Page 67 of The Bloke

It was like getting cold feet before walking down the aisle at a wedding, except I wasn’t even considering running. I was nervous, yes, but I was determined all the same.

I wanted to prove to my husband that I was more than just a pretty little thing in hot pink heels. I was his wife, and like Bria and Tessa, I was nothing short of fiery and fierce.

“Are you ready, love?” Colby’s voice broke my train of thought as he stepped up behind me and wrapped his arm around my waist.Was I ready?“I’ll be with you the entire time. You don’t need to be afraid.” He added, gripping my chin and tilting my face upward to meet his.

“I’m not.” I insisted. “I’ve been ready for this since yesterday. I can handle this on my own.”

“I’m allowed to assist you, and I will—”

“Don’t.” I rushed out, my hand wrapping around his wrist. “It will be easier for the both of us if I do this alone. If I need your help, I’ll signal for you, but really… I can do this on my own, Colby.”

His lips pressed into a hard line as he fought to hold back all the words he had for me. This was no time to argue, and he knew that.

Another reason I didn’t tell him I was doing this on my own until now is that if I had told him last night or this morning, it would have become a fight, and I didn’t want that to be my last interaction with him, not if I could help it.

He pulled me tightly against his side as we stepped into the Neon Palms Casino and made a beeline for one of the bars on the casino floor—The Olive Pit, a cocktail bar specializing in creative and unique martinis.

I wore the same black mini dress from the night at Fallout, along with a pair of new, simple, strappy black heels. I was to assume the role of a cocktail waitress, serving drinks to the poker tables as the guests played.

Colby pulled out an empty chair for me at the bar, and I sat as he glanced around the room as if looking for someone.

“There he is.” A male voice came from over my shoulder, and I turned to see Nick approaching us. “Sienna.” He nodded to me before clapping my husband on the back of the shoulder. “Didn’t think I’d miss your wife’s big moment, did you?”

Colby gave him a weak smile, still not coping well with what I was about to attempt this evening. Honestly, I was handling it far better than him.

“Good to see you, Nick.” He sighed. “Thanks again; I know you didn’t need to be here.”

“Ah, it’s nothing. The Nashville blokes will get along just fine without me. I’ll catch them on the next trip.” He winked without a hint of remorse.

Colby had mentioned that Nick loved to travel and took the offer every chance he got, but it sounds like he passed it up this time. But for what? For me?

I was grateful for him to be here for Colby. I sure as fuck knew that he would need him. Nick had been his only support system since he moved here. I barely knew Nick, but from Colby’s stories, I knew he was a good man.

Nick was almost as attractive as my husband. His baby blue eyes, long blonde hair, and tattoos that peeked out from the top of his shirt always caught my attention. Unlike Colby, he favored blue jeans and a loose white button-up, where he intentionally left the top two buttons undone to show off his chest tattoos.

It truly baffled me to see that he was single. A man that looked like him usually didn’t stay that way long.

“So, has he arrived yet?” Nick asked, signaling the bartender and rubbing his hands together.

“Over there, table twenty-four.” Colby gestured out to the crowded casino floor.

It would seem nearly impossible to remove anyone from this place without someone catching on. Luckily, we had alreadyconsidered most of our options, and isolating the target off the floor would be the easiest way to take him down.

The casino was packed full of guests, but then again, it meant that disappearing after the fact would be far more manageable for us.

“Seriously?” Nick gawked. “The guy looks like he is barely twenty-one. Who the fuck is he?” He asked before turning his attention to the bartender. “Two dry martinis with extra olives and a lemon drop for the sheila.”

“Jameson Ashburn. Dustin said he was just some kid involved in a large contract killer organization. I guess they’ve been establishing themselves in various cities nationwide and are attempting to set up a headquarters here next. He wants him taken care of before they can destroy the empire he’s worked so hard to create.”

I couldn’t help but overhear their conversation, eavesdropping as I peered out from the bar towards the table where Colby mentioned my target, Jameson, was sitting.

“Sounds like your wife got an easy one then; no need to question her moral compass with the likes of him.” Nick chuckled, grabbing his martini off the counter and taking a sip. “Killer versus killer. I’d take that kind of task any day.”

Hearing one of them speak so eloquently about what they did in their line of work always surprised me. Even Bria and Tessa made my test sound like nothing more than a day spent lounging by the pool or at a spa.

I tipped back my drink, needing the liquid courage to get me through what I was about to do, and grabbed my husband’s hand off the bar, squeezing it tightly in mine.

His attention snapped to me, and he set down his glass before dragging a knuckle down the side of my cheek.

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