Page 50 of Southpaw Slots
Power. I have it. I can use it. Spend that with Bruno at a Hold ’Em table or even the slots. By the time Kline found me, it would be too late. Could get a little line of coke, pay a few dollars to a G-string. A snort escapes my nose as I think about the blowjob I could get from one of the junkies in the alley nearby.
And I don’t want any part of it.
“Nah, I’m good. Save it for yourself.”
“You don’t want it?!” Dave asks.
Cass’s dark eyes slide over my face as he clears his throat. “What do you want to do then, boss?”
“Actually, let me just take a peek in there and then take me home.”
As if I just ruined Christmas, all three go deadly silent. Even Jinx, for once, has nothing to say.
When we enter, the place is clean and empty. It smells of fresh paint and cut wood. For nostalgia, I sneak up to the penthouse and glance around. The entire place has been cleaned and emptied of all my stuff, everything taken to the mansion. The white walls sparkle and the windows glisten in the evening light. It looks very familiar, but a smile greets my face as I take it all in.
It’s not home anymore.
“You want to party up here, man? Get some girls over?” Jinx asks, looking around with me.
“Nope. I don’t. You guys feel free to use it anytime. You know the code.” Turning on my heel, I slap Cass on the shoulder and drag him with me. He stiffens under my grasp but follows.
On the way out, I talk with staff and catch up on the gossip, the business news. Before we head out, Cass pulls me back to speak with me alone.
“What’s going on with you? First, we don’t see you for days. You threw that little temper tantrum and said you were through with us. Then, you call me up like nothing’s happened. And you let that little bitch take your girl on a ride? Saying you’re alltogether? Explain yourself.” His black eyes darken as he narrows his lids.
Rubbing my hair back into place, I glance over my shoulder, but Dave and Jinx already went outside. “I don’t know. Things are different now.” I raise my chin as I gather some confidence. “I like my wife and want to spend time with her.” Shrugging a shoulder, I smirk. “I mean, it’s not like you and I haven’t gotten into fights before. Remember that time we didn’t talk for a month?” Cass and I always have our differences, but we’ve always come back together, brushing stuff under the rug. Like brothers.
He nods slowly. “But that guy, he’s hanging around a lot. What’s that about? Are you, uh… Are youintohim?”
I laugh, brushing my thumb across my sweaty forehead. “What? No. I just don’t want Jinx to get the fucking details about my wife, you know. Yeah, we’ve been fucking her together. It’s fun. New. Different.”
He places a hand on my shoulder, turning me until we head outside. “Don’t be such a fucking stranger. You’re forgiven.”
Part of me wants to hit him.I’mforgiven. Like everything’s my fault. He never apologizes for anything.
“You seriously want me to take you back home?” his deep voice asks with some level of disappointment.
Nodding, I open the car door. With a glance back at the casino, I say goodbye to what once was and head home to the future I choose.
FOURTEEN
WYATT
The man has a theater room in his basement. It’s taken days to explore this place, but Ari and I found it, then she did this entire setup to make it homey.
“We can’t pick one until Asa’s back, though,” she says, handing me a gigantic bowl of popcorn from the machine at the back of the room. We’re spread on the largest U-shaped sofa I’ve ever seen. One that is bigger than my entire studio apartment. Ari gets up and tosses a faux fur throw over us and settles in, pulling up a tray with some beers on it. Guinness for Ace, of course.
“You texted him?” I ask.
“Yep. He said he’d be right down.” She’s already dressed in her little pink pajamas, a low-cut top exposing her full breasts and the dark nipples underneath. Sliding down farther on the couch, I adjust myself in my athletic shorts, hoping Ace hurries.
Gathering her underneath my arm, I cuddle hersoft figure and take a deep inhale of her scent. “This is nice.”
“What is?” she asks, settling back into me.
“Being able to be with you now without having to hide all the time. Riding with you wherever and, you know…”
She turns her head and places her lips on mine, the heat of her light touch shooting down my spine. I think I loved her from the moment she walked into my garage. “Be normal?” she whispers against my mouth.