Just as he’d taken great pains to make her comfortable. Every few hours, she received calls from Liam’s assistant, a lady named Pearl, asking if she needed anything, and the man himself popped in frequently. He never stayed long. Each visit was fraught with tension, but he brought her lots of little treats. To say nothing of how Wade’s security detail stood sentinel outside her door. She felt like freaking royalty.

Or maybe a prisoner. No, definitely royalty.

Okay, more like a pretend princess with a lop-sided crown.

As nice as everything was, she needed an hour or two of fresh air, or a reasonable facsimile. Surely a change of scenery wasn’t off-limits. She’d spoken with the police again. They approved of the idea of her holing up at Liam’s hotel. Of course. It saved them from having to send officers to babysit her. However, they’d told her to stay put if she could. Any crook who’d break into a woman’s apartment and try to rearrange her face couldn’t be trusted not to do it again.

But a girl could only order pay-per-view for so long. She needed to see other people. It seemed her only option was to go for a walk within the confines of Vice, as much as the idea pained her.

“Oh, come on. It’s not as if you’re rolling the dice. You’re just going for a walk.”

She caught her reflection in the mirror and almost changed her mind. Her shiner had deepened into a hideous brown, as if covered in grotesque shadows. Thank God it hadn’t puffed up too much.

Still, did she really want to promenade around Vice like that? Perhaps she could disguise the bruises. Grabbing her makeup case from her suitcase, she headed to the bathroom.

With a light touch, she applied some foundation, taking care to add a little extra on the tender spots where her skin had turned green. When she’d finished, Kate judged the final product and decided she still looked like a woman trying to mask a hideous bruise. Sighing, she picked up her purple eye shadow, the one she never used because the aubergine shade overwhelmed her fair skin. Applying some to her eye shadow brush, she proceeded to paint her other eye, very much hoping the end result would be a stylish, smoky eye on both sides of her face.

She gazed at herself in the mirror. Between her red ponytail and colored eyes, she resembled a whorish, sleep deprived Pippi Longstocking. Realizing she’d never completely camouflage the black eye, she released her hair from its ponytail, brushed it and flipped it so the fall of hair mostly covered the bruised eye. Veronica Lake, she could never hope to be, but it was good enough.

Letting her hair down reminded her of when Liam had done the same. The moment had gone down in her personal history as one of the most seductive ever. To feel his big hands in her hair, with a gentle yet demanding touch, made her wonder if he was the sort of man who liked to pull hair in bed. The sort who would turn her onto all fours, gather her hair in his palm, and pound her to heaven.

She blinked hard and tried to dislodge the aggressive yet enticing vision from her brain. “Yikes.”

After taking a few cleansing but otherwise ineffective breaths, she changed into the best clothes she had brought with her. Clean jeans and a cotton top with a few sequins scattered beneath the neckline might not win her a prize at Fashion Week, but they’d do. She spritzed herself with her favorite perfume, the one that made her smell like her mom’s garden, grabbed her purse and opened the door.

Wade, now on duty, turned to greet her. He took in her outfit and hair with a raised eyebrow. “Hey, you look nice. Goin’ somewhere?”

“I was hoping to escape my suite for a little while. The walls are closing in on me.”

The big man smiled. “I get ya. Let me alert the team and I’ll show you around.”

“No chance of me getting away on my own for a bit?”

“Not if I value my job. Liam left strict instructions to cover you at all times.”

Ignoring the sudden flutter of nerves at the mention of Liam, she closed the penthouse door. “Well, I guess some company would be nice, too.” She deposited her key card in her wallet and heard Wade on his walkie-talkie, detailing their whereabouts to whoever was on the other end. Then he pulled out his cell phone and quickly texted someone.

“Who are you texting?”

“Liam.”

Of course. “Why?”

“He wanted to know when you left your room.”

“Surely he doesn’t need to know every time I pee.”

Wade suppressed a grin. “Something tells me the busy man will still appreciate knowing.”

Soon she was walking the casino floor, observing some of the customers with Wade in tow. It was easy to spot the gaming addicts from the various expressions on their faces—ranging from vacuous to obsessed. Each turn she took around the great room made her feel a little sadder. However, there were plenty of people there who just wanted a good time. Newly-married couples, singles on vacation. She even spotted a few who looked familiar. She suspected some of the ones wearing shades were celebrities. Liam certainly had a varied clientele. They weren’t all compulsives, either. Most just wanted to have a little fun.

For the first time in her life, she regretted taking such a hard stance on gambling. Who was she to judge everyone for the failings of a few? Addiction was inside us, and one way or another it tried to find a release. If she searched hard enough, she could probably find an addiction in everyone.

She certainly had one, a tall man with an intense gleam in his eyes.

They turned a corner and moved into an alcove with endless rows of slot machines. Kate noticed a man sitting at one, and something about his sandy hair made her look twice. She took a few more steps until she could make out his face.

Donny.

Lisa’s husband sat transfixed in front of the slot, his hand hovering over the various buttons. She cleared her throat, hoping to catch his attention, but nothing short of a crumbling sinkhole under him would distract him from his game.

She moved toward him but Wade put a hand on her arm. “You know that guy?”

“He’s my friend’s husband. I just want to say hi.”

Wade frowned and pulled out his cell, murmuring something into it. Ignoring him, she approached Donny and smiled. “Hey, Donny.”

He didn’t look up.

“Donny?”

“What?” He stared at the machine, frowning, and then pulled out his wallet to count his cash.

“Donny, look at me,” she said in a louder voice. “Lisa’s worried about you.”

His head snapped up at the mention of his wife. Donny’s lip curled, his usual greeting. He didn’t like Lisa going to New Horizons and hated her association with Kate and the other members. “Shit. Did Lisa send you to spy on me?”

“No, of course, not.”

“Then piss off.” He turned back to the machine.

“Look,” Kate said, “maybe we could pop over to one of the cafes here and grab a coffee. You look like you could use one and, frankly, so could I.”

“I don’t want a coffee.”

“Okay, a sandwich, then. Are you hungry?”

Donny growled.

“I just want to talk with you.”

“Leave me the fuck alone, bitch.”

A male voice sounded from over her shoulder. “What did you say to the lady?”

Liam was there standing next to Wade. Kate’s heart skipped a beat. His anger was clear as he moved next to Donny.

“Liam, it’s okay,” she said.

“No, it isn’t.” He addressed Donny. “I asked you a question.”

“And I’m not answering.” He looked Liam up and down. “By the way, you can piss off, too. I don’t need you jokers preaching or handing out pamphlets about sin and vice. I’m in the middle of something.”

Liam hauled him out of his chair and pushed him toward the doors. “Not anymore, you’re not.” Wade followed at the ready. Kate scurried after them.

“Hey,” shouted Donny. “Take your hands off me! Who do you think you are?”