Wild Card Undercover
Page 13
He shook his head. “I’m sorry about Eddie. But are you sure? You don’t have to worry about your family. You can go home right now. You probably wouldn’t make it for your mom’s birthday.” He checked his watch. “But you could be home tomorrow and make her a great cake.”
She took a deep breath. “I’m sure.”
He gave her a tight hug then opened the car door for her. A moment later, he got in and started it up, then pulled onto the road.
She’d done the right thing. Yes, she missed her family and the sound of her mother’s voice had reminded her how much she loved them. But if she left now and Moreno got away with all he’d done, killed more people, she’d never forgive herself. She blew out a big breath and leaned back against the seat.
Chris looked her way and she gave him a big smile. A real one. At least she still had him to make things easier on her. She could do this.
They stopped at a red light and he smiled at her again then threw her his lopsided smirk, his eyebrow raised. “Ballet lessons, huh? Never figured you for the tutu kind of gal.”
The light turned green and he eased back into traffic. She narrowed her eyes at him and swatted him playfully on the shoulder. He always knew how to get her out of the dumps.
“Shut up and drive.”
* * * *
“Read ‘em and weep, Martin,” Salazar Moreno boasted as he threw down five cards, all hearts. A flush. Chris hadn’t expected a flush. He knew the man might have three of a kind but he was hoping they’d be lower cards than his three nines.
“Damn!” He threw his own cards face down looking at the pot of bills Moreno pulled toward him. He didn’t have a whole lot of cash left tonight. The Bureau only gave him a certain amount each day and he had to be frugal. But poker wasn’t one of those things you could predict perfectly.
“You look like you could use a little good luck charm,” Barone said as he picked up the cards to shuffle. “Perhaps when Katie gets back she’ll give you some.”
Chris didn’t want Meg back in this room, not with the way Barone and Moreno leered at her. They were as bad as salivating wolves looking at the three little pigs. He knew she’d be back soon though since she’d left a few minutes ago to get them fresh drinks.
And as Barone dealt the cards for the next hand she pushed open the door, loaded tray balanced on her shoulder.
“Your drinks, gentlemen.”
She leaned over to place the glasses on the table and Chris tried to keep his hands from clenching into fists. The outfits the waitresses were made to wear were obscene. The tops were too low and the bottoms too high with way too much skin showing every time they bent over. Meg seemed a little skittish tonight. He couldn’t blame her after seeing Eddie with a bullet hole in his head recently. And knowing Moreno had done it.
“Katie,” Moreno purred softly, his hand resting on Meg’s backside briefly. “Your gentleman friend here is having a terrible losing streak. Perhaps you could give him a kiss for good luck. I’m afraid he’ll be leaving us soon if he doesn’t win something.”
She glanced at him briefly as if wanting some direction. Playing his part, he held out his hand and slurred his words like he’d had too much to drink. The others got looser lips if they thought he wasn’t in complete control of his faculties.
“Yeah, babe, come give me a kiss. I need some luck.”
She slid her tray off the table to rest against the leg of it then walked toward him. “Sure, muffin, I’ll give you some luck for now.”
Leaning down she touched her lips to his and he grabbed her head to pull her closer. The other men at the table ogled her backside and he assumed her shorts were riding up again. She wasn’t kidding when she said they were lechers.
He slid his hands around to her bottom, caressing the incredible curves. The silky skin on his rough fingers sent shockwaves through him but at least the others couldn’t see her ass anymore. Not much of it anyway. He pulled her closer until she was straddling his lap thinking now they couldn’t see the bare skin at all. It was hidden by the table.
“I think I need a lot more luck than that, babe.” He devoured her mouth, one hand on her back the other wrapping around her ponytail. Noticing Moreno seemed interested in their interaction, he backed off only slightly. He had to be believable if he wanted the man to think he was giving her lessons.
Pulling her ponytail so her head arched back, he sucked on her neck. He knew precisely the spot that always made her groan. Sure enough the breathy sound escaped from her throat as he nibbled farther along. He moved her close again to reclaim her mouth then gave her a little push.
“Okay, that’s enough for now. We can finish this later, when we’re alone.” He rubbed his hands over her butt, like half the customers in the stinking place, then turned to pick up his cards. “We ready to play?”
She let out a shaky breath and he wondered if it was real or part of the show. He couldn’t always tell with her.
She picked up her tray then moved back to Chris. “Win big, muffin, you promised me a new dress with matching shoes.” With that she leaned down and nipped on his earlobe then sauntered off.
Her hips swayed sassily as he watched her walk out of the room, trying to control the reaction she’d caused. He shifted in his seat catching Moreno grinning at him.
“She has satisfied you, huh, our Katie?”
Chris looked down at his cards and smirked back. He didn’t like the man thinking of Meg in any sexual capacity though it seemed that was the only way he thought of any woman. The sooner they caught this bastard with something strong enough to stick, the better.
He threw a few bills into the pot and rearranged his cards, pulling out two. Moreno got the message and studied his own hand for a few minutes before putting down three cards. Barone, and the other guests tonight, a banker from Chicago and a pawn shop owner who was known for receiving stolen goods, threw their cards down to exchange. Barone dealt more, then silence filled the room as each player studied the others, hoping to see a weakness displayed.
