Fair Game (The Rules #1) (13 page)

“Usually the worst looking places serve the best food,” I tell her because it’s true. I learned that a long time ago, traveling as much as I did growing up. The hole in the wall is where all the locals eat. It’s practically law.

“You’re right,” she says as she grabs another shrimp and holds it aloft. “Looks can be deceiving.”

“Definitely,” I agree, never letting my gaze stray from her face. I wonder if she’s referring to me. I can only hope she’s referring to me. She thinks I’m one thing but
fuck
.

I’m tempted to prove to her that I’m another.

T
he second we leave the restaurant my phone dings, indicating I have a text from Gabe.

It’s out of control here dude.

I type out a quick reply.

I could give two shits. Handle it yourself. I’m on a date.

My phone immediately rings, earning me a dirty look from Jade.

“Please don’t tell me it’s one of your skanks,” she says.

“It’s Gabe,” I tell her before I answer the phone. “What the hell do you want?”

“A date?” Gabe asks incredulously. “Give me a break, fucker. Who you banging now?”

“Get a life, asshole.” I’m about to hang up but I hear Gabe yelling at me not to. “What?”

“I was serious when I said it was out of control here. Some dude is losing his ass at the blackjack table and he’s about to come unhinged.”

“Kick him out then,” I suggest, already bored. We’ve had guys lose their shit before when playing our tables. Some don’t know when to stop. Some are up so high with a fat stack of chips in front of them and then they lose everything, which in turn, enrages them. We’ve had to deal with drunken assholes, fights, accusations of theft, and we’ve always been able to bring everything under control.

More like I’ve always been able to bring everything under control. Gabe is useless. He’d rather charm everyone rather than deal with angry people. Tristan isn’t much better.

“He won’t go. He’s drunk as hell and literally gripping the edge of the table like his life is depending on it. Making all the other players nervous, including our dealer.” Gabe pauses and I hear a guttural roar in the background, like something you’d hear in the jungle. “Did I mention he’s about six-foot-five and easily three hundred pounds?”

Exhaling loudly, I let a string of curse words fly, earning a weird glance from Jade. We’re standing beside the front of my car and she’s watching me with curiosity in her eyes. “I’ll be there in a few minutes,” I say before I end the call. Freaking Gabe can’t handle the tough shit on his own. He always leaves it up to me.

“You need to be somewhere?” Jade asks hopefully.

I head over to the passenger side and open the door for her. She gives me an odd look, pausing before she slides inside the car. “Yeah. And you’re coming with me.”

“Oh, no I’m not.” She starts to protest, her mouth opening to spew out something else negative but I shake my head, cutting her off. Then I gently shove her shoulder, pushing her into the car so she has no choice but to land in the passenger seat with a plop. She glares up at me, her green eyes shooting daggers, her pale legs at an awkward angle that draw my attention because she has a great pair of legs, damn it. But I don’t say a word. Just slam the door shut and round the back of the car, opening my door and getting in so I can get the hell out of there.

“You’re taking me back to my dorm,” she says as I start the car. “Right?”

“No.” I press my foot against the gas, making the engine rev. It sounds good. Fucking great. I love this car. It’s fast as fuck and I need that right now because my plan is to go to the house, help drag that gorilla drunk away from the blackjack table and then return my attention to Jade. Fuck this fucking problem and Gabe taking me away from her. Jesus. So much hate for my life right now.

“What do you mean, no?” She sounds furious, which somehow turns me on. I’m fucked. Hearing the anger in her voice actually arouses me and I have no idea why. Angry chicks usually piss me off. Or I walk away from them, not wanting to deal with the drama.

With Jade, every time she gets angry at me—pretty much every time we’re together she’s angry, I can’t lie—all I can imagine is if she’s that passionate when she’s mad? Imagine what she’d be like in bed.

Or on a couch.

Against a wall.

In the shower.

On the floor.

In the backseat of my car.

Clearly, she distracts the shit out of me.

“I mean, this date isn’t over,” I tell her as I throw the car into reverse and wrap my arm around the back of her seat, glancing over my shoulder so I can back out. My fingers dangle treacherously close to her shoulder and I’m tempted to touch her. Just a casual brush of fingers, nothing major.

But I’m nervous that once I touch her, I won’t be able to stop. More like I won’t
want
to stop.

“You took me to dinner. Isn’t that enough?” She crosses her arms in front of her chest, plumping up her breasts and I sneak a glance at them, only to immediately regret it because damn, her cleavage. The girl’s body is bangin’.

“No, it’s not enough.” I keep my gaze focused on the road in front of me, speeding but not too much over the limit. “I just need to make a quick stop. It won’t take long.” Better not take long. I have way more important things to do.

