Monty threw his cards on the table and grinned.
"I've lost."
At that moment, a deep silence descended in the bar. All the men surrounding the table looked at the set of cards on the table. Monty had set out a clear, straight flush. Although this indeed was a winning set, when in comparison to Tobias's, it was clear who had truly won.
In front of Tobias was a full [1]Royal Flush.
"Boss, what—"
Monty laughed. "He beat me. Straight up."
He stood up from his seat and extended a hand out to Tobias.
"Good game."
Tobias nodded and shook his hand in a firm grip. The two men maintained gazes a while longer before releasing hands. When Tobias made eye contact with Mimi, he was momentarily stunned.
The corners of her rosy lips curled up, and that light smile bloomed slowly like a flower, the sight so beautiful that it was intoxicating. The bright glimmer in her eyes was like the rising sun.
However, there was also undeniable trust in the girl's gaze.
Tobias looked at Mimi with a pleasant curve in his eyes, and the corners of his lips were rising up uncontrollably. He couldn't help wanting to smile.
As if they were fixed in place, they looked into each other's eyes for a long time. Only after hearing Monty's words did the two's gazes turn away from one another.
"So, sweetheart, what would you'd like to find out about Shen Jue?"
…
Just as promised, Monty began to explain to Mimi about his relationship with Shen Jue. The three sat at the bar counter while the other men continued with their business.
"Shen Jue and I have been business partners for about nine years now. Out of all those years, I've only completed three jobs for him."
Mimi's expression showed she was listening very seriously. When Monty finished speaking, she frowned a little.
Only three?
"What was the most recent job he asked you to do?" She asked.
Monty took a long drag and blew out a cloud of smoke from his cigar. He sighed a little.
"It was about eight or seven years ago. We met in Lux Nightclub together; he brought some chick with him too. He asked if I'd find some information for him."
As Mimi listened, her eyes narrowed. Lux Nightclub. That was the same nightclub she went to with Shen Jue when meeting Yu Feng.
But who was the woman he went with to meet Monty?
While in deep thought, Mimi sat in a daze when her eyes suddenly widened, her entire body stiffening.
No...That girl couldn't be…was it Emily?
She had recalled that night Shen Jue mentioned going there with Emily once to meet a group of his friends. Perhaps those so-called 'friends' were Monty and his men. Mimi's mind was in a mess, and confusion flooded her emotions.
She glanced at Monty and hesitated to ask. "What…What did the girl he was with look like?"
Monty raised an eyebrow from her question. He scratched his clean-shaven head and thought deeply.
"It was a long time ago, however, it's not easy to forget a beauty like her. She had dark brown eyes and long brunette hair. From the looks of it, she didn't like Shen Jue very much. However, Shen Jue definitely was interested in her. Why else would he request my help for some girl?"
Mimi's body trembled slightly as countless emotions surged through her, causing her to clutch the edge of the bar tightly until her hand turned white.
It was Emily!
Tobias sitting beside her was watching Mimi from beginning to end, without ever blinking. Both his black eyes were locked onto Mimi, to the point where he could not see anything else. When he saw her body tremble, his eyes dimmed.
Tobias raised his hand to find hers on the counter, taking it into his. He gave her a reassuring squeeze.
Tobias stared at Monty and asked in a very calm tone, "What information did he ask you to find?"
When he spoke this sentence, Mimi broke from her daze and abruptly looked at Tobias, her eyes slightly wide. She glanced down at the big, slender and powerful hand naturally gripping hers.
His skin was rougher than she remembered. But it was still warm.
Monty looked at the man and grinned a little.
"He wanted me to find out the truth behind a man's murder."
Mimi's brows furrowed. "Who?"
Just as her voice fell, a sudden commotion was heard in the back. When Monty looked back, Mimi felt Tobias place his right hand on her shoulder and lean down to whisper in her ear.
"When I tell you to, run."
A hint of confusion flashed through Mimi's eyes. Before she had the chance to say anything, one of Monty's men rushed out of the back of the bar. When his eyes landed on her and Tobias his gaze turned sharp.
"Boss! That guy, he cheated!"
At that moment, Mimi felt a hand grab hers and with great force, hauled her backward. The two of them were now running out of the bar!
…
"Catch them!"
Behind her, