Total pages in book: 192
Estimated words: 182641 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 913(@200wpm)___ 731(@250wpm)___ 609(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 182641 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 913(@200wpm)___ 731(@250wpm)___ 609(@300wpm)
Damiano.
Dom.
“Tell me something, Dom.” I cock my head. “Do the people at your little poker tables know they’re trading real cash for fake cash?”
His face falls.
Yeah, I saw the swap.
Yeah, I know that’s the fucking point.
A secret cardroom would only exist for two possible reasons: a way to flip for big money or a way to hide it.
It’s the dark-haired girl who moves first, thrusting her left arm out to knock the air from Kylo’s windpipe, the other sending a small knife straight into Kenex’s right thigh.
Both groan at the same exact second, and I lift a brow at Rocklin.
Are all these chicks some secret assassins or some shit?
“Idiots!” the brunette seethes, tearing her knife from Kenex’s thigh, and pointing it between the two of them. “You took cash from the fucking club and brought it here?!”
Kenex glares. “We were just having some fun, and I told you it was my idea.”
“Kenex—” his brother interrupts.
“Shut up,” he cuts him off, looking around again. “I don’t see the big deal.”
“You threw down two bills on a bet. Bills that were fake but grew the pot. The pot had to be paid at the end of the night. You cut into my money.”
Money I don’t have, but I don’t have to add that part. They know.
“Yeah, well, you kicked my ass,” he volleys.
“He kicked your brother’s ass too.” Hayze grins. “Probably gonna kick this fool’s ass next if he keeps moving his eyes to Barbie over here.”
My gaze slices to Damiano’s, his already narrowed in on Hayze.
“If he wants to fight me like a man, that can be arranged.” Dom squares his shoulders.
“What a pussy boy’s cop-out. Like a man.” Hayze scoffs, pulling his leg.
Damiano shakes his head, turning away as if he’s below him, dismissing him like the prick he is. He turns to face me. “Two hundred dollars? That’s what he owes you, right?”
He pulls his wallet out, flashing the center fold more than necessary like he’s trying to blind us with the green it’s thick with. He pulls out two bills and holds them out for me to take like I’m a dog and he’s offering me a treat, expecting me to jump on it. Maybe even drool a bit.
I move forward slowly, and a shitty look of superiority flashes over his face, making him feel really big right now, but I don’t take the money.
I take the whole fucking wallet and heave it somewhere to the left.
Damiano’s jaw snaps closed. His face turns red as he steps toward me.
This time, Kylo slips in his way.
A chuckle leaves me as I lick the corner of my mouth where the blood has dried. “Don’t insult me, rich boy. It ain’t about the money, but you knew that before you opened your wallet.” We stare at each other a moment, and he doesn’t deny it. “I’ll give it to you, though. You trained your pets well. They fought hard, got back up and didn’t bitch out. So well, I might take ’em from you, offer ’em something that doesn’t come with a collar.”
“If you plan on being around Rocklin, as bad of an idea as that is for you, you might want to watch yourself,” he warns. “There are no games to be played in our world. What you did here tonight is for children.”
“So you think I should cut them at the throat and watch them bleed out?” My blade is in my hand, flipped open in a split second, pressed to the pulse point of Kylo’s neck, and at the move, everyone goes on the defense.
Each girl has a knife of sorts in hand, pulling them from who the fuck knows where, and two are in the hands of the manic-looking dude they called Ander, and the white-haired one’s hand disappeared beneath his coat jacket. He’s packing something better.
Rocklin is braced and ready, facing both our bodies, and Dom has an Ace between his fingers, a literal playing card, the edge razor sharp.
I lift a brow as a challenge and his nostrils flare. “That’s what I thought.” Slowly, I flick the blade closed, stuffing it back into my pocket. “I’m no fool, as much as you wish I were. I end one of you. I’m ending this.” I nod toward Rocklin. “And that ain’t in the cards, so why don’t you put yours away. Then go away.”
We stare off for several minutes, and slowly, everyone eases, silence falling over all of us.
That is until Hayze jumps down with a loud clap.
“So.” He smirks, eyes on the angelic-looking girl who seems to already have two men of her own. “Who’s down to party?”
Chapter 15
Bass
Surprise, surprise, Damiano was not down to keep the night going, pulling the group away for a long, private conversation before realizing he was the odd man out.