Page 27 of The Bluffing Game

Sal hates my guts, but I’m not going to tell her that. I can turn in a favor. Plus, I’ve got Brett to help. He mostly does investigative work for me, but his work as a DEVGRU (SEAL Team Six) means that I can utilize him for many different types of work. He worked in Special Ops for years and can handle anything I put his way.

“You don’t have to⁠—”

“Maybe he should check it out,” Rosie blurts and looks at her sister with a pained expression on her face. “The apartment looks nothing like it did in the photos online. It’s a dump, with all the dead cockroaches”—she shivers—“and the rats or mice or whatever, and we don’t even have a man to look after us.” She looks over at Brett, but his expression doesn’t change at all. “Not that we need a man or anything,” she says quickly, and then she looks at me. “I just don’t want us living anywhere dangerous. We sure didn’t move here to be living in the⁠—”

“Rosie, really?” Sage glares at her, and I recognize the look as one I give to Lucia all the time. It’s hard, being the oldest sibling sometimes.

“I’m just saying.”

“If your sister doesn’t want to live there, then why would you expose her to the elements in the environment that might be dangerous and full of⁠—”

“Can I talk to you for a moment, please, Dalton?” Sage scoots out of the booth swiftly, grabs my arm roughly, and then seems to think about what she’s doing. “Sorry. Can we talk outside?”

“We can.” I grin at her. “Come with me.” I move toward the entrance and look back at her. “You don’t have to be sorry, by the way. I like it rough.”

“Really?” She rolls her eyes at me, but I can see the hint of a blush on her face as well.

We don’t talk again until we make it out of the dive bar, and I signal for her to follow me.

“Where are we going?”

“There’s a chair swing up here, about a hundred feet. We can see the ocean from there. It’s a nice spot to chat.”

“I didn’t come to have a leisurely chat with you, Dalton. I came to tell you to knock it off and quit scaring Rosie. I don’t want her thinking we’re moving into some crime-infested building.”

“But it’s the truth,” I say matter-of-factly. “Would you rather I not be honest?”

We walk past a couple of trash cans and down a side alley before we get to the swing. The view is amazing, and I’m satisfied when I hear Sage’s sharp intake of breath.

“Wow, it’s beautiful.”

We take a seat and watch the sleepy, golden sun descend in the amber sky. From this vantage point, the water looks a dark navy, and the white foam of the waves crashing into the sand and rocks sharply contrasts with it.

“Isn’t it just amazing?”

I lean back and move the swing slightly so we’re swaying in the wind. The movement is unexpected to Sage, and she slides down toward me, only stopped by the density of my thighs. Her leg pressed against mine feels warm and delicate. I look at her face, and she’s staring at me in wonderment, but she doesn’t say anything.

“I’m not trying to scare you or Rosie, Sage, but if you’re moving into the apartments I think you are, they are used by drug addicts and sex workers who⁠—”

“Fine, maybe it’s not the best apartment in town, but it’s all we can afford.” She folds her arms. “And it’s important to me that we make our own way.”

“But I thought you were here, looking for billionaire husbands …” I pause. “Well, along with your dad.”

“Well, yes, but it’s about more than money. I’m not trying to use anyone. I’m still looking for love. I’m not just going to marry a man ’cause he’s rich.”

“He just needs to be rich for you to fall in love with him.”

“When you put it like that, it sounds bad.” She half-smiles.

“It does, but I like that you’re honest about it. Just sucks for men like me, who have struggling businesses, who may want a shot.”

“You’re looking for a shot at love and marriage?” Her eyes narrow. “Really?”

“Okay, maybe I’m not actually looking for either, but life⁠—”

“So why even bring any of this up? “You literally just told me that marriage was the last thing you were looking for.”

“All right, so maybe I’m not looking for either, but if I were, I guess that I would be out of the running.”