Page 13 of Carter's Battle

He thought about the license plate on the van. Maybe he’d ask Hawk tomorrow to run it. Also, he would pick the guy’s brain about Bobby whatever his name was and illegal gambling here on the Big Island. If Mia refused to trust him, he could come at the problem from the other direction. If he could figure out Bobby, then maybe he could stop him before Mia got involved more deeply.

With that decided, Carter rolled over and started the breathing exercise the military had taught him to get to sleep in less-than-ideal conditions. He might not be able to do anything about the situation with McCarthy and his boys but maybe, just maybe, he could help Mia. And that would make all the difference in the world to him.

CHAPTER 8

“Two hundred and fifty thousand?Are you out of your mind?” Mia stared at Bobby, her mouth hanging open. Akela only owed him a hundred K. How could he want her to raise another hundred and fifty thousand?

“That’s what you need to make me,” Bobby affirmed as he stood with his arms folded across his chest.

“You’re crazy!” Mia blurted out. “I know Akela and Kai don’t owe you that much.”

“I didn’t say that’s what they owe me. I said that’s what you need to make me if you want me to leave them and you alone.”

She glared at him. “You fucker. You’re just trying to make it outrageous so I can’t ever pay you back.”

Bobby shook his head. “No, you’re gonna do it and you’ve only got a couple of weeks to make it happen. I don’t have time for you to screw around.”

Mia’s voice cracked. “Are you insane? There’s no game in town where I can make that in a couple of weeks. I mean even back when you were running things, I’d be lucky to walk away with twenty grand after a week of playing blackjack every night.”

Bobby glanced out at the water. “Yeah, well things are different now. I’m not running the games anymore and the stakes are much bigger than they used to be.”

“Who the hell is running things?” Mia demanded.

Bobby took a step closer and got in her face. “It doesn’t matter who it is. You work for me. You’re gonna do this or suffer the consequences. Do you hear me?”

Mia wanted to slap the menacing look off Bobby’s face. She hated this man and she couldn’t believe she was about to do his bidding. It made her want to puke. “How am I supposed to make that kind of money?”

“I’m gonna give you the address of a gaming locale. You’re gonna put a dress on that hot little body of yours and show up and play blackjack. You’re gonna make enough to catch the eye of the guy who runs the place. He goes by Peter. Once you catch his eye, he’s gonna invite you to the real games where big money is on the line and that is where you’re gonna win me two hundred and fifty grand. Once you do that, you and Akela and her brother are all free as birds.”

Instinctively, Mia knew that Bobby was lying to her. They’d never be free. He’d never let her walk away if she could win him that kind of money. But she was between a rock and the proverbial hard place, with no option except to comply with his demands. She was going to play. Hopefully, she would figure something out as she was making the money. She swore silently. That was a shit ton of money and only having two weeks to do it was daunting.

“What do you need the money for?” Mia asked. She figured what the hell? Maybe he’d tell her something that might help her out somehow.

“None of your fucking business.”

“I know you’re trying to get your place back on the island. Time in jail really screwed up your hold on things. Looks likeyou’re out in the cold still after two long years.” And she was certain this freeze-out was pissing him all the way off.

Bobby slammed his fist on the top of the car next to her, and she shivered involuntarily. “Don’t push me, Mia, or I might decide you’re not worth the hassle and kill you myself.”

Mia bit her tongue to hold her retort in. She didn’t think Bobby would kill her, at least not until he got his money. Then all bets were off. “Fine. I’m going to need buy-in money.”

“It’s a grand and you need to supply it.”

Mia demanded. “You are insane. What makes you think I have a grand lying around that I can use to gamble with?”

Bobby leaned in again. “You better because I’m not supplying it. You’re an accountant, work some magic with some numbers and pull the money out of a hat. I don’t care how you do it but be at this address tonight by ten p.m. Look for Peter. I’ll tell him you’re coming. You better start earning because you don’t have much time.” With that, Bobby pushed away from the car and stomped across the parking lot to where two guys waited in an SUV. He climbed into the back, and they peeled out, accompanied by squealing tires.

Shoulders bunched high toward her ears, Mia watched them go. How the hell had she gotten herself involved in this mess? More importantly, how the hell was she going to get out of it?

Mia tuggedat the short black cocktail dress. The hemline was higher than she’d like but Bobby had warned she’d have to dress to fit in with the gambling crowd. He’d been right. Calling her current location a backroom gambling den made it sound cheap and tawdry, with bad lighting and worse people. While shecouldn’t attest to the people, the surroundings were anything but tawdry.

When Bobby had called a bit ago, to be sure she was on her way, she’d almost told him to fuck off. But at the last second, she’d stopped herself from deliberately baiting him. She wasn’t doing this so much for Akela and Kai, although they played a role, but more for herself. Maybe there was a way to get Bobby arrested again. Not to mention, he really could wreck her reputation and that would put her out of business.

She arrived at the address Bobby had supplied and was amazed by what she found. This upscale site wasn’t one of his usual backroom games. The building was a warehouse in the industrial district, but once she’d been allowed in, all thoughts of this being a warehouse vanished. Inside, it had been all dolled up. The walls had been blacked out with curtains and the vast floor was covered in flashy red carpet. The people there probably surprised her the most. All manner of attire clothed the guests. Everything from evening gowns and tuxedos to jeans and tank tops. One guy was even barefoot and wearing only board shorts. She shook her head.

A server came by and offered Mia a glass of champagne. She declined. As much as she wanted to down a glass or three, she knew she needed to keep her wits about her. Surreptitiously wiping her sweaty palms on her dress, she studied the room. There were several poker tables and even a roulette wheel, but she was searching for blackjack. That was her thing. She could play poker, but it wasn’t her strength. She hated having the decisions other people made affect her chances of winning. Before when she’d played, Bobby knew that and had allowed her to have a table with a dealer all to herself. Back then he hadn’t run the small back room shit he was running today. Back before he went to prison, his operation was more upscale, not quite to this level, but closer to this than what he was doing now. Hereally had come down in the world. And now he wanted back up and apparently, she was supposed to be his ticket.

“Ms. Ryan.” A tall gentleman with well-groomed hair and high cheekbones approached her. He was very attractive and offered her a smile. “Mr. Kamaka said you might be dropping by.”

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