Burn for you (English)

Chapter 7

It's time for us to meet some more characters. I'm so excited to see what you guys think of them! And of the end of this chapter...

"I hit it!"

Carlos continued to grin. "Don't get too excited. That was just luck."

He turned his attention to his move, which I didn't follow because I wanted to share my joy with Reaper. He was not uninvolved in the triumph. But his eyes were glued to the table, unimpressed, as if he hadn't even noticed how the shot had gone.

The sound of the balls hitting each other drew my attention back to the game, Carlos had scored two hits again. Crap.

I sharpened my concentration, teeth nibbling on my plump lower lip as it helped me think. I inspected the constellation from all angles of the table, it wasn't huge, but I would play it safe. I could do it without Reaper. Or not - I failed.

"Get ready to lose," Carlos smirked. He seemed visibly pleased with his approaching victory.

"Hey Pres."

My eyes moved from the Vice to a slender lady dressed in a leather vest and denim skirt. Light curls of flaming fire flowed around her shoulders, their color so intense and iridescent that they couldn't possibly have been created by Mother Nature. But their purpose was not to look natural. Their purpose was to attract attention. A job they fulfilled to complete satisfaction, judging by the looks some men gave her. Like Reapers.

The woman strode straight toward him, her target lying between his long legs, which he had stretched out from the barstool on which he was incapable of sitting because of his height. Without a hint of restraint, her fingers ran through his beard in a familiar, natural way until they met his neck and caressed it. She whispered something to him that I didn't understand because of the noise level in here. It didn't seem to matter either, because his gaze lingered on her.

"Her name is Emily."

Startled, I winced. Carlos' head hovered at eye level with mine, as he looked over my shoulder at Reaper and his partner. I hadn't even realized I'd been staring at them for a moment too long.

"His girlfriend?"

His thin lips curled in delight. Apparently that meant no.

"You lost, by the way." he fluted. The black ball was missing from the felt.

"Great. Rematch?"

Carlos seemed to be enthusiastic, not a minute later all the balls were lined up. The game was fun, however it lifted my spirits more when someone was happy to spend time with me. It was a refreshing change to not have Mandy alone enjoying my presence.

"Do you have room for another player?"

Our table was approached by a young man who looked familiar. By his caramel-colored hair, it dawned on me.

"I served you at the bar the other night."

He smiled broadly, a row of snow-white teeth revealed, and his eyes sparkled. "So I'm not as unassuming as I thought, then. I'm Beau."

"Adina."

"I know that much already." A playful wink.

Probably everyone here already knew my name, so a round of introductions was unnecessary. I should remember that for the next few acquaintances.

"So what's the deal? Can I jump in?"

"Sure," Carlos said with a shrug, "but maybe we can find a fourth teammate, then we'll make two teams."

He skimmed the heads in the bar looking for an appropriate match and seemed to find it. "Hey Ash! Fancy a game of pool?"

His loud voice cut through the paneled room to a blonde who turned from a conversation with a man and an older lady. She was unknown to me, but I was going to get a chance to meet her.