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“This could be a mistake then,” Carter said.
“Nope,” she said. “Because I’m feeling lucky and cocky too. I want him to push my buttons.”
She walked right past the two men with her head held high and into the casino and then realized she had no idea where she was going.
Griffin tapped her arm and nodded his head and she followed him to a table in the back. A little after six on a Thursday at the end of February didn’t bring a lot of people out yet.
There were only two at the table Mike was at. She took the seat to his right, Carter to the left. Griffin was standing behind them. The guy had nowhere to go.
“Hello, Mike,” she said when he was dealt his cards.
He turned his head sharply, frowned and then said, “Avery?”
“Yes,” she said. “You remember me.”
“How did you know I was here?” Mike asked. He put his cards down, then tapped the table for the hit.
“The bigger question is—why you are here? You and I both know it has nothing to do with wanting to gamble here so far from home.”
Mike turned his head and looked at Carter on the other side of him. Noticing the dealer’s eyes shift behind, Mike turned to see Griffin standing there in his suit, his hands in his pockets looking calm and at ease, but she sensed internally that wasn’t the case.
“Deal him out after this hand,” Griffin said. “We’ll take this somewhere private.”
She was glad Griffin did that.
“Maybe I’m on a winning streak and don’t want to leave. Let me see the owner,” Mike said, turning to look at Griffin again.
“He’s going to tell you the same thing I did,” Griffin said. “But sure.” Griffin nodded his head and she turned to see Eli walking closer to them dressed very similar to Griffin. The hired muscle and the owner, though Griffin looked as if he could have owned the place too.
“You need me for something?” Eli said to Griffin.
“Are you the owner?” Mike asked.
“Eli Bond,” Eli said, putting his hand out. Avery could see Eli was squeezing it a little harder than normal. “Deal him out and we’ll take this somewhere private as you were told. Just doing a service to my cousin.”
“Cousin?” Mike asked, looking at her.
“Me,” Carter said from the other side. “Let’s go.”
Avery was losing her patience. But she wouldn’t put on a scene here. Good lord, she’d never had a man stand up for her in her life and yet here was Carter’s family all but circling the wagons to make sure she came out on top and didn’t even get a speck of dust on her from the storm.
Carter and she stood up; Mike tossed his cards down and pulled in his chips. There was a pile in front of him, but that meant nothing to her in terms of value.
No one said a word and they were brought down a hall into a private conference room.
Griffin and Eli took their leave, but something told her they’d be waiting outside the door.
“What’s this all about?” Mike asked.
“You know what it’s about,” Avery said, “but I’m going to give you a chance to tell me. Two months ago you threatened me that you wanted Josie. No word since, and now, you’re here on the island. Why?”
“I didn’t threaten you,” Mike argued.
Colleen’s ex wasn’t a big guy. Maybe five foot seven, a hundred and seventy pounds. Next to Carter who was over six foot and two hundred pounds of muscle, there was no comparison.
Then there was the fact Carter wasn’t saying a word. He wasn’t cracking a grin. He was showing no expression at all.
It was intimidating as all hell.
