RISK

by Deborah Bladon

  FIRST ORIGINAL EDITION, NOVEMBER 2016

  Copyright © 2016 by Deborah Bladon

  All rights reserved. No parts of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without written consent from the author.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used factiously. Any resemblance to actual person’s, living or dead, events, or locales are entirely coincidental.

  ISBN-13: 978-1540448644

  ISBN-10: 1540448649

  eBook ISBN: 978-1-926440-41-5

  Book & cover design by Wolf & Eagle Media

  www.deborahbladon.com

  Also by Deborah Bladon

  THE OBSESSED SERIES

  THE EXPOSED SERIES

  THE PULSE SERIES

  THE VAIN SERIES

  THE RUIN SERIES

  IMPULSE

  SOLO

  THE GONE SERIES

  FUSE

  THE TRACE SERIES

  CHANCE

  THE EMBER SERIES

  THE RISE SERIES

  HAZE

  SHIVER

  TORN

  THE HEAT SERIES

  CONTENTS

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  Chapter 45

  Chapter 46

  Chapter 47

  Chapter 48

  Chapter 49

  Chapter 50

  Chapter 51

  Chapter 52

  Chapter 53

  Chapter 54

  Epilogue

  Thank You

  Preview of TENSE

  Preview of WORTH

  Deborah’s Mailing List

  About the Author

  Chapter 1

  Ellie

  "Ginger, you need to get your ass out of my boyfriend's lap."

  Ginger? Seriously?

  What she lacks in originality she makes up for in appearance. Statuesque with long dark hair and a crimson dress that looks like it came straight off a Paris runway. She's just as striking close-up as she was when I first spotted her across the restaurant. The difference now is that I know her ugly little secret.

  "My name isn't Ginger." I extend my hand toward her. "It's Ellie. Ellie Madden."

  "I don't give a shit what your name is." She dismisses my words with a nod of her chin, her hands tightening their grip on her silver crystal clutch purse. "Why are you still here? The excitement is over."

  I consider arguing that point with her. Since I lost my balance and fell into her boyfriend's lap, his excitement has grown. It's grown impressively. I'm not the jealous type, but it's hard not to be envious of the fact that this is her lover. I'm getting a thrill just from feeling his erection rubbing against my ass through the tailored gray slacks he's wearing.

  I don't even know what the man looks like. My eyes haven't left her since she exited the ladies' room to set her meticulously orchestrated plan in motion. Once I saw all I needed to, I was on my feet so I could call her out on her bullshit. I kept her in my sight as I weaved around tables and dozens of people all captivated by the award-winning food they came here for.

  She managed a distraction when she bumped into a male server who was carrying a tray filled with appetizers. Silverware and small plates with delicious creations crashed to the floor around her feet. She feigned shock, and I ended up in the direct path of four staff members racing to the rescue. That's when I felt two strong hands grab hold of my waist to catch my fall when I stumbled.

  "I work here." I look past her to where my best friend, Adley, is sitting. She's ignoring the salad in front of her. Instead, she's focused intently on the phone in her hands. "Today is my day off, but I work at this resort."

  "Who cares?" The brunette shrugs her shoulders. "So your name is Ellie Maddox, and you work at Echo Resort and Casino. Are you going to tell me your astrological sign next?"

  "It's Madden, and I'm a Leo."

  I hear a low chuckle behind me as her boyfriend adjusts my weight so I'm leaning back into him. This man is hard as a rock everywhere. I'm not about to complain. There's no skin on skin contact, and this is a hell of a lot better than listening to Adley talking about the man she recently broke up with back home in New York.

  "If you want to be useful, help them clean up the mess they made." She points her finger at the servers who are still on their hands and knees retrieving forks, knives, and wasted food all while avoiding the shards of glass that litter the floor. "I came here to have a quiet dinner with my man, and now I've lost my appetite. I want to leave."

  "You can't go," I protest. "Did you order the duck? If you did, you have to try at least one bite. I'm not a foodie, but I think it's the best dish on the menu."

  She lowers herself into the chair across from me, her brown eyes narrowing beneath the false eyelashes that frame them. "You're getting off on this, aren't you? You know girls like you can never get a man like him, so you're taking some perverse pleasure in having his hands on your hips."

  "Girls like me?" I turn slightly so I can lean forward to rest my forearms on the small square table. "Explain what that means."

  "You're nothing special." She pauses for a few seconds, her gaze smoothly moving from my face to the front of my black dress before she levels her eyes on my mine. "You're a redhead with freckles and average size tits."

  I arch my back, sliding my ass along her boyfriend's lap. "You're a pretty brunette with long legs and a stolen wallet in your purse."

  She glances over my shoulder as she bursts out in laughter. "That's absurd. Look at me. These earrings are each a full carat. I spent more on this dress than most people make in a month. Why would I steal anything?"

  I feel her boyfriend's thighs tighten beneath me as I look at her. "I can't answer that. You're the only one who knows why you took it."

