Roll the Dice (Vegas Series) Read online

  Roll the Dice

  Book two of the Vegas Series

  By

  Mimi Barbour

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places,

  and incidents are either the product of the author’s

  imagination or are used fictitiously, and any

  resemblance to actual persons living or dead,

  business establishments, events, or locales, is

  entirely coincidental.

  Roll the Dice

  Book two of the Vegas Series

  COPYRIGHT 2012 by Mimi Barbour

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used

  or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without

  written permission of the author except in the case of

  brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

  Contact Information: [email protected]

  Cover Art by Steven Novak

  Mimi Barbour

  Also: Author of

  The Vicarage Bench Series

  She’s Me

  He’s Her

  We’re One

  Together again

  Together for Christmas

  Angels with Attitude Series

  My Cheeky Angel

  His Devious Angel

  Reviews: For last release

  His Devious Angel

  “This romance story was so entertaining, can't-put-down, very humorous. ” Rebecca Booth

  “Even though this is the second in the series, each one can be read as a stand alone book. ” TinaR

  “I loved the characters and how as the book progressed their lives intertwined. ” S. Dougill

  Dedication

  Since my sister's favorite genre is Romantic Suspense, this book is dedicated to her and to her son's family with lots of love!

  Disclaimer

  If anyone has bought this book and reads this disclaimer, please know that the book has not been to the editor yet. Because I needed to have the book published on Amazon in order for me to be able to sign up for a special promotion, I had to go ahead and release this novel today. But if you've bought it, please either return it until after the 15th when it will be properly edited, or contact me at [email protected] and I will be very happy to send you a new copy after it's been properly finished.

  Please accept my sincere apologies for any inconvenience.

  Table of Contents

  Dedication

  Roll the Dice

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-one

  Chapter Twenty-two

  Chapter Twenty-three

  Chapter Twenty-four

  Chapter Twenty-five

  Chapter Twenty-six

  Chapter Twenty-seven

  Chapter Twenty-eight

  Chapter Twenty-nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-one

  Chapter Thirty-two

  Chapter Thirty-three

  Chapter Thirty-four

  Chapter Thirty-five

  Chapter Thirty-six

  Chapter Thirty-seven

  Chapter Thirty-eight

  Chapter Thirty-nine

  Chapter Forty

  Chapter Forty-one

  Chapter Forty-two

  Chapter Forty-three

  Mimi's Paranormal Romances

  Afterword

  About the Author

  My Contact Page

  Roll the Dice

  Chapter One

  “You shot me!”

  “You told me to.”

  “Dumb shit!” Aurora pushed her new partner from hovering over her so she could sit up. “I didn't mean it. I just wanted you to scare Rhondo.” She felt blood poring from the wound on her arm and purposely kept her head turned away.

  “Shooting you did scare him. He let you go, didn't he?”

  Aurora frowned at him. Why did his voice have to sound so damn reasonable?

  “What-ever!” She hoped her scorn would get to him.

  “Hey! I saw his eyes, you didn’t. He had every intention of using that knife. You know, the sharp one he had pressed against your throat. If I’d shot him instead of you…” He shrugged.

  Aurora shuddered, fighting off nausea. She didn’t want to listen to reason. Being angry made the situation a whole lot easier to deal with. Sarcasm, the best weapon she had in a macho man's environment, replaced whining.

  She glared at him and saw his shapely eyebrows rise. The light of the bulb hanging from the ceiling of the cruddy apartment haloed his head making the bare skin shine. “Just my frigging luck to end up with a partner who thinks and looks like Bruce Willis."

  Kai chuckled. Her glower put a quick end to his merriment. He tried changing the subject with sweet talk. "I've been told I have a nicely shaped head for being bald."

  "Sure and it goes swell with your baby-blue eyes." She sneered on purpose. No way would she admit he did look good.

  His response was a grunt of displeasure. “Are you always this crabby?”

  Disbelief shone in her amazed expression. “Not at all…” She said, disdain evident. “…only when I’ve been shot.”

  He ignored her to call in the emergency and then tried to push up the bloody sleeve of her shirt for access to the injury. Being that it was too tight, he gave up and moved to undo the buttons on the top of her white blouse.

  What the hell! "Get away from me.” She slapped at his hands and wrenched away.

  He pulled back and cold blue eyes stared her down. No smiles, no teasing now, just a bull-headed male who would brook no interference. “I have to stop the bleeding. It’s a scratch but it’s deep. Look!”

  Not in a million years! She knew better that to look. Instead she let him remove the bulletproof vest she hated wearing and undid her own buttons. Then with his help, she slid the garment off her shoulder.

  Wasting no time, he lost his own vest and then whipped off his white t-shirt that had L.A. Kings scrawled across the front. He folded it to use as a pressure pad. With a swipe at the mess of curls covering the wound he said, “Hold this away so I can see what I’m doing.”

  Raising her good arm, she reached around and scooped the loose hair towards her back. Not meaning too, her eyes became glued to the bronzed male flesh inches away from her face. His smell infiltrated her senses and she determined that the soap he’d used had been a great choice.