Chris rearranged his new cards seeing black when he was hoping to fill in the rest of his three hearts. Damn. Useless hand of cards. He kept staring then rearranged them again realizing his Jack of hearts, nine of hearts, and seven of hearts fell right in between the ten of spades and eight of clubs to give him a straight. Holy cow. This was the best hand he’d gotten all night. Hell, since he’d been playing cards with these bastards. If he won this hand he’d be set for the next few card games and wouldn’t have to listen to Doolittle bitch about the Bureau’s tight budget.
He took a deep breath checking out the other players. The banker was shaking his head and biting the inside of his cheek. Pawn shop guy was looking around the room anxiously. They had nothing. Their tells were easy to read. Barone had a gleam in his eye but Chris knew he sometimes used that to bluff. Moreno was expressionless as always. He rearranged his cards a few times then looked up at the others.
“Okay, gentlemen, who’s in?”
As Chris suspected the banker threw his cards on the table folding. The pawn shop owner did too. Barone slowly picked up a fifty placing it in the middle of the table. Moreno did the same, then looked at him. He glanced at his small pile of bills and gritted his teeth. Not much to work with but maybe he could get enough for another hand. The banker usually got talkative when he wasn’t in the action. A few of the things he’d said made it appear he wanted to do business with Moreno. Chris needed to stick around as long as he could tonight. Moreno had even hinted that he might have some business for him soon.
“I’m in.” He threw his own fifty in, hoping he could call soon. No such luck. Barone upped the ante by a hundred, which Chris had but barely, then Moreno upped it another two hundred. His jaw tightened as he dug in his wallet hoping he’d find he had enough in smaller bills. Again no luck. There was fifty but nothing more.
He shoved his wallet back into his pocket, picked up his cards then shook his head.
“I told you I don’t share. I don’t want anyone else’s slimy hands on her while she’s with me. When I go back up north, you can do whatever you want with her. Not until then.”
Hopefully that would hold them off a little. Damn, though, he knew he could have won this hand.
“I would settle for a second showing of the kiss she gave you with perhaps slightly more on both your parts.” Moreno’s suggestion caused his stomach to roil again. “Sometimes I simply enjoy watching. Would that be acceptable? No one would be touching her but you.”
He could never allow that to happen but the banker was getting into some details that sounded interesting and he had a damn straight, for Pete’s sake. No one had gotten anything higher than three of a kind this whole night. Moreno’s flush was a fluke. He could risk it, couldn’t he?
He swallowed hard, his eyes boring into Moreno. “Sure. If I don’t have the winning hand then you get some free entertainment. I call.”
Barone flashed three Aces then laid down a ten. He grinned making it seem like he had another ten. He couldn’t. A full house? No, impossible odds with the game they were playing. He placed down a two then said, “Three Aces. Can either of you do better?”
Chris had to admit it was a damned good hand but not as good as his. Now Moreno smiled and he shivered at the evil glare that accompanied it.
“I think you will enjoy being on show for us, Mr. Martin. You can impress us with your prowess. Maybe show us a trick or two. My hand is quite good.”
He placed down an eight of spades, a nine of clubs then a ten of diamonds and he was still grinning. Chris swallowed hard as his heart settled in his stomach. Damn. The man had a straight and if he kept going up it would be Queen high. That beat his Jack high. Shit. This wasn’t supposed to happen. How the hell would he get Meg out of this? He might have to grab her and run. It would flush everything else they’d worked for down the toilet but there was no way in hell he was putting on more than the kiss directly in front of these lechers or exposing Meg to it either.
He cringed as Moreno slowly placed the next card down. He shifted in his chair, wondering how fast he could get Meg before the goons grabbed them. The card went down and he blinked. Wait. It was a seven of diamonds followed by a six of spades.
His breath whooshed out of him. He couldn’t even attempt to hide the relief he felt. God, that was stupid. Why had he put her in danger like that? He wouldn’t do it again, that’s for sure. You aren’t invincible. Stop thinking that you are.
His own smile grew slowly as he moved his cards toward the table. “Nice hand, Moreno, just not nice enough.” With that he spread his cards out relishing the disappointment on both Moreno and Barone’s faces.
Chapter 12
“Read ‘em and weep, Shaunessy.” Salazar Moreno gloated, his eyes gleaming wickedly in the dimly lit room. “Time to pay up.”
Meg’s whimper drew his attention as Augustus Barone, his plump fingers clamped around Meg’s arms, pulled her into his lap. She twisted, but the fat man’s strength was too much for her.
“Let her go, Barone. I’ll get the money. I’ll pay up. Just stop touching her.”
Moreno chuckled but there was no humor in it. “You know what the price is. And you know what the consequences are if you don’t pay up.”
His stomach knotted, fear wrapping itself around his heart. Barone was holding Meg too close, touching her too intimately.
“I won’t let you do this.” He took a step forward but his attention was drawn to a figure in the corner. A dull-colored scarf covered ink-black hair. Brown eyes, sad and tortured stared back. Samira? What was she doing here? He looked around at the Afghan mountains, destruction everywhere.
