All-In (The Gamblers Book 1) Read online

  "We're getting off topic, but yeah," he said with a sigh.

  "Who's the father?"

  "If you're implying it's me, I'm going to give you another smack on the ass."

  "Promises, promises."

  "Fuck, that just made me hard."

  River wiggled her hips. "I can tell."

  He captured her wrists, pinning them over her head. "What are you going to do about it?"

  "We're getting off topic, again."

  His lips descended to hers as he murmured, "So we are."

  Chapter Twenty-three

  "I'm at the Moonlight Motel on Rancho. By the airport. Room fifteen."

  Monday was by far River's least favorite day, but Royal had just managed to make it a whole lot worse.

  She hadn't heard from him in over a week, not since they'd met for lunch. She should've known something had been bothering him from his guilty expression and the fact he hadn't once looked her in the eyes. She should've pushed for an explanation, but Royal had a quick temper when on the defense, and she hadn't wanted to start a fight. Knowing what she knew now, she should've started the fight.

  With a sigh, she said, "I'll be there in thirty. I need to stop by the bank first."

  "Thanks, sis, I owe you one."

  "No, you owe me ten grand, but we'll talk about that later."

  River clicked off the call and stood, grabbing her jacket off her chair. She was pissed. No, she was fuming. Her brother was either dense or had a death wish. Multitasking, she hit the speed dial number for Alec while reaching into her desk drawer for her purse.

  "Hey, sweetheart."

  Just the sound of his voice had her throat clogging and tears filling her eyes. She was so upset, her emotions were all over the place.

  "River?"

  "Yeah, I'm here."

  "What's wrong?"

  Great, now he sounded worried. She took a deep breath and tried to pull herself together. "Royal just called. He's in trouble again. Owes more money he was supposed to pay back by midnight last night, but when he found out they'd charged him double in interest, he didn't have enough to cover it, so he went into hiding."

  Throwing her purse over her shoulder, she fought the urge to slam her office door on her way out while still talking into the phone. "God, he's such an idiot. What was he thinking? No, scratch that, it's obvious he wasn't thinking because if he were, he never would've borrowed more money." She was agitated and rambling, which wasn't helpful to the situation.

  "Grace, if anyone's looking for me, tell them I'll be back in an hour," River called out as she power walked to the elevator.

  "Where are you going?" Alec's voice growled in her ear.

  "To the bank," she said as she hit the elevator call button. "Then meeting Royal to drop off the money."

  "I don't want you involved. I'll get the money and take it to Royal. Where are you meeting him?"

  "No. Royal is my mess, and I need to clean it up."

  "Don't fucking argue with me, River."

  River sighed. She hated making Alec angry, but this was something she felt strongly she had to do. She softened her voice, hoping to calm him down. "We owe you too much already. Please let me do this."

  There was silence for a few seconds, and she worried he was gearing up to go ape-shit, but he surprised her. "I don't want you going alone. Tell me where he's at, and I'll meet you there. You can bring the money."

  A compromise. She could live with that. She gave him Royal's location, did a jog through the parking lot, and then hightailed it to the bank.

  * * * * *

  Alec brought his phone to his ear and listened to it ring three times before the call was answered.

  "Well, this is a surprise. Didn't think I'd hear from you again so soon. Doubly surprised you kept my number."

  Alec didn't have time for snappy comebacks and got right to the point. "What the fuck, Nico? I thought we had a deal."

  "I'm going to pretend I didn't hear your tone and ask what the hell you're talking about."

  "I'm talking about you loaning Royal more money, and I don't give a fuck if you like my tone or not."

  There was silence for a beat before Nico said, "I didn't extend further resources to Mr. Kingston."

  "Well someone sure as hell did. Charged him double for interest, too. And he can't pay it back."

  "That should have been your first clue it wasn't me. Double for interest? That's not good business. Gives respectable loan sharks a bad name."

  Alec heard Nico's deep chuckle over the line but chose to ignore it. Fuck. He hadn't wanted to just hand the money over to Royal, but not knowing who he was in debt to kind of tied his hands. "I'm on my way to talk to Royal now, I'll see what I can find out."

  "I think I'll join you and have a little chat with Mr. Kingston myself. I like to know the names of all the kiddies toying in my playground."

  "The more, the merrier." Alec reached his car, beeped the lock, and climbed inside. "He's holed up at the Moonlight. But you'd better get your ass in gear if you want to talk to him. I'm on my way there now, trying to beat River, who's stopping by the bank first."

  "You think it wise for her to join this party?"

  "Fuck no. But she's the one who talked to Royal. I wasn't getting the info unless I agreed to let her come. If I hadn't, she wouldn't have told me where Royal was and would've gone alone. And that I wouldn't fucking allow."

  He heard Nico chuckle again. This time sounding far more amused. "Sounds like you've got your hands full."

  Alec took a right out of the underground parking garage then stopped to idle at a red light, waiting to make a left on Las Vegas Blvd. "Laugh it up, Chuckles. Just remember payback's a bitch."

  "Need myself a woman for that to happen, my friend, and in my line of work, I just don't see that happening."

  "Ah, famous last words. I expect to be invited to the wedding."

