Page 47 of Enforcing the Rules

“A problem?”

“Like when you stared over my shoulder at the wall the last night. I knew I needed to speak softer to you. You were nervous, and I wasn’t making it better.”

God, this man. He read me like a book.

He grinned. “I guess you could say that’s your tell.”

The waitress brought the beer and set a small plate with two eggrolls. I took one and bit into it, then spoke around the mouthful. “My tell? Like in poker?”

“Yep. Dead giveaway something’s wrong.” He took a sip of beer. “I’ll always know.”

“And how will I know when something’s bothering you?”

“Guess you’ll have to figure that out on your own.” He swallowed his eggroll in three bites. “Though, if I’m upset, it probably won’t be a secret. You’ll know it.”

“Oh really? Do you shout? Hit? Punch a hole through the wall?”

“I’ve been known to do all three. But never with a woman.”

“Good to know.”

Our food came, and we ate and chatted about easy things like our favorite movie, ice cream and vacation spot. Him: Guardians of the Galaxy, Butter Pecan, and Vegas. Me: Pirates of the Caribbean, Mint Chocolate Chip, and Lake Tahoe.

At one point, he stared at me. I pushed the food around my plate. “What?”

“Nothing, just lookin’ at you, pretty girl.”

“I’m not pretty.” I glanced at him and frowned. “Why are you making that face?”

“Because you keep saying stupid things with yours.”

“I’ve never been pretty. I barely dated in high school.”

“Then the boys were fools. I’m glad they were fools, because now you’re here with me and not married straight out of high school to some redneck loser who didn’t deserve you.”

“You say the sweetest things.”

“I do, don’t I?”

We both laughed.

We finished and headed to the front. Utah stopped at the register to pay.

“I’m just going outside to get some air.”

He nodded, and I walked outside.

A car came up he street and slowed. It was a black sedan.

The window rolled down, and Ruiz stared at me from the passenger seat. The car stopped.

“Time’s ticking, sweet thing.” He grinned an evil grin, and I noticed this time he had a gold tooth. His eyes moved behind me as the door to Peking Palace swung open. He ducked into the shadows of the car as the dark tinted window slid up and they sped off.

Utah came up to my side, his eyes following the sedan. “Who was that?”

“No one.” Ruiz had seen Utah, and the sight of him was enough to make that dirtbag drive off. I filed the information away.

“No one?” Utah pressed.

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