Page 27 of Queen of Spades

Ranger somehow ended up with the older Andretti’s ex-girlfriend—or something of that nature. I don’t know all the details, and truthfully, I don’t want to.

“Bringing Sparrow home might not be the best course of action until they’re neutralized once and for all?—”

“Do you want me to approach her?” I ask, licking my lips.

I wouldn’t mind taking out that fucker with his hand on her ass and his other buried in her pussy as they grind together on the dance floor.

Sparrow and I have a reckoning coming.

She shot me, stole my car, and left me to tell her psychopathic fucking brother all about it. She’s going over my knee before all of this is over.

“Hmm, not yet. She’ll likely attempt to run if she spots you,” Ranger says like he’s thinking something through. “I have an old friend in Vegas. He owes me a favor of the serious variety. From what I’ve heard, he’s amassed quite the name for himself recently. Let me touch base with him. It seems, his marker has come due.”

“So, watch but don’t engage until you tell me otherwise?” I ask.

“Exactly. No close contact. Watch from afar and ensure she’s safe. Text me all the information you have, and I’ll call you back.” He hangs up as I glare at Michaels.

He’s got a new name now, but the face is impossible to miss. He leans down and nips Sparrow’s lower lip.

My fury reaches dangerous proportions.

I’ve spent the last three years searching for her.

I knew she was a scent match the day I met her, but she was barely more than a kid back then. Technically, she was legal, but she was also a fucking teenager, and it didn’t sit right with me. So, I scared away any little assholes who got too close and kept a fair amount of distance between the two of us.

Ranger would have slit my throat while I slept if I had touched her back then.

I’m still shocked he didn’t torture me at all when I lost her. No, he just made me watch while he worked. Watching Ranger work was enough to put the fear of God into me. I saw what he did to every foot soldier he managed to snatch from the Andrettis.

My stomach rolls as I glance away from Sparrow and Raiden Michaels.

I fucked up majorly back then, but Ranger gave me a second chance. He knows how I feel about her. He didn’t murder me on the spot, so I’m pretty sure that was his version of giving me his blessing.

Or maybe I’m delusional, but under no circumstances will I be wasting my second chance.

Chapter Nine

Cassian

The High Roller is packed, considering it’s Sunday night. My original plan was to pop into Spades to see if Annika magically appeared. It worked last night, but Ward and I don’t even make it past the dance floor before I spot her. She’s with the same asshole who came to scoop her up when she could have been thanking us for rescuing her.

I need that woman for a very specific purpose. Her having a boyfriend genuinely complicates things. I like life uncomplicated, which might be why I’m nearly thirty-five without a wife or any bonds.

Ward snorts, elbowing me in the ribs. “I’m going to guess seducing her into doing your bidding is out of the question.”

My head tilts, watching as her mouth falls open. That fucking security guy has his fingers buried in her pussy.

Seriously?

Right out on the dance floor for anyone to see? It’s not exactly unusual in the High Roller. The majority of the patrons are here for the omegas, after all.

“Money, it is,” I agree. “Come on. Let’s make ourselves known and see if she’s feeling thankful for us interceding last night.”

There are beautiful women everywhere, but my eyes stay glued to the omega from Spades.

I can only see the side of her face as she grins up at her boyfriend. He spots us weaving through the sweaty bodies lining the dance floor, and his eyes narrow as his jaw clenches. He palms her ass, making a show of pulling her closer. One of his hands is still between them, accessing her cunt from the front.

He nuzzles his cheek to hers and gets close to her ear, likely saying something that she wouldn’t be able to hear without the close proximity.

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