Page 82 of Gambler's Conceit
“The vet said that Nacho was a very good boy,” I tell him, flagging the bartender down so I can get a drink.
“Of course he was,” Seven says. “He is the very best cat ever.”
The words are surprisingly adorable coming from him, even though they’d be cringeworthy coming from anyone else. Theymake him sound young, though, and I wonder all over again just how old he is.
Duncan smiles indulgently, but I see the look of speculation on his expression, too.
I don’t know anything about Seven’s past. Caleb always avoids answering when I ask if he knows—but the hints of scars I’ve seen on Seven paint a bleak picture.
I want to find whoever hurt him like that and beat them black and bloody.
Maybe I should start with myself, then, since I was the one to choke him and hold him underwater.
Fuck.
“Vortex and I got the new cat tree set up too,” I say, forcing myself to pay attention to the conversation around me. “Nacho loved it… but he loved jumping onto Vortex more.”
Seven grins, completely oblivious to the tone of my thoughts. “Of course he did. He likes Vortex. He especially likes climbing up his legs likehe’sthe tree. Daddy Dearest loves that,” he tells Duncan.
Daddy.
I’m still not used to Seven calling Vortex that. And I know he calls CalebMastersometimes, when they think neither me nor Vortex can hear them.
I’m the only one who is closer to nothing to him.
I reach into my coat pocket and pull out the apartment listings. “So, speaking of… not this. I need to move. My current place is a shithole. Which of these looks the most promising?”
I spread them out across the bartop in front of us.
Duncan’s eyebrows go up. “Um, honey, if these are the rent rates you were told, you’re getting scammed. This has to be one of those switcheroo things, where they take your money and ghost you or sell you a total dump instead.”
Seven looks at the listings curiously. “Really? This is too…” He glances between us and continues, “cheap?” His voice is questioning, like he’s unsure that’s the correct answer.
I nod. “Yep. Way too cheap. But that’s just half the rent. I’ve got, um, a friend who’s gonna cover the other half. We’re splitting.”
Caleb will have a field day knowing I called him a friend.
Seven frowns at that, and his voice is even more cautious as he asks, “You’re going to have someone living with you?”
I can’t tell exactly what he thinks of that idea, but I don’t think he likes it. Unfortunately, I can’t tell him the truth while Duncan is sitting right there.
I give Duncan a pointed look. Duncan stares right back, but after a few seconds, he sighs.
“All right, kids, this old queen needs to get set up. At my age, I need a full hour just to grease my joints.”
Seven scoffs at him, but his attention is mostly on me. “You are not that old, Del.”
“But making him pretty sure does take a while,” someone says from not far down the bar.
Great. Someone’s been eavesdropping, obviously. Another queen, from the sounds of it. Duncan flips him off.
“I’ll try to come by tonight,” Seven says, but he’s already edging closer to me.
Duncan leans down to kiss Seven’s cheek. “You know where to find me. I’m here every Thursday through Saturday.”
I put my arm around Seven’s waist and wait for Duncan and the other performers to shuffle out of the bar.
Once they’re gone, I lean closer to Seven. “Nobody’s moving in with me,” I tell him. “I’m getting a good deal from Caleb, but I didn’t want to say that in front of anyone.”