bartender standing behind it. In the middle, there’s a basic, folding-leg card table, like what you could buy online.
And at that table, there’s my sister.
“Lilly!” She screeches out in surprise the second she sees me and immediately hops up from her chair, sending a pile of chips scattering across the green tabletop.
“What the fuck?” A slim man in a dark-navy suit, his dark hair slicked back with copious amounts of gel, stands up right after her as if to chase her down.
“Jesus fucking Christ, this just gets better and better.” Another man at the table, dressed casually in cargo shorts and an oversized t-shirt, rolls his eyes and throws his hands up.
“I thought this was supposed to be a high-stakes game but it’s just turning into a game for clowns.” The pretty girl next to him says. She, likewise, looks annoyed. She’s wearing a short, figure hugging cocktail dress that cinches tightly at her narrow waist. Her nipples are clearly visible through the flimsy pink fabric. She has a full face of makeup on and her hair is perfectly blown out—long and shining, almost down to her waist.
“Lilly, what the fuck are you doing here?” Deanna bounds up to me and throws her arms around me impulsively. She reeks of whiskey. “Fuck, it’s good to see you! Let me look at you.” She jerks away and holds me at arm’s length. “You look great.”
I ignore her compliment. “We heard you were in trouble, Deanna,” I tell her calmly.
“I’m not in trouble,” she says cheerily. “I just need a little bit of time to win some money back from these jokers.”
The pretty girl at the table snorts in derision while the big guy in the cargo shorts rubs his temples gently. It seems Deanna has been testing the patience of everyone in the room. The dealer looks down at his own hands, rubbing them together nervously.
“I wouldn’t say that,” The slim man in the dark-navy suit comes up from behind Deanna. “She’s definitely in trouble. Now who the fuck are you?”
My voice clams up as the man advances. He looks about David’s age and he shares the same hard look that I’ve seen more than once on David’s face. It’s the look of an irritated businessman.
“Antony.” David steps forward before I can say a word. I’m thankful, as my throat is so dry, I don’t think I could have gotten a word out anyway.
“David Milner? Jesus, don’t you have enough to do running your own two properties? You gotta gate crash mine too? How the hell did you all get in here anyway?” He looks suspiciously from Mike—who has receded to the background—to me, to David.
“I really do apologize for the intrusion, Antony. I know this is completely out of line.”
“And yet you’ve done it anyway.” Antony crosses his arms and looks at David expectantly.
“I got wind of a little trouble at the card tables here. A debt that can’t be paid?” David gestures to Deanna.
“Bullshit! Like I said, I just need some time. A few more rounds.” She’s tugging absent-mindedly at the straps of the short, yellow mini-dress she’s wearing.
“Like hell. You’re not playing any more hands until you pay what you already owe.” Antony turns to face her.
“Ah, Tony, c’mon, you know the girl ain’t got the cash! Why keep pressing?” The pretty girl from the table pipes up.
“Yeah, just get her the fuck outta here so we can keep playin’ without all the drama, huh?” The cargo shorts guy adds.
“I’m not going anywhere.” Deanna whirls on them. “And I’m not going to let some fat slob and a fucking hooker tell me what to do.” Her hair is piled in a sloppy bun on top of her head, her mascara is smudged, and her eyes are red. It looks like she’s been up all night.
“Deanna!” I stare at her in shock. “I’m so sorry,” I say to the strange duo at the table.
“Christ, honey, it’s alright. She’s not wrong. I’ve been known to lay a trap or two now and then,” the pretty girl winks at me and gives me a friendly smile. “But at least I got the money to pay my gambling debts.” Her voice turns cold and she brings her gaze to Deanna.
“Shit, you two are twins!” Cargo shorts guy stares in wonder between me and Deanna. His eyes are likewise red and bleary.
“You’re just realizing that, Donny.” The pretty girl giggles. “Shit, maybe it’s time we all call it on this fuckin’ table. We’ve