Maybe it had to do with him opening up to me slowly, very slowly, each time we were together. I never thought he’d own a casino. Hell, he might own more than one. But… I didn’t care about what he had. I cared about who he was on the inside—

Fuck me, please someone come along and shoot me in the head because I sound like a total smitten dickhead from a love story.

Only this love story wouldn’t have a happy ending. I’d have a broken heart, because Adrik Hail was and would always be a client.

Chapter Four

West

Shaking my head, I’d come to the decision I needed to get my ass into gear and really talk to someone about how I was feeling. I also needed to pay attention to the now.

In the elevator, I asked lightly, “Do you always get women offering themselves up to you?”

“Mostly. Some men as well.”

I choked when I sucked in a sharp breath. “Really?”

He smiled, and a small “Da” slipped from between his lips.

Lips I had to stop staring at. I lifted my gaze and quickly turned to face the front because I’d been caught. I was grateful the doors opened. Stepping off, I glanced around. Half the room was made up of windows. I went straight over to them.

“Wow,” I stated. The view was of the floor we’d just been on. Men, women, workers, tables, poker machines, bars, drinks, food… I could see everything.

“Do you like?” Adrik asked from beside me.

I laughed. “If I owned this, I wouldn’t want to leave. But then again, I’m a people watcher. I could sit in a coffee shop and just watch people. And, oh my goodness, that sounds like I’m a creep.” I grabbed his upper arm. “I promise I’m not some stalker or killer.”

Adrik chuckled. “I know.”

I smiled. “So,” I drew out. “You own this place.”

His gaze went back out the window. I took mine there also and rested my hands on the windowsill. “Da. This and two others. I bought them when I moved here.”

“Wow again. That’s pretty impressive, but it must keep you very busy?”

“I like busy.”

But did he? I saw the dip to his brows when he said it. My stomach twisted for him because I honestly didn’t think he was happy. Why would a man in his prime want to hire an escort for company when he could obviously get anyone he wanted? It was hard to guess the reasons, but it did have me wondering what went on the receipt when a client hired an escort.

Was Adrik hiding his sexuality?

Did he have parents like my own who didn’t accept it?

I hoped one day my parents would, but they were highly against homosexuality since God apparently never created us that way.