Page 17 of Deception

“You are not wrong there. As always, you are the wise old seer of my court, Adri.”

He frowns at my comparison. And the nickname.

“Come on,stregone! Show me your magic. Bet you can’t beat me.” He also hates when I call him that.

“I am going to teach you a lesson, and then I’m going to kick your sorry ass back to the lodge.”

I can tell he’s a little buzzed, showing just a hint of irritation. As much as he ever does.

He takes everything in stride most of the time.

“Oh wise Adriano, tell me what we will do to keep from going completely fucking nuts in the lodge for the next few weeks?” I rack the balls, choose a pool cue.

“I've got plenty to do. Reading, music. The lodge has a gym, too.” Adriano’s one of those guys who looks fit, until he takes his shirt off. Then he looks like fucking superhero movie.

“Good point. Seems like we never have enough time back home.”

“Exactly. I’m going to do some things that I never have time for because I'm always babysitting.” Adriano breaks, sinking two stripes.

“Speaking of the twins…how do you think they’re doing?”

“You need to give them a little more credit. They’re smarter than they let on.”

“I’ll give them more credit when they stop burning down nightclubs and getting arrested for public intoxication.” I take a shot, missing horribly.

“Says the guy who used to get wasted and fist fight for cash down at the docks.”

“That was only five or six times.” That he knows about. Dom and I must have fought half the city’s muscle over the years for a buck.

“It’s your own damn fault they keep doing it. You bought the first three nightclubs they trashed.”

“Better than dealing with the cops. But you’re right. I indulged them too much. Too bad they couldn’t join us up here.”

“Can you imagine the four of us cooped up for a week?”

“I think I’d murder the lot of you.”

A chuckle finds its way out, a real grin spreading on my face. I haven’t spent time with Adriano like this in so long.

Of course, three games in, I’m losing badly and cussing up a storm. “When did you get so fucking good?”

“You’re just out of practice.” Adriano shrugs, taking another shot of whiskey.

“I need another beer, then I’ll kick your ass.” I head toward the bar. More folks come in as I wait for my order, some shaking off fresh snowflakes from their coats. Wind rips in every time the door opens, frosty and bitter.

“Just my fucking luck. It has to start tonight, huh?”

“Supposed to go all night, maybe longer. You have a place to stay?” the bartender asks as he slides me my drink. “We have rooms upstairs.”

“Yeah. No, we’re up the mountain,” I answer offhandedly, leaning my arms on the worn wood bar.

He gives me a look of disbelief before setting down my drink and moving on.

Oh yeah. Nobody’s been there in years.

Except the staff that lives here in town most of the time. They’ve worked for my family for generations. And they’re sworn to secrecy about all of it. Can’t beat that kind of loyalty.

An older woman passes me on her way out with her husband. “You boys be careful tonight. Temperature’s dropping.”

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