  She scanned the tattoo decorating his chest, upper arm and flowing around to his back and figured a genius had done the artwork. It was even better than hers and she’d been real picky. Obviously, he worked out because the proof stared her in the face. Of it's own accord, her gaze travelled down and she noticed that his pants clung low on his shapely hips and the tanned skin seemed unending. Every muscular configuration worked together to form a body most other men only saw in their dreams.

  Gently, he put pressure on her upper arm and she quickly switched her gaze to his expression. Soon he turned to her and winked. "There. See. It's just a scratch."

  Embarrassed, she nodded, "Yeah, whatever. I can feel it."

  "I don't believe this. You're squirmy. A cop who can't lo
ok at a wound? That’s the best one I’ve ever heard.” He stopped jeering and worry crept into a voice that had softened. “You gonna pass out?"

  "Don't be a smartass. It's just my own blood I can't stand or people I love. Anyone else, no problem." Sirens screamed from outside the shack and cut off their bickering.

  Before Kai had arrived in Las Vegas, Aurora’s informant had directed her to a felon's apartment, one of the guys Rhondo hung with. They’d made the arrest, and brought him in for questioning.

  Given he had information she desperately wanted, she’d turned up the heat a little, and the perp had squealed like a baby. Gave her this lead and assured her the subject, Earl Rhondo, accused of rape along with a bundle of drug-related charges, would be here.

  Rhondo, the scumbag, had beeped on her personal radar months ago. Ever since the night he’d almost killed her old partner Debbie. Aurora had pushed hard to get the lowdown on his whereabouts. His plans to party that night had led her and her brand spanking new partner into gatecrashing the shindig.

  Sure enough, they'd caught him red-handed, pockets full and stuff everywhere. Young and scared, his flunkies had vanished, but Rhondo had been forced to stay and fight. Kai made sure of that. Until the asshole had pulled out the knife and grabbed Aurora who’d come through the door last.

  Using her as his shield, he'd insisted she accompany him on his getaway. When she'd struggled, it had given Kai a chance to retrieve his weapon. Foolishly, she'd ordered him to shoot. Look where that had gotten her.

  Kai propped her against the wall and wiped his hands on his jeans. "You're going to be fine now. I've still got a lead on Rhondo. I know exactly where he's headed, and I intend to nab him before he cleans out his safe. If he retrieves his fake passports, he’ll fade again."

  "I thought you were new to Las Vegas.” She narrowed her eyes and gave him the stare that sent most of her team looking for somewhere else to be.

  “Nah. I’ve tracked him here before, but he disappeared.”

  “Why do I get the feeling what’s between you and Rhondo is personal?”

  Kai looked away, slapped his hands down on his knees and stood, his movements smooth and fluid. “I’ve worked his file for some time. It’s probably why Cory paired us up. We both want this creep, just for different offences. I can hear backup outside now. You’ll be in good hands.”

  “Hey! You can't go without me. We're partners. Forget the ambulance. I'm coming with you." She tried to stand, fell back and motioned to him. “Help me up, don’t just stand there looking like a model for chrissake.”

  He reached for her. With his support, she wobbled to her feet and took in a couple of full breaths to clear her head.

  “I’m good. Let’s go.”

  “No, you aren’t. And don’t argue.” He held up his hand in front of her face and got it slapped for his audacity.

  “Aurora, you have a t-shirt tied around your arm and it’s full of blood. Look, here’s Rhondo’s new address. I haven't had a chance to check it out yet. But I think he’ll head over there and get his stuff.” He pulled a crinkled card from his pocket and flipped it to show an address scrawled on the back. “Meet me there when you’re patched up.” `

  He strode towards the door, and she whistled him to stop. When he turned, she motioned to his nakedness. Reaching into an open closet to her left, she hauled out a turquoise and black plaid cowboy shirt.

  "Cover up the body before we have every horny female in the neighbourhood chasing after the car."

  "He moved closer to take the shirt and then the cheeky bugger grinned. “Thanks, sunshine. You give a nice compliment."

  “I can give a good kick in the ass also.” As soon as her earlier words registered, she'd have given a months pay to get them back. "Must be the pain screwing with my eyesight."

  Just then two uniformed officers announced themselves and ran into the room, weapons drawn.

  Holding up their shields, Kai and Aurora calmed the tension. Then Kai waved and made good his escape moments before their Lieutenant arrived on the scene.

  “Aurora, I was heading home when I heard over the radio that you’d been shot. Figured Debbie would have my ass if I didn’t check it out. I’m happy to see you on your feet.”

  “It’s just a scratch, Cory…ahh I mean Boss. You tell my old partner to stop babying me all the time. Pretty soon she’ll need to concentrate on the little lieutenant growing in her tummy.”

  “You tell her yourself. I don’t have that kind of nerve.” Acting silly, the tall red-headed guy shook his head and made his eyes swell from mock fear.

