Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 142783 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 714(@200wpm)___ 571(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 142783 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 714(@200wpm)___ 571(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
My odds dwindling with each second that passed.
Trent and Jud felt it, too. Their nerves scattered and zapped.
I sat and tossed Haille a smug grin. “You wanted a game…you have a game.”
You vile, deviant piece of shit.
Haille’s brow lifted. “And I am to assume you brought your ante? Tonight’s stakes are…high. A single hand, all in.”
He chuckled like it was all in a night’s fun.
He wanted a show.
A play.
But I also knew he wouldn’t let me walk out of here with either Aster or the stone.
If he and Jarek had been hunting it for the last seven years, they wouldn’t willingly let it go now. I’d gladly trade it for her. In a heartbeat. Without question.
But I felt their intentions seething through the basement.
Perversion.
Wickedness.
Still, I went along with it like I could trust him. “I win, I walk with both the girl and the stone, and this time, I think it’d be fair if you forwent your cut.”
It toppled out like sarcasm.
His expression was wry. “That seems fair. A game is a game, after all.”
Yeah, and neither of us played by the rules.
The whole time, Jarek fermented in his depravity where he sat across from me.
I set the case onto the table and lifted my chin in challenge.
He angled over to grab the chain from Haille and dragged Aster forward on her knees, the girl sliding across the floor like she was a piece of meat to be traded.
A whimper of terror skidded from her throat.
Fury stabbed through me like a hot blade. I nearly lost it right then and dove over the table to take the motherfucker out.
Trent grunted from behind me. Stay cool. Stay cool.
I didn’t know how I was going to manage it when it felt like I was being burned alive.
Sweat slicked my skin and the knots in my guts tightened.
I opened the box and pulled out the stone.
Jarek salivated.
“Beautiful,” Haille murmured. “It seems we have a game.”
The dealer stepped forward and dealt the dirty hand.
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Five.
Back and forth to Jarek and me.
Jarek glared.
I sent him a cocky smirk while I wanted to rip him in two, my knee bouncing with the unspent violence that wanted to break free.
He laid two cards facedown.
I did three.
I manipulated.
Worked my magic, if that’s what you wanted to call it, because my wins were nothing more than sleight of hand.
In a normal situation, I would have been gloating as I laid down another straight flush.
But Jarek and Oz had already pulled their guns, just like I’d expected them to, while Haille sat there smug, enjoying the show.
I jumped up before either could anticipate it and tossed the table onto its side.
Aster screeched, and she scooted back on her ass, using her heels to push herself away while Jarek shot to his feet.
Cards flew, but I knew the biggest distraction would be the stone that went sailing.
It spun and spiraled, almost in slow motion as it arced in the air.
Haille and Jarek’s eyes were wide as they watched it, their hunger for its beauty enough to enrapture them as they watched it soar.
It was our only chance.
Jud was already on his way, stealth as he moved around the table to get to Aster before anyone would notice. His job was to get her and get the hell out.
Trent and I would take care of the rest.
“Get it,” Haille shouted at Oz.
Trent moved along close to the wall in an effort to sneak up on Oz.
The man was our biggest threat.
Trained to kill.
The same as my oldest brother.
My heart stampeded as I went to jump over the table to get to Jarek who’d let his arm drop to his side, his gun dangling limply at his thigh, too fucking caught up on watching the stone clatter to the floor to notice what was coming for him.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Oz step forward, and dread thrashed through my system.
Fear for Trent.
But I had to focus.
Focus on getting the gun from Jarek.
Only Oz swung around to the side, and he didn’t have his gun pointed at me or Trent.
Rather, it was pointed at Haille.
In confusion, I stumbled a step, and his frosty eyes met mine in clear implication as he dug into the inside of his jacket with his free hand.
When he pulled it out, he tossed a handgun in my direction.
“It seems you forgot something, Sir.”
Shock slammed me as I caught it. I stared at it for a beat, my whole being contorted in a giant what the fuck?
Everything flash-fired from there. The motion set from slow to triple speed.
Haille went for the gun at his side that he’d thought himself too untouchable to require, blustering, “What do you think you’re doing? Get the stone, you fucking idiot.”
“I am no longer indebted to you, you sick bastard,” Oz gritted.
Oz pulled the trigger. The gunshot rang out through the room.