Page 21 of Poker
“It is easy,” he says, making me realize I spoke my thought out loud. “I like you, you like me. Simple as.”
I huff out a breath, but before I can argue, he presses a soft kiss to my lips.
“Now, I don’t know about you, but that steak is screaming my name,” he says, his tone light. “Let’s eat.”
And just like that, the tension disappears, and we spend the rest of the evening just enjoying one another’s company.
CHAPTER11
POKER
I’m fucking trying, Pres. I’m fucking trying.
“Any news on Esteban?”
Screamer and I exchange a glance at the mention of the man we faced off with a week ago. Even though he held up his end of the deal and dealt with those in his crew who were appropriating the club’s brand, we decided to put Tracer on him to see what he could find out about hisbusiness.
Know thy enemy and all that.
“I had one of my contacts make a buy from his crew,” Tracer begins. “While our brand wasn’t being used, the one on this batch of powder isn’t exactly good news.” He tosses a baggie into the middle of the table, and Crow snatches it up. “It’s a fairly new brand, but it links back to the cartel.”
“You’ve gotta be kidding me,” Journey snaps.
“It’s bad enough we’ve gotta deal with low-level idiots, but the cartel?” Jackyl gripes. “How are we supposed to go up against that?”
“We’re not,” Crow says matter-of-factly. “As long as they keep our name out of their business, we don’t have beef with them.”
“Uh, Pres?” I interrupt.
“What?”
“Maybe it’s time we start discussing whether an alliance with the cartel would be beneficial.”
“You really want to be in bed with them?” Python asks incredulously.
“He wants to be in bed with Meri, but?—”
“Don’t you fucking dare finish that sentence,” I snarl at Screamer. “And no, I don’t want to be in bed with the cartel, but we’d be stupid not to at least consider the pros of an association with them.”
“If we’re gonna talk pros, we need to talk cons, too,” Ghost adds. “Can’t have one without the other.”
“Maybe you could get Esteban into one of the poker games,” Stunner, our treasurer, suggests. “You’re always talking about how you can learn a lot about a man based on how they play cards.”
Instantly, I bristle. “Not happening.”
“Why?” Crow demands.
“I’m not about to put Meri in that position.”
“Wait a sec,” Ghost says. “You want the club to trust him, but you don’t trust him with your girl? How the fuck does that make sense?”
My girl?
“Doesn’t Meri have a security team?” Journey asks, not giving me a chance to lose my shit on Ghost.
“Yeah, she does, but?—”
“And if you’re there, she’ll be safe,” Screamer adds. “Besides, I’m with you. I don’t think Esteban is a threat to her safety or ours. As long as we don’t cross him, that is.”
