His smirk gives me hope I won’t dig myself in a deeper hole by playing around when I say, “Then consider me a mute from now on.”

With that, the boys break out laughing and the game progresses like before. More alcohol flows and we banter back and forth. But I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t half-focused on that tingle of awareness I feel all along my spine and the man responsible for putting it there.

When the pot gets up to four hundred dollars, I start to get nervous. My palms grow sweaty. Griz adds fifty to his bet and it’s enough to have me searching out real guidance from Dozer. Leaning over I whisper in his ear, “Are you sure this is okay?”

He gives me a slight nod, which doesn’t make me feel any better.

I hesitate as I take my fingers off my chips. Maybe I should fold. Let someone else win this hand. That’s too much money.

Mav makes a noise behind me. Turning, I find him watching me and frowning.

Unease swirls in my belly. Does he know what I’m doing? Is he going to out me in front of everyone? Will the guys want to beat me to a bloody pulp for taking their money?

I begin to feel ill. Really ill. Maybe it’s the alcohol.

Then I hear his stool squeak as if he’s getting up. Which causes my back to go ramrod straight. Dozer catches my movement and spares a glance at Mav who must be standing directly behind me.

“It’s okay,” Dozer whispers back into my ear.

No. No. It’s not okay.

Questions start to whisper across my brain. Little by little my paranoia grows. In no time, the crazy plan to steal their money in a nice innocent game of poker sounds like a bad idea. Some of these guys are ex-cons, and I’m sure Taz is mentally unstable. And I’ve finally managed to get Taz to lay off on tormenting me. Do I want to go back to the way things were before I found Boop?

No, I don’t. We have a truce. I’d like to keep it that way.

Not to mention Luce has been looking for any reason to throw me out. This could be it. I’m lying, cheating, and stealing.

I toss my cards to Rigor, the dealer.

I’ll lose. Lose it all back to them. Then no harm done, right?

When I get a crappy hand, I play it to its death. When I get good cards, I trade them in or fold. And when I can, I push a big chunk of change in to lose. I keep just enough to pay Dozer back for buying me into the game. He didn’t want me using any of my money to gamble with. At the time, it sounded sweet and generous, but not anymore. Because now I’m wondering, if I had lost it, how would he have expected repayment? Dollar for dollar or in favors?

Em, settle down.

A hand taps Griz on the shoulder. “Scoot over.” Griz moves to Goose’s vacated seat and Mav slips into the seat on my right. His leg brushes mine and he leaves it there. His thigh to my thigh.

I bite the inside of my cheek and try to focus on the pain instead of the heat coming off his body.

With a surprised look on his face, Griz asks Mav, “You want in?” I don’t see Mav’s response. But Griz replies, “Didn’t think so. Too ‘fraid we’ll take all your green?”

“Nah. I’ve already taken my fair share of bad bets ‘s all.” Mav steals a glance at me and warmth flushes up my neck.

Jade saunters up to the table. She eyes the guys. Her gaze flickers over Dozer and goes around the table. The green monster inside me only peaks its head up when her eyes land on Mav and stay on him just a second longer than the rest. I beat it down. He’s not mine. I have no reason to feel jealous. But relief soars through me when she sidles over to Griz instead. She plops down on the older ginger’s lap, and circles her arms around his neck.

Mav turns his head and looks at me. His eyes burn holes into my face. He knows! He knows! He’s going to call me out in front of everyone.

I shoot up and out of my chair. All eyes snap up to me. “Um, I need to use the restroom.” I push my remaining money over to Dozer. “Here, you take over for me.”

Dozer slaps his hand on top of mine and pushes it back. “I’ll save it for you. You can continue to kick their asses when you get back.”

“I’m pretty tired—”

“What’s wrong, little stray, Kool-Aid makin’ you sleepy, or are the big boys harder to beat than you thought?”

I open my mouth to give a smartass retort, but Dozer beats me to it. “Go, babe. Then come back and teach these boys a lesson.”

I feel Mav’s heated gaze on my back as I walk through the main room. The party’s in high gear. It’s close to eleven on a Tuesday, so it’ll probably wind down in a few hours.

Before I can push on the bathroom door, it’s yanked open and a girl I’ve seen a few times, a hang-around, comes out. She sizes me up, wipes her nose, and saunters past me to get back to the party.

I groan loudly as I enter and see the state of the bathroom. Toilet paper is strung all around the wet floor. Used paper towels left there like someone halfheartedly tried to clean it up. Thankfully, it’s only clear liquid. I clean that first before I notice the mirrors. Not only are they splashed with water and hairspray, but also they have a million fingerprints all over them. Why anyone needs to touch the damn mirror as they fix their hair or make-up is beyond my knowledge.

Grumbling and cursing under my breath—something I’m doing more and more of late—I straighten the mess, knowing full well that if I don’t, I’ll just have to clean up tomorrow.

It’s a good while before I return to the poker table. When I do, I see Lily at the end of the bar talking to Rigor. All the guys are now at the table even Bodie and Goose. Mav is speaking to them.

I hear him say, “Henry Manfield. Came in through the tip line a few days ago. All Rodriquez would say is the guy witnessed a shooter in a dark sedan take down two motorists. Then the gunman got out, walked up to the two bodies, and shot the male three more times. It matches up with the police report and ballistics. I’ve got Whiz digging for everything he can get on this Henry guy. Addresses, family, friends. He’s skipped town and he’s not using his credit cards. Most likely, he got wind of who Cap is and decided to disappear. We need to track him down and get him to talk before anyone else does.”

“Agreed.” Dozer’s the first to speak up. The men join in.

Dozer notices me and gives me a sly smile. “You fall in?”

Mav turns around but I keep my eyes on Dozer so I don’t get worked back up. All the guys relax and I can tell by their body language the conversation is over. I’m not sure though if it’s because of my presence or because Mav was finished speaking to them.

“Someone got the floor in the bathroom all wet. I cleaned it up.”

Bodie exits my seat and gestures to me to take it. I hesitate. I really don’t want to sit between Dozer and Mav. However, that does seem to be where I’m always finding myself these days. Between the two of them. Oh God, I must be drunk. Because an image of me between them runs through my mind and, dear heaven, that is not something my mind or body could handle.

“Tell me you washed your hands,” Bodie quips. He takes up a seat across from me and next to Taz.

I hold my hands up. “Nope, I thought you could lick them clean.”

Jade scrunches up her nose. Dozer and Griz find that hilarious. I take my seat and Mav’s leg yet again falls against mine. Only this time his hand is resting on it and his fingers brush against my thigh, effectively awaking every inch of my body.

“There’s plenty of you I’d like to lick clean, ginger, but not your hands,” is Bodie’s reply.

Mav growls.

Bodie’s eyes shift to Mav, and then he clarifies. “After the party, of course.”

“How’re Blaire and the kids? They doin’ okay? Didn’t you just come from there like ten damn minutes ago?” Taz throws out.

“Butt the fuck out of my business.”

“I would, if you’d stop actin’ like a horny teen that can’t think of nothin’ but dippin’ your wick in anything within five feet of you.”