We hugged for a long time, my body warming his as we sat in silence in the dark of the room. Eventually, Jude spoke again, his words soft.
“What you said?” he asked, “up there on the cliff. Did you mean it?”
I could feel a slight smile building in the corner of my mouth.
I still hugged him, my chin over his shoulder.
“Every word,” I said.
Epilogue
Amy
ONE MONTH LATER
I was home.
The sound of beeps and buzzes and bings was all around me. Lights shone, sparkling from the ceiling and the tables and the many machines lined up all along the walls.
I looked ahead of me at my opponents. They each sat with their own unique look: one with a hood covering his head, one with sunglasses and crazy blond hair, one listening to music and ignoring the commotion around him.
I was in Las Vegas, sitting at a high rollers table, and I'd been in the city for weeks now. I'd left everything behind, this time turning from Branton and not looking back. I never wanted to look back, or go back. There was nothing there for me now....almost.
I felt an excitement building in me as I sat there, waiting. Waiting the next hand, waiting my next win, waiting for him.
I played my cards and won more than I lost, but this wasn't a day for earning money. No, I was playing to kill time.
A hand played out in front of me, two players putting all of their money into the middle. The cards came down and one man, as always came out on top. He cheered loudly as the winning card hit the table. I didn't blame him. The pot was over $10,000.
The disgruntled loser, however, didn't look happy. He grumbled a few words as he stood up from the table and walked off to try his luck at another game.
The game went on, my attention dragged back to the table as the winner started chatting excitedly. As he told an amusing story to the rest of the players, a figure quietly slipped into the now free seat opposite me.
I hardly noticed, my mind still slightly adrift, until I heard a familiar voice.
“What's the buy in here?”
My eyes slowly lifted and a smile shot across my face. He was looking at me, smiling his beautiful smile.
“I believe it's a $5,000 minimum, but that sort of question is best directed at the dealer,” I said, as seriously as possible.
The dealer looked up and nodded. “Yes, $5,000 sir.”
Jude pulled a large bundle of money from his pocket and placed it on the table.
He looked at me again. “Unless....you just want to get some dinner?”
I smiled at him as his eyes sparkled under the bright lights.
“Do you like Chinese food?” he asked, a knowing smile crossing his face.
We stared at each other from across the table for a moment as the game went on around us.
“Sir,” interrupted the dealer, “did you want to buy in?”
“No,” I said, speaking for him, “we've got plans.”
And with that we both stood, Jude taking my hand in his, and walked through the casino and out into the warm evening air.
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The Logan Brothers - Books 1-4: (EXPOSURE, CRASH, TWIN PASSIONS, and ADDICTED TO YOU) Page 70