Page 18 of Shielding Lexi (Temptation)

“My bluff?”

“Yeah, like your tell. He thinks you’re full of shit, and I played poker professionally for a few years after the military, so he thinks I have some magic skill for seeing through people.”

“Do you?” I ask, looking away for a moment.

Kane shrugs. “If I do, I can’t see it with you. I don’t know what brought you here, but I’m sort of glad for whatever did.”

I smile, and look down at the table, fidgeting with my fingernail, unsure of what to say.

“I mean, I’m glad you’re not hurt, and that it’s us that found you not some weirdo,” he says, straightening his back.

I hold eye contact with him for a second as he fumbles through his words. He’s sweet. But I don’t want to read too much into what he’s saying. Maybe he’s a master at bluffing himself, so I change the subject back to poker.

“So, how do you play Poker professionally? You mean it was your job?”

He nods. “In Vegas.”

“Wait, so you just left the military and went to Vegas to play cards?”

“Play cards and drink,” he laughs, still shuffling the deck. “It was a risk, but I didn’t have much until Reap and I joined in with the Guardians. Besides, I spent so many sleepless nights with my crew in the desert, poker became a nightly thing. I cleaned up pretty good out there in snacks… figured I’d try my skill with real money.”

“Did you win?”

He smiles and raises his eyebrows. “Yeah, I won quite a few times.”

“Let’s do it again,” I say. “Now that I know I’ve beat a big winner, I have to make sure it wasn’t a fluke.”

Kane laughs. “You’ve beaten me. I don’t have anything left to play with.”

I look down at my pile of matchsticks and smile. “How about all or nothing?”

He agrees and deals again. One at a time, I pull my cards up from the table, more invested this time, as though I’m in the poker championship with the best player in the world.

“You look like you’re holding a big hand, Lexi,” Kane says, flicking through the pile of matches, assessing his next big move.

I don’t have a big hand, but it’s what I want him to think. I hold the cards close to my chest and eye him confidently. Drumming my fingers on the table to build anticipation, I fix Kane with the steeliest glare I can muster and throw down a challenge.

“Maybe I do, and maybe I don’t. So it’s up to you now. Are you in or are you out?”

Kane rakes an open palm along his stubbled chin and leans back in his chair. “In.” His blue eyes sparkle with intensity. We’re alone in the room and he’s toying with me.

“How far in?” I ask.

“I amallin,” he answers suggestively enough to make me blush. I lower my gaze, letting my hair obscure my face while I think about my next move. I check my cards again, then lay down two kings, certain I’ve won. The smirk on his face is cocky, and when he lays his cards on the table, I squeal.

“Three of a kind! Fuck.” He’s won the hand, the game’s over, but it doesn’t mean I can’t have a little fun with him. “You win Kane, they’re all yours,” I say, sprinkling the last handful of matchsticks over his head.

He plucks them out of his thick, unkempt mane. “Go on, you can call me an asshole. I don’t mind. At least I’m not the first asshole of the day,” he says with a laugh.

“No, we all know who that honor goes to,” I huff and roll my eyes. “The thing is,” I say, taking the cards into my hand to shuffle. “I don’t even think Reaper’s an asshole. He’s obviously hurting; I just wish you guys would believe me. I wouldn’t hurt anyone.”

Kane reaches out and brushes my hand with his. “I know you wouldn’t, Hawk knows you wouldn’t, it’s just more complicated than that for Reaper.”

One of the window shutters slams against the wall, making me jump, followed closely by Hawk slamming the door shut behind him. A gust of wind follows him into the room.

Kane wipes the matchsticks off the table, stuffing them back into their cardboard box before placing the final one into his mouth. With the red tipped head pointing away from his lips, he rolls the tiny stick around, before clamping his jaw tightly shut.

“Where’s Reaper?” Hawk asks, looking from one of us to the other curiously, like we might have the answer, though neither of us has been outside for hours.

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