Page 18 of The Heart

Luke returns, setting down a tray full of even more tequila shots and a pitcher of water.

“So the rumors are true. You guys really did take down the Jack of Spades!” She looks between the three of us in awe.

“Don’t look at me,” I say with a chuckle. “I’m the damsel in distress in this story.”

I reach for another shot.

“No you aren’t,” Ava states assuredly and I give her a questioning look. “I have a friend from school, he’s a reporter now, and he says that the Card is scrambling, trying to find someone to take over. They’re all out of sorts after losing so many, sure, but theirleader?You killed The Jack, Leena Hart. You’re kinda famous, and not just because you were born into the Deck,” she says, then focuses back on her fries, the plate nearly picked clean.

I take a moment to think about her words.

Theirleader?I didn’t even realize that’s what I did. The man had a gun pointed toward my men, and I had to protect them. So I shot him.

But their leader? Shit.

I glance at my guys, who don’t seem one bit surprised by this revelation.Of course they already knew.

There’s a sinking feeling in my stomach as I process the repercussions of my actions. It’s bad if you kill the leader of one of the Cards. Really bad. But, as Ava pointed out, I was born into the King of Hearts. It doesn’t matter that I ran away from home at sixteen and I’ve had no part in what goes on with the Deck, they’re going to come after me again.

This time, it will be so much worse.

I look over at Sebastian, who is already over this whole conversation and is standing a few feet away, taking a shot and laughing with Colton. My eyes trail over to Luke, who is back in his chair, but he’s staring off at nothing.

And that just won’t do.

This is Bar Night. We’re celebrating another successful op and a new member of our team, so there’s no way I’m letting him sulk. I grab two shots off the tray and shimmy out of the booth in my dress, chuckling at how difficult it is while drunk. I hand Luke his shot then find my place on his lap. I wrap an arm around his neck and he looks up at me, those blue eyes still a little sad.

I hold my glass up to his.

“To being here, in this moment, together and safe,” I whisper so only he can hear.

We stare at each other for a long moment, his mouth slowly raising as our glasses stay locked, suspended between us.

We each down our shots, and when my eyes find his again, he’s smiling. That broad, real smile. His blond hair is falling over his eyes, so I push it back before tipping his lips up to mine. The kiss is brief, but still, it probably isn’t the type that’s appropriate in public. Or in front of our employees.

But I don’t fucking care, he needed it.

“Hold up,” Ava states. I turn toward the table, reaching out to set mine and Luke’s empty glasses onto it before looking up at her. She’s pointing between me and Luke, then she’s looking past us and pointing at Sebastian. “I thought that…” She furrows her eyebrows, studying how Luke and I are practically plastered to one another. “I thought,” she starts again, scratching her head. Colton and Sebastian must notice her reaction, because they both burst out laughing behind me.God, I love to hear them laugh.

Love to hearSebastianlaugh, I correct myself.

Then I’m being dragged from Luke’s lap by a pair of large hands. And I’m so fucking drunk right now, he could do whatever he wants with those hands.

Bathroom lock be damned.

Sebastian tucks me behind him, and I hold on to his thick bicep, peering around his large frame just in time to see him grab Luke by the front of his dress shirt, leaning in close.

“Did you just kiss my fucking girl?” Sebastian seethes, and if I didn’t already know these two men have a constant hard on for each other, I might think they are actually about to murder one another right here in this bar.

Luke stands, getting right up in Sebastian’s face in a standoff that has me immediately remembering that I’m not wearing underwear.

“Yup,” Luke says, then takes off across the room. Sebastian jumps over Luke’s chair chasing after him. We all watch wide-eyed as they wrestle each other up until a very serious looking security guard breaks up the two men who are all smiles.

“Ava,” Colton says, wrapping a steadying arm around me, which I appreciate. She looks back at us, her eyes wider than they’ve been all night from the shock of watching her bosses nearly beat the shit out of each other. “You’ve officially been hazed. Leena’s with both of them. Welcome to the fucking team.” He raises his water glass to her with a smirk. I chuckle from under his arm.

Ava laughs, but then her face drops when she looks at me.

“Wait. Are you fucking serious?” she says quickly.

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