  Silence again, this time for longer before Nico softly said, "I knew you'd left a hole, but until just now, I hadn't realized how big."

  Alec gotten so caught up in their raillery, he hadn't noticed how naturally they'd fallen back into old times. They had too much history together for him to ignore the note of regret he heard in Nico's voice. He, too, felt the hole Nico had made in his life. He cleared the sudden tightness in his throat. "Yeah, well, get sentimental later, we don't have time for that shit now."

  The motel was old and dingy, weathered from years of the hot desert sun beating on it without the benefit of a fresh coat of paint. Plants native to the climate dotted the walkways and surrounded a gated pool that was empty of all but a large puddle of slimy, green water. As he drew closer, he saw the door to room fifteen was ajar and closer still, the sounds of flesh hitting flesh.

  He quickened his pace, reaching the door and pushing it open wider before stepping over the threshold. All activity ceased when he made his appearance. As he waited for his eyes to adjust from the glaring sun outside to the dimly lit room, he took in the scene.

  Royal sat in a straight-back chair, hands tied behind its back. His face was a bloody mess, compliments of the two goons who stood to his either side. Two goons who at the moment were staring at Alec with equal looks of "what the fuck" plastered on their faces. Seeing Royal's hiding place had been discovered, Alec was doubly thankful he'd insisted on coming. He just hoped like hell Nico got there soon so they could take care of this mess before River arrived.

  "Who the fuck are you?" Both men fit the criminal underworld stereotype perfectly—dark suits, slicked-back hair. One was short and stocky with a long disfiguring scar on his c
heek. His partner was tall and broad with permanent scowl lines marring his face. It was the tall one who'd spoken.

  Alec held his hands out to his sides as he took a step farther into the room.

  "Don't come any closer." Tall Goon pulled a gun, and Alec froze in his tracks. "I'm not gonna ask again, who the fuck are you?"

  Alec tilted his head. "Just a friend."

  "Well, friend, your services aren't needed here. So why don't you move along."

  "I'm afraid I can't do that." Alec took a little sidestep closer to Tall Goon with a Gun. "You see, the idiot you're beating up, he's important to someone who's important to me, so I'm afraid I need to stick around and rescue him."

  "Yeah? You and what army?"

  Not very original, but he supposed he should expect no better than clichés from a walking stereotype.

  "Me."

  Alec turned his head to see Nico coming through the door.

  "Now, who the fuck are you?" Tall Goon, again. Alec was beginning to think the short one was mute.

  Nico walked up beside Alec, and Tall Goon waved the gun at Alec's face. "Don't come any closer or, I'll shoot your friend."

  "Well, you can try," Nico said nonchalantly, tucking his hands into his front pockets.

  "Hands out of your pockets." Tall Goon aimed his gun at Nico.

  "Now, that was a really bad idea." Nico's lips turned into a sneer.

  "Oh, yeah? Why?"

  "Because of this." Nico pulled his hand out of his pocket, and Alec heard a small click, then saw a blur as Nico's wrist flicked.

  Alec watched the knife fly and embed itself into Tall Goon's upper arm, but he did so while on the move, lunging and grasping Tall Goon's wrist, pulling his arm wide as he fired the gun.

  Short Goon made his move, but Nico had in him a headlock with a gun pointed to his temple right before Alec planted his foot down hard on Tall Goon's knee, snapping it. His gun discharged again as he crumpled to the floor, but this time Alec heard a high-pitched yelp following the blast. As if in slow motion, his ears whooshing as if under water, he slowly turned his head.

  He blinked, keeping his eyes closed for a second, hoping when he opened them the image he'd just seen would magically transform, and River wouldn't be lying in a pool of her own blood.

  Chapter Twenty-four

  With speed founded from desperation, Alec twisted Tall Goon's arm, forcing him to drop the gun. He kicked it with force and watched it disappear under the bed right before a well-planted elbow to Tall Goon's temple knocked him out cold.

  His mind was in chaos, everything around him a blur. Time lost all meaning as he rushed to River's side, falling hard to his knees. She was the only thing lucidly clear in the room. The only thing free of the mist that clouded his vision.

  He swept her with his eyes. Hers were closed, and he distantly heard himself repeating her name over and over, hoping she would open them. A small, barely detectable hole could be seen in the left shoulder of her black blazer, looking so benign, but the blood slowly inching its way to his knee told the true story.

  Shocked into action, with jerky movements, he stripped off his suit jacket while at the same time looked over his shoulder at Nico. The words, "Call nine-one-one," spilled from his lips as his brain registered the phone already attached to Nico's ear. Short Goon lay at Nico's feet either unconscious or dead—a point Alec didn't ponder over nor care about.

  He gingerly lifted River's shoulder but refused to acknowledge the amount of blood coating her back. His brain switched off all emotions that would send him into a free fall and thus be no help to her. Wadding his jacket, he slid it under her shoulder, then placing his hand on top, carefully applied light pressure.

  In his periphery, he vaguely noted four sets of suit-trousered legs walk past, carefully skirting River and him as they advanced into the room. Noises of activity took place behind him—Nico shouting at his men—but he paid it no heed. His sole focus was on River, and the gentle rise and fall of her chest. He was afraid to look away.

