Page 65 of New Orleans Rush

“All men?”

“This man has forgotten if the world is round or square.” But he couldn’t forget the twitchy mustache eyeing him and his date. He didn’t want to leave her side. Not for a second. But Oliphant hadn’t wandered into Brimstone coincidentally.

When Huxley had announced he wouldn’t play poker again, Oliphant had nearly choked on his cigar. He’d launched a slew of insults, but Huxley had barely flinched. Name-calling and ranting were nothing compared to the notion of disappointing Beatrice, and playing another poker game would do more than disappoint the woman on his arm.

Battling the guitar solo and boisterous crowd, he raised his voice. “I need to speak with that mustache. I’ll be right back.”

“Don’t be long.” She pressed her lips to his neck, a soft kiss that echoed through him.

He wouldn’t be long. He also wasn’t going to be kind to Oliphant for interrupting his long-awaited date. After another quick glance around to confirm Big Eddie’s absence, he pushed his way to Oliphant.

“I’d say it’s fancy meeting you here, but there’s nothing fancy about it.” Huxley moved so he was facing Beatrice. Her upper body swayed to the music.

Oliphant hooked his thumbs on his suspenders. “Is enjoying a night of jazz a crime?”

Getting between him and his date was a federal offense. “Quit pretending like you aren’t stalking me.”

“Just thought I’d check to see if you changed your mind about a rematch.”

“I’m not sure what part of ‘I’m quitting the poker scene’ wasn’t clear to you, but I’ll dumb it down a notch.” A head taller than Oliphant, he loomed over the older man. “Nothing you do or say will bring me back. You lost fair and square. Give it up. Move on. It won’t happen in this lifetime. I’d also appreciate you fessing up about the blight complaint. I wasn’t proud of the theater’s appearance, and it’ll be good as new before the hearing, but that was a dick move.”

A bearded man approached Beatrice, and Huxley cut his tirade short. She smiled at the uninvited guest. She smiled at everyone. The asshole took it as his cue to plant his elbow on the bar behind her. Huxley ground his molars.

He was about to blow past Oliphant, but the swine opened his slimy mouth. “She’s a sweet-looking dame. The trusting sort. Wouldn’t want her to trust the wrong person.”

Huxley curled his hands into fists. “You look at her, you talk to her, or you breathe in her general direction, and I swear to God…”

The older man waved off Huxley’s implied threat. “No need to get physical. I’ve just noticed shady sorts eyeing her.”

Unease spilled down Huxley’s spine. It wasn’t Oliphant’s style to issue threats. He was underhanded, a coward who lurked in the shadows and used false names to lodge complaints. If he had seen a man watching her, it could have been Big Eddie. He glared at his nemesis. “Did you see a tall man with a goatee?”

Oliphant smoothed his shirt, a sudden glint in his dark eyes. “I did not. But there’s a bearded man intent on your date. And I’m glad to hear the theater construction is done. I’m sure it was expensive and stressful.”

Stressful didn’t begin to describe the past month, but he’d be handing over Trevor’s final payment next week. Axel’s snake hadn’t needed surgery. The theater was looking great. Closing this aggravating chapter of his life was a huge milestone. But he didn’t understand why Oliphant looked pleased. Gleeful, even. Assuming Oliphant had placed the blight complaint, he’d be itching for Huxley to fail. Fox’s warning that the scum would retaliate if not given a rematch reared its ugly head.

Time to set him straight. “I’ve pawned everything I’ve won to pay for that work. There’s nothing left—nothing for you to win back in another game. I’ll stay out of your face if you stay out of mine, but mark my words…if you mess with me, or anyone I care about, you won’t be able to lift a deck of cards for the rest of your life.”

Oliphant’s mustache twitched. “False threats don’t intimidate me.”

There was plenty of wind behind this particular sail, but Huxley wouldn’t show his final cards and lose the upper hand. If the idiot thought picking pockets in Vito’s club was smart, it was his funeral. Vito’s glare alone could snap a man’s neck. If the Italian giant knew Oliphant was ripping off his customers, they’d need dental records to identify Oliphant’s body, and Huxley would do almost anything to protect his own. Including snitching to Vito about Oliphant’s activities.

“It’s been lovely seeing you, as always.” Huxley stepped away, not bothering to hide his contempt.

“Just like your father,” Oliphant said, desperate for the last word. “Always thinking you’re better than everyone else. Not an ounce of class in either of you.”

Huxley swiveled back. “You need to learn when to shut up. And that stupid dinosaur skull you’ve been lusting after since my father won it? I pawned that, too.”

Oliphant’s beady eyes narrowed into evil slits. He could scowl as much as he wanted. Huxley’s leverage wouldn’t change, or the fact that their conversation should have ended five minutes ago.

He turned to stride back to Beatrice and his stomach bottomed out.

She was gone. Their drinks were on the bar, but she wasn’t there. Neither was the bearded man, a man who could be working for Big Eddie.

The room spun, the romantic light now too dark and claustrophobic. Dread winded his chest. Bile built in his throat. Huxley shoved his way toward where she’d been, ready to bulldoze the place to find her. Then she popped up, studying something in her hand, unconcerned, like he hadn’t just been picturing her drugged and dragged from the club.

The second he reached her, he crushed her to his chest.

She hugged him back. “I missed you, too.”