‘She doesn’t try,’ Dax said. ‘She knows this is part of who I am.’
‘A woman who doesn’t try to change you? Where do I sign up?’
The back door of the bar was still closed, no one was coming out at the moment, so Dax turned to Serg. ‘That’s the second time today you’ve asked me about her.’
‘So?’
‘So why the interest?’ Dax asked.
‘You think I’ve got something to hide? If I wanted to off your wife I would’ve done it this morning when I came to pick you up,’ Serg said. ‘The money might be a nice treat, but I wouldn’t get to enjoy it for long if I had you and Mauri on my ass, would I?’
‘So why the interest?’ Dax asked again. ‘You want to make friends with her?’
‘Nah, I’m just… you never took much interest in women, no more than the rest of us. You fucked around, I don’t remember you being tied to one brawd for more than a couple of weeks.’
‘Ivy’s not like the chicks we screwed back in the day,’ Dax said, watching the bar door, waiting for it to open.
‘I get that now,’ Serg said.
The door opened, and the tall, slender figure of Robbo came out with a couple of other guys. All members of the group were laughing as they came right their way. Dax slipped out of the shadows, and all of the men stopped moving and laughing, none relaxed until Dax held up both hands.
‘Got a minute, Rob?’ Dax asked him.
That posse must be carrying some amount of cash between them, so someone lying in wait probably made them fear for their wad. But Dax didn’t need their money. The men said their goodbyes, then Robbo came to him.
‘I thought you left,’ Robbo said.
‘You used to do a lot of work with The Greyhound, you heard from him today?’
‘Not today,’ Robbo said, his eyes drifted to the street. ‘Cops found him this afternoon, run through, they say he died before he hit the deck.’
‘I’m sorry to hear that,’ Dax said. Serg came out of the darkness to join them, which made Robbo tense.
‘What is it you want, Ravager?’
‘You know who had business with him?’ Dax asked.
‘What’s it to you? Did he owe Stark money?’
‘No,’ Dax said, though he hadn’t asked Mauri that. ‘I didn’t know he had a habit.’
‘Poker was it,’ Robbo shook his head.
‘So who wanted him dead?’
‘Other than his nutso ex-wife I don’t know,’ Robbo said. ‘He lost big on poker.’
‘To Winlow?’
‘No,’ Robbo said. ‘Winlow’s shot, his nerves have gone to shit since he offed his old lady. What do you care?’
‘He didn’t lose to Benny,’ Dax said. Benny had no poker face, and he only went to events like that if there was liquor involved, which only made him more likely to lose.
‘Doubt it,’ Robbo said. ‘But they weren’t the only two there.’
Except Winlow had said they were. ‘Who else was—‘
‘I don’t know,’ Robbo said, backing away a step. ‘Look, Ravager, I’m sorry I can’t help you out. I would if I could, you know, but I wasn’t fucking there. You want to know more go to Winlow or Benny, I’ve got to go.’
Robbo retreated and turned to hasten down the sidewalk. ‘Should I…?’ Serg asked, moving forward, but Dax lifted a hand to prevent him.
‘No, just leave him.’
Winlow hadn’t told the truth and Dax had been dumb enough to believe the bastard and then tell him to split town. He just had to hope that his advice hadn’t been taken, but something told him that his luck was wearing thin.
They’d stopped at Winlow’s place, but it had been cleared out. There was no sign of him or the pretty brunette. It was too late in the night now to try and hunt the bastard down, so Dax went back to the apartment and showered before he iced his hands.
It hadn’t occurred to him to check his phone for a while. When he kicked his jeans aside to get into bed his foot made contact with the device, so he leaned off the bed to pick it up. Ivy had sent him a text.
Win big for me, tough guy? Miss you.
Dax had never bothered texting other women, but he liked that Ivy had thought of him, so he responded.
Always, babygirl. Send me a pic.
The message that she had sent was timestamped more than two hours ago, so he doubted that she would still be awake to respond. He pulled the sheet over himself and closed his eyes; less than thirty seconds later the phone began to ring. Fumbling on the nightstand for the handset, he pressed receive and brought it to his ear.
‘Yeah?’
‘I’m not sending you naked pictures,’ she said, and the smile in her voice made him smile.
‘I’ll have to take some myself next time you’re asleep beside me.’
‘Don’t even think about it. If you want what I’ve got to offer, then you get your ass here and take it.’
‘Don’t goad me tonight, Minx,’ he said, moving onto his back with a groan.
He might just drag himself out of here and take her up on that. Except he had to be up early in the morning to chase down Winlow and if that didn’t work out, he’d go after Benny. The rats were scurrying for cover, word was out that he was hunting down the threat, and his reputation was such that no one wanted to face him when he was in any kind of rage.
‘You sound tired,’ she said. ‘Tough fight?’
‘No, it was over in a flash. But I found out that the guy I chased down today bullshitted me, and that pisses me off.’
‘How?’
‘I believed him when he was lying.’
‘What did he lie about?’ she asked.
‘That there were only three of them at a poker game when there were more players.’
‘Oh,’ she said. ‘I would think that was good news.’
His eyes opened though all he could see was darkness. ‘How could that be good news? He lied to me and I bought it.’
‘Except he lied for a reason. So maybe the other person at the poker table is the one who put out the bounty. You’re closer than you thought, tough guy. All you have to do is push that button one more time and you’ve got your answer.’
She did have a way of looking at things that made him feel better. ‘But the guy has split. I don’t know where he is.’
‘You’ll find him, or one of the other guys from the game, I have faith. You win every fight because you don’t give up, you’re smart and play your opponents by staying several moves ahead. You can do this, Dax, don’t feel sorry for yourself now. You’re close to the prize.’
‘And what’s the prize?’ he asked.
‘Me and my freedom, I’ll be a very grateful woman if you can swing that.’
‘Naked picture grateful?’
‘Maybe,’ she laughed. ‘Go to sleep. You need to rest. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.’
‘Ok.’
‘Love you.’
‘I love you too, Minx. Be good.’
Hanging up with her after such a short call, Dax rested the cell phone on his chest under his hands. Ivy had managed to turn around his thinking, and suddenly he was optimistic about the day ahead. He would get this guy, he was closer than ever.
Chapter Eighteen
Ivy hadn’t heard from Dax all day. Their middle of the night conversation had sent her into a blissful sleep, but she’d waited all day for word from him or for a visit and neither had happened. She had just washed the last of the dinner dishes and was considering going for another swim when the sound of spike heels on tile drew her around.
Rosie was staggering around the kitchen isle with her hands held high above her head. She spun around then gestured to her outfit. The short green dress was strapless and clung to Rosie’s curves, leaving nothing to the imagination.
‘What are you doing?’ Ivy asked, drying her hands.
‘I thought we could go out, you know, hit a few clubs.’
‘Why would we want to do that?’
‘It’s boring here, we’ve done everything that we can do and no offense but I want the kind of fun that you and Carina just can’t give me, you know?’