Page 104 of The Games We Play
“What did he ask you to do?” King asks, and the club settles again.
Spark rubs the back of my neck with his thumb. “He wanted some specific things. Wanted her to form a relationship with me so she could spy on me and the club. As sergeant at arms, I’d have the logistics to stuff, but everything is always secured.”
Clutch’s eyes narrow on me. “Did you compromise us?”
I shake my head. “No.”
“Because you couldn’t find anything, or ...” King lets the sentence hang but tips his chin at Spark.
“Or,” I say quietly, looking up at Spark.
Niro makes a vomiting sound.
“You two get any cuter and you’ll overtake Clutch and Gwen on the saccharine scale,” Bates mutters. “And my teeth already fucking hurt watching the two of them.”
Clutch smacks the back of his head.
King nods. “I need you to wait outside, Iris.”
My heart drops. I want to be here for all of it. “No. I can tell you what he specifically asked. About routes and some other things. I can—”
“Out. Side,” King repeats, and his tone tells me I have no options.
“I’ll be right out, little chick,” Spark says.
“Be safe,” I whisper, and he gently touches my chin with his knuckle.
“Safety is my specialty.”
The door closes unceremoniously.
With that, I’m on the outside again. The feeling of being alone engulfs me as I look around the empty bar area. I can see the pool table and smell the lingering scent of tobacco.
I gnaw at the side of my nail as I wait. I can hear raised voices, but the door ensures I can’t make out exactly what is being said. Someone slams something, I think, like the sound of a palm hitting a table. I hope it isn’t Spark getting hurt. He doesn’t deserve to be embroiled in all this. But somehow, a peace settles inside me.
There’s awethat starts and ends with me and him.
He’s going to do whatever he has to.
And I will do what I have to.
When the door opens, Spark leaves first. He doesn’t say anything, simply fists his hand in my hair, and buries his face against my neck. I wrap my arms around him and breathe in the scent of him. The zesty scent of his shampoo, his hair still damp. Beneath it, the comforting smell of leather.
“Is everything okay?”
Spark nods, and I rub his back.
Halo walks by and slaps Spark’s shoulder. “Solid move, brother.”
Spark nods.
I look up at him, and for the first time, he finds it hard to meet my eyes. “What did you do?”
“I proposed we make it right with your uncle. And, technically, you.”
My heart stutters. “What do you mean?”
“My first thought was we should fight him. But this is just going to keep growing. Festering. It’s an old wound. The club is going to pay your uncle back for the cash that was seized that night with interest, as a goodwill gesture to stop this.”