  "I didn't take anything," she seethes before she shifts her attention to her boyfriend. "Why aren't you stopping this? Tell her she's wrong, Nolan. I want you to take me out of here now."

  "Open your purse, Shelby."

  His voice is deep and smooth. There's a rasp beneath the subdued anger of his tone. It's so disarming that I turn, without thinking, to finally look at the face of the man whose lap I'm sitting in.

  Blue eyes, a shade darker than my own, stare back at me. He studies my face as I study his, the physical closeness only adding to the intensity of our exchange. He's undeniably gorgeous. His nose as strong as his clean-shaven jaw is rugged. His hair, a rich chocolate brown, is styled to perfection. I shiver when his eyes move to my mouth and his lips curve into a small smile.

  "I've never been so offended by anyone," Shelby snaps, jerking his gaze ba
ck to her. "We're leaving, Nolan. I can't believe you're letting her accuse me of these things."

  I stand and adjust the front of my dress. Nolan's touch lingers, his fingers finally drifting away from my hips when I step to the side to face Shelby. "On your way to the bathroom, you stopped to talk to the older couple seated three tables to your left. You picked them because the man's wallet was sitting on the table."

  "I spoke to them because they remind me of my grandparents." Her hand drifts to her neck, her long index finger moving in a slow circle on her skin. "You're making a fool of yourself."

  I ignore her blatant attempt to deflect. "As you approached them you dropped your bracelet on the floor and kicked it under their table. It was a subtle move. You've obviously done it before."

  She glances at her bare wrist before she looks at Nolan. "The bracelet my aunt gave me. Someone took it. I had it on when I met you here."

  "Save it, Shelby." I roll my eyes.

  "Shut the hell up," she scolds me. "I love that bracelet. If you saw it on the floor, I need to go pick it up."

  She starts to slide her chair back from the table, but I place my hand on her shoulder. "You probably buy those bracelets in bulk. You dropped it there so on your way back from the bathroom, you could pretend to spot it on the floor. You asked the woman if it was her bracelet knowing that both she and her husband would look down. That's when you slipped his wallet into your open purse. You counted on the fact that they'd be busy trying to find the bracelet's rightful owner so they wouldn't notice immediately that the wallet is missing. By the time they did, you'd be out the door."

  "You're insane." She tries to rise against my touch, but I don't relent. "You're harassing me. I have a headache. I want to go."

  I drop my hand to my side. "I gave my phone to my friend and told her to call my supervisor. Resort security will be here any second. You'll need to stay to speak to them about the wallet."

  "I don't need to do anything." She shakily gets to her feet. "You're wrong about what you think you saw. The only wallet inside my purse is my own."

  "Prove it." Nolan empties the tumbler in front of him with a single swallow before he stands.

  His tall frame is imposing. The stern expression on his face only adds to how intimidating he is. He leisurely buttons his gray suit jacket, his eyes capturing mine for a brief second before he looks at her.

  "You're not funny, Nolan." She chuckles nervously, her hands cradling her clutch to her chest. "You can't seriously think I would do this. You have to be joking."

  "Do I look like I'm fucking joking?"

  I wait for Shelby to answer but the only sound she makes is a faint wheezing noise. I've seen this happen to other people caught with their hand where it shouldn't be. She's on the verge of a panic attack.

  "You don't look like you're fucking joking," I say, peering up at him.

  I see the corner of his mouth dart up quickly before his lips firm into a straight line. "Open your purse now, Shelby. If you have nothing to hide, there's no harm in it."

  "I have personal things in here," she whines.

  "Such as?" he asks with an arch of his brow.

  "I was hoping you'd invite me back to your suite." She exhales slowly. "I have condoms, Nolan. I bought condoms for later. I have them in my purse."

  "You wasted your money," he says flatly.

  "What?" she snaps back. "What are you talking about?"

  "We went on two dates last month, Shelby." He crosses his arms. "They were fine. You were fun."

  "They were the best two dates I've ever had," she confesses quietly. "We have something special."

  It's impossible not to feel as though I'm eavesdropping, yet I don't move a muscle. I stand in place, riveted to the conversation happening in front of me.

  "You repeatedly called me your boyfriend just now." He sighs, shaking his head. "I'm many things, but your boyfriend isn't one of them."

  "You are my boyfriend," she insists with a lift of her chin. "This is our third date. You made love to me twice. Technically, that makes you my boyfriend. Any woman would tell me I'm right about that."

  No. Any woman would tell her that she's lucky, not right, but damn lucky.

  He glares at her. "We had lunch and then we fucked. Two weeks later, we had dinner and then we fucked again. Technically, that doesn't make me anything to you."

  "It makes you my boyfriend," she argues. "You asked me to join you here in Vegas. Why would you do that if you weren't my boyfriend?"

  He adjusts the knot of his navy blue tie. "You're here for a modeling job. I'm here for business. You're the one who suggested we meet here at Meadow Grill for dinner."

