Page 69 of Merciless Obsession

“I’m out too.” Titan tossed his cards in. He downed the rest of the drink in his glass and shook his head. “I thought this was my lucky night too.” He pulled his phone out and tapped the screen.

“Now’s your chance. He doesn’t usually linger after a game,” Inaya said behind me as I leaned on the bar.

“Now or never, I guess.”

“What about loverboy over there? How you gonna get past him?”

“I was hoping you’d help me with that.” Her brow raised. “If you can get him to the bar and conversate with him, I can slip out before he notices.” I wouldn’t get the full two grand, but that didn’t bother me. It wasn’t like I needed or was here for the money. Titan was my main objective.

A devious grin appeared on her face. “I can do that. I want to pick his brain about that fine, broody brother of his anyway.”

Having a friend like Inaya was one thing that kept me going this long. She was just as stubborn and determined as I was.

“Heads up.” Inaya nodded toward me.

My attention went back to the floor and I noticed Titan walking toward me. My stomach contracted and my heart stuttered. I slowly pushed a deep breath out before placing a smile on my face.

“Looks like luck might be on my side tonight after all.” He smirked, stopping in front of me.

“Oh yeah?” I tilted my head to the side. “You just lost big, didn’t you?”

His shoulder lifted. “There’s more where that came from. You can’t win money if you don’t bet big, right?”

I snorted. “I wouldn’t know. I don’t take those kinds of risks.”

Titan licked his lips and scaled my body with his eyes. “Maybe you should. I want you to come home with me tonight.”

My insides were in a frenzy but I made sure it didn’t show on my face. “Oh? Do I seem like that kind of girl?”

Lucky for me I got my claws in Titan early so he only wanted me to serve him drinks. Each time he would slip a hundred in my pocket. I made three hundred from him tonight.

“We’re both grown, right? That’s all that matters.”

My eyes shifted behind him to where Ezra’s eyes were locked on us. Even from here I could see the raging storm forming. I needed to hurry up.

“I’ll be missing out on half my pay if I leave now.”

He released a cocky laugh. His hand went to my hip and it took everything in me not to cringe.

“Baby, I can pay what you’re missing and then some. Come with me tonight and I’ll make it worth your while.”

It was hard to keep the forced smile on my face. Titan was too arrogant. He was brash, loud, and nothing like the type of guy I would ever look twice at.

My phone vibrated in my pocket. Taking my eyes off Titan for a second I reached in my back pocket to check the screen. When I saw it was a message from Emmet I knew I needed to take this.

“Just let me use the bathroom and we can go.”

He nodded. “I’ll wait here for you.”

My smile shook. “Okay.”

Turning, I walked in the direction that led to the bathrooms. Once I was in the lightly lit hallway, I leaned on the wall and pushed out an exasperated breath.

I closed my eyes and gave myself a small pep talk before lifting my phone. During the night I had sent Emmet a picture of Titan and his name. I didn’t know much about him, but I knew Emmet would be able to get something with what I sent. Before I left with him I needed to know exactly who I was dealing with.

Emmet

Titan Anderson. DOB: 5/6/89. Grew up in foster care. Highest education is tenth grade. Dropped out and started running with the Crimson Crew and worked his way up to second-in-command. One assault with a deadly weapon and kidnapping charge when he was twenty one, served six years and got three years’ probation. I’ll keep looking into him.