The Gamble

by Kristen Ashley

“Nothing. I’m fine.”

  “Have you broken it to Niles?”

  I tested Max’s arm strength, unsurprisingly got nowhere considering their steely nature, settled in again and said, “I sent him an e-mail.”

  Max’s arms convulsed as Mom had the same exact reaction as Max.

  “You sent him an e-mail?” she asked incredulously.

  “I know, Mom, but you know I’m better with words when I write them out.”

  She didn’t answer at first then asked, “When?”

  “Mom, can we talk about this later?”

  “My daughter is in the wilderness with a strange man with an amazing voice having just changed the entire course of her life and you want to talk about it later?”

  I sighed because it might be irritating but this was Mom’s way too then I answered her earlier question, “A couple of days ago.”

  “What’d he say?”

  “Who?”

  “Niles!” she cried.

  “I don’t know, nothing, unless he e-mailed back.”

  “E-mailing,” she mumbled, “insane.”

  “Mom –”

  “He hasn’t called?”

  “No.”

  “That boy,” she mumbled again.

  “I… it’s just the way he is.”

  There was a pause then she said, “You know I liked him, Neenee, you know I did. But I think you made the right decision.”

  “Mom –”

  “I mean, you e-mailed or not, he should call you. It’s not like you said, ‘This isn’t working out,’ after a couple of dates. First, you fly halfway around the world for a ‘timeout’, whatever that is, which he allowed you to do, and in my humble opinion, that’s insane. Then you broke off an engagement!”

  This sounded familiar too.

  “Mom, I know.”

  “He was any man at all, he’d be at your doorstep.”

  “Okay, but, Mom –”

  “Though, don’t think that would be good under the present circumstances.”

  “Can I talk, Mom?”

  Apparently I couldn’t for she kept going. “It’s just that,” her voice got soft, “I think, sweetie, this is good. It shows you the way. It shows you that you’ve decided on the right path. And I know you were so worried and I’m glad you’ve found the right path.”

  I breathed in deep, let it out then said, “Thanks Mom.”

  “Now, tell me about this new one,” she urged and I envisioned her snuggling her behind into her chair and lifting up her coffee cup, getting ready for a good old gossip.

  “I can’t.”

  “Why?”

  “Because he’s right here.”

  That got another squeeze from Max’s arms.

  “Tell him to go.”

  “He’s not the kind of man you tell what to do,” I shared and I heard Max chuckle.

  “Then you go somewhere else.”

  I sighed again and admitted, “I can’t.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because he won’t let me.”

  Another chuckle from Max.

  Another pause from Mom then, softly, “He won’t let you?”

  “He’s also not the kind of man who, he wants you around, he lets you go.”

  “Oh my,” Mom breathed.

  “Can I call you later?”

  “He going to let you?” she asked but she sounded like she was laughing.

  “Mom, please.”

  “Okay, but call at a good time. I want all the dirt.”

  “All right.”

  “Love you, sweetie.”

  “Love you too.”

  “Neenee?” she called as I was about to take the phone from my ear.

  “Yes?”

  “You okay about the Niles thing?”

  “Yes, Momma,” I said softly.

  “You happy about this Max thing?”

  “I don’t know yet.”

  Another pause then, “We’ll talk later.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Bye, sweetie.”

  “Bye, Mom.”

  I took the phone from my ear, hit the button at the top to shut down the display, took in a deep breath then twisted around to Max and let him have it.

  “I cannot believe you!” I hissed.

  “Honey,” he muttered but he sounded amused.

  Amused!

  “Don’t ‘honey’ me,” I snapped and then tossed my phone around him toward the nightstand, it bounced off and fell to the floor. I didn’t care because I was focused on giving him my full attention. “What was that all about?”

  “I wanted to hear what you had to say.”

  “Does it matter that I wanted to have a private conversation with my mother?”

  “You can have a private conversation with her later, after I go down and sort out Mindy’s apartment.”

  “But I wanted to have it now,” I told him angrily.

  “Yeah, but later it won’t be interesting. Now, it was interesting.”

