Morrison (Caldwell Brothers)

“Yeah, I am.”

Once Wheels cashes in and gives me the cash, I turn and hand it to Monte. “You come near her or the kid again, and I’ll kill you. It’s cheaper to hire a hit than be manipulated by you again.”

The dealer asks, “Who’s in?” I turn to leave. It doesn’t matter anymore. Game is over—and I won it all.

I walk outside, Wheels following, and see Hailey pacing. I shake the kid’s hand, give him the address, and tell him to swing by tomorrow so we can head to the lawyer’s.

“Did you win?” Jagger asks me.

“Biggest win of my life. Let’s go grab some food. Then you three get some sleep before you head home to that girl.”

“You’re coming with, right?” Hailey asks.

“I’ll be a day behind you. I’m gonna drive home.”

“Why?”

“’Cause I don’t plan on coming back here anytime soon.”

“You sure?” Hendrix asks.

“Like I said, I hit the jackpot today. I have what I need from Vegas. Now all I want is to go back to Rock City with my family.” A calm washes over me. “But first, what the fuck were you two thinking bringing her here?”

Chapter Fourteen

It has all been a whirlwind. After I finished up at work, Olivia could tell I couldn’t handle the thought of Morrison being at the tournament without me. Without allowing myself to overthink everything, I mustered enough courage to leave my baby girl with Livi to board a red-eye to Vegas with Hendrix and Jagger. Family at my back as I faced my past—that’s what Livi said as we left.

I didn’t know how to take it all in. I just knew that, at the end of the day, I had to pay my debt myself. I couldn’t let Morrison do it.

Before my nerves could get the best of me, I was at the tables. I was in the tournament.

I tried to keep my expression locked into the look of an easygoing person. I tried to maintain my composure, even knowing everything was literally on the line in this moment.

Sitting down, I ran my fingers over the felt where the table meets the wood trim. The contrast was strange when you felt the soft green liner and then moved to the gloss trim.

Rough and smooth. Soft and slick.

Much like the table, I needed to remain soft and slick through it all. Tonight, it truly was winner takes all. Tonight, I took back my freedom. Tonight, I commanded my choices.

It was easy to get sucked in. There was a moment when I wanted to stay and continue to play. I wanted to up the ante and see if I could make a profit.

There was too much at risk, though.

I got in on a ticket from Marshall. Then Jamie called a guy who knew a guy who knew another guy, and we scored the golden cards for Hendrix and Jagger. Marshall didn’t look at all pleased when I arrived with guests.

Too bad, so sad, big guy.

I know somewhere inside him, there is a heart. He just owes too much to Monte to get out. I don’t know what will happen if Monte finds out that Marshall was my way in. I couldn’t think on it. I had to remain focused, cash in, and pay off my husband.

I had just enough saved for my buy-in. I will have to work to repay my ticket out here, but I’m free.

What an amazing feeling!

Outside, I paced back and forth, desperately hoping Morrison was okay. My gut twisted. My intuition screamed that there was more going on than I knew. The way Morrison was taunting Monte through me, playing him.

But why? This is my battle to fight.

I won what I needed—debt paid in full. So why, I wondered, is Morrison still in there? We’re even. Why not cash in and come out?

Watching him when he finally does walk out, I know something is off. He doesn’t rush over to me. There is no fairy-tale sweep-me-off-my feet kind of embrace.

No, I get told we are going to eat, I’m going home, and he will be a day behind.

Before I can ponder his brush-off, Marshall exits, with Monte right behind him. Then Marshall pins my stare in a way that lets me know I need to choose my words carefully.

Choose.

I can’t stop the smile that builds as Monte approaches. I get a choice. Finally!

I feel the Caldwell brothers tense behind me as they all fall in at my shoulders. Jagger moves to step up to Marshall, but I reach out and gently grasp his forearm.

It warms my heart to know he would go toe to toe for me, but this is a world he doesn’t live in. There is a code, and he can’t cross that line, or I’ll be in debt again before any of us can blink.

“The papers will be delivered midweek,” Monte says while studying me.