The Poker King Returns novel · Chapter 10 of 24

Chapter 10: Sell It

My father was sitting up in bed when we got there, with the lamp on and a cup of ice water shaking in his hand.

He looked like a man who had been rehearsing a speech for hours.

"Close the door," he said.

Cade closed it.

"Dad, you're supposed to be asleep."

"Kray called me."

The words dropped into the room.

"He called here? At midnight?"

"He has my room number." My father tried a smile. "He's offering a deal, Pamela. A good one."

"No deal is good coming from him."

"Listen first. He'll forgive the whole note.

"And he'll pay me one million cash for the Wren, deed and license.

"We could pay every dealer and put the rest in the bank."

"You want to sell."

"I want you safe."

He reached for my hand, but I stepped back.

"Dad, he sent a man to grab me in the dark."

"He apologized for that."

"He apologized?"

"He said it was an accident. That a hired man got ahead of himself."

I stared at my father.

Behind me, Cade had not moved a muscle.

"You believe that," I said.

"I have to." My father's voice cracked.

"Pamela, I am an old man with a stent in my chest and a note I can't pay.

"If Cade loses the game, I lose everything, and you with it."

"So you'd rather sell."

"I'd rather you had a life."

He looked at Cade.

His mouth opened.

I saw it.

Cade saw it too.

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