Page 49 of Outplayed

Smiling, I shrugged. “They find me.”

“How’s Warden?”

“He’s doing well. Now, since I know you’re coming back to the country force, do you mind if I run something by you?”

He grinned. “It wouldn’t be the same if you didn’t. Hit me.”

We talked about a couple of cases I was on while we drank, waited for dinner, and as we ate. I forgot how lost I could get in work and talking about it with someone who knew the line of business.

Sitting back, I rubbed my stomach. “I’m so full, and I’ve done enough talking about business. Tell me, are you moving back with someone special?”

Jim smirked. “You know I wouldn’t have asked you here if I was.”

“But we’re friends, right? Even if you had been dating, engaged, or married, we’d still be friends.”

He winced. “Friends.” He leaned into the table. “I had been hoping you’d say more.”

I thinned my lips, staring at him. “I… um, my… life in that area is complicated.”

He hummed under his breath. “So this was just a catch up between friends in your books?”

It was my turn to wince. I hated I hadn’t been direct to begin with. “I’m sorry.”

Jim shook his head. “No need to apologise, honey. I do love talking to you.”

“Same with you.” I smiled. My eyes drifted over his shoulder and widened.

“Violet?” Jim asked.

He went to glance where I had, but it was too late.

Travis already stepped up beside our table. He reached to the chair behind him and pulled it over before sitting down.

“Ah, are you all right?” Jim asked.

“No,” Travis clipped darkly. His attention was solely on me, completely ignoring Jim. He reached out and took my hand in both of his. My heart jumped. I tried to pull away, but then he started talking, and I stopped moving, and I think breathing. “I love how your hair is so black that in the light it looks blue. I love it when you’re happy, smiling, teasing. I also love it when you get pissed and angry and want to kick me in the face. I love your smile, your eyes, your body, your heart. I loved you back in university, Violet Marcus, and I still love you to this day. I can’t imagine my life without you in it, and I don’t wish to. We’ve already had too many years apart. I’m not willing to lose any more time without you in my days.” Tears threatened, and my chest rose and fell rapidly. Still, he went on, “What happened will never, and I fucking mean goddamn never, happen again. The business is gone—”

I gasped. “Travis.”

“I don’t and will never deal with hookers again. I’ve handed the business over.”

“Travis fucking Stewart,” Jim said, shock and awe in his voice.

Travis once more ignored him, but I worried Jim was putting two and two together and knew exactly who Travis was in the underworld. The biggest pimp in Victoria. From the cunning look in Jim’s eyes, it told me he had.

“Travis, you should—”

“Lettie,” he said softly. “Please, let me make it up to you.”

Jim started laughing as he stood. I pulled my hand away from Travis while he was distracted, watching Jim with a scowl.

Annoyance boiled my blood and yet it cooled, then warmed, and bloody felt like it swirled throughout me over Travis’s words and his action of showing up here in the first place. Still, I focussed on Jim. “Jim, stay, you—”

Jim shook his head. “Honey.” Travis cursed low. “Relax,” Jim offered. “Vi, good luck with this one and your future. I already know I can’t compete with him.”

Wait, what? It was true…. No, I wouldn’t admit that just yet, but Jim didn’t have to give in so easily. “No, it’s—”

Jim’s hand came up. “We’ll talk soon.” His gaze drifted to Travis. “I know who you are.”

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