I saw it in his eyes. He’d take pleasure in bleeding all three of us out, just for the fun of it.
Violence howled beneath the surface of my skin when my gaze moved to find Jarek sitting at the same spot as last time. He slowly shifted to watch as we came, his spine going straight, fear and hate in his eyes.
Rage thrashed where I kept it caged.
That’s right, motherfucker, be afraid.
I rounded the table to my spot, as cool as could be while my insides shook like an earthquake.
Oz didn’t retreat upstairs like he normally did. He stood behind Haille, a sentry standing guard.
Fuck. This was bad.
My odds dwindling with each second that passed.
Trent and Jud felt it, too. Their nerves scattered and zapped.
I sat and tossed Haille a smug grin. “You wanted a game…you have a game.”
You vile, deviant piece of shit.
Haille’s brow lifted. “And I am to assume you brought your ante? Tonight’s stakes are…high. A single hand, all in.”
He chuckled like it was all in a night’s fun.
He wanted a show.
A play.
But I also knew he wouldn’t let me walk out of here with either Aster or the stone.
If he and Jarek had been hunting it for the last seven years, they wouldn’t willingly let it go now. I’d gladly trade it for her. In a heartbeat. Without question.
But I felt their intentions seething through the basement.
Perversion.
Wickedness.
Still, I went along with it like I could trust him. “I win, I walk with both the girl and the stone, and this time, I think it’d be fair if you forwent your cut.”
It toppled out like sarcasm.
His expression was wry. “That seems fair. A game is a game, after all.”
Yeah, and neither of us played by the rules.
The whole time, Jarek fermented in his depravity where he sat across from me.
I set the case onto the table and lifted my chin in challenge.
He angled over to grab the chain from Haille and dragged Aster forward on her knees, the girl sliding across the floor like she was a piece of meat to be traded.
A whimper of terror skidded from her throat.
Fury stabbed through me like a hot blade. I nearly lost it right then and dove over the table to take the motherfucker out.
Trent grunted from behind me.Stay cool. Stay cool.