She returned to the bathroom, where she found the color lipstick she wanted. Taking a step back from the mirror, she practiced a sultry wink. If this didn’t make him want to throw in his cards and carry her upstairs, nothing would.
She had never felt more confident in her life, feeling as if everything was finally coming together for her.
Holding on to the banister so she wouldn’t break her neck while wearing the impossibly high shoes, Jewell looked toward where she had left Rory and saw another card table had been set up next to it so Puck and Nickel could play.
Rory didn’t look toward her, too engrossed in the cards he was playing. She sultrily walked toward the table and came to stand behind him.
“I’m back,” she said in her sexiest voice.
“Mmhmm …” he absentmindedly responded to her.
Flabbergasted that he was ignoring her, Jewell retreated to the bar before she made an ass of herself by cold-cocking him in the jaw.
Ember gave a low, appreciative whistle as she went behind the bar to make herself a drink.
“You look fantastic,” she complimented her.
“Shut up.”
Ember’s eyes twinkled in amusement. “I guess I’m not the one you got all dressed up for.”
“I hate men.”
“Pretty much all the women would agree with you tonight. The men have been playing poker all week. Several of us are getting fed up with it. Rory has been fleecing the brothers, and they keep going back for more.”
Jewell choked on the shot of vodka she had just taken. “Huh? Rory’s been winning?”
“I wouldn’t call what he’s doing winning. It’s more like massacring them,” Ember told her. “What makes it even worse is, by the time he’s taking their money, they are too mad to fuck and go their rooms alone. Fuckwads.”
“You’re joking, right?”
“I wish.” Puckering her face, she nodded toward the brothers who had just come in through the front door. “Recognize them?”
She did. They were from the Ohio branch of Last Riders.
“What are they doing here?”
“They been coming in the last three days, trying to take Rory down.”
Jewell poured herself another shot. “No one has beaten him?”
“Not yet.”
“Has he played Winter yet?”
“She lost.”
“I wonder how much he’s won,” Jewell said more to herself than Ember.
“Don’t know. The men are too embarrassed to tell. Winter said she lost two thousand before Viper had a fit. She was determined to win, so she started using the IOUs you gave her. She hated losing more than the money.”
Accidentally knocking over her empty shot glass, she stared at Ember in consideration. “My IOUs?”
“Uh-huh.”
Jewell pursed her lips. “Has anyone else used my IOUs to bet against him?”
Ember gave her a sympathetic glance. “All of them. He has all your markers. Even the ones you gave me for cleaning and days off.”
Furious, Jewell stared at her “How did he get yours? You don’t play poker.”
“I traded them to Puck.”
Exasperated, Jewell gave her a dirty look. “What did you get for them?”
“A good time. Believe me; I got my money’s worth out of them,” Ember joked. However, her amusement faded at seeing Jewell wasn’t sharing her amusement.
Jewell looked at the two men who had taken seats at the table. Eagle and Tiny both had IOUs from when she had visited Ohio before Thanksgiving. She didn’t exactly remember what the IOUs were for, but it definitely wasn’t cleaning or babysitting.
Taking another shot of vodka, she slammed the glass down before heading over to the table, determined to get Rory to leave the game.
As she came up behind him, her heart sank at seeing the four IOUs on the table.
“Rory, come on; I’m bored.”
“I’m almost done.”
“Why don’t you play, Jewell? You can have my seat.” Nickel stood up in irritation, raking his long hair back in frustration. “I’m out of money and your IOUs.”
Jewell took his seat, facing Rory from across the table. When she saw the determined glint in his gaze at the bet pile in front of him, her heart filled with butterflies. He didn’t want anyone to have her IOUs. It was kind of romantic, chivalrous, and totally lovable.
When the game ended with Rory winning, Jewell scooted her chair closer to the table.
“I’m in.”
Rory’s attention no longer on the game, he tried to dissuade her. “I won’t be much longer.”
“That’s cool. I’ll play until you’re ready to quit. Are you afraid of playing me?”
“No.”
“Then what’s the big deal?”
“None, I guess. Do you have any cash? I can front you if you want.”
“Lend me a hundred to get the ball rolling. I’ll pay you back.”
Rory tossed a hundred-dollar bill across the table. Jewell gave him an air kiss, taking the money.
“It won’t go far,” Rory warned.
She shrugged uncaringly. “Don’t worry; I won’t ask to borrow more money from you. I can always give out my IOUs. Right, boys? They know I’m good for them.”