Page 41 of Outlaw's Prize

Outlaw places all his card on the table upside down and leans back to rest on the chair’s backrest. He heavily sighs with his proud look rested on Enzo. I might not know a lot about poker but I do know cards aren’t supposed to be facing down.

“Holy shit, he won,” says Jason as he also looks at Enzo. Eva and Tomas stretch their necks to get a better view of Outlaw’s cards.

“What do you mean?” Enzo asks. Outlaw flips his cards over and everyone takes a sharp breath.

“Outlaw wins, the poker dealer announces. Enzo’s face falls and his eyes widen. “How is that possible? I have three of a kind.” He sounds more terrified than he is concerned.

“Mr. Enzo, Outlaw has a royal flush. You can see for yourself,” the dealer states impassionately.

Enzo helplessly rests his back on the backrest. “Fine. People score against me all the time but never win. I am the fucking shark.”

“I can’t remember the last time someone scored against you with a royal flush.”

“Shut up, Eva. Let the game officially begin.”

Enzo stretches as the poker dealer shuffles the cards. I have never seen him that terrified to lose a game or of anything. An even more heated moment follows. No one around the table is talking, not even Enzo with his bragging. Someone finally put him in his place.

Forty-five minutes after the game began, Enzo throws all the cards and chips on the floor as Outlaw is announced the winner.

“I am the fucking shark. No one beats the shark,” he angrily says, standing and throwing the chair he was seated on to the floor.

The poker dealer collects the chips he dropped and slides them all to Outlaw.

‘Based on your agreement before the game, Outlaw has won in a fair fight and his prize is the girl,” Jason says.

I stare at the messed-up table, tears rolling down my cheeks. My worth came down from one point five million dollars to mere four rounds of a poker game. Why do I even bother fighting and enduring trying to make it to the next day?

Enzo is breathing heavily. He leans on the table and looks at me then everyone else. He has earned the attention of most people in the casino.

“You are right. It was a fair fight and we both agreed to the terms. All of you were witnesses. Congratulations, Outlaw, you get to take the girl home,” Enzo says calmly.

“Thank you. And as we are on that topic, I don’t expect you to ever go near her again or contact her. Forget that you ever knew her.”

“That’s kind of funny. That’s the same thing I told the guy I bought her from. I will uphold my end of the deal. From this day forward, Everleigh Harper is dead to me.”

I thought hearing those words from Enzo’s mouth would bring me some relief—they don’t. My breath escalates as I look at the man that is now my new owner. This can’t be how I spend the rest of my life.

“She’s all yours. How you treat her or where you take her is none of my concern,” Enzo adds.

“Thanks,” Outlaw drops two hundred on the table as a courtesy.

He walks around the table to where I’m sitting, taking off his jacket. He rests it on my shoulders and helps me stand. He holds out his hand and I’m unsure of what to do. I look at him with uncertainty. He might think he’s my saving grace but he’s just another devil in disguise.

I glance up at Enzo whose eyes are glued to the table. He doesn’t want to see me being taken away from him. Part of me doesn’t want to find out what awaits me either, but they made a deal. Plus, maybe it won’t be as bad as I think it will be.

I rest my right hand in Outlaw’s, my left holding onto each side of the jacket’s lapel and stand next to him.

“Nice doing business with you, Enzo,” Outlaw says, as he leads me out.

“Yeah, you too,” Enzo mumbles.

I look back as we approach the exit and Enzo is seated, drinking his scotch already. Jason says something to him and Enzo doesn’t shout or throw his glass to the floor. He will be okay and hopefully not hurt anyone.

“You are okay now,” Outlaw says the minute we are out of the casino.

“What do you mean?”

He rests his hand on my shoulder and gently pulls me away from the entrance. “I did not play the game with you as my prize so I could own you. I know what Enzo has been putting you through and all I wanted was to give you your freedom. You do not have to be anyone’s slave anymore or be owned by anyone, Everleigh. You deserve to live your life however you want to, go wherever you want, and do whatever you want. No one should have the right to tell you how to live your life. Now you can go wherever you want right now; I won’t stop you. Or, maybe I was mistaken and took you from Enzo based on a wrong judgment. You can go back in there and…”

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