Page 86 of Nothing to Win

“And his media image, yeah.”

“He cares less about that,” Roxie said from the corner of her mouth then landed a smile on the server.“It’s wonderful.But not in the top ten.”

The server nodded.“I’ll tell him.”

When the young woman tried to take the glass away, Roxie swooped it from her reach.“I’ll still drink it.”

The server left with her tray.

“You’ll drink anything, Rox Out,” Tripp said.“They haven’t figured that out yet?”

“I don’t believe in waste and am stricter in some arenas.”

“Your husband is.”

The friends’ banter was just what she needed to—wait, was that…?Through the darkness, she could… The Ruby Room was intimate.Busy, but not too busy, a testament to the popularity of the building’s owners, and their kindness.There was someone familiar over there, decipherable through the low light.She put down her glass.Was he familiar?He’d caught her eye and she dismissed—but, no, it was.

Without a word, she got up to go marching across there.Irrational anger burst her blood cells.

Still ten feet away, she called out, “Carver.”He turned but probably hadn’t registered her identity before she said more.“What are you doing here?Don’t you have a job to do?You do have a job to do.Why are you hanging out here like—” the beer loose in his hand didn’t do him any favors.“Who is protecting Brogan?”

While Carver loitered around getting drunk.

He spoke to his group.“‘Scuse me.”Taking her arm, he ushered them to a quiet corner a few feet away.“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing with me.”How could he be so calm?“You should be with Brogan.”A thought struck her and she glanced around.“He’s not here, is he?”

“This isn’t really his scene,” Carver said.“Brogan’s fine, he takes care of himself.”

“You mean he doesn’t have security?”

“Elton is security.”

His driver?That wasn’t enough.“You were there every day, all the time, security.That you provided and managed.Security.”

“For you,” he said, pure and simple.“Security was tight for you.Wide or close protection, whatever was necessary to keep you safe.Brogan never goes anywhere to need it.And if he does, he gives me a call.Anyway he works out and wouldn’t pass up a chance to punch certain people in the face.Maybe any people given his current mood.Now you want to tell me what’s up?”

The look on his face, patient, expectant, maybe frustrated, there was no surprise.There should be.What the hell was she doing charging over there to lay down the law?Brogan wasn’t in trouble, didn’t need security?Fine.That was his call.Maybe it was entitlement like this that caused him to cut ties with her.

“Nothing, I…” She’d massively overreacted.Massively.Why?She couldn’t answer that.“I just didn’t want him out…”

“I’d be surprised if you were unsafe here, but if you need me on duty for you—”

“No.”She swallowed.“Sorry, I shouldn’t have—”

“It’s okay, just—”

“Hey.Hey!”Tripp slid into their circle and tossed an arm across her shoulders.“Everyone having a good time?”

“Beat it, Breckenridge,” Carver said.“We’re talking.”

“No,” Gia said.“We’re done.Sorry.I shouldn’t have—sorry.”

Tripp went with her as she walked away.“You good?”

“How did I become this person?”

Suddenly the space was claustrophobic.No one looked at her.No one cared.Didn’t matter.She felt like a Christian in the Colosseum, lions bearing down upon her.