CHAPTER4
Walker sat nextto Albert Oakley at the blackjack table. Every time he ran into Albert, it was hard not to be reminded that the man was once the head of the Renegades, one of the most notorious crime organizations in Colorado. Although, they’d been put out of business recently thanks to his daughter, Sparrow.
Weirder, it had been Sparrow’s mother who had taken over for Albert.
Interesting family dynamic.
“I’m getting tired of giving you my money today,” Albert said.
Walker chuckled. “I’m certainly not getting bored of taking it.” He took a peek at the two cards the dealer handed him.
A queen and a king.
His luck hadn’t changed. Yet. Because it would. It always did. There were three keys to not losing your shirt.
The first was to have a limit you were willing to lose.
The second was to never think you were going to be able to win anything back.
And the third was to always know when to walk away.
The second Walker started losing was the moment he stepped from the table. That would piss Albert off, but Walker had played with him enough times to know he’d do the same thing.
Walker informed the dealer he was staying. He took a good look around the room. Fay stood at the bar, waiting for a couple of drinks, also standing next to Pete. For the last hour and a half, Pete had been sitting on the same stool, nursing a couple of beers, doing nothing but staring at the line of televisions on the wall. There had been no sign of Craig and according to security, he hadn’t set foot in the casino in the last twenty-four hours.
“For a man who’s on a roll, you seem preoccupied.” Albert tossed in his cards as the dealer turned over an ace and got blackjack. “Anything to do with your lady?”
“Not really, but I think I’m done with this game for now.” He gathered his chips and nodded to everyone else at the table. “Do you want a fresh drink?”
“Are you buying?”
“Considering I’ve got about fifty or so of your dollars, it’s the least I can do.” He slapped Albert on the back, which to anyone else would be considered a bold and potentially dangerous move. Many people in this town were still utterly terrified of Albert and wondered if he was really on the right side of the law.
Which was a ridiculous statement. His daughter was the epitome of exemplary law enforcement and Albert had more than put that shit behind him.
Walker made his way through the maze of people. He looped his arm around Fay’s waist and kissed her temple.
“Hey, babe,” she said.
“I started losing so I decided it was time to quit.” Walker would never dare call her babe. She’d probably shoot him, but he didn’t mind the word coming from her sweet lips.
“I knew there was a reason I liked you.” She patted his cheek. “Our drinks are on their way and I ordered a snack. I’m starving.”
“You’re always hungry.” That wasn’t something he just made up either. She’d had eggs, French toast, bacon, sausage, and home fries for breakfast. Two hours later she turned around and had a turkey club sandwich, though she passed on the fries, mentioning she didn’t want to have too many carbs.
He nearly died laughing.
“I got loaded nachos to share. We can sit over there.” She pointed to a table right next to the bar where a group of people had just left.
“I’ll go grab it, if you don’t mind me still joining you,” Albert said.
“Not at all.” Fay nodded. “I had ordered you a drink anyway.”
“I appreciate that, ma’am.”
If Walker wasn’t mistaken, Fay growled.
“I wouldn’t call her that. She hates it,” Walker said as the bartender arrived with two beers and some cocktail with a big umbrella.
Not what Walker expected Fay to drink.
“Why are you staring at me like I have five heads?” she asked as she took out the umbrella and replaced it with a straw. She stirred it and took a long sip with an arched brow.
Now he wasn’t amused by the drink as he was enthralled by the woman.
He leaned in and kissed her cheek. “I want to take a tall drink of you.”
She slapped his shoulder. “You’re so weird.”
“And you’re so sexy.”
She rolled her eyes.
This was too easy. So easy it felt real and that was a sensation Walker wasn’t sure what to do with.
He took a seat between her and Albert. He set both beers on the table as well as the metal bifold with the number twelve on it. The bartender told them it would be about ten minutes.
“So how long have you two been dating?” Albert asked, tipping his adult beverage.