Page 166 of Play Dirty

“Suit? Left side?”

“Yeah.”

“…yeah, I see him.”

Ares joined us a second later, still riding high from the win.

“What are we looking at?”

“That guy,” I said.

Grayson came up behind us. I didn’t take my eyes off the man, though.

“You know him?”

Grayson went still. Just for a second. Then—

“No,” he admitted. “But I know the type.”

On the other side of the arena, the man folded and unfolded his arms restlessly. He said something to the person beside him. Someone in staff gear.

Then, like he felt it—

He looked up.

Right at us.

My stomach dropped.

There was something in his expression now. Not surprise, not curiosity. Recognition, possibly.

And something colder. Like he wasn’t worried.

Like this hadn’t gone the way he wanted—

—but it hadn’t changed anything, either.

Together we watched as he turned and walked away. Just like that.

Gone.

I stared after him, my stomach still recovering from its weird drop.

“He didn’t seem happy,” I said quietly.

“No,” Grayson agreed, his voice low. “He wasn’t.”

For a long moment no one said anything. We just stared at the place the man had been.

Whoever he was, I got the distinct feeling he wasn’t done.

Not even close.

~ 48 ~

ARES

The place smelled like old beer and burnt wood.