eek before the impulse even

eningly loud-like a pisto

ching her face, her eyes

le

k-cl

ical sound of safeti

, the blood roa

tteo were o

uns wer

-rai

ted

ey had sworn blood oat

room, sucked out by the

rrels of the Glocks. The

hesitation. O

nct was to prot

, his eyes wild, unrecogniza

voice unnervingly steady, though my heart hammered against my

t his gun, then at m

't hols

ol," he said coldly.

y laugh clawed its

ed. He stepped between me and Sofia, u

pathetic sound. "I didn't mean to! She pu

ting a shaking finger toward the

age to see you're

, his voice devoid of the wa

ked a

looked

dead. They had died the momen

rangers with

" I

walked out

f their eyes on my back

he trigger. Not wi

ad to make an appeara

eration. If I didn't go, it would look like weakness. And

re b

h-necked, l

ing c

stop, but the whispers started, sli

gs?" someone mutt

a new owner," ano

ked straight to the po

h-stake

ealer slid the cards

s Ho

the corner

Ja

aces of the Knaves. The s

at me with holl

Elena?" the

across

e doors s

n, flanked by

ss. Tight. Cheap. She was clingi

aying the tough bodyguard, but h

't even l

bandoned t

. The disrespect was palpabl

d table, exposed, while her sworn protectors were p

lding,"

Jacks face up on

ng the trash

ards-the two treacherous s

f the game, M

ng my skirt with de

voice carrying over the sudden silenc

st them on

a flash of victory on

ring in his eyes for a microse

ed, daring

't say

ht, knowing that the next time I saw th

be the