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  Twenty-Two took a step toward the boy, but Four held up a hand, stopping the operative in his tracks.

  “Regret is a strong word, young one.” Four said in that same quiet voice, not even turning his body toward the boy. “Do you know who it is you are addressing?”

  “I don’t give a fuck who you are, cabron.” The Latin boy- Four thought his name was Ludo, but he wasn’t interested enough to remember correctly- answered him, just as quietly. The boy’s lips curled in a small, secret smile.

  “It doesn’t matter who you are. Where you come from. Who your boss is. None of that matters. You have no idea what it is you’ve done. It would be funny, if it wasn’t so fucking tragic.”

  Four turned his body slowly, standing to his full height, and capturing the boy’s gaze in his own. He watched Ludo’s large, honey gaze widen at the sight of his eyes. Four knew they were one of the most terrifying things about him.

  They were a bright, pale shade of scarlet.

  And they contained nothing. Not one single emotion.

  Four hadn’t felt anything in a very, very long time. Which made him the perfect killer.

  The boy’s surprise melted into a calm resolve, and the small, secret smile came back to tease at his plush lips. The Latin boy chuckled- chuckled- at him, and Four watched in amazement as the boy leaned forward, his husky voice rife with mock pity.

  “You are the one who has no idea who it is he is dealing with. Do you know what it is you’ve done, cabron?” The boy drawled, licking his dry lips. He continued in a whisper that was deafening in its finality.

  “You’ve stolen the devil’s master. And you know the devil… He always gets his due.”

  Four watched as the boy sat back, that small, secret smile spreading to a full-fledged grin as the sound of chains rustling filled the otherwise silent room. Four turned back slowly to the cause of the sound but froze in place as soft singing suddenly filled the tense air. The hoarse, melodic voice sang to him, almost lovingly, the notes blending beautifully. The lyrics of the song spoke of a man, a gambler, and knowing when to play your cards… and when to fold your hand. The voice was beautiful, if not a bit rough, and the song should have been pleasant to the ear.

  It wasn’t.

  It paralyzed him.

  It terrified him.

  “That’s not even the worst part.”

  The Latin boy’s words taunted him, echoing over the sound of the soft, eerie singing. Four turned back fully to the woman, who was the one singing softly, lovingly, a soft ballad just for him. He couldn’t suppress the shiver this time that ran along his spine as his gaze collided with the woman’s.

  Her eyes were wide open. Grey as a storm settling over the sea, and filled with an icy intent so dark, Four couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t think.

  The Latin boy continued to taunt him.

  “The tragic part… is that you decided to start a game with a master gambler. And you didn’t even know it. You poor, poor soul.”

  Emilia Fox stared into Four’s eyes, her soft, haunting voice echoing against the metal walls around them. Her chains rustled gently, her body swaying to the music. And all the while, her eyes- those cold, dead eyes that promised retribution, pain, and death- stared through Four and reached into his deepest part.

  That gaze branded his very soul.

  The Latin boy laughed quietly.

  “You should have folded when you had the chance.”

  About The Author

  JJ knew she was going to tell stories about strong characters who had to overcome tremendous odds when she had her Barbies work in tandem with her dinosaurs to bring down broccoli at the dinner table. JJ lives in Detroit, Michigan and couldn’t be happier about it. She writes the city into her stories in one way or another because she believes in the hope and love that are alive and well in the Motor city. JJ lives with two gorgeous men who just so happen to love each other’s parts instead of hers. She continues to be oblivious when people flirt with her and manages to botch every attempt at adulting. She also may or may not love wine much more than she should.

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  Emilia Fox and Downswing will be back for part two of the Lady Luck series.

  You can bet on it.