Tabitha looked over and smiled. “It’s been steady all week. Hopefully, it will stay that way. The boys are counting on it.”
“Don’t think they have anything to worry about.”
“No, they don’t. And neither do you.” Preacher gave her a wink before turning his attention back to me. “We talked to Misty earlier. She and her sister are gonna start helping out at the stables.”
“Good. Glad to hear it.”
I looked back over at the blackjack table. Unlike before, it was empty. Devin was gone. My back stiffened as I quickly scanned the area, and I spotted her at the bar. She and her friend were both surrounded by a half-circle of men who were closing in like a pack of fucking wolves. She was smiling and laughing, but it wasn’t her real smile.
This one was for show.
Or maybe that’s what I wanted to believe.
I didn’t fucking care. Nothing was going to stop me from going to talk to her. My eyes were still locked on her when I told Preacher, “I’ll catch up with you later.”
I brushed past a couple of slot machines and was within a few steps of her when my burner started to ring. Damn. I grabbed it from my pocket and answered, “You’ve got Creed.”
“Hey, brother. You busy?”
“Not at the moment.” I knew Grim well enough to know that he wasn’t calling to shoot the shit, so I asked, “Why? What’s up?”
“Need you at the clubhouse.”
“I’m at the Crown. Give me ten.”
I ended the call and started for the door. Once it slammed behind me, I pulled out a cigarette and took a long drag as I made my way out to the truck. The smoke burned down my throat and settled low in my lungs. It was official. This night was officially fucked.
I couldn’t catch a damn break.
Devin was right there within reach, and I couldn’t make a fucking landing. It had taken years for me to stop waiting for her shadow to show up in every corner of my life, but I had made peace with the way things played out.
But now she was back.
Same laugh. Same fire.
That had to mean something, and I was damned and determined to find out what that something was.
4
DEVIN
“How about another round?”
“Sure.” Laura glanced over at me with a smile. “You want another glass of wine or something else?”
“I’ll have whatever you’re having.”
“You got it.”
Laura turned her attention back to the four men who’d been bidding for our attention for the last half hour and gave them our order. She was talking a mile a minute, and they were all hanging on her every word. Well, most of them were.
The guy with dimples and a thick southern drawl seemed to have his eyes set on me. He hadn’t even spoken to her or anyone else. Just me, and I wasn’t sure how I felt about it. He was handsome and put together. But his hair was a little too styled, and it made him look like he cared a little too much about how he looked.
It was clear the guy worked out. He was tall with broad shoulders, and his suit jacket was hanging open just enough to reveal a snug black tee underneath. Confidence poured off him like cologne that was too strong.
“You really are beautiful.” His eyes skirted over me. “And a professor. That’s something.”
“Thank you.” I smiled back, letting myself lean into the attention. “It’s sweet of you to say so.”
