One wearing an orange vest asked, “Can I buy you a beer, darling?”
As much as I could use something strong to drown my sorrows, I needed my wits about me. I was in a shady part of Boston about to meet with a creepy dude who gave me the willies. “Thanks, but I’m not of legal age yet.”
“You don’t have to be in this bar,” Orange Vest Guy said.
I wasn’t surprised.
The bartender returned. “Tommy will be right out. Drink?”
“Water.”
After he’d handed me my beverage he waited on the other patrons. I coddled my water like it was my lifeline. Customers came in, waitresses waited on tables, and a low hum of music played in the background.
All that dimmed as several images flashed through my mind with the speed of the shutter on a camera—Kelton stroking my hair while I lay in his lap watching Transformers. Me telling Kelton I loved him. Kelton and I entangled in his bed. I lingered on that image. It felt so good to be in his arms and feel his arousal, his lips on me. Stop tormenting yourself. Stop thinking about what could’ve been.
Someone tapped my hand. I blinked to find Tommy sitting next to me with his thin lips curled downward.
“Your mascara is running.” He attempted to touch my face with dirty fingers.
I slapped away his hand.
He scowled. “Did you and Dillon break up? Is that why you’ve been crying?”
I wiped my face but then stopped. My appearance didn’t matter. “Did you find out yet who’s on the list for that poker game?”
“Pete, can you refill her glass?” Tommy asked.
A gust of cold air hit my back as the door opened. Then a hand landed on my shoulder.
I whirled on the barstool and found Dillon.
He took one look at me and growled, “Tommy? Can you give us a minute? Thanks for calling me.”
Tommy disappeared faster than the speed of light.
Dillon dropped into Tommy’s seat.
Pete came over. “Drink?”
“Beer. Any kind will do. Lizzie, what happened? Why are you here?” His tone was as deadly as his growl.
Pete slid a bottled beer to Dillon.
I must’ve been daydreaming a long time for Dillon to have had time to get there. “I have to find Terrance. The lawyer is working to freeze my assets, but a judge has to approve it. Which means it could be weeks, and Terrance will have free rein with my money until then. Zach is being a butthead, avoiding me. Oh, and Kelton got Chloe pregnant.” Saying all that out loud made bile burn my throat.
He almost spit out his beer. He dragged his hand across his mouth. “I wouldn’t tell if you wanted something harder than water.” His brown eyes held sympathy.
My tears threatened to fall again.
He covered his hand with mine, warm and comforting.
I sucked in my lips, my tear ducts opening up. I hated to cry, and in a public place no less. Dillon muttered Kelton’s name under his breath as he wrapped one arm around me. I turned into him. His chest was solid muscle contrasting with the softness of his musky T-shirt. I desperately needed someone to hold me. I just wished it was Kelton.
He rested his chin on my head. “I wouldn’t mind having a go at Maxwell if you want.” He sounded so angry.
Fighting wouldn’t erase the emotional pain.
“Dillon,” Tommy said, his voice close by.
I sniffled as Dillon released me.
“I just got off the phone with my contact,” he said. “The date of the poker game changed. It’s next weekend at Frank’s in the North End. And your boy, Terrance Malden, is on the list of players. If you want in, there’s three spots left. The buy-in is ten Gs per person.”
My tears dried up. Terrance would be in town. I had my opportunity. Then nausea doused my excitement at the cost of the buy-in. I didn’t have that kind of money. But I had to find a way in. I had an idea.
“Sign me up,” I said to Tommy.
Dillon’s eyes bugged out.
“No offense, sweetheart,” Tommy said, “but do you have ten large? Or even know how to play poker?”
“We can wait until the game is over to talk to Malden.” Dillon wore an are-you-serious look.
“I’m not taking the chance we’ll miss him or he’ll skip town. And I don’t care that I don’t know how to play poker.” The game was all about bluffing anyway. Above all else, if I could get in the game, I would have Terrance’s attention. He wouldn’t be running from me or skating out of town or ignoring my calls. I eyed Tommy. “Do you know a loan shark I could contact?” I would bet the city was rife with them.
“Lizzie?” Dillon said as calmly as he could. “I can’t let you go into a poker game run by the Italian mob. Or let you borrow money from a loan shark.”
“I do know several of them,” Tommy said quite proudly.
“Shut up,” Dillon barked at Tommy.