  “Why did you answer the phone at all?” I clipped.

  “She’s called three times, Duchess, I didn’t want her to get worried.”

  He had a point there and it was a thoughtful point but I wasn’t going to give it to him.

  “You’re impossible!”

  He grinned. “I think you’ve told me that before.”

  “Maybe because it’s bloody true.”

  “Jesus, you’re cute.”

  “Don’t call me cute!”

  Suddenly I was on my back, head on the pillow, Max’s heavy body pressing mine into the bed all down my side and part of my front.

  I blinked up at him in surprise, his hand touched my face and his thumb came to my cheekbone as his eyes went there.

  “It hurt?” he asked, clearly finished with our other conversation and deciding to move on.

  “No,” I lied, it throbbed a bit, felt kind of tight, but it wasn’t too bad.

  I put my hands to his chest and gave a light shove.

  His thumb swept along my cheekbone and he ignored the shove entirely.

  His eyes came to mine and he informed me, “It’s bruisin’, baby, bit swollen but it doesn’t look that bad.”

  “Thank you for that information,” I replied snottily, “now get off.”

  His hand moved away, his head bent and then his face disappeared in my neck.

  “Stop bein’ pissed,” he muttered his order in my ear.

  “Get off.”

  “Nope,” he said and his head came up but it did it so his face was close. “You and me are both in my bed, no one’s asleep, no one’s delirious. I think we should take advantage of that.”

  My eyes got wide as my body reacted strongly to his suggestion and it was a positive reaction.

  “Mindy’s downstairs,” I whispered and he grinned, his face getting even closer.

  “Not gonna fuck you, honey, just fool around,” he whispered back.

  “Max –”

  “Shut up and kiss me, Duchess.”

  “Max!”

  “All right, I’ll kiss you.”

  Then he did and it was so good I forgot I was furious and my hands started sliding up the smooth skin and hard muscle of his chest when his head suddenly came up and his neck twisted.

  “Fuck, what now?” he muttered, I tried to get a handle on the sudden disastrous change of circumstances but before I could do that he looked at me. “Someone’s comin’ up the lane.”

  “Who?” I asked stupidly for Max couldn’t see the lane from his position on me and as far as I knew Max was not clairvoyant.

  “I don’t know,” he answered, being nice and doing it without pointing out that my question was stupid.

  He did a push up and knifed off the bed then he yanked the covers from me, grabbed my hand and pulled me to my feet.

  “Put on your robe, Duchess,” he said softly, it was an order but it was gentle one. “That nightie’s sweet but I think me and Mick are the only ones should get to see it. And Mick’s was a o
ne time opportunity, yeah?”

  He didn’t wait for me to answer mainly because he really wasn’t asking a question.

  I stood unmoving as he walked to the dresser and grabbed a t-shirt then turned and moved to the stairs, pulling it over his head. Then he wound around in his descent on the spiral staircase, yanking the shirt down to his waist and I lost sight of him.

  For some reason, I liked it that he wanted me to put on a robe. For some reason, I liked it so much my toes were still curled like his gentle order was one of his kisses. And I liked it that he voiced it as a suggestion even though we both knew it was an order. An order not because he was being domineering but because it meant something to him that I didn’t put myself on display. It was up to me in the end to do what I wanted but he’d made his wishes clear and I knew how he’d feel if I defied them. Still, he wasn’t a jerk about it, he’d simply made his wishes clear in what I was guessing was a Colorado Mountain Man kind of way.

  Or maybe it was just Max’s way.

  Not to mention the fact that he thought my nightie was sweet.

  “What’s up?” I heard Max ask, I jerked out of my stupor and ran to the bathroom.

  I did my routine, left the bathroom, heard voices but not words, grabbed my robe, shrugged it on and belted it as I walked down the stairs.

  Mindy was up on a hand, peering over the back of the couch at Mick, another man and Max standing in the kitchen. She looked sleepy and adorable.

  I glanced in the kitchen, caught Max’s eyes then went directly to Mindy.

  “Morning, sweetheart,” I said to her.

  “What’re Mick and Jeff doin’ here?” she asked, her voice sleepy.

