Page 41 of Poker
-E
Poker darts his eyes up and down the street as if looking for any sign of the letter-writer. His muscles are bunched under his short-sleeved t-shirt and cut, and he’s coiled tighter than a rattler ready to strike.
“Do you think it was Esteban?” I ask, already knowing the answer.
“No.” He wraps his arm around my shoulder as he tucks the note away in his back pocket. “I’ll find out for sure, but I really don’t think so. Whoever it is, it’s the same person writing all of them. They want us running in a million different directions.”
“But who?”
He looks me in the eye and scowls. “I don’t know.”
The weight in those words kills me. Not because he hasn’t figured it out, but because he’s trying so hardtofigure it out… for me.
“C’mon,” he says, pulling me away from my car. “I’ll have one of the prospects pick up your vehicle and bring it home. I’m not letting you out of my sight right now.”
“Okay.”
After helping me onto his Harley, he climbs on in front of me. The ride to my house goes by in a blur. I force myself to focus on the touch of his hand on my thigh, the warmth seeping from his body to mine, the rumble of the bike beneath me. I focus on all the ways this man invades my senses and ignore the fact that there’s someone out there who’s hellbent on terrorizing me.
CHAPTER21
POKER
It’s fucking important.
“It wasn’t me.I may be an evil man, but even I draw the line at scaring or hurting women and children.”
Esteban’s voice is firm, and I believe him. I never really thought it was, but I had to be sure.
“I figured,” I admit.
When we got back to Meri’s house, she was wound so tight, it took a few hours for her to relax enough and fall asleep. She kept telling me she was okay, only angry, but I could see her fear, see the panic in her eyes at every little noise.
As soon as she was out, I came to the living room to make my call.
“Is there anything I can do to be of assistance?” Esteban asks.
We’re not exactly allies, but we’re not enemies either. After this week’s poker game, I’m sure of that. As sure as a man can be anyway.
“I’ll let you know.”
“Please do.”
I’m about to end the call, but a thought occurs to me. “Hey, man, real quick…”
“Yes?”
“Could this be in any way related to the street dealers that were eliminated for poaching our brand?”
I know the answer, but I’m running out of ideas.
“No. Based on what you’ve told me, this started before that.”
“Right. Had to ask.”
“I know.” Esteban sighs, making him seem more relatable somehow. “Poker, if this were my woman, I’d be looking at the men in her life.”
“We are. But we’re also digging into connections to the club. We can’t ignore that it’s her association with me that’s put her in this position.”
