“Dillon, this isn’t your fight. My life savings is on the line.” If you had a million dollars hanging in the balance, you would do the same thing.
“Fuck,” Dillon said. “You’re not going to listen to me, are you? Don’t answer that.” He grabbed the back of his neck then glanced at Tommy. “Reserve two spots for Lizzie and me. I’ll call in my marker with Duke.”
“No way.” Dillon had helped me way too much since I’d been in Boston. “I can’t ask you to do that. I can borrow the money myself.”
“Time is of the essence.” Dillon continued to hold his neck. “We need to get on the list and pay the ante before those last three spots are taken. Duke knows me. This will be faster.”
I couldn’t argue too much with his reasoning. Plus I was desperate. “Then I’ll pay you back.” Hopefully I would have the money to do so.
Tommy chuckled. “Dude, they’re going to eat her alive. You better teach her your tricks of the game.” Then he addressed me, but flicked his head at Dillon. “You know, this guy here is one of the best poker players I know.” Tommy smirked as he left us with that piece of info.
My mouth dropped open. Not because Dillon knew how to play poker, but because the more I learned about him, the more I realized that fate was in the driver’s seat in bringing us together.
“Are you sure about this?” Dillon asked, beer in hand.
“Never been more sure.” If I sat around and did nothing, I’d lose all my parents’ hard-earned money. “So you’re good at poker?”
“Learned how when I was working on the merchant ships.”
“And Duke. Is he a loan shark?”
“He is, but he’s also my brother.”
“What?” Dillon had never mentioned anything about a brother.
“We don’t talk much,” he said before downing his beer. “But we do help each other out when necessary. Enough about Duke. It’s time to focus on preparing you for the game.”
I wanted to know more about Dillon and his family, but he was right. The poker game was the priority, and if he didn’t want to talk about his family, I would honor that. He would tell me in his own time if he wanted to.
“Let’s get started then.” I let out a shaky laugh.
23
Kelton
I trudged downstairs and into the kitchen to get coffee and pain medication. After I’d rammed my fist into several walls and the window of my Jeep, Kross had had to take me to the emergency room, where we’d spent the majority of the night waiting for a doctor. The end result? I’d fractured all my knuckles but the one on my pinky finger.
I took two Advil, and Kross stumbled in with his shirt in hand. “Where’s the coffee?”
“You look worse than me. And I’m the one bandaged up.” I prepped the coffee pot. “Didn’t you sleep?”
“It was tough when all I kept smelling on the pillow was jasmine.”
My finger slipped off the power button on the coffeemaker. Lizzie. Yeah, she had no place in my thoughts, not until I got my head screwed on properly. No Lizzie in my life until I knew what responsibilities I had to Chloe. I also wanted to lower the volume on wild Kelton. I wouldn’t change my values, but I couldn’t be acting out by sleeping around or posing for Brew’s art class. I also had to get serious about what I wanted for my future.
“Yeah, Lizzie slept in that room the other night.” I stabbed the on button again. Within seconds, the coffeemaker gurgled, and coffee dropped into the carafe.
“Speaking of Lizzie. Have you heard from her?” Kross rubbed an eye.
“Seriously, dude? That girl wants nothing to do with me.” I pushed away the idea that I didn’t have a chance with Lizzie.
“We talked about this last night. Get your life in order. She’ll be there when you’re ready.”
“And what if she’s not? What if the baby is mine? What then?”
“Whoa! Slow down, bro. One thing at a time.” He shrugged. “So what if the baby is yours? You’re not marrying Chloe. You can date Lizzie. You’ll just have a kid.”
As realistic as that sounded, it was highly unlikely. Lizzie had a jealous streak. She might be okay with the baby, but not with Chloe.
“Call Chloe.” Kross pinned me with one of his if-you-don’t-I’ll-kill-you expressions.
I’d ignored Chloe’s repeated calls the day before until I’d gotten my hand examined. By then it had been too late to deal with anything, and part of me wasn’t ready anyway. But if I wanted to start my new life, I had to confront my responsibilities. I snatched my phone from my jeans, then texted Chloe to meet me at the townhome that morning if she could.
My phone buzzed with a response. I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.
“Can you hang?” I asked. “Chloe’s on her way. You might have to pick me up off the floor.” Or maybe take me back to the emergency room. This time for a heart attack.
“No problem. I have nothing going on today.” He made himself a cup of coffee. “I’ll be in the library. I need to check messages.”