Chapter 7

"Who the fuck invited him?" muttered Mack Hudson, eying Daniel as Boris opened the door to let the deadly head of Tyson King security into his apartment. "This is the worst fucking poker game I've ever been invited to. I felt like there was a fifty-fifty chance of getting out of here alive before he showed."

Ash chuckled and shrugged his broad shoulders. "You guys are calling this the bodyguard's poker game. He's a bodyguard. Besides, you need at least four for a table."

"Fuck," Hudson grumbled, sitting back in his chair with his arms crossed. "From what I've heard of his reputation, literally anyone would be safer to gamble with. Dude used to be a mercenary. Like special ops shit that no one else would sign on for. Dead bodies littered across deserts and rainforests. Fuck. I think I'd rather spend time with my ex-wife. And that's really saying something."

Ash snorted and turned a raised brow toward Hudson while Boris and Daniel talked quietly by the door. "You going to pretend you've always been on the right side of the law, bounty hunter?"

Hudson opened his mouth to reply when Daniel slammed a six pack of beer down on the table causing everything to rattle. They looked up at the man who radiated deadly intensity. He wore jeans and a black T-shirt that did nothing to hide muscles chiseled to lethal precision.

"Hey, man," Ash said, nodding at Daniel.

"Brought beer," Daniel grunted.

"Let's put them in the fridge," Ash said, picking the six-pack up off the table and standing.

When the two men left, Boris turned to Hudson and said, "Ash invited him. Do you have gun? I have extras in the bedroom."

It said a lot for the dynamics of the bodyguard's poker game that they were willing to set aside certain hostilities to play a game of cards in the same room together. It was remarkable that Boris would even consider being friendly to Hudson, who had once been complicit in tazering him, twice, before handcuffing him to a radiator. Ash was living with the sister of the deadliest mob boss in the city, Boris' employer. If Ash so much as hurt Anastasia's feelings it would be Boris' job to cut off Ash's head. Yet they were able to play a diplomatic game of poker together. Probably.

They were midway through the second game when a soft knock at the door interrupted what could only be described as a tense scene interspersed with very little conversation. Talking business was out of the question and a tasteless joke could be taken badly. Boris stood to answer the door, pushing away from the table. The others seemed to take the unspoken cue as break time and drifted away from the table.

Boris opened the door to find Laney on the other side.

Shock turned rapidly to pleasure and he immediately turned to shout over his shoulder, "Get the fuck out, I have new guest!"

Chuckles greeted his rude comment, but no one moved to leave. Boris turned back to Laney and asked softly, "What are you doing here, kotenok. Did not know you knew where I lived. You should have come much sooner."

She frowned at him and looked around his massive body to see inside his apartment, taking in the others. "I'm a bodyguard, correct? Isn't this the bodyguard's poker game?"

He arched a thick brow at her. "Yes, but game is invitation only."

Her wide blue eyes travelled up his body, turning his fucking dick to stone. He nearly turned back around to bellow at the others to get out again. He would have followed up his words with action if he wasn't pretty certain Daniel would kill him before he could lay hands on the man.

"Last I checked, I had at least a dozen invitations to your home," she whispered with a wink.

He cleared his throat. Damn, she was playing him and he knew it. Fucked if he wasn't just about to fall for it, though. This was the closest he'd gotten the sexy little ninja to his bed since he'd met her. He stepped aside and let her pass into his home. His fingers itched to grab her and drag her into the heat of his body.

She sauntered over to the table and eyed the cards and poker chips spread across the surface. Boris thought she looked beautiful in her black cargo pants and olive-green fatigue jacket. Her hair was pulled back in a severe ponytail instead of her customary braids. Daniel strode out of the kitchen with a beer in his fist. He stopped and frowned when he saw her.

His quick mind deduced her reason for being there. "Which one sent you?"

Laney didn't say anything, just continued to look curiously around her. Boris realized she'd probably been sent by her employer to check up on the bodyguards to make sure they were behaving. Daniel, the wild card, in particular. Boris was still pleased to see her, to have her in his home. To watch the way her eyes caressed his belongings. He wished now that his home wasn't so sparse, that he had more things for her to look at and to glean particulars of his personality from. He didn't care if that made him a pussy. He was long past caring when it came to this woman. She could walk all over him with those tiny feet and he knew he would love it.

"May I join?" she asked, reaching into her pocket and pulling out a large stack of bills.

She dropped them on the table as though they had no meaning to her and then slid into the only vacant chair, which had belonged to Boris. She looked up at him with her jewel-like blue eyes, contrasting exotically with her black hair and he knew he was lost. He nodded and went into the spare room to find another chair.

"King," Daniel grunted.

Ash chuckled. "He'll be pleased when she reports the lack of severed limbs and blood."

"Actually, it was Addison that asked me to come. And she used Claudia's club money to buy me into the game," Laney announced, picking up her cards and tossing in her chips.

Daniel stared at Laney for a moment and then nodded knowingly. His tone softened as he said, "Should've known she's the only one that could talk you into doing something like this."

Laney didn't respond, simply keeping her eyes on her cards.

Daniel stared at her steadily and said, "You're a good friend to her. I don't forget that."

No one at the table said anything, but they all felt the intensity of the interaction.

Finally, Hudson broke the tension. "Jesus, was that the kiss of death or was he pledging his ever-lasting friendship? You people are fucking insane. Remind me never to accept another poker invitation or a Facebook friend request from any of you."

Ash and Boris laughed.

Ash replied, "You're only saying that because I'm taking every penny you're putting down, my friend. You suck at this game. Didn't anyone teach you how poker works?"

"Fuck you, man. You work in a fucking casino!" Hudson shouted, laughing. "We're sitting with a goddamed poker shark! I have half a mind to let that Daniel guy do his thing to you and just walk away. It's not like anyone here is legit enough to report it."