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Avery blinked, her mouth falling open in surprise. “Paul? Your brother Paul? The one who just got kidnapped and held for ransom?”
Mason shrugged, taking another bite of his banana. “We need the sleeze factor. He’s a big boy. He can handle it.”
Just then, Paul walked into the kitchen, his hair still damp from the shower and his eyes bright with excitement. “Did I hear something about an underground card room?”
“Copy that, little brother. You’re coming with me and Avery on a little field trip.”
Paul’s eyes widened, and he practically bounced on his toes with excitement. “Seriously? You want me to come with you guys? On a real mission?”
Mason’s grin widened, and he leaned in close. “We’re gonna need your poker skills.”
“Sounds like you need my ‘sleeze factor,’ too.” Paul stared him down. “Yeah. I heard that.”
He swiped a hand over his mouth. Whoops.
“No worries. I’m actually kinda flattered. I won’t disappoint.” Paul’s face split into a huge grin. He punched the air with his fist. “Oh yeah. I’m totally in. When do we leave?”
Mason tossed his banana peel into the trash. “As soon as we gear up. Avery and I will hang out, but I want you to slip into a game. Goshiro claims he was a regular at the place. Supposedly lost himself a lot of cash there.”
Paul nodded, his expression serious now. “Can do. Whatever you need.”
“Get yourself ready. We’re going for a down-on-his-luck-dude-looking-to-make a-fast-buck vibe. You feel me?”
Paul snorted, rolling his eyes. “You mean loser vibe,” he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “I get, it. I’m supposed to lose.”
Mason slung an arm around his brother’s shoulders. “People don’t wanna talk to guys that take their lunch money.”
Paul considered that and grinned, his eyes sparkling. “Let’s do this.” He hopped off the stool and headed back toward his room, Avery trailing behind.
Mason watched them disappear down the hallway, his cheerful façade turning serious. He and Avery couldn’t risk entering the club. Unless they were willing to play, it would seem odd. But they’d be close enough to run interference if something went sideways. He didn’t love the idea, but it was the best he could do.
If Paul needed rescuing, Mason would make sure he was the most dangerous man in the room.
38
Avery slumpedin the diner’s vinyl booth, the cracked and peeling surface sticking uncomfortably to her skin. The air was thick with the greasy aroma of frying bacon and the acrid scent of burnt coffee, a combination that made her stomach churn. She rubbed her eyes, the gritty sensation behind her lids making it feel like someone had taken a belt sander to her corneas. She and Mason had been holed up in this dingy little spot down the street from the secret gambling den for the past three hours, waiting for Paul to emerge with any new dirt on Ryan.
By now, she’d had enough sitting. Enough stress over Ryan’s betrayal. And enough wrangling with herself over her growing feelings for Mason.
The sooner they got the evidence on Rain Bay, the sooner he and his team would jet back to their fantastical lives. And she could get on with repairing her own.
The waitress, a middle-aged woman with a face that looked like a road map of late nights and early mornings, sauntered over to their table, her shoes squeaking on the linoleum floor. She carried a pot of coffee that smelled more like a tire fire than a morning pick-me-up.
“Refill, honey?” she asked, her voice raspy from years of smoking.
Avery pushed her empty mug away, the ceramic scraping against the laminate tabletop. “No thanks. I think I’ve had enough.”
Mason raised an eyebrow, his lips twitching like he was trying not to laugh. “You? Turning down coffee? Who are you and what have you done with Avery?”
She shot him a glare, but she was too tired to put any real heat behind it. She felt like she’d been run over by a truck, then backed over for good measure.
Ryan Goshiro, the man she’d looked up to for years, the man she’d thought was as straight as an arrow, was––at best––living in the center of gray.
Her world had been flipped upside down, and she was struggling to find her footing.
The FBI had always been her north star, the thing that kept her on the straight and narrow. She’d followed in her father’s footsteps, determined to uphold his legacy of justice and honor. But now, with Ryan’s betrayal …
Where did she go from here?