Read Online High Card: A Billionaire Shifter Novel (Lions of Las Vegas Book 1) by May Ellis Daniels - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: May Ellis Daniels
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trying to forget the terrifying image.
“That’s what’s so cool. The message came from inside the casino.”
***
We’re interrupted by a light tapping on the metal door. Alfie flicks on a security camera. Maya’s standing outside, smoking, huddled in a knee-length black overcoat.
“Don’t want any,” Alfie says through the intercom.
Maya gives the camera the finger.
“Let her in, Alfie. She’s had a shit night, too.”
Alfie rolls up the clattering door. I click the laptop closed without knowing why. Instinct, I guess. Maya wasn’t stretching much for her role tonight. She was a mail-order bride. Only it was Yugoslavia, not Russia. A few years later her jerk-off hubby met with an untimely demise. Hiking in the Grand Canyon and…oopsie!
Thousand foot drop.
Messy, but effective. No witnesses to say he didn’t just stumble.
Maya even got a police helicopter ride out of the deal—
“Ah, ze accomplices,” Maya says, still in character, puffing on her cigarette as she strolls into the garage like she’s entering a red-velvet cabaret in Paris. Then she stops. Looks at me and Alfie and says, “Where’s Jay?” in a much less accent-heavy voice.
“You two were supposed to rendezvous and come here,” I say.
Maya thanks me for telling her what she already knows in a snarky way that means she’s getting worried. “Can we turn a fucking light on?” she says while Alfie rattles the door closed. “Jay never showed.”
My heart thumps loud in my ears. “What do you mean?”
Maya slips of her heels and settles into the Porsche’s passenger seat. The car doesn’t suit her current get-up. It’s not glamorous enough. We’re not exactly friends, Maya and I, but we’ve done more than a few jobs together. “He wasn’t there, sweets.”
“Must’ve stopped in at Bangers.”
Bangers is Jay’s favorite hang. He uses it to de-stress. No, it’s not a titty bar. It’s an indoor golf range. Even golfing has to sound sleazy in Vegas.
Alfie’s trying to stay casual, but I see he’s worried. Jay would never rat to the cops. I look at my broken finger. But if he’s in the box of the casino? With that fucking creep Blake looming over him, cutting off his fingers one by one? Who knows what he’ll say. Probably anything to make the pain stop.
“You guys should jet for a little while,” I say, also trying to sound casual.
“Oh yeah? To where?” Alfie says.
“And with vut monies?”
I nod, walk to a set of old, half-empty vending machines. Dig in my purse. Find three of the four quarters I need. A day late and a dollar short. Story of my life.
Alfie says, “If you drop in what you got, then hit the left side of the machine real hard, sometimes it’ll give you something.”
“That’s a win,” I whisper.
I close my eyes. My back’s turned to my…friends? Partners in crime? Both? I feel like fucking crying. The stench of oil in the shop’s making my empty stomach turn.
But I don’t let myself cry. I’ve tried that.
Doesn’t change shit.
“Luck be a lady,” I mumble, lifting a few quarters to the slot. I hesitate, then quickly drop them in and smack my hand against the machine, adding to the dent already there. There’s a pause, then a Diet Dr. Pepper can plunks down.
“Your lucky night,” Maya says in a way that kind of gives me the creeps.
The can’s warm in my hand. Doesn’t fizz when I pop it open.
But it tastes like liquid sugar, which is just what I need.
Almost buck poorer now. That means I have…less than thirty-six dollars to my name. Payday at the grocery store isn’t for another eight days. Mom’s gunna run out of meds in three. The bills are piled so thick I can’t remember which one needs paying first. I take another sip of the lukewarm soda. Shit. I needed the Savannah to come through.
I have no Plan B.
I need a night in shining armor.
No. Screw that.
What I really need is my gun.
“I need to get home,” I
“That’s what’s so cool. The message came from inside the casino.”
***
We’re interrupted by a light tapping on the metal door. Alfie flicks on a security camera. Maya’s standing outside, smoking, huddled in a knee-length black overcoat.
“Don’t want any,” Alfie says through the intercom.
Maya gives the camera the finger.
“Let her in, Alfie. She’s had a shit night, too.”
Alfie rolls up the clattering door. I click the laptop closed without knowing why. Instinct, I guess. Maya wasn’t stretching much for her role tonight. She was a mail-order bride. Only it was Yugoslavia, not Russia. A few years later her jerk-off hubby met with an untimely demise. Hiking in the Grand Canyon and…oopsie!
Thousand foot drop.
Messy, but effective. No witnesses to say he didn’t just stumble.
Maya even got a police helicopter ride out of the deal—
“Ah, ze accomplices,” Maya says, still in character, puffing on her cigarette as she strolls into the garage like she’s entering a red-velvet cabaret in Paris. Then she stops. Looks at me and Alfie and says, “Where’s Jay?” in a much less accent-heavy voice.
“You two were supposed to rendezvous and come here,” I say.
Maya thanks me for telling her what she already knows in a snarky way that means she’s getting worried. “Can we turn a fucking light on?” she says while Alfie rattles the door closed. “Jay never showed.”
My heart thumps loud in my ears. “What do you mean?”
Maya slips of her heels and settles into the Porsche’s passenger seat. The car doesn’t suit her current get-up. It’s not glamorous enough. We’re not exactly friends, Maya and I, but we’ve done more than a few jobs together. “He wasn’t there, sweets.”
“Must’ve stopped in at Bangers.”
Bangers is Jay’s favorite hang. He uses it to de-stress. No, it’s not a titty bar. It’s an indoor golf range. Even golfing has to sound sleazy in Vegas.
Alfie’s trying to stay casual, but I see he’s worried. Jay would never rat to the cops. I look at my broken finger. But if he’s in the box of the casino? With that fucking creep Blake looming over him, cutting off his fingers one by one? Who knows what he’ll say. Probably anything to make the pain stop.
“You guys should jet for a little while,” I say, also trying to sound casual.
“Oh yeah? To where?” Alfie says.
“And with vut monies?”
I nod, walk to a set of old, half-empty vending machines. Dig in my purse. Find three of the four quarters I need. A day late and a dollar short. Story of my life.
Alfie says, “If you drop in what you got, then hit the left side of the machine real hard, sometimes it’ll give you something.”
“That’s a win,” I whisper.
I close my eyes. My back’s turned to my…friends? Partners in crime? Both? I feel like fucking crying. The stench of oil in the shop’s making my empty stomach turn.
But I don’t let myself cry. I’ve tried that.
Doesn’t change shit.
“Luck be a lady,” I mumble, lifting a few quarters to the slot. I hesitate, then quickly drop them in and smack my hand against the machine, adding to the dent already there. There’s a pause, then a Diet Dr. Pepper can plunks down.
“Your lucky night,” Maya says in a way that kind of gives me the creeps.
The can’s warm in my hand. Doesn’t fizz when I pop it open.
But it tastes like liquid sugar, which is just what I need.
Almost buck poorer now. That means I have…less than thirty-six dollars to my name. Payday at the grocery store isn’t for another eight days. Mom’s gunna run out of meds in three. The bills are piled so thick I can’t remember which one needs paying first. I take another sip of the lukewarm soda. Shit. I needed the Savannah to come through.
I have no Plan B.
I need a night in shining armor.
No. Screw that.
What I really need is my gun.
“I need to get home,” I
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