Page 19 of Mates & Mercenaries

I doubt those are their real names. Creed should have probably done the same thing, but he doesn’t seem to be at his smartest right now. I’ve always trusted his judgement, I’ve never had any reason not to distrust him, but this is a little odd. I can only go along with it because I don’t want to fuck this up.

“So, who do you guys work for?” Creed asks, though I’m not sure if Creed is really playing it cool enough.

“Why you asking that?” Dean’s eyebrow is cocked up high. “Who doyouwork for?”

“We’re guns for hire, looking for work.” This great idea just comes to me, so I spit it out because I don’t want to be the silent weirdo who doesn’t have anything to contribute. “You know anyone?”

“We have heard some good things about the New York pack.” Creed shrugs like it’s nothing. Actually, he might be playing this better than I thought. “Whoever we work for, we want it to be the best. There’s no point otherwise.”

Dean looks a little impressed by this, but, unfortunately, Kyle doesn’t seem to feel the same way. He has his eyes narrowed at us like we’re the enemy. I mean, we are, but we don’t want him to have figured that out already.

“I don’t think so,” Kyle snaps. “Our boss isn’t about to take in strangers. No chance. Do you think we will still have our heads if we take you there?”

“You don’t want some decent gun slingers working for you?” Creed laughs. “I think your boss will be more likely to take your head if you let us slip through your fingers.”

Kyle leans over the table, closer to Creed. “And how exactly are you going to prove to me that you have any skills? Because I can’t imagine you have anything.”

“I can’t prove it to you in here, but I could if you set up a meeting with your boss.” Creed is relentless.

“You aren’t going to talk me into anything,” Kyle scoffs. “I’m not about to be fucked over by some random idiots trying to act like they can make it work with the big boys. You have no fucking idea. None at all.” He looks at Creed with disgust.

I need to step in and smooth things over. “Why don’t we wager for it? Since we aren’t playing for money.”

“What the hell are you talking about?” Kyle snaps. “My boss’s attention isn’t something that can be won in a card game. That’s not how this shit works. Are you insane?”

I throw my hands up in a surrendering gesture. “Okay, if you’re worried about losing, then just say so. I bet any boss would love to know that we hustled our way into a meeting. It shows tenacity and determination. Something that we can continue proving with our work for him. I’m sure if you told him this story, he would be all for it.”

The chatter from the rest of the bar continues around us, but it’s like we’re trapped in a bubble and anything going on out there can’t affect us. I stare Kyle down, refusing to even blink because I’m so determined to make this work.

“Oh, go on.” Dean nudges Kyle in the side. “This could be kinda entertaining. You know this novice isn’t going to beat you. Look at him, he doesn’t know how to play.”

I’ve been playing badly because I feared we might get our asses kicked if either of us won a round, but now that actually works out in our favor. I can give it my all now and hopefully earn us a meeting.

Confidence surges through me as Dean deals the cards, but I shoot him a weak little smile, still playing the role of a non-threatening beginner card player.

Kyle does his best to trap me by playing a really fast game. I must surprise him when I can keep up, because I can almost see the color draining from his cheeks. I hope this doesn’t end up screwing everything up, but surely he’s made a deal now and has to keep it. I bet that’s some kind of honor or code.

“Whoa,” Dean laughs, just as shocked but not as upset as Kyle. “It’s starting to look like we’re going to have to set up a meeting after all.”

Kyle’s cheeks now go red. “Will you fuck off, Dean? I’m going to win this hand. Don’t be an asshole.”

I catch Creed’s eyes and he offers me a slight smile. I’m still grateful to have him on my side for the time being. If I can make this work, maybe he won’t hate me for kissing Skylar.

“Fuck,” Kyle mutters, because he knows how this ends. “Oh hell…”

When I win, he throws the rest of his cards on the table and groans with irritation. After a string of curse words, he gets to his feet and pulls a business card out of his pocket, which he then hands to me.

“Much as I don’t like this, it is a bet, and I will honor that. So meet us here, Friday night at nine p.m., and I will put you in touch with our boss. I can’t promise you work, but I can put you in front of him. Whatever comes next is up to him.”

I nod and take the card with me as Creed and I leave the bar.

“Holy hell, Rex, you did it!” he cries out happily once we’re back in the car. “I didn’t think you could, but you did. Now we can find out who these goons are working for and what they know about Skylar. I bet we can figure this shit out this week.”

Then what?I wonder, but I don’t think it’s something that either of us wants to talk about. Once the threat is out the way, we can go back to normal. A normal that might not involve Skylar.

I don’t like the idea of that at all.

Then again, if Skylar does remain in our lives, then we need to figure out how to navigate everyone’s feelings. That won’t be easy either. We might be in the middle of a nightmare now, but it could always get worse.

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