The Assassin
Acting is not my thing.
Usually, I left the theatrical assignments to the others. But, Ares specifically stated he wanted Maria and me to complete this job when we met with him the other day. Not because the task was more challenging, but because he wanted to make sure it was done right.
I didn’t think he knew of the mishap with the agent, but the gleam in his eye when he emphasized the need for accuracy on this job made me reconsider.
It was stupid of me to think we could keep any information from him.
While it may not seem like he was looking over our shoulders twenty-four-seven, he was always watching.
Thankfully, this mission was easy enough for redemption. Our target was a well-known head of an underground gambling ring. I don’t know what he did or who he pissed off, but someone with a lot of money and power wanted him dead.
To prepare, Maria and I made ourselves familiar with the establishment where he ran his ring.
The casino was nestled in the perimeter of Las Vegas, bright enough to attract tourists but far enough from the masses to stay off law enforcement’s radar.
For the past few nights, Maria and I hung around the poker tables, intentionally getting the attention of the men with close proximity to the underground operation.
The more they liked us, the more they were inclined to bring us into the room where the real action happened.
I was sure tonight would be the night based on the way they were eyeing Maria.
Her black acrylic nails contrasted against the color on the back of the cards she was holding, and her smoky eyes sensually shifted back and forth between the other patrons sitting at the table.
One of the right-hand men of the ring, Louis I think his name is, had his gaze fixed on her. For once, not with lust, but with admiration and respect.
Maria had been busting his and the rest of the men at this table’s ass from the moment we sat down.
An accomplishment from all the studying she did during our travel down here.
She already knew I wanted no parts of pretending to be friends with these idiots, so she agreed to play the bait to reel them in.
“What do you got, doll face?” Louis asked.
Maria smirked and held a finger to her glossed lips.
“Are you raising or folding?” he pressed.
She glanced at her dwindling pile of chips, then at the community cards on the table. The river card - the fifth and final - had just been flipped. Her lips pursed into a soft, thoughtful pout.
Slowly, she picked up a small stack of chips and pushed them toward the center, moving with a balance of confidence and urgency to make them wonder about her hand.
The rest of the table took the bait. Laughing at her restraint, they shoved in their stacks, most going all-in.
“Call,” Louis said with a grin, tossing his chips forward.
One by one, the hands came out. A pair here. Two pair there. Louis laid his cards down with a triumphant smirk: full house, kings over sevens.
“Not bad,” someone muttered.
Maria, still wearing her little pout, placed her cards gently on the table.
A straight flush.
“Damn,” Louis muttered, his grin still present despite the money he just lost. “You’re more than just a pretty face, aren’t you?” His eyes went to me. “No wonder you let her play for you.”
“What can I say?” I replied, gathering the chips for her. “Behind every rich man is a smart woman.”
Maria beamed at the compliment. She leaned in close, placing her lips near my ear. “Ass kisser,” she teased. Uncrossing her legs, she added, “Drink?”
Nodding, I released my light hold on her waist and let her rise from my lap.
All of the men’s eyes followed her as she strutted off towards the bar.
Louis rose from his seat and, for a moment, I thought he was going to follow her. Instead, he crossed the table to lean by my side. “She’s spectacular,” he told me, keeping his eyes on her. “You’re a lucky man.”
“Thank you.”
“You ever think about having her play in a real game - with real money?”
I raised a brow. “This ain’t real?”
He scoffed. “This is amateur hour. I’m talking about playing with pros - ones with enough money to buy that woman the diamonds she deserves.”
“Diamonds, huh?” I pretended to muse. “You can count us in.”
“Tomorrow night, when you come, go to the back door. Knock three times and let them know Louis sent you.”
“Will do. Thank you.”
He patted my shoulder. “Ditch the table and enjoy the rest of the night with your lady. You two need to save your stamina for tomorrow.”
Rising from my seat, I motioned to the dealer for my cash out ticket. He filled out the slip for the cashier and sent me on my way.
I weaved through the small crowds of people to meet Maria who was walking over with glasses of brown liquor in each hand.
“Invite secured,” I told her as I took one of the drinks.
She smiled. “Cheers,” she murmured, clinking her glass against mine.
We both threw our drinks back and drank it all in one gulp. I almost laughed at the sour look on Maria’s face as the alcohol burned her throat. Scrunching her nose, she shook off the sensation and set her drink down on the closest table.
How much longer do we have to stay? She returned to signing.
“Another hour or so. They’ll have forgotten about us by then. How about you play some slots or something?”
Do you have slots money? She held out her hand for emphasis.
I put the cash out slip in her hand. “Here. Have fun.”
Grinning, she shimmied off towards the cashier’s counter.
I followed close behind her, still aware of the male attraction her looks gathered.
Sure, Maria could take care of herself, but I needed to be mindful of the role we were playing.
The other patrons assumed we were a couple, so we needed to act like one.
After trading in the slip for cash, Maria and I headed towards the rows of colorful slots. I took a seat on the stool and pulled Maria onto my lap.
She slipped a twenty dollar bill into the machine and waited for the machine to restart itself. Her eyes roamed as she did, taking in the view of the patrons milling around the venue.
Suddenly, her eyes stopped their cruise, finding something of interest. Rather than amusement like I expected, daggers formed in her eyes.
Instead of wasting time questioning what she saw, I turned my head to follow her gaze.
A face I knew well but haven’t seen in a few days was standing on the other side of the room.
Her long braids were pulled into a high ponytail, leaving the natural angles of her face exposed.
A silk sapphire blue halter top with a plunging neckline hung over her torso, and a pair of black flare pants hugged her thighs.
Stiletto heels peeked out at the hem, emphasizing her long legs.
Damn, the thought raced through my mind before I could catch it. She is stunning.
But what the hell was she doing here?
There was no way in hell she could’ve tracked us down. The number I used to contact her was impossible to trace, and no one - besides Ares - knew where we were.
I wanted to believe this was some type of coincidence, but there were no blocks on her calendar for a trip to Vegas. If there were, I would’ve known. I would've prepared.
Turning her head, Maria gave me a sharp look. We need to go. She started to rise from my lap. Now.
“No, no,” I assured her, pulling her back down. “This might work in our favor.”
She raised a brow. How?
“For starters: she’s a long way from home. If she runs, she’s not getting far.”
Maria cast another glance in their direction, noticing Simone’s partner walking up behind her. But she’s not alone.
“We’ll find a way to separate them.”
Then, what are we going to do?
“We give her exactly what she came here for.”