Page 76 of Queen Of WildCards

Isteepled my fingers on the table. "Seethat you do."

Spadegrumbled from his seat, leaning it back on two legs to stretch for the pot of coffee on the counter.Justas his fingers nearly curled around it, a manicured set of nails tapped against the glass and lifted it out of reach, the girl it belonged to clucking in the back of her throat at his antics.

"You'regoing to snap those legs and end up on the floor one day, you fuckstick.Here, let me help, lazy ass."

Shebent over the table and refilled his cup, moving around in a circle to hitJoker'smug next, a soft smile on her face as she looked each one of them in the eyes.Somesort of understanding passed between her andBlackJackwhen she stopped to fill his cup, and my eyes widened as she laid her hand on his shoulder, and he covered it with his own.

Matterof fact, every face in the room wore matching expressions of shock, except for the two of them.

Beforeanyone could comment on the strange moment that passed between the two of them, she spoke up again. "Whatabout those assholes you two ran into at the fights,Spade?"

Myeyes slowly swiveled in his direction.Hehadn't even mentioned running into anyone, let alone attending the fights. "Didyou get in the ring?"

Spadeshot her a scowl, and she smiled saucily and moved behind me like that would afford her some level of protection from the maniac at the table.

Hisgrowl froze her like a deer in headlights. "Ididn't get in the ring, and there's nothing to tell.TheKingsjust happened to pay our rings a visit, that's all.They'relooking for information and throwing their fighter in our face."

BlackJack'sjaw ticked as he frowned. "Who?"

Jokerset his cup down and sighed."Soldat."

Iswore under my breath. "Fuckme,Spade, you better hope he doesn't come back, or you'll be looking for a new side gig."

TheSoldierand theKingswere notorious in the criminal underbelly, both having a hell of a track record attached to their names.Thegang as a whole was a bunch of ex-mafia brats who'd made their own crime syndicate, built it from the ground up as they sniped their competition's men and their contracts.Theirleader,Arthur, was a ruthless sonofabitch, a twistedBritishbastard with the uncanny ability to get under your skin with a look, and the brains of a genius.

Hewas alsoBlackJack'sdistant cousin.

AndtheSoldier?Well, the rumors about him that circulated were more a body count and less actual rumors.Hewas ex-Sovietscum, a hired assassin who made no distinctions of right or wrong when it came to hired hits.Hewas also a man who'd found creative ways to'accidentally'kill men in the ring for a perceived slight, and he'd never lost a match.Untilnow, he stayed on the upper echelon's circuit, private matches held for affluent clientele paying far more than he'd make in the slums.

Hehad to be here for a damn good reason.Nodoubt he was slinging his arm wide to scare someone who knew something into coming to the surface.

"Whatare they looking for?"

Jokersank lower in his chair, hiding from me, andIhad a feeling what the answer would be, but it wasn't the man of the hour who spoke up.

"FromwhatIunderstood, they're looking for a jewel thief."

Icraned my neck up to putMissStantondirectly in my line of sight. "Andwhat, pray tell, would lead you to that assumption?"

Shefrowned and leaned over my shoulder absently, filling my coffee with more of the rich black life-giving liquid we were all addicted to.Iabsently noted the swell of her chest in the tight tank top as she pulled back again, a finger to her chin as she dwelled on it.

"So, the one in charge—they called himKing, all lined up really nice when he snapped his fingers, too—he said a business associate of his had been robbed of his jewels, toldJokerhe'd best put his nose to the ground to find out who did it and who put them up to it."Shesauntered to the sink, dumping the last dregs of the coffee down the drain as she rinsed the pot and set it back where it belonged. "Hewas a bit of a prick; all of them were, really.I'mglad those assholes didn't kidnap me instead of you."

BlackJacksnorted coffee out his fucking nose at that,Spadechoked on his, andJoker'slips curled in a smile over the rim of his cup asIblinked stupidly, waiting for them to recover.

Imay have cracked a smile, albeit a small one.

"Well, look at that,Istill have the ole 'shock and awe' down."Shepoked me in the shoulder, staring down like the cat that ate the canary, all victorious ferocity with her little grin and the glee dancing in her eyes. "Andis that a smileIsee?Gosh,Ace, there's hope for you yet."

Herdemeanor and the cavalier mood at the table had me all out of sorts, like there was a private club assembled, andIwas the only onenota member.Anold, familiar part of me ached to be included, but then the ugly creature that demanded order and a lock on the chaos and unknown reared its head and snapped me back to my senses.

"DoIlooklikeI'min the mood to joke around, girl?"

Beforeshe could shoot back a witty retort,Ishoved my chair back and grabbed her by the wrist, yanking her into my lap.Shestruggled for a brief second, but she went willingly enough, freezing whenIhad her right whereIwanted her.

Spade'slittle escapades worked me up the other day, andIwas reluctant to keep denying myself the pleasure of her flesh when she seemed quite willing to give it up to the others when they demanded it.

IfSpadeandJokercould reap the benefits, then dammit, so couldI.

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