“From around here?”
I shook my head.
“That’ll cost you.”
I smirked. “I expected as much.”
“You got a name?”
“Yates. Shawn Yates.”
“And what has this fucker done?”
I tossed a chip into the center as I studied my cards. I wasn’t really here to win. I never was. I came. I lost a little money. I paid my dues to the man. Every once in a while, I took on a whale thatwalked in here pretending he was tough shit. But mostly, I just dealt with Donny.
“Put a hit on his wife.”
“A cop? You sure about that?”
“Either that or he did something to make someone else put a hit on her. I need to know what and why.”
He nodded. “It’ll take some time.”
I raised my eyes and smirked at him. “Not too much time.”
“Of course.”
I glanced at IRIS who was studying his cards, but paying attention to the conversation. However, he’d caught the attention of Bosco. Apparently, that fucker didn’t know when to mind his own business.
“You don’t belong here,” Bosco said, sniffing at IRIS.
“Bosco,” Donny snapped.
“What’s your deal?” he continued. “You come, but you don’t talk?”
“Just here to play poker and drink,” IRIS retorted.
Bosco leaned forward, grinning at him. “And why do I not believe you?”
“Are we going to have a problem, here?” I asked Bosco.
“Nah. Just never seen this fucker before.”
“He’s with me,” I said, narrowing my eyes at him. “That’s all you need to know.”
Bosco flicked his gaze to Donny. “Something ain’t right.”
“Bosco!”
“He shows up after being gone for months, and then he shows up with this prick?—”
He reached for IRIS, which was a mistake. IRIS grabbed his arm, shoving his chair back as he twisted the limb up behind the man’s back and shoved him face-first into the table.
“You want to call me that again, motherfucker?”
I turned to Donny and smirked. “New guys. What can I say?”
“Maybe it’s time you left.”