Aces Wild Read Free

door.
    Gabe stared at their retreating backs, disgust flooding him. At the sound of a frightened animal-like moan, he looked up to see Sadie staring at the crumpled body of her now dead tormenter. Her hands were fisted in her mouth, her eyes wide with shock.
    Gabe eased over to her and gave her what he hoped was a reassuring smile.
    “ Tell you what, Sadie, you take this.” He held out the leather pouch full of gold coins to the terrified woman.
    She stared at him, then jumped back. She shook her head from side to side, her hair flaring out in stringy clumps.
    She protested. “No, Angel, no! I…I couldna ever do that. No, no! You won it. Fair and square.”
    When he shook his head, pressing the pouch toward her, a knowing gleam flashed across her face. Her eyes widened with understanding.
    “ Oh, ‘course. I hears you, Angel. I understand. You wantin’ what mens always want.” Her sallow cheeks pinked slightly. With a shy nod, she added, “Well, sure, Angel. You sure nuff earned it.” She glanced at the table, “Uh, you wanna do it here, Angel? Or…or we could go in the back room if that’s your preference.”
    Taking in the resigned expression on the pitiful woman’s face, Gabe’s gut clenched. Bile bubbled up in his throat. Goddamn, he wished he’d beaten Shamus to death. A blade in the throat was too easy a death for the despicable animal.
    He kept his voice as gentle as his smile. “Ah, Sadie. Girl, you’ve had enough from big bad men tonight. Go get some rest.”
    She looked up at him in surprise. Shooting a longing glance at the pouch in his hand, she stammered, “You…you mean I don’t have to…to do nuthin’ to get it?”
    “ Hell, Sadie,” Gabe sighed with a fierce glare at the body lying on the table, the blood beginning to cake, “You earned what’s in this pouch a thousand times over just being in the same room with that piece of human scum.”
    He tried to hand her the pouch, but she still resisted.
    Sadie looked up at him a faint flush coloring her sallow cheeks. “I…I…not that I’d mind, Angel. The wimmen at the Bunny Hutch say you really know how to please a girl.”
    Gabe grinned, his eyes twinkling with false modesty, “Ah, Sadie, don’t believe everything you hear. Hell, compared to men like Shamus here, a rabid dog would be a welcome change.”
    Sadie stood up taller, her cheeks flushing brighter. Desire brought back a little of the provocative glow, a couple of years with Shamus must have beaten out of her. Her face cracked with what could have passed for a flirtatious smile.
    Dipping into her Irish brogue, she teased, “I dunno, Angel. The poker players call you Angel. But from that dancin’ light sparklin’ in them bonny green eyes of yours, I’m bettin’ you’re more of devil between the sheets than an angel.”
    Gabe laughed and winked at her, a sure signal to confirm her suspicions.
    Gunnar called him from the doorway. Gabe shoved the pouch in Sadie’s hand and gave her fingers a little squeeze. “Excuse me, Sadie. I have to see what Gunnar needs.”
    Gabe joined his partners in the yard. The light of the moon flickering through the clouds lit the full saddlebags Gunnar and Eagle had packed on their horses.
    The three of them exchanged a satisfied smile. Gunnar spoke for all three. “This may be some of the easiest money we ever made. Hell, we get the money Dominquez is paying us and then you skim off over $10,000 playing poker with those misfits. I gotta ask, Gabe, how the hell did you know you could take him in that last hand?”
    Gabe grinned. “Ah, Gunnar, you know the cards speak to me. Hell, this time they were screaming. They were as eager to thwart that asshole as I was.”
    After their celebratory laughter died down, Gunnar turned to Gabe, “This is the first chance I’ve had to give you this message. Chao Li wants you to come to his villa. Says he needs to see you in person.”
    Gabe frowned. “Must be something serious. Chao’s never called