Page 81 of Ace of Spades

“The cops,” he explains.

“Oh, right… that.”

“Yeah, that,” he says, with a grin.

Is it just me, or is Levi actually in a good mood.

Maybe this is the right time to bring up the fact that I just told his rival that we’re entering a competition he hasn’t yet agreed to.

I open my mouth just as he says, “You want to join us for poker?”

“I–uh.”

I wasn’t expecting that. That seems like a big step for him. It’s what he does with his crew.

His people.

I’m just his assistant, after all.

I look down at the unanswered text I sent Julian, it’s nearly an hour and a half from the time we agreed to meet.

“I’m supposed to be going out with Julian.”

He nods, eyes searching my face. “Another time then.”

“Yeah,” I say softly. “Another time.”

He slips off the stool and stands at his full height next to me.

“You did good this week, Sienna. I can already see a difference in the way things are moving at the shop. And I can’t take any credit for it.”

I give him a faint smile, because…holy shit. Is Levi Steele complimenting me?

“Kind of makes you reconsider the whole getting rid of me thing, huh?”

He gulps and bends to whisper in my ear, “It makes me reconsider a lot of things.”

What?

Levi doesn’t elaborate. Instead, he just flashes me a quick grin, grabs his drink, and stalks off into the dark corner of the bar that leads down the hall to the game room.

The butterflies in my stomach come alive as I take in what he just said. His scent still lingers.

But in the absence of his presence I just feel… alone.

I can almost hear the laughter coming from the back room over the smooth music playing in the bar.

I reach for my phone one more time and shoot Julian another text.

Me

Hello? Earth to Julian?

Chapter21

Sienna

The text was read hours ago.

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