Page 99 of Gambler's Conceit
Havoc squeezes my thigh. “I get being scared of Caleb, but why didn’t you call me? Did I do something? I scared you, too? Because of how I choked you, or what I told you yesterday?”
I squeeze my eyes closed tight. “No! No, you didn’t do anything I just…” Can I even say it? I pause, then mumble, “I guess I didn’t know what to do with the numbers on that kind of phone, okay?”
Vortex squeezes me gently. “‘That kind of phone?’ What kind of phone?”
Caleb pulls the old-school phone from the bedside table onto his lap. “This phone? You press the 9 to dial outside of the hotel, then the numbers in sequence.” He presses a sequence of buttons, and a cellphone in the room rings. “That’s my phone,” Caleb explains. He hangs up, and the ringing in the room stops. Caleb pushes the phone toward me. “Do you want to try?”
It’s stupid. It’s so fucking stupid. How was I supposed to know that? No one had ever mentioned something weird like putting a 9 in front of a number before.
“There was no 9 on that paper. And that’s not how it works on your phones,” I whisper, letting Vortex hold me tighter as I try not to dissolve completely into tears again. “You just touch the screen, and there are names.”
But how would I know? It’s not like I’ve used a fucking phone before.
Havoc huffs a small laugh. “Yeah. Guess I forgot about the dialing out part. And the numbers are programmed in on our phones, but if it’s a new contact, we still have to dial the number.” He shifts and removes his phone from his pocket. I watch as he swipes on the screen until a grid of numbersappears. “Type 555—that’s the local area code. You don’t need a 9 on this one.”
I shakily take his phone and push the numbers. Two names pop up after I get the first five digits typed.
One isCaleb Spade.
The other isStep Asshole.
Havoc quickly taps Caleb’s name, and the ringing starts again.
“God, I’m fucking stupid,” I say, nearly choking on the words. “I should’ve known that.”
Havoc directs me to push the red handset icon to hang up the call.
“I might have removed the paper where it explains the dialing out part since I don’t need it,” Caleb says. “We’ll get you a cellphone, Seven. All our numbers will be programmed in so you won’t have to memorize any numbers or keep any address books.”
I don’t know how it’s possible to feel any more alarmed, but I do. I can’t have anything like that. It isn’t allowed. I shake my head quickly. “No. I would just lose it or break it or something.”
Vortex runs his hand lightly down my back, which feels strange with the way the cream is still slightly smooth to the touch and the welts are still sensitive. “If you lose it, we get you another one. Same for if you break it. These things happen.”
“But those things are expensive!” I protest.
They were definitely out of my price range when I’d thought about buying one to see why everybody kept staring at the screens.
Caleb chuckles now. “Isn’t that what you wanted? For me to spoil you with all my endless cash? I’ll have you know, I run a successful casino. I can probably afford a cellphone or two.”
“Buy a new one for me while you’re at it,” Havoc demands. “Since you’re Mr. Big Bucks.”
Shehad let me play on hers once, but when I’d dropped it, she’d been furious.
I shudder at the memory, and Vortex’s arms come around me again, more tightly this time.
“It’ll be better for you to have one,” he says quietly. “That means you can always reach us. No more putting yourself into danger with people who could hurt you. You’ll always have us within reach.”
I don’t know how the fuck these things work, but I guess I’ll have to figure it out. It hadn’t looked so difficult when Havoc had walked me through how to get to his numbers, and I’m sure they’ll show me because…
Because I think they’ve caught on to things I’m nowhere near ready enough for them to have started to understand.
They know so much.
Too much.
“All right. Since we have a game plan now.” Caleb smiles at me. “If I scare you again, just talk to Vortex or Havoc. If you need somebody to talk to you or touch you, talk to any of us.” He pauses, and in a more serious voice, he adds, “I’m amending the rule. No fucking anybody who isn’t one of us.”
I don’t know if I can do that. I don’t know if I can promise that.