Page 79 of Fall of a Kingdom
“You’re on a hot streak because you’ve been bluffing,” Duncan accused, but he didn’t sound annoyed. If anything, he sounded proud of his younger brother.
Sasha set his cards down. “You called my bluff. I’ve got nothing.”
Ramsey shot me an impudent grin. “And you, Flynn Campbell? Master and Commander?”
I laid my cards down one by one to reveal a royal flush of hearts.
Ramsey cursed. “I don’t fucking believe this! How the hell did you beat me?”
I grinned and leaned back in the heavy antique chair. “I know your tells when you’re bluffing. You’re easy to read.”
“Like hell I’m easy to read,” Ramsey quipped.
Duncan’s laugh boomed across the room. “He’s got you there, lad.”
“This is bull shite,” Ramsey muttered.
“Don’t like the heat? Get out of the kitchen.” I smirked.
Duncan’s phone chimed and he reached into his trouser pocket. After a moment, he set it down on the table.
“Everything good?” I asked him.
“Aye. A hen night at your house, apparently.” He grinned. “Our women can’t get too crazy since they have the brood.”
“I’m going to catch hell,” I said in amusement. “Our poker night was impromptu, and now they have to wrangle eight children between the three of them. Thank Christ the nannies return tomorrow.”
I’d only meant to have dinner with Ramsey and Duncan, but then Sasha had shown up, and we’d decided to make a night of it.
Ramsey, Duncan and I were in pleasant moods despite how much liquor we’d consumed. But with every glass Sasha drank, he became more and more morose. I blamed the Russian in him.
“I need some air,” Sasha announced, pushing back from the table. He placed his cigar between his lips, grabbed his glass of vodka, and then marched from the room.
“I want a woman,” Ramsey muttered. “Do you think Ash would be upset if I invited—”
“Aye, she’d be upset.” Duncan frowned. “Furthermore, I’d be upset too. I know the kind of women you’d call to distract you. Those kind of women are not welcome in this house.”
Ramsey sighed. “Fine. I’ll respect your wishes.” He stood. “I gotta piss.”
He stalked from the room, leaving me alone with Duncan.
“Let’s hope he passes out before he forgets that I told him no and calls one of them,” Duncan remarked.
“You sound old. And prudish.”
He grumbled. “Aye, I know.”
“Especially consideringyouused to do the same thing.”
“That’s different,” he stated. “This is my home. My children play on these floors.”
“Do you miss the debauchery of our youth, Duncan?” I asked with a winsome grin.
“Honestly? Sometimes.” He peered around the billiard room that looked the same as it had when we were young lads. It hadn’t really changed since Malcolm used it as a place to discuss SINS business with his captains.
“What do you miss about it?” I inquired.
“The hunt,” he said. “Late nights on the streets, the adrenaline rushing through my blood, the fighting and the fucking.” He fell silent. “I love my wife. I love my children. But sometimes I feel like I’m in captivity.”
