Page 21 of Brutal Truths

With a coy smile, she bats her long eyelashes at him. “Sorry, Granger. Didn’t mean you, of course.”

“Top me up and get back here.” He tosses a few more chips onto the table. The sharp clack echoes off the walls, his gaze locked on her retreating form.

Not her, but her arse. No mystery what’s on his mind.

“You got it.” She stops at the liquor cabinet and opens it. Under her breath, low enough only I hear her, she mumbles. “Too bad you’re a rare breed, Aiden. You better hurry. Trent waits for no man.”

Silas steps up next to us, pressing a kiss on Merial’s cheek. “When you finish with that prick, head over to my place. I’ll meet you there when we’re finished. How long have they been playing?”

Her eyes lift to his, and a small, hesitant smile touches her lips. “They started this game around eight last night. There were ten players. These are the last three standing. The others are off somewhere getting their wounds licked.”

A frown takes over my face at that thought, but I don’t say a goddamn word.

Merial notices, her eyes rolling slightly. “Shouldn’t be much longer. Granger’s about to clean them out.”

Reaching into his pocket, Silas’s eyes travel to the poker game. “Granger, you don’t mind if I steal Mer from you, do you?”

The other man scowls, but no one tells the warlord no. “Guess not. Even though I paid extra for her time.”

“How about this? You can have her company until I’m done.” Silas slips something from his pocket and drops it in the drink Merial is pouring.

Granger’s too busy sulking over losing his prize to notice. “Fine. But you’ll owe me.”

Silas grabs a cocktail stick, stirring the drink, then brings it to his mouth pretending to lick it clean. “We’ll talk about that later. You just make sure she’s ready for me. I don’t like waiting.”

Merial lets out a small snicker as she turns to deliver the drink.

That fucker will be lucky if he gets up from the table after he downs the drink Silas just made for him. And while I’m okay with that, I’m not fine with the idea of Silas getting time with her.

Her resemblance to Isabel hits harder that it should, dragging me back to the first night he met my woman.

Silas grips my shoulder and steers me toward the office. Trent and Cort are already there. Once we’re inside, Trent shuts the door and locks it.

Four other men wait inside.

One is Trent’s driver and personal bodyguard, Drake. He’s obviously here to make sure the other three men stayed put while Trent came to get us.

Then there’s the one who isn’t going anywhere. His head hangs low, blood covering his once-white dress shirt. The brass knuckles on the table are a solid clue of what happened.

Another stands in the corner, drink in hand, his chest rising and falling faster, too fast. He’s shaken by what happened before we arrived—anyone would be. He’s ready to bolt.

“Can I go now?” He lifts his drink, the ice clinking with each shaky sip. “I get it. I swear you’ll never have to worry about me pulling that shit. Message received. Please, Mr. Doyle… I just want to go home. I don’t need to see more.”

Trent doesn’t answer right away.

He adjusts his cuffs, slow and deliberate, letting the silence stretch until it presses in on everyone in the room.

Then he moves. Unhurried. Controlled. Each step echoes against the floor as he closes the distance. When he reaches him, he takes the drink from the man’s hand without breaking eye contact. Then finishes it himself.

“Let me be clear.” His voice is calm, too calm. “The next time you break my rules and end up in my office, you won’t be leaving it.”

The man swallows hard. He’s so nervous I wouldn’t be surprised if he pissed himself.

“This is your first and final warning. I can’t prove you knew what those two limp dicks were up to. Only that you’re friends and guilty by association.” He takes a step closer. “Pick better friends, Kenny.”

Straightening, Trent steps back and gestures toward the door. “Now get the hell out of here before I change my mind.”

Drake is already moving, opening the door for Kenny as he hightails it out of there.