I reach into my pocket, and the guy sitting at the table jumps to his feet and removes a gun from his hip, pointing it right at me. Before I can say sit the fuck down, Adam punches him in the face, knocking him back into his seat. He yanks his gun out of the waistband and points it at the guy’s head.
“Whoa.” Grave raises his hands. “We didn’t come to kill anyone tonight.” There’s laughter in his voice as the guy rubs blood from his face while glaring up at Adam.
I remove the poker chip from my pocket and toss it onto the table.
“You can put the gun away,” the one standing orders Adam, picking up the chip. He flips it over, eyeing it, and then tosses it back to me. I catch it as he speaks. “You can cash in your winnings in the basement.”
Adam slowly tucks his gun back into his jeans.
I remove the picture from my back pocket and drop it onto the table as well. “Know either one of them?” I ask.
The guy huffs his annoyance but looks down at the picture before his eyes meet mine. “What’s it worth to you?”
“Whatever you want,” I answer, and his brows shoot up in surprise. I have a feeling that most don’t offer them that, but I also am not like most men.
The one bleeding from the face wipes the blood from his nose. “Not sure what you can give us that we can’t get ourselves.”
Grave smiles. “Where are my manners? Mason brothers…I introduce you to two of the Spade brothers.”
The one sitting in the chair swallows, and the one standing looks down at him, narrowing his eyes. Then he looks back up at Adam for a second. It's as if he recognizes him but wasn’t aware he was a Spade brother. I’m not surprised. It’s not something we publicly announce. His eyes meet mine when he speaks again. “Let’s see what we can do for you guys.”
Just then, the door opens, and we all turn around to see a man walk in. He seems to resemble the other two in looks. I’m guessing another brother. He slams the door and speaks, “Christopher just backed out tonight.”
The brother who obviously runs the show looks at Grave. “I’m going to need you to fight tonight.”
“Fine.” Grave sighs as he picks up an open Red Bull that sits on the table and slams it like he’s a college student at a frat party. Then he looks at me and Adam. “You two owe me.”
Add it to my fucking tab.
FIFTEEN
HAIDYN
We’ve been here for two hours and nothing. We’ve watched surveillance cameras; the brothers let us speak to everyone working at the bar. I don’t know if Benny kept a low profile or if the chips found at his place aren’t his. Hell, maybe they were Ashtyn’s. Who knows where she went in this town? She was here for four years. Maybe she allowed customers to pay her with them when she worked at Glass? The options are endless.
I feel like this trip was for nothing.
We’ve watched several men get the shit kicked out of them. Grave is coming on in less than twenty minutes, and he’s the talk of the Airport. Everyone waits to watch him beat some guy who hasn’t lost his last ten fights or some shit like that.
The flashing lights give me a headache, and the music isn’t helping. Right now, “I Can Hold a Grudge Like Nobody’s Business” by Adam Jensen blares from the speakers.
“We’ll figure it out,” Adam screams into my ear as if reading my mind.
Not surefigure it outare the exact words I’d use, but I’m making it my mission to get the answers that I want.
We stand at the end of the bar. Adam drinks a beer, and I have a water. I’m not in the mood to get fucked up. I look up to see Bones and Titan making their way through the throngs of people. Nite is right behind them. Everyone does a double take when they see who is walking. They’re practically royalty in this town. Where we Spades prefer the darkness, the Kings live in the spotlight. From their flashy hotel and casino to all the news coverage about their relationships to Grave’s arrests and addiction. They can’t escape it, even if they wanted to.
“Thought you weren’t coming?” Adam calls out, nodding at him.
“That was before I got a text that Grave was fighting.” He stands next to me, facing the bar, and orders a drink.
I don’t know the Kings all that well, but I know that Grave has a past with addiction. It doesn’t take a lot to see that Bones is protective over his little brother. The fact that he’s here proves it.
Just then, a group of women walk up behind him, and a brunette grabs his hand, making him turn around to see who it is. He drapes his arm over her shoulders and pulls her into his side. Obviously, it’s his girl.
I look over the other three and recognize one of them. The redhead. Her eyes scan the crowd, meeting mine and then Adam’s before lingering on Nite. She steps away, but Adam grabs her upper arm and stops her. She turns around and glares at him. “We?—”
“Need to talk.” He interrupts her.
