“Leon, man. This was fun. You should organize this more often.” He shakes my hand, too.
“Maybe I will.”
He greets Dom and exits, along with the rest of them. The dealer returns with Alex’s cash, handing her the briefcase back.
She thanks him, and he leaves as well.
I run my tongue over my top teeth. “So, how much did you leave with?”
“Just a little over 300k.” Her cheeks tint a gorgeous red.
“That’s amazing.”
“I will give you your part back, of course.”
I let out a laugh, and head over to the circular table where the remaining food lies. “You won’t do such a thing.”
“But…” she starts.
“No buts.” I pop a deviled egg into my mouth.
“Leon…”
I turn back toward her. “Yes?”
“Thank you.”
“It was nothing.” I wave her off, uncomfortable with her thankfulness.
“Are you kidding me? This wasn’t nothing. It was incredibly thoughtful, well planned and massively expensive.”
“Does this mean you forgive me?”
“I don’t know. If not forgiving you means I get stuff like this regularly, I don’t think I should do that.”
A laugh bubbles out of my throat. “I don’t think you’re aware, but you can get pretty much anything from me.” Her eyes narrow at me, as if she isn’t sure she should believe me. “Besides, this still isn’t my apology.” I sit at the table and pat the chair next to me. She listens and drops her gorgeous ass into it.
The server brings us another round of drinks. She was careful with the drinks while playing, but there’s no reason not to let loose now. Grabbing a shrimp tartlet, she stares at a single spot in the distance while chewing on it. She pats her mouth with a napkin when she finishes.
“You really don’t mind me playing poker?”
Just as she asks, we’re interrupted by the server placing our drinks in front of us. I thank him, and wait for him to leave before responding. “Why would I mind? You’re amazing at it.”
She shrugs, chewing on the inside of her cheek.
A chill travels down my spine. I think I know exactly where this story is going, and yet, there’s more I want to know. “Seriously, how did you get that good at poker?”
She lets out a sigh. “I started by watching Robbie. After the first time he showed me what he thought of my suggestions, I kept my mouth shut, but I still studied the game. I would get a massive adrenaline rush when my hunch was right. Since I wasn’t employed, I started using the time when Robbie was at work to play poker online. I got hooked instantly.” She hesitates for a second before continuing. “After the first few times he became violent with me, it was obvious I needed a plan B. I couldn’t allow myself to depend on him. So I started playing live games whenever I could and stashed money at home. I wanted to earn enough so that I could be on my own. So I could leave him.”
My heart squeezes in my chest. I reach my hand out to wrap around hers, fully expecting her to push it away. but she doesn’t. She lets my hand envelop hers, drawing soothing circles over her wrist.
“I was happy living in my own secret world. It made me realize how unhappy I was with him; how miserable he made me. Then he found the stash.” She swallows, and my stomach clenches with rage. “First, he accused me of whoring myself out for the money. I tried to explain I earned it by playing poker, but it only made him angrier. He told me a stupid little bitch like me could never earn that kind of money with her brain, and it was probably the fact that everyone was staring at my tits. I let out a sob and then he hit me.” Her voice grows shakier by the word, her eyes now glistening with tears. “He hadn’t stopped hitting me, not until I was on the floor, barely alive. Then he said, ‘Look what you made me do,’ and left our house. I tried to escape, but I was too hurt. My lungs could barely expand enough to catch a breath, and a bone was sticking out of my arm, telling me something was very wrong. I took the money strewn around the floor and got a taxi to the hospital on the other side of town. I hoped,prayedthat it was far enough from the reach of the influential Robert Welding. But it wasn’t.”
Mind-numbing rage courses my bloodstream, lighting a fire in its wake. I’m so tense I feel like I’ll chip a tooth, but she doesn’t need that now. She doesn’t need my anger. She needs peace.
“Look at me, Alex,” I say, lifting her chin with my finger. “I want you to know something. Whatever happens between us, whether you forgive me and give me a chance or you send me packing, you will never have to be afraid again. I swear on my life that I will protect you for as long as I live and breathe and pay people to protect you afterwards.” She lets out a sob, breaking my cold, dark heart. “I will murder every motherfucker who dares to hurt you in any way possible, including Deputy Chief Robert Welding.”
She scoffs. “Good luck. But if you ever catch him, I hope I’ll have a go at him first.”
