Page 70 of Ransom

Necessary. "Maybe. But I couldn't change it. All I could do was look forward. So I found my brothers, and then I used my skills to get us the fuck out of there."

"What does that mean, used your skills?"

"I'm a bit older than my brothers, and I didn't wait to get out of there. They don't chase you when you take off, so I started playing in underground games. Poker games. I won. A lot."

Maggie's mouth drops open, then a bark of laughter escapes. "Oh my god!" She turns to Blair. "Did he ever beat you when we were kids?"

The corner of Blair's lips curve. "He came close. Once."

Maggie whistles and slaps Blair on the arm. "Jeez. You always said you were an excellent poker player, but when you're seventeen, that doesn't mean a damn thing. Only…I guess you were right?"

"She was right," I say, smiling down at Maggie. "Blair is a fucking poker genius. I didn't really realize it either, not at first. But when I found that first game, all I had was twenty bucks in my pocket. I figured it was worth a shot. And I won. More than won. I fucking destroyed them. So I took my winnings and rolled that into another game, then another. After a few months, I saw an opportunity, and I took it." I stop as the man in front of us finishes his order and moves to the side. Frannie looks up at me and grins.

"You're back! Hi, Maggie. Hi, Blair. The usual?" The women all trade smiles and small talk. I only interrupt to double the muffin order and ask for a large black coffee.

"Black coffee? Seriously? You're missing out, Ransom. Why don't you live a little and try something else?" Maggie says, nudging me.

A few minutes later, we're grabbing a small table outside, and I'm taking a sip of my mocha. It's fucking amazing.The muffin is still steaming, with chunks of apple and cinnamon hitting mytongue. "Holy fuck," I mutter, mouth full. Maggie laughs, and Blair smiles.

So, of course, I choke on my muffin.

Because that smile is even more powerful than I remember.

Shit. I am so stupid. Why the fuck did I stay? This is such a big mistake.

Maggie pats my back as I cough, and finally, I manage to clear my throat. "Jesus, I nearly died. I'm serious, I saw an angel." I wink at Maggie, and she rolls her eyes, and for a minute, I’m transported back to before. Before life got complicated. Before I blew everything. Back to when we were friends.

I missed her. I didn't realize how much.

"But what a way to go." Maggie breaks off a piece of her own muffin, "Frannie’s been experimenting lately. Last week she made these orange cranberry ones that were insane."

"How long has she owned the shop?"

"About five years now. As you can probably tell, Badger Falls isn't really a booming metropolis, and the building was a steal. And as you can tell by the lineup, whatever she puts in her muffins is addictive. If you sit here long enough, I swear most of the people in town will head through those doors."

"Good for her." I mean it. I respect anyone who has the guts to bet on themselves.

"So," Maggie leans forward, eyes sparkling with interest. "Tell me about this opportunity you took. What happened?"

I take another sip of the mocha. "There was this garage, not far from our neighborhood. I'd gone there looking for work a few times, but the owner was a piece of shit. Drunk most of the time."

"And a gambler?" Maggie guesses, eyes wide. She is fully invested in my story. Another thing I remember about her. She always threw herself into whatever we were doing. She lived big. And she had a way of looking at you like whatever you weresaying was the most important thing to her in the moment. Blair needed a friend like her. Someone who would take the time to listen. Someone who cared enough to encourage her to talk.

"Yeah. He showed up at one of the games, already half in the bag. Started throwing money around, then ran out. That's when he put the deed to the shop in the pot."

"And he just gave it up when he lost? Just like that?"

"Not exactly. But he came around to the idea." Or more specifically, John and his gang made sure he came around. I didn't know him then, didn't know he was Colton's brother. All I knew was he had connections, and on the street, people listened to him. It was the start of an odd sort of friendship. One that continued the entire time he was in prison.

Blair hasn't said a word, just watches me with those gray eyes. What does she think of me now? Of the things I did to get where I am? I lived my life in the gray areas for a long time. Hell, even now I don't mind playing in the gray, especially when it comes to my family.

Honestly, I didn't try that hard. I did whatever I needed to to take care of my family. And I don't regret a fucking thing from those days.

"That was the start," I continue. "Once I took over the place, my brothers came to join me one by one. We lived over the shop in a one-room apartment. And we worked our fucking asses off." My eyes meet Blair's again. "If it weren't for Robert and Blair, and everything I learned from them, I wouldn't be where I am today."

Blair stands suddenly, looking pained, and I'm immediately on my feet too. I want to reach across the table and pull her to me. Something I said hit a nerve, and I want to soothe it, preferably with my lips.

"I need to get to work. I've got customers picking up this afternoon, and Matt can't finish by himself." She won't look at me. Her eyes are on Maggie. "I'll take you home."

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