  There was a burning in his chest, an unknown foreign entity crawling up to his throat, choking him and making it hard to breathe. Drops appeared, darkening the creamy silk covering River's abdomen. He watched, transfixed, as their numbers increased, the drops spreading and merging into one another, forming a large wet circle. Inconceivably, he realized they originated from the warm tracks of tears falling down his cheeks to then drip from his chin.

  A hand landed on his shoulder, and he looked up to find Nico towering over him. "Ambulance is on its way. I need to get out of here before the cops show up. I'll take the trash out with me. Tell the cops they ran. Understand?"

  Alec nodded and issued an affirming grunt.

  Nico nodded in return. "I will take care of this." His eyes flicked to River's still closed ones before landing back on Alec. "They'll all pay."

  Alec nodded again, unable to exert the concentration it would take to form coherent words while worry for River dominated his headspace.

  Nico gave his shoulder a squeeze then left the room.

  "Mr. Throne?"

  He'd forgotten about Royal. He turned his head, noticing he was still tied to the chair.

  "My... my sister? She gonna be okay?"

  Royal was pulling against his restraints, trying to get a better view of River out of the one eye that wasn't already starting to swell. Blood surrounded his nose, covered his lips, and was smeared down his chin.

  Alec stared, allowing his grief and anger to burn in his eyes, until Royal, growing uncomfortable, looked away. Alec did the same, turning his attention back to River. But silently he answered him, yes, she would be okay. She had to be okay because Alec would accept no other outcome.

  Minutes which felt like hours passed before Alec heard the faint wails of a siren. Thank fuck. He closed his eyes for a beat, taking a deep breath. Soon, the stomping of boots could be heard along with disembodied squawks spouting radioed codes and phrases foreign to Alec's ears.

  "Sir, please move aside."

  A hand clamped his arm, pulling him to his feet, and River's hand fell from his grasp. He hadn't even known he held it.

  "Please step back so we can do our job."

  "I can't wake her." His voice sounded gruffly hoarse as if he hadn't used it in years.

  The paramedics checked River's pulse, flashed a light in her eyes, and examined the site of injury.

  Police arrived, assessing the situation—Royal tied up, River shot and bleeding on the floor. Questions were asked, answers were given.

  And still, everything was a blur except one clear detail.

  River.

  Alec sat alone in a small surgical waiting room on the third floor of Southside Hospital. He'd already been waiting for a half-hour but had been told it could be hours yet until he had any news on River's condition.

  Over the shock, his body was now numb as he sat in a state of limbo. His mind argued with itself. The rational side was trying to convince the panicked side that everything would be okay, it was only a shoulder wound and likely not life threatening. The irrational side debated that logic, backing it with proof—the amount of blood loss River had sustained and her unresponsive state. It was a fierce war that waged on as the minutes ticked by, slowly driving him insane.

  He knew logically he wasn't responsible for River getting shot. Knew he hadn't put them into the situation for it to happen. But he still couldn't help but feel partly to blame. Couldn't help but feel if he'd done things differently, they wouldn't be there now. His mind replayed the scene over and over, tweaking and altering each scenario until it ended with the outcome he desired. The one in which Rive
r didn't get hurt. The one where, right at this moment, instead of lying on a surgical bed, they were at home, entwined together on their bed.

  A throat clearing drew his attention, and his head jerked up expectantly from its bowed position. Hoping it was a member of the hospital staff with news, what he saw instead had his stomach knotting into a fist of rage. The one responsible for the cluster fuck that left his River broken had just walked in the room. And God help the poor bastard, Alec now had an outlet for his anger.

  He'd cleaned himself up since the last time Alec had seen him. Gone were all traces of blood from his face, and he'd exchanged his soiled tee with a green hospital scrub shirt. His left eye was completely swollen shut but other than that, he didn't look any worse for wear. Unlike his sister, who at that very moment could be struggling for her life only yards from where they both were.

  His jaw tightened as he clenched his teeth, and he stood, his feet stalking toward the crux of his anger. "What the fuck are you doing here?"

  Royal's eyes flicked to the opening he'd just walked through. The glassed wall seeming to give him a sense of security knowing he was on display for any passerby and safe from any harm Alec wanted to inflict. He couldn't be more wrong. "I wanted to make sure River was okay."

  Alec grabbed a handful of his shirt, twisting it in his fist, and pulling him up on his toes. Royal was a tall guy, but Alec was taller, allowing him to glare down at him as he spoke. "You'd better hope to fuck she's okay, you ungrateful little prick because if she's not..." He swallowed the sudden swell of emotion that surged up his throat. His voice grew deeply menacing when he continued. "Because if she's not, I'll kill you myself." His free hand came up and locked around Royal's throat, squeezing just hard enough to get his point across. "The only reason you're even still breathing is because I know how much it would hurt River if something happened to you. But don't mistake my generosity as me caring even two fucks about you. Your gambling days are done. I hear you take out any more markers, your ass is mine." Alec squeezed his neck tighter for emphasis. "Understand?"