  “Why don’t you go upstairs and lie back down?”

  “Is everything okay?” she asked back, her eyes still on the police.

  “I don’t know they just got here. You want to go upstairs?”

  She shook her head but mumbled, “They should leave him alone. They gotta know what a visit from the cops would do to him.” She looked at me and said, “He’s a strong guy and it was a long time ago but you never forget that shit, ever.”

  I had no idea what she was talking about but I also had the feeling that I really didn’t want to know. But before I could make up my mind whether or not to ask, she threw back the covers and I grabbed her clothes from the armchair.

  “I’ll go upstairs to change,” she said, pulling Max’s t-shirt that she wore to bed down her thighs while still seated and I knew she didn’t want them to see her.

  I handed her the clothes and straightened, turning to the kitchen.

  “Sorry, gentleman?” I called and when six eyes hit me I went on, “a lady needs some privacy. Can I have your backs?”

  They all looked at the back of Mindy’s head, she turned and gave them a wave over her shoulder. Mick and Jeff waved back but Max was smiling at me.

  Then Mick and Jeff turned their backs to the living room and Mindy got up and darted to the stairs, whispering, “Thanks, Nina.”

  I watched her go and then I walked to the kitchen calling, “All clear.”

  They turned back to me and when I hit the kitchen Max claimed me. There was no other way to put it. I was claimed. He did this by pulling me tight into his side with an arm around my shoulders.

  “Nina, you remember Mick? This is Jeff,” Max introduced and I nodded to Mick and Jeff.

  “Hi gents,” I greeted.

  “Nina,” Mick said.

  “Nice to meet ‘cha,” Jeff smiled.

  Mick’s eyes went to my cheek then they went to Max.

  “Matthews?” he asked.

  “Backhanded her at The Dog,” Max answered.

  “Fuckin’ dick,” Jeff muttered then looked at me. “Uh… sorry.”

  “That’s okay as, last night, he proved your estimation of him to be true,” I said to Jeff and for some reason my remark received three man chuckles which made the spring coiling in my stomach relax. If their visit was bad for Max, I doubted they’d be chuckling.

  “Heard there was a disturbance at The Dog last night,” Mick commented.

  “Damon make a complaint?” Max asked and I tensed.

  “Nope, word I hear, enough folks witnessed the hit to his manhood, I’m thinkin’ he’s not gonna be big on spreadin’ that word,” Mick replied and I relaxed.

  “You fuck him up?” Jeff asked Max with an edge of enthusiasm then he again turned to me and muttered. “Uh… sorry again.”

  I smiled my “I’m okay with the f-word” to Jeff but even as I did I was feeling uncertain if Max should brag about parking lot fisticuffs at The Dog to policemen and I opened my mouth to speak but Max got there before me.

  “Got a few in, best part, Nina shoved him and he went back at least five feet,” Max replied.

  There were more man chuckles at the idea of me shoving Damon and I wasn’t certain how to take this but decided to let it go and change the subject.

  “Does anyone want coffee?” I asked and Max squeezed my shoulder.

  “Love a cup,” Mick replied and Jeff nodded.

  I started to move away and as I did so Max muttered, “Thanks, baby.”

  I liked these two words and how he said them so much, without thinking, I glanced over my shoulder and gave him a small smile then went to the coffeepot.

  “Mindy okay?” Jeff asked when I grabbed the pot and moved to the sink.

  “Hangin’ in there,” Max answered.

  “She shot of Matthews now?” Jeff continued with more than a hint of curiosity and I turned off the tap and moved to the coffeemaker, looking him over.

  He was taller than Damon, lighter hair, leaner of build but fit and perhaps not as overtly good-looking he was also not unattractive in the slightest. In fact, since he was more obviously comfortable with who he was and how he looked instead of being in your face about it as Damon was, he was more attractive.

  Hmm.

  “I’m thinkin’, yeah,” Max said but when I looked at him he was also studying Jeff closely.

  “Good news,” Jeff mumbled and I lifted the top to the coffeemaker and poured the water in.

