Page 31 of Gambler's Conceit
“I’ll get you more clothes,” I mumble.
Seven snorts. “Yeah. I thought you’d say something like that. Don’t bother. I’ve got clothes upstairs.”
I scratch at my chin. I need to shave, but that’s not something to worry about right now. “Seven, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to…”
“To be such an asshole?” he supplies, flashing me a hard smirk. “You don’t get to say who I fuck, Vortex. I’d probably fuck you, too, if you weren’t being a prick. But not if you act like this.”
Do I want to be able to fuck him?
Yeah, which isn’t a feeling I enjoy. I don’t like knowing I want something, someone, who belongs to someone else.
“All right,” I say. “Just… get your shoes on. Grab your clothes. I’ll take you back upstairs.”
I should’ve taken him there immediately, but I hadn’t been able to stand the thought of Havoc on him for a moment longer. Now, though… Caleb’s order rings in my ears.
“Whatever,” Seven huffs, but he obeys.
I take him through the staff exit and up to the back elevator. While he gets curious looks, no one questions our appearance here. I get Seven to the top floor, telling him, “All right. Stay up here until the boss has the chance to talk to you.”
Seven rolls his eyes, flips me off, then disappears into Caleb’s penthouse suite.
I follow him inside, hoping to figure out how to apologize for the comments I’d made, but he disappears into one of the bedrooms and closes the door firmly behind him.
I shake my head and go to sit down on the couch, texting Caleb.
Here’s hoping the boss can figure something out to keep Seven under control… and safe.
EIGHT
CALEB
The guards manhandleHavoc into the chair of this small security room. He snarls at them, but he doesn’t try to get up. With his hands cuffed behind his back, there isn’t much he could do anyway.
When Havoc sees me watching, he leans back and spreads his legs. He’s pretending he’s not affected, although I don’t know who he thinks he’s fooling.
“I thought I said you were banned from blackjack,” I say, stepping closer. “I should ban you from the casino entirely.”
Havoc sneers at me. “Sure. And when I’m out of here, I’ll tell the cops all about that kid you’re keeping against his will.”
I fight to keep my expression blank. I don’t care if he tattles to the cops—I have enough of them on my payroll that I know I won’t see any consequences—but Seven being logged in their database in any way would be bad.
“So… what? You want me to turn a blind eye to the destruction you caused, both to my property and the general atmosphere of my casino?” I pull another chair away from the desk and sit down in front of Havoc so we’re eye to eye. “I don’t take kindly to threats, Havoc.”
“And I don’t take kindly to pompous assholes,” Havoc counters. He glances at the security guards by the door. “Are theyjustsecurity, or are those guys part of your mafia empire?”
My eyebrows shoot up.
It’s not necessarily a secret in Calamity City that the Roi de Pique has ties to the mafia, but most people have better sense than to bring it up.
“Would you like me to threaten your life and everybody you hold dear?” I ask mildly. “I can do that. What family members should I set my men on?”
Havoc laughs and shakes his head. “If you go after my stepfather, I’ll even thank you for it.” His expression darkens. “I fucking hate guys like you.”
“I have no idea what you mean.” I sit back and consider my next steps. I could simply kill him, but I’m not a fan of murdering on casino grounds, and the family wouldn’t appreciate me creating problems in what is meant to be our money laundering front. The less involved the casino is in messy business, the better.
Havoc fidgets, and after a few minutes of that, he asks, “You didn’t say anything about the kid.”
I give him a confused look. “About Seven? What was I supposed to say about him?”