Ike found it a little surprising that she was willing to drop the issue so easily. He didn’t think she was particularly fair-minded enough for that. But the fact that she did let it go suited his purpose just fine. He had no diplomatic way of explaining to her that he knew with complete certainty that she would be his next lover.
He’d known that since before her salad plate was taken away. But first, he had to discover what her aversion to Bobby was all about. He instinctively knew that would be the greatest stepping stone between them.
Chapter 5
As the night wore on, Roxie found herself relaxing much more than she ever expected, or even wanted. There was something about Ike Bancroft that her soul found very comforting. It could’ve been his sensual, almost musical voice that caused his words to roll over her in waves. Or the look of understanding she saw in his eyes so many times when she spoke of her past.
Whoever he was now, Ike had seen hard times. It was hard to tell what he’d been through with his stoic demeanor, and his careful ways, but there was something deeper and darker living inside him. Something that not only spoke to Roxie, but truly heard her, as well.
She found herself telling him about her background, things only Tessa and Theo knew. She doubted he would judge her. And although he said little, it was enough to let her know she was not being condemned for the acts of her childhood.
She’d just finished telling him about how Tessa and Theo found her, when he sat back in his chair and wiped his mouth with his linen napkin. “Wow, I can’t believe you managed to make it on your own for so long.”
She chuckled with little humor. “Looking back on it, neither can I. I guess the angels were watching over me.”
“What made you trust the Sanchezes?”
Her mouth tilted up at the corner as she remembered those two pairs of compassionate eyes looking down on her with concern. “What choice did I have? It was either trust them, or take my chances with the creep on the corner.”
“The creep on the corner?”
“Yeah, there was some old guy that would hang around when I worked the crowd. I changed locations four times trying to shake him, but he would always find me.” She shivered involuntarily. “The way he looked at me…I can still see him like it was yesterday. I had nightmares about him for years.”
Ike learned forward and took her hand, wanting to draw her pain into himself. She was as cold as ice. “Roxie, did he…”
She shook her head adamantly. “No, he never got the chance.” She smiled to herself as she remembered. “I started noticing this Hispanic couple everywhere I went. At first, I thought it was just coincidence. I mean, the man would feed the pigeons, while the lady sat on a bench knitting. But then, I realized they would turn up whenever the monster did.”
Ike did not miss the fact that she’d referred to the man as the monster.
“This particular day…” She paused to take a sip of wine. “This particular day, he finally attempted to approach me. But Tessa and Theo cut him off, and got to my table first. They introduced themselves, and explained that they wanted to help me. At first, I didn’t trust them. Back then, I didn’t trust anyone. But then I looked into Tessa’s eyes and knew she would never hurt me. There is something about eyes that are very honest, don’t you think?” She glanced up at the dark, honest eyes staring back at her.
He shrugged. “So, you went home with them, and never looked back.”
“It wasn’t quite that easy. At first, they let me come and go as I please. I guess they wanted me to know that I was not their prisoner or something. Most times, I still slept on the street, and only went to their house on really cold nights. Even then, I didn’t get much sleep, but finally, after a few months. I started staying every night. Then eventually, I would leave my stuff, and so on.”
Ike shook his head. “I don’t know. If I had been in your situation, I don’t think I could’ve trusted even them.”
“You have to trust someone, Ike.”
“No, you don’t.”
She stared at him, wondering if she’d misread all that compassion.
“Roxie, I’ve seen things in the military, on the police force. Things that would make you wonder why God even bothered. People can be horrible and cruel.”
“But they can also be loving and kind.”
“Sorry, I’ve seen more of the horrible and cruel than the loving and kind.”
“Are you telling me there is no one you trust?”
“My mother, my fa—”
“No, I mean someone who is not related to you by blood?”
“Bobby. I trust Bobby.” To a point.
“You shouldn’t.” The words slipped out before she could stop them.
“Okay, what is it, Roxie?” He folded his arms on the table. “You’re dying to tell me something. You might as well get it out of your system. What is it about Bobby that irks you so?”
I don’t know you! her mind screamed, yet she was dying to tell him the real reason she was at the casino.
“Tell me, Roxie.”
His quiet words couldn’t have been any more appealing than if he’d thrown open his strong arms and said come on in.
“What do you know about Tumbleweed?”
“Bobby’s condominium development?” His eyebrows crunched in confusion. He had no idea where this conversation was headed.
She nodded.
“Not much. Why?”
“Kincaid is using it to scam people out of thousands of dollars.”
All the warmth and lust Ike was feeling for Roxie came to an abrupt halt as he began to suspect he was being played. Did she really think he was gullible enough to believe such a ridiculous story? “Really?”
Seeing the doubt and skepticism in his eyes, Roxie immediately regretted her confession. But it was too late to turn around now. Her only choice was to go full speed ahead. “I know because he scammed my parents out of fifty thousand dollars.”
“Your parents? Are we talking about that pair of con artists who raised you?”
She sighed, feeling defeated and quickly vowing never to trust her heart again. “Look, Ike, you can believe what you want. But it’s the truth, whether you like it or not.”
“And why would one of the wealthiest men in Vegas need to steal fifty thousand dollars from a pair of con ar—”
“Stop calling them that! Yes, that’s what they did in the past, but it has nothing to do with this! They invested that money in good faith, and he took it without so much as a blink of an eye.”
“Why?”
“Why is he running the scam? How should I know?”
The couple fell silent when they realized people were staring. Ike turned his attention to the remainder of his chicken cordon-bleu. His mind was trying to come up with some rational reason why Roxie would believe something so stupendous. There had to be some explanation that would justify her claim. Otherwise, he would have to accept that she was trying to run some kind of game on him. Which meant he would have to open the cage door and set her free. And he just wasn’t ready to give up yet. Then it occurred to him.
“How did you find out about this?”
“Tessa and Theo told me.”
Bingo. He took a bite of meat, suddenly feeling much better.
Roxie