Page 54 of Savage Outlaw

He laughed. “I know you’re joking, princess, but I’ll drag him out of bed no problem.”

“Don’t.” she blurted. “He’ll be in a shit mood.” But how would they tell the difference between his regular mood? “Anyway, I have to go. I’m busy.”

“Whatcha doing?”

“Harvesting souls for my satanic ritual tonight.”

“That’s sexy.”

Roux rolled her eyes. The biker needed to give up his weed habit if he wasn’t picking up on her sarcasm.

“Miss. Tucker.” She heard behind her and the agent was in the doorway, smiling. “I’m sorry, but I have another appointment.” Roux nodded her apology.

“Who is that?” Asked Reno.

“None of your business. I have to go.”

“You can’t run for long, princess. Don’t make me find your ass.”

“I told you already, it’s not my fault if you and my father are deaf. Bye.”

The apartment in a quiet gated community suited her. She liked that it had a first floor balcony. The kitchen was small but she could deal with that because the shower and bathroom was more than enough for her. The one bedroom was a decent size for her queen size bed and other shit.

Pending a credit check—thank you three credit cards and car payment to help with that—she wanted to sign for the apartment. Because she’d only ever worked at length for her dad, and that was never in a legal capacity, she doubted he’d give her a reference if she needed it. She’d ask Tad to fabricate something for her.

With a pep in her step, she avoided the clubhouse and home for the rest of the day until it was time for a change of clothes. There was a sweet card game in Fort Springs she didn’t want to miss.

It was a heavy game and the buy in of 2 grand was steep. She hated to lose money, but if she won tonight, she’d have twenty times that.

The guy on the door looked her up and down.

The smell of warm bread met her nose.

The game was held in the back of a bakery.

She didn’t care about the location other than the smell of bread made her hungry and she popped a mint into her mouth. “Gonna let me in, big guy?”

The bruiser looked like an extra from a Guy Ritchie movie, the ones that get shot in the face. Missing a front tooth, his left eye was glass. She knew what he saw when he eye-fucked her. Probably thought she was a dumb kid with weird piercings and stupid make-up. She’d worn her blue skinny jeans, her one pair of decent stilettos with the red sole and a white cotton jacket.

“The local college is that way.” He gruffed.

Refraining from rolling her eyes. She got it all the time, why would today be different. It’s not like she could sweep the floor with this guy at any Blackjack table or anything like that.

She smiled and gave him the invite only password. “Sugar-tits.”

He didn’t miss a step when he opened the metal door for her. “Have fun.”

“Oh, I intend to, big guy. See you in a while.”

Receiving the same kind of curious glances, Roux took her seat around the one single table. The eleven chairs already filled. Some of the faces she recognized from other games. The rest were new to her. They dismissed Roux with barely a superficial glance. Her youth played as a pro when no one assumed she could play the game.

There was only one other woman there. Thirty-somethingVerónica Garcia Ruiz. And it was her who worried Roux. The cartel wife was good at cards. She sent the woman dressed in red a half smile and Verónica returned it, raising her glass of wine.

Drinks were served by two waitresses. Chips handed out.

Roux checked her phone one last time before she turned it to Do Not Disturb. Smiling seeing a message from Tad.

Her heart flipped over languidly in her chest.

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