Page 19 of The Roadie
Tommy pulled his long blond hair into a ponytail and fanned himself with it. “Kiss me like that again, and we’ll have to postpone this card game.”
“Knock it off, you two. We can finally get a decent game of poker going.” Damien said, dealing the cards. He threw a twenty-dollar bill in the center of the table, and everyone followed.
Brett stared at the pile of bills, unaware that they were playing for money. He wasn’t much of a gambler to begin with, but also didn’t carry a ton of cash and certainly couldn’t afford the stakes that these guys were probably prepared to bet. He threw a twenty onto the table anyway. It earned him a tiny smile of amusement from Damien, which lasted a fraction of a second.
Everyone was quiet as they peeked at their two face-down cards, except Jimmy who was tapping a beat on the back of his cards with his fingers. Brett started off with a pair of threes and a queen on the table, and an ace and a ten in his hand. Not the highest pair, but the only pair showing.
After the first betting round and card exchange, Tommy folded, which made Jimmy laugh and nudge Brett’s knee with his elbow. “See? He never bluffs. If he’s got shit, he folds.”
Tommy shrugged. “I just don’t see the need to throw money away.”
“Why the other glass, mi amor?” Angel asked, motioning toward the other smoothie on the table.
“Oh.” Tommy pushed it in front of Damien. “This one’s for you. Alyssa said it’s probably the only time you’ll have fruit in your life.”
Damien directed an exaggerated scowl in his wife’s direction, but it morphed into a tiny smile before he picked up the drink and took a sip.
“No beer for you, Damien?” Brett asked, trying to make conversation with the surly bassist.
“I’m a recovering alcoholic and addict,” Damien sneered. “Everyone knows that.”
Brett didn’t, obviously, and he felt like he just stuck his foot in his mouth.
It was quiet as another round of bets took place. This time, Angel threw down his cards. “That’s it for me. I’m afraid your practicality is rubbing off on me,” he told Tommy.
Damien stared directly at Brett and threw a twenty on the table. “How do you know Kira?”
Brett stared right back at him. “We met at a coffee shop.”
Laughter bellowed from Jimmy’s mouth. “That was some cup of coffee.” He realized he shouldn’t have said anything and tucked his chin into his chest trying to hide his smile.
Great. Kira told Audra, and Audra told Jimmy. If Jimmy told his bandmates, Brett didn’t stand a chance at getting on Damien’s good side, assuming he had one. It shouldn’t matter to Brett what Damien thought, but it did. Because of Kira.
“She’s a good girl,” Damien stated. “She’s not like the chicks that hang around Bulletproof.”
“Dude. All of the guys in Bulletproof are gay.” Brett gave Damien a sarcastic smirk. “Everyoneknows that.”
This time, Tommy was the one who burst out laughing. Only he didn’t try to tone it down. He slapped his knee and fell into Angel, which clearly pissed off Damien.
Brett pulled on his beard, regretting taunting Damien with the guy’s own words. He threw his money into the center of the table and tried to figure out how to relieve the tension between the two.
“Kira’s like a sister to us,” Damien said, still not taking his eyes off Brett. “I’ve known her since she was a teenager. I’d do anything for that girl.”
“Yes,” Angel agreed, but in a much softer tone. “We have very strong family values, and we’re all family here.”
“Not everyone,” Damien pointed out, his jaw set in stone.
Jimmy threw his cards down. “I’m out. You two can just measure dicks and get it over with, instead of showing your cards.”
Damien displayed an evil grin. “Either way, I’d win.”
Brett grunted then pressed his lips together, intent on not letting Damien provoke him, even though his blood pressure was rising. Instead, he turned his attention back to his hand. He still had the pair of threes and the ace, but he picked up another ace on the last card exchange. He had two pairs, aces high. He knew he’d beat the pair of queens Damien had showing, unless the guy had a third lady hidden. While Brett scratched at his beard, contemplating how much money he was willing to lose, Damien threw a fifty on the table.
“Whoa!” Jimmy exclaimed, playfully shaking Brett’s knee.
Everyone waited to see what Brett would do, Damien most of all. That guy knew how to deliver a searing dirty look, but the sinister grin he wore right now was enough to make someone’s blood run cold. Not Brett, though. He didn’t give a shit. Only, he did. Again, because of Kira. He matched Damien’s bet and waited.
After a few seconds, Damien said, “Call.” And turned over his down cards. In addition to the pair of queens, he had a pair of deuces. Brett had the higher pairs. He won. A gloating smile spread across his face as he met everyone’s eyes, then stopped on Damien.