Like Jade.

“Where?”

“There’s trouble at one of the tables,” I mutter, just under my breath, hoping she won’t hear me.

But she must have sonar hearing because she swivels in her seat, her arms dropping to her sides as she stares at me so hard, I bet she’s burning holes in my face. “You’re taking me back to that—gambling house? Oh God, no. I do not want to return to the scene of the crime.”

“The scene of the crime?” She’s hilarious. Says the craziest things.

“Yes. Where we met.” She stares at me with a look that says
duh.
“Remember?”

“Trust me. I remember every detail about that night.”

I can still feel her glaring at me and I’m tempted to say something else but I don’t. It’s best I leave it alone. Focus on driving. Focus on my anger towards Gabe because what the hell. Why can’t he take care of this problem? It’s not that big of a deal.

We arrive within minutes and I park the car out on the street, directly in front of the house. We make any and all so-called patrons of our establishment park down the street so as not to call too much attention and so far since we started this little side business two years ago, we’ve been successful in doing just that.

“I won’t be long,” I tell her as I put the car into park. “A few minutes, tops.”

“I’m staying in the car,” Jade says when I turn off the engine.

“Whatever. It’s your choice.” I don’t feel like arguing. We could go round and round in circles wasting precious time. Besides, she might be safer in the car. I have no idea what’s going on inside.

The moment I enter the house and see the six-foot-five gorilla sitting at the blackjack table with his meaty fingers curled around the edge of the table, his expression one of pure fury, I know it’s a huge deal. This guy is massive. Gigantic. With closely cropped dark brown hair and murder in his pale blue eyes, his face so red he looks ready to explode, all earlier plans of how to approach him evaporate.

“He’s been sitting like that for the past five minutes,” Gabe says out of the side of his mouth when I come to stand beside him. He’s leaning against the wall, his arms crossed in front of him, his gaze never leaving our subject. “Doesn’t move, doesn’t say a word, just his face keeps getting redder and redder.”

“How much has he had to drink?” I evaluate the scene. No one else is currently sitting at the blackjack table. In fact, the entire place is pretty much empty, which is typical of a Sunday night. Business is usually slow. But not this slow.

“Plenty of beer. I don’t think that’s the problem though. He’s been in here before. I recognize him. Name’s Stan. Football player.” Gabe turns to look at me, his expression serious. “I think he’s on something.”

I frown. “Like what?” Drinking happens here. We encourage it. Makes everyone looser with their bets. Drugs? Can’t necessarily escape it because we’re in college and it feels like everyone’s doing drugs. Prescription medication, weed, and cocaine seem to be the drugs of choice lately, but we don’t usually have a problem with anyone getting out of control while under the influence.

“Coke,” Gabe says, shaking his head. “I just spoke to one of his friends. Says Stan here can get real angry sometimes when he’s done too much coke.”

“Fucking great,” I mutter as I start to head over to the table. The dealer—Patrick, great guy, a senior, sad to see him graduate—looks nervous as hell, his gaze skittering to mine briefly before he returns his attention to Stan the Gorilla. “Hey Stan. What’s the problem here?” I keep my voice light, my approach friendly. Don’t want to rile this guy up any more than he already is.

He blinks slowly, his eyes narrowing as he tips his head forward. “Who the fuck are you?”

I wave a hand at Patrick. “Head on out, bro. I got this handled.”

Patrick doesn’t say a word, just scurries his skinny ass out of there like his jeans are on fire.

“I own this place,” I tell Stan, smiling at him. “And we’re just about ready to close down for the night so I’m afraid you’re going to have to leave.”

I swear Stan’s fingers tighten even harder around the edge of the blackjack table. I hope like hell he doesn’t break it. “Fuck you,” he says, his voice slow and thick. “I’m not going anywhere, asshole. Need to win my money back before I leave.”

“Afraid you’ll have to come back another night to do that.” I reach out to grab his arm but he shrugs me off, his expression tight, his eyes dull. The dude is clearly wasted. “Come on, no need to be stubborn.”

“Fuck you and your pansy ass talk. I’m not leaving until I can play enough hands to win back the money I came here with,” he slurs, his head lolling to the side before he snaps back to attention.

Hell. How much did this guy drink? And how much coke did he do? Oh and… “How much did you lose?”

Stan smiles, his eyelids drooping. He looks ready to pass out. “Forty bucks.”

That’s it? Big fucking deal. I got this. I go behind the table where Patrick stood and scan the various chips before I lift my head and meet Stan’s gaze. “Let’s play then.”

H
e is taking way too long and I’m starting to freak out. What if something’s gone wrong inside? They won’t call the cops to handle their problems. What they’re doing is illegal.