Lucky Streak

ammunition. “He’s my friend and an old friend of my father’s. Anyway, that’s beside the point.”

“Not really. I saw how he looked at you. The man was interested in more than poker.”

Because they’d put on a convincing act for the table, Amber thought. Just not convincing enough or King Bobby wouldn’t be sitting in front of her now, guessing their con all too accurately.

Instead of replying to King Bobby, she remained silent.

“Just tell me where he is. Or better yet, tell me where my money is and we’ll call it even.”

Amber exhaled slowly. She didn’t like Marshall much these days, but she couldn’t turn him over to this man. Besides, as much as she hated to admit it, they were guilty of the same crime when it came to fleecing King Bobby. It didn’t matter that she’d justified her reasons as more moral or altruistic than Marshall’s.

Which was exactly why Mike couldn’t forgive her, she suddenly realized. Nausea swept over her at the painful conclusion.

“I don’t know where Marshall is. Or your money.” Her share of the winnings were in Mike’s bank where they belonged.

King Bobby cleared his throat. “I can make your life pretty uncomfortable, missy. I got friends in places a lady like you knows nothin’ about. But since you’re so dang pretty, I might have to settle on talkin’ things out on your man. Somethin’ tells me that law-enforcement hubby of yours won’t like a public scandal involvin’ his new wife.”

Amber reached for the only weapon she had, the one word of ammunition Mike had supplied her with before leaving town. “No, Mike wouldn’t like a scandal,” Amber agreed. “Anymore than Emmy Lou would like to know about that mistress you’ve been keeping behind her back.”

As she grasped at her only straw, Amber broke into a cold sweat, hoping King Bobby would find himself faced with a quid pro quo-that neither he nor Amber could afford public humiliation.

His already-red face turned the color of beets. “How in the tarnation do you know about that? Nobody knows the King’s personal business!”

Yes! Amber silently applauded. But instead of outwardly reacting, she waited for him to calm down and make the next move. A trickle of sweat ran down her chest, but she ignored it, knowing she was well on her way out of trouble with this man.

“Damn, I knew you were a smart one,” he muttered. “I shoulda just denied it.”

Amber shook her head and tried not to laugh. “Thank you,” she said.

“Just ’cause I can’t touch you, doesn’t mean I can’t still go after Marshall.”

“You’ll have to find him first,” Amber said, not the least bit sarcastically. She meant it.

“Nothin’ stays buried for long,” King Bobby said. “Hey, honey,” he called to the waitress, “get the little lady here a light beer.”

The woman scowled at him, but she headed for the tap.

“I really need to be going,” Amber said.

“Not until we toast our mutual agreement to leave our secrets buried. What do you say?” King Bobby asked with a grin.

It wouldn’t hurt to do as he asked, she figured. Especially if he left town and she’d never have to see him again. “You’ve got yourself a deal.”

“Good. And while we’re at it, we’ll toast to me findin’ my money another way-and you lettin’ me know when you hear from your old boyfriend. Because trust me, he’ll be turning up again one day.”

Amber raised her brow. Now that she’d made peace with King Bobby, she hoped she’d never hear from Marshall again. But King Bobby didn’t need to know that.

As long as The King was happy, Amber was free.

“Bring on the beer,” she said, relieved. A few more minutes and this nightmare would all be over.

No sooner had they clinked glasses and toasted than a loud, throat-clearing noise sounded in her ear. “What the hell is going on here?” Mike’s voice reached a dull roar.

Amber winced, knowing how bad things must look. “Listen, King Bobby and I-”

Ignoring her, Mike glared at the big man in the booth. “If you’ve so much as whispered a threat in her ear, I promise you’ll answer to me.” And if his words weren’t enough to send tremors of fear shooting through the big cowboy, his stance was.

Legs parted, arms folded across his chest, muscles bulged beneath his black T-shirt and his thighs appeared rock solid even encased in denim.

A quick glance at King Bobby told her he wasn’t impressed, but Amber was. She rose from her seat. “Everything’s fine,” she assured him.

His gaze narrowed. “You promised to stay put.”

“Hey, watch how you talk to the little lady,” King Bobby said.

“That’s rich, coming from the man who’s been stalking her across the country. Which ends now, by the way.”

“Um, Mike?” Amber interrupted, wanting to tell him she and King Bobby had resolved their issues.

“I can handle this,” Mike said to Amber. Then he turned to King Bobby, leaned down and stared into the big man’s face. “Listen up. I have enough information on you, your mistress and your little love nest to keep you and your wife tangled up in divorce court for years to come. And something tells me your other associates won’t want to deal with someone who’s caught up in a scandal. People in your circle prefer to keep a low profile. So if you don’t want to keep your sleazy criminal friends and the life you have now, I suggest you leave my little lady alone.”

Amber couldn’t control the squeal that escaped at his use of the word my. Warm chills flooded her, at odds with her earlier realization that Mike couldn’t possibly understand or forgive her for her past. But she was determined not to walk away from him until she’d bared her soul and heard his response.

Just in case.

King Bobby chuckled. “Y’all are really interestin’, that much I’ll tell ya. Detective, you need to chill. Your little lady and I already traveled this road and reached us an agreement. So why don’t you just join us for a beer?”

“No. Thank. You.” Mike clenched his jaw. “You said your business is finished?” he asked.

King Bobby nodded. “Until she hears from her pal Marshall, right, honey?”

“Right.” She crossed her fingers behind her back.

“And where will you be in the meantime?” Mike asked.

“Where the land is as big as the ribs,” King Bobby proclaimed. “I’m gettin’ the hell out of the Northeast as soon as I can.”

“I’m holding you to that,” Mike said.

“King Bobby’s a man of his word,” the other man said loudly.

Mike treated him to a curt nod, while at the same time clamping his hand around Amber’s forearm. Not hard, but not gently, either.

He was furious, Amber knew.

“In that case,” Mike said, “we’re out of here.”

Knowing better than to argue, Amber let Mike lead her out of the diner for what might be their final showdown.

MARSHALL WAS DAMN PROUD, if he did say so himself. Doing an end run around that idiot King Bobby had been a brilliant move. Instead of the King finding Marshall, Marshall had found the King, and the big Texan had done Marshall’s work for him, leading him right to Amber.

His gut burned with acid as he thought about what he’d just seen. Amber and King Bobby, sitting there, drinking beer and shooting the shit. About him? Marshall’s blood fired up at the thought and anger pulsed through him at her betrayal.

There was no other explanation. No other reason why King Bobby would be laughing with Marshall’s ex-partner unless Amber had given the King the information he needed to come after Marshall. If Amber had handed over the names of his close friends and associates, it was only a matter of time before someone slipped up and betrayed him.

He couldn’t remain out of sight forever. King Bobby would find him eventually.

Damn Amber, anyway. She was his partner. His woman.