I don’t know how long I stood there watching the asshole, but I was growing tired of his boastful laugh and the way he’d paw the girls when they brought his drinks over. Dude was a real douchebag, but he seemed legit.
Until I saw it.
It was just a twitch.
It was subtle as hell, but I’d seen it before.
He’d shifted in his seat and slid his palm over his thigh like he was just wiping off sweat. Only there was more to it than that. Much more. He had a small bump under his jacket that was easy to miss. Hell, I’d missed it for almost an hour, but once I saw it, I couldn’t unsee it. The damn thing was plain as day. The device was tucked just inside his cuff, and he was using it to catch the dealer’s cards before they hit the table.
Son of a bitch.
I watched him do it twice more, just to be sure.
Same motion. Same shift. Each time, his bets doubled right after.
I pushed off the wall and caught the eye of one of our floor guards, motioning with a tilt of my chin. He followed me like a shadow as I circled around the table.
The guy didn’t even notice me until my hand landed heavy on his shoulder. I kept my voice low and calm as I told him, “Sir, we need a word.”
“About what?” He blinked up at me, that slick grin faltering just a little. “I’m in the middle of a hand here.”
“Your hand is over.”
The guard slipped his hand under the guy’s arm and pulled him to his feet. He started reaching for his chips, and I growled, “Leave them.”
He started to protest, but the guard gave him a firm tug and escorted him from the table. A few players whispered beneath their breaths but carried on with their hands. Most had seen it before. They all knew the Black Crown didn’t play around.
We made it to the back hallway near the service entrance, and that’s where I stepped in front of him. “It’s time for you to go.”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“If you cheat here, you’re done here.” I stepped closer. “Permanently.”
“I don’t know what you think you saw, but…”
“Don’t waste your breath.” My voice was low and threatening. “You know damn well what I saw.”
I glanced down at his wrist, where the device was hidden, and his shoulders squared. “Yeah, well, what the fuck are you gonna do about it?”
I didn’t move.
I just stood there, calmy staring at him before replying, “You best rethink how you talk to me, or you’ll be spitting teeth and beggin’ for your momma.”
“Fuck this. I’m outta here.”
“Wise choice.” I got in his face as I added, “If you eventhinkabout coming back through those doors again, I’ll show you exactly how we take out the trash around here.”
He swallowed hard and nodded, all that cocky energy from the table gone in a flash. I turned to the guard and ordered, “Make sure he gets the message.”
He gave me a quick nod, and then, they disappeared down the corridor. I took out my phone and sent Nikolai a message, letting him know that the situation had been handled. I slippedmy phone back into my pocket and started back out to the main floor, hoping to track down Devin.
I was almost back to where I’d last seen her when I spotted Preacher leaning against the VIP rail. He had Tabitha at his side, and both of them looked like the day had taken its toll. They were pushing too hard, and if they weren’t careful, it would catch up with them. I didn’t bother telling him that.
He knew, and he knew I knew.
I would’ve just passed them by, but I’d caught Preacher’s eye. He gave me a slight chin up and said, “Hey, brother. Having a good night?”
“Trying to.” I stopped next to him. “Got quite the crowd tonight.”