  "Yes." She nods eagerly. "That's what couples do when they're in the same place, Nolan. They have dinner, and then they spend the night together."

  "We are not a couple," he growls.

  She dismisses his words with a wave of her hand in the air. "Yes, we are. This is just an argument. We'll kiss and make up later."

  I'm tempted to step in and explain to her that she's delusional. I've heard enough to know that she's fallen in love with him, or maybe just his cock. I can relate. I'm infatuated with it after the brief time I spent perched on it. I can't blame her for wanting to hold onto him. On the surface, he appears practically perfect. The only thing I can see wrong with him is his taste in women.

  "We're way past an argument." His jaw clenches. "You're about to be arrested."

  "Arrested?" Her eyes pop open as realization washes over her. "You're not going to defend me? You know I wouldn't steal a thing, Nolan."

  "You told me your ex was lying when he went on record saying you stole all that shit from him." He scowls. His long fingers circle the silver cuff link attached to the arm of his blue dress shirt. "What was it? Cufflinks, a bracelet, a fucking video game. There was more. The list was long."

  "Philip is a liar." Her voice cracks as she straightens her stance. "He went on that stupid talk show to boost his career. He hasn't had a hit movie in more than two years. He used our divorce to put his name back in the spotlight."

  "You took it all." He rakes both his hands through his hair. "I watched the interview. You said he was acting. He was fucking serious. You slipped all those things into your greedy palm too, didn't you? You're a goddamn thief."

  "I'm not." She inches back on her heels. "You're making accusations you can't prove, Nolan. You can't talk to me this way. You'll regret it."

  "I have few regrets in life, Shelby. I assure you that walking away from you and never looking back will not be one of them."

  He turns toward me, leaning down until I can feel his breath on my cheek. His blue eyes are fierce, guarded and tamed by something impossible to place. "I'm Nolan Black, Ellie Madden. It's been a pleasure meeting you."

  Before I can say anything, he pivots on his heel, brushes past a stunned Shelby and walks out of the restaurant just as security arrives.

  Chapter 2

  Ellie

  "We can skip the magic show, Ellie." Adley scans the floor of the casino. "You put on a kick ass show of your own back there in Meadow."

  I watch as she tightens the elastic that is securing her high ponytail in place. I've always admired Adley York's effortless beauty. Not one blonde hair on her head is out of place. Her makeup has held up through early evening drinks, our drawn out dinner at Meadow and a quick stop to play the slots. Lady Luck may not be shining her bright light on us tonight, but spending time with my best friend feels like winning the jackpot to me.

  "You told me you've always wanted to see that magician. That's why I bought tickets." I wave to Jersey, a gray-haired man who arrives like clockwork at the same time each night to play a twenty on his favorite penny slot machine. I've been assigned the late shift virtually every day I've worked here. I tell myself it's because they want the brightest and best on the floor during the casino's prime hours. The truth is that the senior security guards pull rank and take the early shifts so they can be home when the clock st
rikes midnight.

  "I know I did," she concedes with a nod of her head. "I get that you spent your hard earned money on those tickets, but we haven't celebrated our birthdays yet. You haven't forgotten that we weren't together on my birthday last month, have you? It was my twenty-fourth. I only get one of those."

  "We weren't together on my twenty-fourth birthday last week either," I point out with a wink. "I thought the whole purpose of this trip was so that we could have dinner at Meadow to celebrate my big day."

  "Our big days," she corrects. "I'm only here until tomorrow, Bean. We've spent most of my visit playing catch-up. Tonight we need to party."

  "Don't call me Bean." I push the Cash Out button on the slot machine I've been playing. "I've been asking you to drop that nickname since we were in middle school."

  "You're my jelly bean, Ellie Bean," she sing-songs. "I'm never dropping it."

  I know she won't. I'm secretly grateful even if I'll never admit it to her. "So you want to ditch the magic show and party instead? Where is this party taking place?"

  "You, my very best friend in the entire world, are going to get us into Shade Nightclub."

  I hold up the printed slip from the slot machine and wave it in her face. "With the way my luck is going tonight, we won't get anywhere near the inside of Shade."

  Her eyes zero in on the paper. "Twenty-seven cents? That blows."

  "I lost ten dollars in the blink of an eye," I say on a heavy exhale. "I worked hard for that money and now, poof, it's gone."

  She takes the slip of paper from my hand. "Your boss should give you a bonus for catching that woman who stole the wallet in Meadow."

  "It's part of my job." I look over at where Jersey is sitting. His left brow is raised. That's a sure sign that he's on a winning streak. "I don't get bonuses for nabbing petty thieves."

  Adley frowns. "That's a crime in itself. That poor man would have spent the rest of his vacation trying to replace his credit cards and crying over the lost money in his wallet. You saved him from that headache. You should at least get your picture on a plaque on the wall for the employee of the month."