“You can’t save her,” the girl whispered, shaking her head. “Like you didn’t save me. Or my brother.” Tariq appeared beside her and Chris shivered at the memory of what had happened to them. All because they wanted to help. The sound of guns echoed among the hills and the two young people fell to the ground. Samira lifted her hand beckoning for help. He couldn’t move, couldn’t get to her. He tried but he was frozen in time and space.
“Payment is due,” Moreno’s voice sounded behind him. “In full. You know what happens to people who don’t pay me what they owe.”
Chris was suddenly staring at a drawer in a morgue, Eddie Ballantine’s face stared back at him, eyes open wide and accusing.
“You shouldn’t have gotten her involved in this,” Ballantine accused. “Now she’ll end up just like me.” He was dead. He shouldn’t be talking.
Meg’s scream echoed through the room and Chris ran toward her. Barone held her down on the card table and Moreno pressed a gun to her head. Strong hands grabbed his arms and kept him from moving forward. Sonny and Gunther held him tight, vicious smiles on their bruised faces.
Samira’s voice floated through the room. “Don’t fight it. There’s nothing you can do. You can’t save her. You can’t save anyone.” Her face wavered before him, a bullet hole in her forehead.
Moreno cocked the gun and the sound had Chris whipping back to face him. Chris rammed his elbow into Sonny’s side. He heard Meg call his name but he needed to get the goon squad off him first. He’d get to her. He would.
Gunther pulled on his arm again and Chris grabbed him and threw him on the floor.
“Chris?” Meg’s voice rang out, terrified.
“Chris?”
He opened his eyes to look into Meg’s frantic ones from her position underneath him. What? Where? He’d been…
“Chris, are you all right? You were having a nightmare.”
He squeezed his eyes shut and when he opened them again, he was hovering over her gripping her arms. A dream. He’d been having a dream.
Damn. What had he done? Pushing himself up, he sat back, his breath as shaky and labored as if he’d been on a ten-mile hike in full gear. He ran trembling hands through his hair then over his face. He didn’t want to look at her and see fear on her face. Fear and disappointment. Maybe even pity.
A soft touch on his arm brought his eyes up. He tried not to flinch. It had only been a dream. Okay, a nightmare like she’d said. It wasn’t real. Get over it, man. Pull yourself together. He was supposed to be strong for her. Help her get through this crap of a life she was in.
“I’m fine,” he breathed out, trying to get his heart rate to slow down. “Sorry I woke you.”
“It’s okay. I was using the bathroom and I heard something. Thought you were sneaking the last of the Oreos. Figured I’d come and catch you at it.”
Her impish smile dashed away some of the quivers still attacking his nerves. He took another deep breath and smiled back.
“You wanted them all to yourself. Admit it.” He could do cool. Had to so she wouldn’t see how freaked out he was right now. How screwed up he was inside over something that had happened years ago. The card game and Eddie’s murder must have nudged it from the place in the back of his mind where he’d hidden it all this time.
He stood up and walked to the kitchen, flicked on the light over the sink then took a glass from the cabinet.
“Want to grab the Oreos and a glass of milk for me while you’re there.”
She didn’t sound upset or any different than she usually did. He glanced her way and found her staring at him. She turned her head. Was she embarrassed? That was rare for her. He opened the fridge and…shit, he only wore a pair of black boxer briefs. Had she been checking him out? Or simply making sure he didn’t go schizoid again.
He poured two glasses of milk and took the cookies from the counter then walked back to sit on the end of the couch. The sheet he us
ually slept on was all bunched up in the middle. He placed the cookies and milk on the coffee table then tried to pull the sheet over his lap without her noticing. She did. Meg noticed everything. But she didn’t say anything and for that he was grateful. There was enough embarrassment for one night.
She grabbed a few cookies and nibbled on them, her eyes darting to him once in a while. He took a cookie too and gobbled his in two bites. The cold milk felt good washing it down, washing away his dream. Or was he deluding himself? The thunderous beat of his heart almost choked him.
She sipped from her drink then stared at him, her eyes filled with concern. “Do you want to talk about it?”
He placed his empty glass gently on the table then wiped his mouth before he looked at her. She wanted him to cry on her shoulder? That wouldn’t happen. Although looking at her bare shoulders there was a definite longing to actually do it.
“What, you’re a shrink all of a sudden? I know bartenders like to think they can diagnose and help customers but I didn’t know waitresses were getting in on the act too.”
She slipped the last of her cookie into her mouth then licked her fingers. She had no clue what seeing her tongue skim over her lips did to him. Crossing her arms over her chest she sat back, still staring at him.
The light from the kitchen spilled onto her tousled hair, showing off the highlights from the sun. Her long legs stretched out, resting on the table. She wore the skimpy shorts and loose top again. He really needed to buy her some decent pajamas. Maybe he’d get flannel and high necked. Long sleeves and all the way down her slim legs. He glanced at her toes curled on the edge of the coffee table. Nope, too cute. He’d have to get something with feet attached. But it was July, in Miami.
“You don’t always have to be the big, strong FBI agent, you know.”