. She was
secretly hoping for a chance to visit the shoe department as the lone client.
Hadley would be so jealous since they both had an addiction to shoe
shopping.
  

There was a knock on the dressing
room door. “Yes?”

“Babe, you decent?” Remy’s voice
purred.

She looked down at herself. “I’m in
my underwear.”

“Good.” The door opened and Remy
entered then immediately shut the door behind him and threw the lock.

“I swear I’m almost done. Yolanda
said that she was taking care of you. I hope it hasn’t been too terrible.”
Francesca moved to put on her dress.

His eyes traveled over her body,
from her light blue lace panties and matching bra. “I told Yolanda to give me a
moment to talk to you. So she’s going to stay busy for a while.” He closed the
distance between them.

“I just need to try on some shoes
that don’t kill my feet and then I’m done.”

He pulled her into his arms.
“Later.” He kissed her.

She ran her hands through his short
hair as he stroked her back.

His mouth traveled to her neck,
nipping the tendon and then he pressed her shoulders back so that he could
reach her breasts. He kissed the skin above the cups of her bra.

“Remy, it tickles.” She took a step
back and he followed her.

“Lose the bra.” Remy’s eyes were
full of promises and he gave her a sexy grin.

She unhooked her bra and felt her
inner muscles clench. She liked it when he made those tersely worded demands.
Moving one step away from him, she felt the bra loosen. She lowered her arms so
that it would drop to the floor.

Remy walked her backward until she
felt the coolness of the dressing room wall. His hands were on her breasts and
his mouth covered her nipple. His tongue rasped against her hard tip while his
other hand busily plumped the other.

“Christ, Remy, that feels so good.”
She returned her hands to his hair.

“Frankie, I want you.”

“We’re in a dressing room.” She’d
never done anything sexual in a semi-public place.

“I’ve never fucked in a dressing
room.” His mouth moved to the other breast.

He did say that Yolanda was giving
them time and she’d seen him lock the door. “Neither have I,” she admitted as
she looped her index fingers in the sides of her panties and shoved them
downward. Her action surprised her, but she felt safe with Remy. She used to be
more adventurous before her ex cut her down. By taking a few chances she could
get back a part of her soul that she had lost.

“Let’s change that.” His hand
brushed against her hip. “Turn around, put your hands against the wall.”

Francesca turned around and braced
her arms against the wall and opened her legs. She heard the sound of a zipper.

“So beautiful.” His warm hand ran
down her spine. “Arch your back for me.” His hand squeezed her ass cheek.
“Wider, Babe.”

She widened her stance and dropped
her forehead to the wall. She couldn’t believe that she was going to do
this.
 

Remy ran a finger down the seam of
her ass, following her body’s outline. He pressed one finger inside of her. In
and out, then another joined the first. This time they made a scissoring action.
“God, you are so wet. I love it that you’re always ready for me.” He spoke
against her ear.

Her body vibrated with excitement.
She told herself to be quiet; the staff didn’t need to know what they were
doing.

She felt Remy’s cock spread her lips
and enter her channel. When he had filled her, he stilled.

“Christ Frankie, you feel so good.”

She used her inner muscles and
tightened around him.

He growled, and then started to move
long strokes as his teeth nipped her shoulders. His speed increased and she was
pushed up on her toes with the strength of his thrusts. He was moving so fast
that her knees hit the wall.

“Fuck.” Remy pulled out of her.

“No…” God, she didn’t want him to
stop.

He turned her around and pushed her
back against the wall. “Give me your leg,” he panted.

She wrapped her leg around his hip
and he kissed her hard. She loved his desperation, his hunger.

“Put me in, Frankie.” His chest
heaved.

She did as he asked. He clamped one
hand under her ass and the other behind her back. He pumped inside of her.

She could hear herself panting.
“Close, I’m so close.”

He increased his speed by using only
short strokes as he caught a handful of her hair in his fist and pulled her
head back.

The big wave was coming. She could
feel her body on the brink. God, she loved this part. She gripped his
shoulders, using her nails. It felt like her muscles were all tightening and
then everything exploded. A cry was torn from her throat. She tried to stop it
by dropping her head to his chest.

Remy’s hand in her hair jerked her
head back again as his, “Fuck,” rumbled in his chest.

His body shuddered against her.

She lowered her leg from his hip and
she hoped her knees wouldn’t give out. “I can’t believe that just happened.”

He raised his head and looked her in
the eye. “You didn’t like it?”

She snorted. “I didn’t say that. But
they’re going to know what we were doing.”

He kissed her lips then stepped
back. “So? Are you going to see Yolanda again?” He took care of the condom
business.

“
Uhm
, no,
I don’t think so.” She knew where he was going with this.

“Then don’t get too worried.” He
started sliding his jeans over his hips.

What he’d said was true, for now she
could be a bad girl and enjoy it. She gave him a saucy smile. “You’re right. I
liked it, so I’m not going to feel guilty.”

He gave her a huge grin, obviously
happy that she was agreeing with him. “I like this attitude. How about some
more in the car on the ride back?”

She watched him tuck his cock away,
then button and zip up. She felt a shiver of excitement travel from her pussy
to her nipples. “I don’t know. What did you have in mind?” She looked around
for her panties and bra.

He gave her a very satisfied smile
and bent to pick up her panties. “Leave ’
em
off.” He
stuffed the blue lace in the front pocket of his jeans.

“Maybe you can tell the driver to
take the long way back to the hotel.” She located her bra as his hands found
her breasts again.

“Maybe he should go back via
Indiana.” Remy growled as he kissed her.