Chapter 525
Chapter 525:
“Who are you talking to, you old bat?” a gruff female voice shouted.
Skye didn’t wait to hear the answer. She locked the padlock behind her and fled down the narrow stairs.
Her heart was racing.
The King sees all. Behind the eyes.
She knew what that meant.
In the lobby of the Moretti Casino—now Graves Casino—there was a statue. A massive, ten-foot-tall statue of King Midas.
And Midas had ruby eyes.
Lucian hadn’t found the drive because he was looking in the safe. But Giovanni Moretti, the tacky, dramatic narcissist, had hidden his greatest treasure inside a piece of gaudy art in the middle of the lobby.
Skye reached her room. She slipped inside, locking the door. She stripped off her damp clothes and hid them under the mattress.
She put on her nightgown and climbed into bed.
She was shivering. Not from the cold, but from the adrenaline. She had the location. Now she just needed to get to the casino. And she needed to get there before Lucian tore the statue down.
The next morning, Skye woke with a plan.
She needed to get into Lucian’s study at the casino. If she could access the security schematics of the lobby, she could figure out how to reach the statue without triggering an alarm.
But first, she had to survive breakfast.
She walked into the dining room. Lucian was already there. He was reading a newspaper—an actual paper one—and drinking espresso. He looked exhausted, the bandages on his neck slightly stained.
“You look tired,” he commented without looking up. “Did the ghosts keep you awake p>
“The storm did,” Skye lied smoothly, “and the knowledge that I’m sleeping under the same roof as a murderer p>
Lucian folded the paper. He looked at her, his gaze intense, dissecting.
𝘍і𝗇d 𝗒𝗼𝘂𝘳 fа𝘷𝘰r𝘪t𝘦 g𝖾𝗇r𝖾 o𝘯 𝗯𝖾.𝗰𝗈𝗆
“I’m going to the casino today,” he said. “The transition is messy. The Moretti loyalists are sabotaging the slot machines p>
“Take me with you,” Skye said.
Lucian raised an eyebrow. “Why? Bored already p>
“I want to see Liam,” Skye said, leaning forward. “You said he’s alive. Prove it p>
Lucian considered this. He tapped his finger on the table. “Fine. But you stay in my office. I don’t want you wandering the floor. It’s volatile p>
“Deal p>
The ride to the casino was tense. The city was waking up, the neon lights fading into the harsh desert sun.
When they arrived, the casino was a hive of activity. Mechanics were ripping out Moretti branding. Security guards patrolled with dogs.
Lucian led her to the penthouse elevator.
His office was a fortress of glass and steel overlooking the Strip.
“Sit,” Lucian ordered, pointing to a leather sofa. “Don’t touch anything. I have a meeting with the gaming commission p>
He left.
Skye waited exactly thirty seconds. Then she moved.