  “So, Bitsy’s home?” Max was obviously bringing the conversation full circle.

  “Yeah,” Mick answered.

  “And you’re here…” Max prompted and Mick lifted a hand to the back of his neck.

  “Wouldn’t ask –” he started.

  “You need me,” Max cut him off, his words mysterious.

  Mick dropped his arm and I turned my attention to the cupboards, finding the gourmet coffee I bought in Denver in the second one I opened.

  “Yeah, Max. I know –” Mick said.

  Max interrupted again. “She doin’ okay?”

  “Murdered, cheatin’ husband and life ahead of her in a wheelchair, all alone?” Mick asked then answered, “No.”

  “I’ll go see her today,” Max said and he didn’t sound like he enjoyed saying those words because, I suspected, he knew he wasn’t going to enjoy his visit which was even more mysterious since, from what he said before about Bitsy, I thought he liked her.

  I measured coffee into the filter and Mick mumbled, “Thanks, Max.”

  “You got any leads?” Max asked.

  “Looks hired,” Mick answered and I was surprised he shared this information.

  “Hired?” Max sounded surprised too but probably not that Mick was sharing.

  “Hit was execution style, no muss, no fuss, in and out, Dodd was dead before he hit the floor,” Mick shared. “Didn’t touch nothin’, didn’t take nothin’, left nothin’ behind.”

  “Got leads on who hired him?” Max went on.

  “Leads? No. List of possible suspects a mile long? Yes,” Mick replied.

  I flipped on the coffee and pulled down mugs as Mindy hit the counter and slid on a stool.

  “Hey Mick,” she greeted, her eyes skimmed over Jeff and then dipped to the counter. “Hey Jeff.”

  “Mindy, darlin’,” Mick greeted back.


  “Hey Mindy,” Jeff said in a gentle voice, in fact, his whole face had grown gentle and my eyes went to Max.

  Max was watching Jeff then his eyes came to mine. I bugged them out and then jerked my head at Jeff and Mindy. Max shook his head and grinned.

  “Coffee will be ready in a jiffy,” I announced, leaning a hip against the counter.

  “Kind of you Nina,” Jeff said and I smiled brightly at him.

  “Sure you boys could use some sustenance,” I surmised. “Mindy makes some mean bacon and eggs. You want some?”

  Mindy’s head snapped up and my eyes slid to Max who was looking at the floor but I could see he was pressing his lips together.

  “Haven’t had breakfast,” Jeff replied too casually.

  “Well, that’s just awful,” I noted, making this news sound dire, my eyes going to his hands. “No wife to fill your belly before a hard day of the God’s honest work of tackling crime?”

  Max’s head came up and he made a strangled noise which I hoped was him choking back laughter because he thought I was cute.

  “Nope,” Jeff answered through his grin.

  “Good-looking guy like you? That’s a miracle. Isn’t that a miracle, Mindy?” I called and looked at her. Her eyes were huge and her face was aflame.

  “Uh… yeah,” she muttered.

  “Come here, sweetheart, let’s make these local heroes some breakfast,” I urged, she reluctantly slid off her seat and headed into the kitchen.

  “You boys sit down, we’ll have breakfast for you in no time,” I said to Mick and Jeff as they shuffled out, Mindy shuffled in and Max came to me.

  Max made a show of reaching into the cupboard for sugar, hiding me from Jeff, Mick and Mindy but when his hand came down with the bag of sugar, his mouth went to my ear.

  “Bullshit’s so thick in here, Duchess, we might need gumboots,” he whispered.

  I tried to look innocent when I tipped my head back and asked, “Sorry?”

  “Sorry my ass,” he muttered on a grin, closed the cupboard and moved around me to stand with his hips leaned against the sink and his arms crossed on his chest.

  “So!” I called cheerfully to Mick and Jeff who were both now at the stools. “With a town full of suspects and a hired killer, how do you go about nailing down the culprit?” Then before Mick could speak I turned and prompted, “Jeff?”

  “Um…” Jeff mumbled and Mick answered.

  “Sorry, Nina, we don’t usually discuss the specifics of an ongoing investigation.”