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Laughing, I agreed. For a little while I enjoyed the reverie of watching him squirm as the cards were presented. The other aspect regarding fear that I found fascinating was the fact there wasn’t a single person alive capable of hiding emotion entirely. I could tell karma had dealt him a heavy blow, the cards not going in his favor.
“I’m going to up the ante, Sean. This is a one and done.”
“Meaning what?”
“Meaning you win this hand, not only will you take my money, but I’ll pay off the debt you owe to the Bratva scum.”
His eyes flickered, the light returning. Then confusion settled in. “And if I lose?”
I settled back in my seat, feeling more comfortable than usual. “Then you take the punishment you deserve like a man.”
He snorted initially before realizing I was serious. “Punishment?”
“It’s a fair deal, Sean. Anyone else would be eliminated for such an egregious infraction.”
Now he was in panic mode, beads of sweat rolling down both sides of his face. “I can give you the person in control of the syndicate in the US. You can have their business.”
“Oh, I plan on it, Sean. And you will supply the name and all the pertinent details. What I’m offering you is a chance to maintain your life as you know it. This is a one-time deal. Take it or leave it.”
He knew he’d been cornered. After only five seconds of hesitation, he nodded his agreement.
The final cards were dealt, and he seemed pleased. “Full house.” His men congratulated him, and I sensed he was ready to toss back a few shots after winning.
While I normally enjoyed basking in the throes of winning, today wasn’t one of those days. Perhaps I needed to take a few days off, head to a tropical location. Michael had mentioned after commenting on my unusual level of tension that it was obvious I needed to get laid. Only he could get away with such disrespect.
I glanced at my cards between easing them down carefully. Then I allowed Sean to take a second glance before announcing my hand. “Straight flush.”
Suddenly, all the color drained from his face. He jerked up from the table quickly, two of his men wrapping their hands around their weapons.
“You fuckin’ cheated!” he accused.
“Time for your punishment.” I pushed back my chair, standing slowly. Then I pocketed the cash on the table before pulling away.
“This is bullshit. You don’t come into my establishment and act as if you own the place.”
“Erin owns this bar, Sean. You know that. And you know what they say. You play, you pay.” When the door opened and another Callahan soldier walked inside, I knew Sean’s father had sent the man to keep the peace.
“Mr. James. Is there any way I can provide assistance?” the soldier asked.
“What the fuck is this?” Sean demanded.
I gave Michael a look, allowing him to yank out the knife he’d brought with him. The lesson provided had to be a constant reminder, not something that could be gotten over after weeks of recuperation. That wouldn’t bode well for preventing this kind of betrayal from happening again.
Callahan’s beefy soldier was the man who grabbed Sean’s wrist, slamming his hand on the table.
In the moments of confusion and paranoia Sean experienced, he threatened me several times. I was used to that. In fact, it wouldn’t be a successful week if at least one threat hadn’t been made against me.
“You won’t get away with this!” Sean insisted, struggling to get out of his own soldier’s hold.
“Shut up, Sean. Your father agreed.”
The news hit him hard, all the color draining from his face again. I headed for the door, stopping just before opening it. “You will have one of your men email me the information requested. And just because I’m a fair man, I’ll have a talk with the Pakhan to see if I can have your debt reduced.”
Michael lifted his head, waiting for my cue. When I held up two fingers, he knew what to do. At least I wasn’t going to leave Sean a complete cripple. That was the deal we made with his father.
There would be no more.
It would seem a trip to the States was in order.
