Page 31 of Poker
“Good for her,” I say with a chuckle. “Always did think she needed to get laid to dislodge that stick up her ass.”
Unable to help herself, Meri laughs lightly. “Very true.”
“So, this Diego guy,” I remind her when she doesn’t continue. “He do something?”
Slowly, as if she’s dealing with fine China, Meri sets her beer on the coffee table before plucking mine from my grasp and doing the same. Then she turns and sits sideways so she’s facing me.
“Before I tell you, I need you to take a good look at me and realize that I’m okay.”
Instantly, my muscles tense, and my blood boils. “I’ll fucking kill him,” I snarl.
“Poker, I’m fine. He didn’t…” She takes a deep breath. “He didn’t hurt me, not really.”
“What do you meannot really?”
Meri sighs. “He followed me into my office and pinned me against the wall.” She slips the straps of her dress off her shoulders and tugs it down to reveal the swell of her breasts above the strapless bra she’s wearing. “See, I don’t even have a mark from it.”
“He put his hands on you?”
“Technically, he put his forearm on me.”
“Not helping,” I snap.
Again, she sighs. “He said he just wanted me to give you a message.”
I shoot to my feet and begin to pace. If he did this to get a message to me, then it’s my fault that Meri was in danger. That thought sends my rage spiraling to an almost uncontrollable level.
“What’s the message?” I ask her, my tone clipped.
“He said that you and the club need to stay away from his brother.”
“Who’s his brother?”
“No idea. He said you’d know who he is.”
“What’s Diego’s last name?”
“Um…” Meri rises from the couch, holding her dress in place with one arm, to retrieve her cell from her purse on the kitchen counter. After tapping on the screen a few times, she brings it to show me. “According to Ms. Rogers’ RSVP, his full name is Diego Rivera.”
“That means nothing to me,” I admit.
“Maybe one of your brothers will recognize the name.”
“Yeah, maybe.”
My mind races with possibilities. It’s not like the Soulless Kings don’t have enemies. Hell, we collect them like some people collect stamps. But right now, things are good. No reports of enemies that are a current threat.
I need to call Crow, talk to all of them about this, but when I return my gaze to Meri, I realize the only thing I need to do at this very minute is take care of her and assure her that she’s safe.
She might not be saying it, but she’s not okay.
Grabbing her cell, I toss it onto the couch and then tug her against my chest. “You know I won’t let anything happen to you, right?”
“I know.”
“And I’ll figure this out. Whoever this Diego and his brother are… they won’t come near you.”
“Okay.”
