Page 50 of Reckless Pawn

Oh crap.

I didn't need to turn around to know Houston had found me or that he was pissed. Tension radiated from him like an angry mob pressing down on me.

I had a feeling I was in deep shit this time.

Chapter Seventeen

Houston

He'd barely made it to sleep before Zook called to inform him that his princess had shown up at the casino and taken up residence in the high roller pit.

He could have ignored it and gone back to sleep and for about thirty minutes he tried to do just that. Between Zook and that ice queen Eva running the joint, they could keep her out of trouble for a few more hours. Except he knew how valuable she was to the club at this point and they shouldn't be taking any risks with Izzy's well being.

The patrons at the gambling joint were heavily screened, but not in any relation to Izzy and her father. Until recently the Wrath club hosted more than a few men from Frank's organization. It wouldn't be that hard for any of them to come in tonight and be given a table.

On a deep, frustrated sigh, Houston heaved his tired body from the bed and dressed quickly before he headed up the hill to find the little wanderer who refused to sit still.

Now, staring at her back as she kissed some old fucker's poker chip for luck, all the anger he'd felt earlier came back ten-fold. It didn't matter one tiny inch whether his feelings were justified or not. She'd set him off with her shitty attitude and he needed to fix that shit.

"It's time to go, babe."

She turned at him and glared. "I'm not your babe and I'm on duty right now so I'm not going anywhere."

"It's just an expression and trust me you do not want to make me repeat myself."

The man seated next to Izzy rested his hand on her arm and leaned closer to her. "You should go, Isabella. We old geezers aren't worth the trouble you are headed for. You've been a great hostess. Now be a good girl and listen to the man. It's not safe for you here anymore."

Houston had to bite his tongue not to lash out again. Whoever this dude was, he didn't like him warning his girl she wasn't safe. What the hell was that supposed to mean anyway? He turned and scanned the room, but there were too many people to get a proper read on any of them so he turned back just in time to see Izzy smile at her customer.

Houston froze.

She went from beautiful to stunning every time she did that. And he'd give anything for her to turn that beautiful smile on him again.

He inwardly sighed. He didn't come here to be suckered in by a pretty smile. While she said her goodbyes he worked on trying to harden his heart when it came to her. It would do neither of them any good if he went soft every time he got near her.

"I've just got to tell—"

"I already told Eva you were leaving."

Her eyes narrowed up at him. "That was kinda douchey, don't you think? This is my place of employment."

He decided to let her latest insult slide over him. They could talk about her childish and risky behavior later. "Get whatever you need to get and meet me at the front door. I need to speak with Zook."

"Whatever," she said as she turned away from him and in the direction of the employee back room. He watched her ass sway in her short skirt as he thought about laying her over his lap and spanking the sarcasm out of her.

For a moment he latched onto the vision of those sleek legs and remembered what they felt like wrapped around his waist with his dick buried to the balls between them. He remembered every grip and contour like it was yesterday. Including the sweet sounds that came out of her right before she came.

He groaned. There was nothing more that he wanted right now other than to turn back the clock and finish the week they had started. Sex between them had been more than amazing. It had been more fucking real than anything he remembered. For the first time in more than a decade he felt almost—whole. And it had been ripped away from him. Taken by a cruel bastard he still planned to kill first chance he got.

The blood lust of that kept him going through the bullshit of Frank Mazzeo. There had been so many times Houston wanted to put his fist through the man's face and end him right there on the spot. He'd given his beautiful daughter to a monster without a second thought. But he bided his time instead, waiting for the real monster to make his appearance. When he finally did, JD had yanked him back.

When Izzy disappeared into the back room, he finally turned away and headed toward Zook. His burly club brother looked as intimidating as any bouncer with his wide frame and shaved head. Not to mention the tattoos running down his arms from the sleeves of his black shirt. Zook, short for Bazooka, was also ex-military, which Houston really appreciated. While he liked to razz him about his affiliation with the Army, he respected him for his years of service and dedication to country.

How he ended up Wrath was a story he hadn't heard yet. Maybe one day when he didn't have to worry so much about Izzy's fine ass, he'd sit down with the man and get to know him more.

"Zook, what's up?" They grabbed each other's hands for a quick grip and then released.

He shrugged. "Lot of gambling. Not so much with the girls."

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