Page 18 of Red on the River

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Intellectually, she knew it came from using her “gift” for so long. She wasn’t really the biggest baby in town, but once she was down, she couldn’t get back up. She wished she’d at least kicked off her shoes. Thankfully, the duvet had that soft, heavenly feel to it, and it seemed to enfold her entire body. That’s what she needed, to be swept away.

She’d been warned she’d made an enemy of Benny just by playing her cards, and now Charles. She had no choice but to press charges against him. She couldn’t let him get away with assaulting her. He had her on the floor and there wasn’t a doubt in her mind that he was going to punch her repeatedly. After that, who knew? He probably didn’t know what he would have done, he was that drunk and out of control. If he thought he had reason to be her enemy before, once she pressed charges, he really would hate her.

“Snowflake? Don’t move. I’m taking your shoes off and changing your clothes. I don’t have much time. I want to stay with you, but I have to work. I’ve called your mother. She’ll be here with Ellen as soon as possible. Hotel security will let them in. Wayne arranged everything as if he had complete authority.”

“You called my mother?” She would have glared at him for interfering, but she couldn’t muster up the strength to open her eyes. Her head hurt too much. She didn’t even care that he was pulling off her trousers. “She’s coming here? To the casino? She despises casinos. In fact, that was one of the few things we fought over. She didn’t like me gambling.” Her voice was muffled by the pillow.

Zale dropped his hand onto her head. “I’m turning you over, Vienna, just to take off this top so I can get you into something comfortable. The room is dark so it shouldn’t hurt your eyes. Why didn’t she like you gambling? You paid the bills, right?”

His hands were gentle, but it still hurt to be touched as he rolled her over and pushed the hair away from her face. He swore softly and then his fingers were deftly unbuttoning her blouse. “That bastard. He’s going to pay for this.”

“I hit my head on the wall, Zale. Don’t do anything that could get you in trouble. He isn’t worth it.” She tried to open her eyes to see his face, but he stroked his fingers over her eyelids to discourage her.

“Sorry, Snowflake. I didn’t mean to upset you.” His voice was soothing, but he didn’t sound as if he had changed his mind about hunting down Charles and making him pay.

Vienna would have tried to reason with him, but she was too tired and her head hurt worse than usual.

“Tell me about your mom and her aversion to gambling. She lives in Vegas. That seems contradictory.”

“Once we needed the money, and she was too sick to make it for us, she stopped being upset over the way I paid the bills. She never said why she had such an aversion to gambling, but she didn’t so much as buy a lottery ticket or come near the casinos. Not ever. I was very drawn to playing cards.”

“Lifting you up to put your nightclothes on you,” he warned.

Vienna clenched her teeth. Movement hurt. “I have migraine meds in the bathroom on the sink, Zale. Would you get two for me, please? I’ll be fine once I take them.”

Zale managed to slip her pajama top on her and lower her back to the bed. She buried her face back into the pillow. “Mom wouldn’t even come to the Strip, let alone to one of the hotels.” She needed to distract herself from the pain. Already she rocked her body in an effort to soothe herself.

“Vienna.” Zale gently turned her into his arms and held her up as he put the pills into her palm. “Are you crying?” He used the pads of his fingers to track along her cheeks where it might have been wet. “I’ll find a way for Rainier and me to get out of going tonight.”

“No, really.” She wasn’t crying. She didn’t cry. Her eyes might be leaking, but that wasn’t crying. “I’m perfectly fine. I get weak after gambling like that. Go do whatever it is you do. I can’t believe you got my mother to come here. That’s a miracle.”

Zale continued to hold her, his arms tight around her, one palm pressing her head to his shoulder so she was breathing him in.

“Wayne Forsyne was invited by Daniel Wallin to a party tonight. I think you were supposed to be there, Vienna. The players from the final table were going to be introduced. A couple of them are considered celebrities. We shouldn’t pass up a chance to meet Wallin and the personal protectors he surrounds himself with. They’ll be out in force.”

“I didn’t show Rainier how to walk properly with an injury. If someone knows what to look for, they’ll notice.”

“He’s been watching videos and practicing ever since you told him. That’s why he’s been in the suite instead of downstairs gambling. He’s a perfectionist, and your critique really hurt his ego.” There was a hint of laughter in Zale’s voice. “He doesn’t normally take on this type of role.”

“Neither do I,” Vienna said, and dashed at the wet running down her face. She pressed deeper into Zale’s shirt.

The last thing she wanted was for Zale to think she was weak, and yet here she was, clinging to him like a needy person. How was she going to explain it? That she had a psychic gift and it drained her to use it? That it made her cry? Had she already told him that? She couldn’t remember.

He laughed softly. “Go to sleep. When you wake up, your mom will be here.”

“You have to go before security catches you in here.”

“Rainier is in the other room. He’s having fun throwing his weight around. He’s got everyone up in arms over you being attacked in the hotel right under the noses of security. If you weren’t already being comped this suite, you would be after Rainier gets finished with his threats on your behalf.”

“Don’t let him go overboard. I don’t want to have to have television interviews or anything crazy like that.”

“You won’t have to go to the police to fill out a complaint, they’ll come here,” Zale assured. “And hotel security will back you up. Wallin most likely will pay you a personal visit to ensure you aren’t going to sue.”

Vienna flung herself out of his arms and back onto the duvet. “Oh, for heaven’s sake, go away. Just the thought is making me ill. I mean it, go away, Zale. If you see Mom, tell her I’m ten years old again and need an ice pack for my head.”

He bent over her and she felt his lips brush over the offending lump on her forehead. “I’m sorry I have to go, Snowflake. I’ll be back as soon as I can. I just received a text from Rainier that security is bringing them up now.”

“That was fast.”

He dropped his hand into the thick silky strands of her hair. “They’re worried.” Abruptly, he left. She knew he just went into the other room so it looked as if he was protecting his client, but she still felt bereft.

Then her mother and Ellen were there, one on either side of the bed. Her mother sat on the edge of the mattress, stroking caresses in her hair. The moment she felt her mother’s hand, the tears began again. This time she just let them fall. It was Ellen who found the ice pack to put over the lump on her forehead. She covered her with a light blanket. No one made her talk or explain anything. They just allowed her to rest and she was very, very grateful.

She had no idea how much time had passed when her mother stirred. “Someone is at the door, Ellen. Would you mind getting it?”

“Be careful,” Vienna cautioned, sitting up carefully. She held on to her head just in case it decided to explode on her. Fortunately, her head stayed on her shoulders, where it was supposed to. “It could be someone else violent. Look through the peephole.”

“Oh, no. I do hate these places. We should have just taken Vienna home with us,” Mitzi said. “Surely they have security guards watching over you now.”

Vienna had forgotten her mother’s aversion to casino hotels. She looked so distressed that Vienna loved her all the more for braving her fears to come to help her. Mitzi had always had near panic attacks if she had to go close to the casinos. Vienna’s gaze jumped to her mother’s face. Mitzi’s voice trembled. She looked very pale, and sweat beaded on her forehead. She looked close to panicking now. Looking back, it had always been that way.


Tags: Christine Feehan Romance