  Aurora laughed and then winced. Damn arm hurt like hell.

  Noticing her paleness, Cory bellowed. “We need some medical —”

  Ambulance attendants rushed in before he could finish the sentence. They put the stretcher down beside her.

  “Get that thing away from me.” Her growl got their attention and they stopped. She wouldn’t tolerate being stuffed into a cot on wheels like a big baby. “Just patch me up. We have to move. Boss, Kai gave me the address where he’s sure Rhondo is heading. Probably has money stashed. And I wouldn’t be surprised if he stored fake ID’s like we figured he used the last time he’d disappeared. Kai suspects he’ll try and grab the lot.”

  “Okay let the medics patch up that arm, and don’t look at it or we’ll need the smelling salts.”

  Aurora couldn’t believe her ears. “Your big-mouth wife spilled the beans, didn’t she?”

  “I forced it out of her.” Was that a wink? She knew he didn’t have a twitch. “Wait’ll I see her.”

  “Put that thought on hold. Get cleaned up and we’ll head out.” He scrutinized the room and soon orders were given to anyone who stood around looking stupid. “Tape off the crime scene and get whatever prints you can.” Two officers, newly arrived, were stopped in their tracks. “You two, canvas the neighbourhood for any potential witnesses. Maybe someone got a good look at one of the vehicles or the partiers. An officer was shot and the sleaze that shot her is going down. Now everyone—move!”

  Chapter Two

  Racing through the Vegas desert darkness towards the horizon's rainbow of lights from the strip, Aurora monitored her situation. Police sirens on both the Lieutenant’s car, and those travelling with them, gave comfort. The medication forced on her by the paramedics had kicked in and the painful stabs in her arm had almost faded.

  Why then did her heart pound so hard—a sickening reminder of bad things to come? Aurora had no idea. Probably the crap they’d injected her with had induced this sensation. Needing to keep a clear head for what might be going down tonight, she’d refused their drugs until Cory picked up on her stupidity and made it an order.

  She tried to shake off the nagging discomfort but it wouldn’t let up. Every time she thought ahead to what they might find at their destination, she experienced a choking sensation. It took all her concentration to ignore the apprehension and zero in on the coming confrontation.

  Never once had she let a partner leave her behind. But then again, no other partner had ever shot her before either. The reminder eliminated some of the guilt, but it did piss-all for the worry.

  Kai Larson had no freaking business playing a hotshot, lone vigilante. He could have waited a few minutes and nabbed a couple of the uniforms to give him backup. Damn fool!

  “What are you scowling and grunting about over there?” Cory’s voice broke into her reverie.

  “My partner’s a loose cannon is what. He took off, no backup—nothing. And he knew all about Rhondo. When you introduced us, why didn’t you fill me in on his previous involvement with our suspect?”

  “There wasn’t time. Yesterday you two had the shoot-out at the underground parking lot and I got stuck with the Mayor all day. Then today you’d headed out before I could de-brief you both. I took it for granted Kai would fill you in.”

  “Well he didn’t. The goon hardly said two words all day, just worked on his computer and periodically noises like fro
m a constipated gorilla broke loose. Brought to mind a Neanderthal documentary I saw last week—

  “Stop, I get it. I’ll talk to him. Look, Aurora, he’s a good man. But Rhondo's personal to him. Either we let Kai play, or he’ll go rogue, and L.A. will lose one of their best cops.”

  Aurora heard unfamiliar passion in her boss’s voice. Must be some pretty strong mojo for him to care so deeply? Other than his wife and herself, Lieutenant Cory Ashton normally treated the others in his back yard as though they were lower life forms.

  More than once she thanked her lucky stars that she and Cory had history from back in high school. They’d grown up in Casa Grande, a few houses from each other. She knew he’d lost a close buddy he'd loved as a young teen, had played football and that girls used to make him shy to the point of stuttering.

  They’d been good friends until Cory’s family had moved, only for her to meet up with him again when she’d applied in Vegas after graduating her rookie years in Phoenix.

  Truthfully, the exalted position of being part of his “in-group” worked for her. And, it hadn’t taken her long to realize the only time her handsome boss stuttered nowadays had been in the presence of her former partner, Debbie. By saving Debbie’s ass more times than she wanted to count, she’d earned his sincere gratitude.

  Considering he’d been sweet on the woman for years and kept it hidden until a month ago, she remembered some pretty tense moments. She’d sensed something had happened between the two after Rhondo attacked Debbie, but neither had said a word.

  Her partner had withdrawn to where even Aurora couldn’t reach her. And Debbie and Cory began tippy-toeing around each other. Drove Aurora nuts. With all those raging tensions swirling, gnawing, something had to give. Sure as shit, when it did, the shock blasted everyone.

  That day Cory had caught up with her outside her and Debbie’s office. While conversing over a case, he’d opened the door to accompany her inside and both had stopped dead. Debbie, bending over to pick up a dropped file, hadn’t noticed that her shirt gaped enough for her obvious pregnant belly to hang in full view.