AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Genevieve.”
“That’s up to her, don’t you think?”
Jed brushed a golden-brown curl behind her ear. “What do you think, dove? I beat your chaste ex-boss at poker, and he takes his losses and promises to be on his way?”
Genevieve gnawed on her lip, guiding Jed’s arms around her. “Or he could just leave now.”
An egotistical smirk lit up Jed’s face. “Hear that, King? My Gen is trying to cut your losses, or are you too much of a man for that?”
Brendan somehow delivered a cockier smirk than Jed’s. “You might be the Marshal, but like you said yourself, I’m the fucking King.”
Genevieve’s jaw dropped open. Oh my god, in any other circumstance, she’d find that line incredibly hot, but she wanted him to live.
Jed’s arms tightened their hold on her, and he snickered menacingly. “Okay, King, then allow me to dethrone you. I’ll gladly sit in the front row when I send your geeky ass to the guillotine.”
Genevieve shimmied out of Jed’s arms and released an impassive sigh. “What are we, boys? Like twelve?” She turned, flirting her fingertips across Jed’s lips. “Let’s go upstairs, babe. Together. Enough of this.”
Jed’s eyes swirled first with desire, followed by envious heat. Though he wanted what she proposed, her obvious motivation to shield Brendan had backfired. The hairs on the back of her nape lifted as he grabbed her wrist and squeezed.
“I’ll take you up on that, dove. After he and I enjoy our little game.” He placed his lips on her ear and whispered, “If you attempt to protect him again, you’ll watch him die.”
Who was really playing poker against Jed? Her or Brendan? She felt like the match had already begun, and it certainly wasn’t about playing cards.
Genevieve shivered, pleading at Jed with her eyes. “Forgive me, babe,” she whispered. “I only meant to free myself of my guilt. Mr. King’s clueless and innocent—he got tangled up in something he shouldn’t have, and it’s my fault. I just want him to walk out of here alive and move on with his life. I swear I feel nothing romantic for him.” She swallowed, nausea pooling in her stomach as she forced out, “I want you and only you.”
Jed braced his forehead against hers, slowly drawing in a breath. “You’ll prove those words to me, dove, but first, lover boy needs a good hard lesson.” His eyes flashed at her in a warning. “Remember what I said I’ll do to him if you attempt to interfere again on his behalf.”
Bang! A flash of bright light stunned her. Genevieve screamed, and another two blasts boomed in combination with blinding flashes.
“Down, boss,” Killian shouted.
A scuffle occurred beside her, and Jed’s fingers lost hold of her wrist. Screams and chaos erupted from people all around.
“Roman,” Jed thundered, “detain him. He’s throwing flash grenades.”
Genevieve swayed, her shoulder slamming into the side of a hard surface. One of the slot machines, perhaps? She squeezed her eyes shut and covered her ears.
Bang! Flash! Disoriented with dizziness, a horrid ringing in her ears, and white splotches in her eyes, she lost her bearings.
Someone snaked their hand under her free arm and tugged her forward forcefully. Desperate to escape the war zone, she didn’t even fight the pull.
“Run with me,” Brendan rushed out, sounding a million miles away through the pulsing peals in her ears. “There will be more blasts. I’ll guide you.”
“Brendan, you’re doing this!”
Bang! Flash! Bang! Flash!
Brendan weaved them this way and that around what she assumed were slot machines. Casino guests bumped into her, but Brendan never lost hold of her arm. Her eyes clouded like she’d been blinded by the sun while muffled noises filtered in through her numb ears.
“How can you see?” She stumbled, and Brendan righted her. “How can you hear?”
“Anti-flash goggles over my glasses,” he sputtered out quickly, “and earplugs.”
She hadn’t really expected him to answer, but true to his character, he had. So cute! Did she really just think that while he exploded flash grenades all around them? This man! He was such a welcome distraction.
Brendan released her arm and grasped her hand. “After we get through the doors and this mass of people, we sprint like our lives depend on it because mine does.”
They broke through the doors, and she ran with everything she had, letting him guide her while they dodged the crowd. Her bare feet hit the cool concrete, and she sucked in desperate breaths of the fresh night air as she forced her legs to comply with their full-on dash.
