Page 31 of The Heartbreaker (Chandler Brothers 3)
Hell, he thought, running a hand over his eyes. He didn’t want to deal with these new and unnerving feelings. Not now, not ever. And considering he had a job to do here, namely watching Sloane, he didn’t have to. Besides, he wouldn’t learn anything about her agenda in Yorkshire Falls if he made a scene and dragged her home. As a reporter, he needed to be on the lookout for whatever story she was trying to hide. Chase relegated all possessive thoughts of Sloane to the farthest recesses of his mind and settled in to watch.
She made her next shot, a difficult one no novice could make, and he realized she didn’t need the lessons the old geezers were too happy to provide. Whistles of approval echoed around the room. Chase wondered if they were caused by her prowess at pool or the way her top pulled tight over her breasts, the gold lips taking a neon purple cast under the lights.
“Hey, Earl. It looks to me like she’s a real quick learner.” The call and accompanying laughter came from the sidelines.
Earl shook his head and pushed back his shoulders, certain of his abilities. “No, I’m just the best teacher this place has ever seen.” He grinned and Chase realized he was missing one front tooth.
“You’re a moron. She’s snookered you good. No man should play for cash with a lady or put up with one besting him,” a man dressed in black leather with a bandanna tied around his head said. “Samson’s a pro at working these assholes for money. Looks like you’re just like him,” he said to Sloane. “How did you say you knew him anyway?”
Chase leaned closer, knowing he’d like an answer to that too.
“I didn’t say. But he’s an old friend of the family, if you have to know.” But she didn’t glance back toward the sound of the man’s voice or otherwise acknowledge him in any way as she lined up her next play. This time, she missed a too-easy ball and gestured for Earl to take his turn.
He sunk the ball and the next two after, finishing the game. She raised her hands in defeat. “You win.”
Earl let out a whoop and accepted a pat on the back from another old guy with less teeth than Earl had. Meanwhile, Sloane dug into her pocket and pulled out a handful of wrinkled bills, tossing them onto the green velvet. “Good game, Earl. Thanks for showing me the ropes. I wasn’t taking anyone for a ride,” she called over her shoulder.
“The lady’s calling you a fool, Dice,” another biker chimed in, laughing at his friend.
Chase winced. Starting with these guys wasn’t a smart move.
But toothless Earl grinned, preening at being complimented. It probably didn’t happen too often. Chase had to hand it to Sloane, she acted as if she were in her element, as comfortable here as she’d be with her senator father. She impressed him with her bravado, but he knew, even if she didn’t, the biker wasn’t going to let her just walk away. He liked what he saw for one thing, and she’d embarrassed him in front of his friends for another.
She propped the cue on the floor and leaned against it, focusing on Earl. “You said Samson would probably be here Friday night?”
He nodded. “He comes in ’round eight.”
“That’s assuming he has cash in his pocket,” someone added.
All of which sounded like Samson, Chase thought.
“I’ll make sure you’re here to greet him on Friday,” Dice said, finally stepping out of the shadows and he wasn’t an impressive sight. He wore the standard black leather jacket, possessed too much facial hair, and sported an oversize beer belly. And he was bigger than Sloane and could snap her in two with one hand.
Chase groaned. His time to observe was over. He straightened and strode up to the table. “The lady’s already got a date Friday night.”
“I do?” she asked, her surprise obvious. But from the flicker of relief in her eyes, she wasn’t unhappy to see him.
Dice grabbed the cue from her hand and threw it across the room. “Doesn’t sound like she wants to be with you, lover boy.” He edged closer, his big body taking up a hell of a lot of space. His friends huddled in, acknowledging their intent to back up their pal.
“How’d you find me?” Sloane asked Chase in a small voice.
“I don’t think you want to waste time talking or your buddy here is going to stake his claim.”
“The way you just staked yours?” She glanced down, taking in the arm that he’d wrapped possessively around her shoulders. She’d started to tremble.
Good, Chase thought. She’d finally realized she was in over her head and that realization, coupled with fear, might help him keep her from doing anything this stupid again.
