Page 29 of Hell or High Water

“I know Than’s poor company, but I’m charming as hell. Come on out. I’ve got Italian food, and it smells incredible.”

Glaring at his back, I considered throwing his ass out the front door.

“Oh, okay. Yeah, that sounds good.”

Gathe stepped back and gave her just enough room to walk out. Then his eyes lifted from her perfect body, barely covered up with that outfit she had on, to me, and he mouthed,Fuck, then blew out a breath.

That was the tightest top she’d worn yet.

“Why are you here?” My question sounded like a growl.

“Linc thought you might want to run home, get some clean clothes, that kind of thing.”

Oh, fuck no. I was not leaving him here alone with her. Had Linc lost his goddamn mind?

“I’m good. You can go.”

He frowned. “Go? Jayda sent me food too. I’m here to eat.” He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a deck of cards. “And after, how about a little game of cards? No big money, just small bills.” He leaned closer to Montana. “You play cards?”

She shook her head. “Not really, but I’m a quick learner.”

His grin turned into a full-on beam. “I bet you are,” he said, then winked.

She laughed. There it was again. She never laughed like that for me.

Twelve

Montana

I hadn’t been sure I was going to come back out of the bedroom and eat anything tonight. But I was glad Gathe had shown up because I was hungrier than I’d realized. The lobster and cheese stuffed noodles were delicious, and Gathe kept things from being uncomfortable like it had been with Than’s silence. Unlike Than he asked me about my day, and he threw back his head with a shout of laughter over the fact that Crew had wanted my number.

Than mostly kept to his silent routine. He did, however, pull a bottle of whiskey out of the cabinet. I noticed his last name on the label and wanted to ask about it, but didn’t. Gathe offered me a glass even though Than had not, but I turned it down.

Once the bar was cleaned off from our dinner, Gathe tossed the deck of cards onto it, then pulled out his wallet. “Fifty buy-in good for everyone?” he asked, holding up what looked to be two twenties and a ten.

I started to say yes, but Than spoke first.

“No buy-in. If we’re playing, it’s for fun only,” Than told him, saying more than he’d said since I had come out of the bedroom.

Gathe frowned. “You go broke since the last time I saw you?”

Than scowled at him. “No. Not because of me.” Then he glanced in my direction.

“I can afford fifty dollars,” I replied, then walked back to the room to get it out of my purse.

“She said she can afford it,” I heard Gathe say.

Than’s response was spoken too low for me to hear. I smirked and pulled out my money, then returned to the bar and sat down on a stool before placing my fifty beside Gathe’s.

“She’s in, man. Stop being so damn sour and get your wallet out,” Gathe told Than, taking the stool beside mine. “I’ll teach you before we start playing for money. We will go through a few hands first,” he assured me.

I nodded, then glanced up to see Than watching me while he took his money and put it with ours. I didn’t smile, but I wanted to. He shook his head, as if I were being stupid, and went to stand on the other side of the bar with his glass of whiskey.

“Get a stool,” Gathe told him.

“I’m good.”

Gathe shrugged, then began to shuffle the deck. “Okay, in Texas Hold’em, it’s about having the best five cards on the table,” he began explaining, and I pretended to give him my full attention.

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