Page 7 of IOU

“I swear to God, I will—”

My words cut short as Tweener rushes out, “Check. I check.”

Fucking finally.

I nod, rolling the cigarette between my lips. “Row?”

He looks at me and then at Sebastian. He knows we both have good hands, but he doesn’t. How do I know? His aggression flares, and he worries his ear, the tips turning a light shade of red. Yep, he has shit.

“Fuck you both,” he says, slamming his cards down. “I fold.”

Good. He was never in this game anyway.

Sebastian, acting as the dealer tonight, throws down the river card, the last card in a hand, and tosses a handful of chips into the pot. He raises the bet. I’m right. He’s after the straight. That’s fine because I have the nuts, the best possible hand.

I grin and tip my chin at Sebastian. “Straight on the river?”

He doesn’t look as cocky as he did a minute ago.

“Fuck.” He groans.

Fuck is right. Fucking up happy endings is what I do best.

I toss my cards out on the table. “I got the boat. Now get the fuck out of my apartment.”

Sebastian leans back in his chair, rocking on just two legs. “Let me win it back?”

“No.” I stand, tossing the unlit cigarette onto the table. I was serious when I meant for them to get out. I need time to sort out my shit—sort out the text burning through my phone screen all evening.

I walk back to my bedroom, ignoring the pile of cash and chips on the table. No one is crazy enough to steal from me. When they’re gone, and I’ve dealt with this text, I’ll go back and clean it up.

Tugging my shirt off, I sit on the bed and grab my phone from the nightstand. I swipe away all the requests for meetings and favors, looking for the only text that matters. The one that turned my night into shit.

IOH-MB: I’m ready to cash in my favor.

My chest clenches. It did the same thing when I read it earlier. Owing someone a favor is a rarity for me. Sebastian would tell you it should be documented. I will tell you what it truly is. A mistake. One that will never happen again. But I’m not one to go back on my promises, so whether or not I can buy off this favor, I will complete it personally. I got myself into this mess, and this favor will be the end of it.

I take a deep breath, and my fingers tap across the keys.

Me: I thought you didn’t want a favor from me.

The dots appear at the bottom of the screen, and my stomach begs for the cigarette I left on the poker table.

IOH-MB: I reconsidered. The offer has no expiration date, correct?

My hand clenches around the phone. This is not good. So not good.

Me: That’s how it works. What do you need?

I lean over my knees and rake a hand through my hair. Am I fucking sweating?

IOH-MB: Tomorrow. 11 am. You know the place.

So goddamned careless. If I weren’t so tense, I’d go to the gym and ask Rowan to beat the shit out of me so that I remember never to let this happen again. Me—owing someone else a fucking favor. Unbelievable.

Me: I’ll be there.

I will fucking be there.Fuck me.

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