Page 12 of Play to Win

Given my strained relationship with my own brother and the fact that her asshole brother tried to pimp her out to some mobbed-up bookies he was stupid enough to do business with, I have a hard time mustering a lot of sympathy.But the look in her eyes—sad, forlorn, hopeless—tugs at something inside me.

Hold the fuck up.Is she after something?I can’t get suckered by a hard-luck story from a Vegas cocktail waitress I don’t even know.This could be a total con job.

I’m smart, but I’m not always the best judge of people, which I’ve learned the hard way.

Her smile seems sweet and sincere ...she genuinely seemed terrified of those dudes.She can’t be pulling a con on me.Can she?

“You care about him.”I manage to sound empathetic rather than suspicious.

“Yeah.”Her lips droop and she drops her gaze to the amber liquid in her glass.“He’s the only family I have.”

“Christ.Iwishmy brother was the only family I had.”

She turns shocked eyes on me.

“In fact, I wish I didn’t have a brother.”

Her mouth drops open.“You don’t mean that!”

“Okay, maybe not all the time.”The truth is, I actually miss my brother like hell, even though I’m pissed at him.“But sometimes ...yeah.My family’s, uh ...well, basically we’re one tent short of a full-blown circus.”She has no idea who my family is, so I feel okay saying this.If anyone else criticizes my family though, they’ll wear their dick as a necklace.

She laughs.“Well, at least youhavea family.”Then her expression shifts as if she too is realizing the extent of her brother’s betrayal.And I feel in my gut that she’s not making all this shit up.“On the other hand, maybe you’re right.Life without family would be a lot easier.If I only had myself to worry about ...I’d be golden!”Her face clears and she tosses back more Jack Daniel’s.

“There you go.”I clink my glass against hers.“Seriously though, when you’re dealing with addiction, bailing them out isn’t really helping them.They need to hit rock bottom and figure things out themselves.The only one who can save him ...is him.”

She scrunches up her face adorably, then huffs.“I know.I know.I went to a few Gam-Anon meetings.It’s just easier to say than to do when ...well.”

“I get it.”Probably if my brother was on fire, and I had a glass of water ...I’d drink it.No.I’d save him.Maybe.“Well, we have something in common.My brother fucked me over too.”

Her eyes round.She sips her drink.“Really?How?”

“He stole my girlfriend.”

“Oh no.”

I make it sound casual, like we were fourteen or something, but it was anything but casual.It basically ripped my guts out.I shrug.“She cheated on me with him, I caught them together, kicked her out, and they ended up together.”

She blinks, drawing my attention to long, thick eyelashes.“Oh wow.That really sucks.How could a brother do that?”

I give her a look.

“Oh.Yeah.”She drops her gaze again and sighs.“People really suck, don’t they?”

“Sometimes, yeah.”I study the curve of her cheek, the arc of her lips, the strands of hair around her face—I’m not sure of the color ...blond?Light brown?Her skin is perfect, smooth and glowy, all the way down from her cheeks to the opening of her dress that reveals more curves ...enticing and lush.My gaze wanders farther, to the hem of the dress riding up on smooth thighs.My groin tightens.

Ah hell.

Yeah, yeah, I’m attracted to her.But it’s my last night in town and even though the guys joked about it, I’m not out to get laid.

I wouldn’t do that to Lacey anyway, since she’s had a rough day.Rough ...years, even, it sounds like.

“I should go, I guess.”She doesn’t move.

“What are you going to do?About those bookies your brother owes money to?About your brother?”

“I don’t know.But I always figure things out.”She smiles and it’s thin but genuine.“Really.”

“I believe you.”She shouldn’t have to figure shit like this out.It’s not fair.“Where are you going to go?It sounds like they know where you live.”I frown.“You can’t go home.”

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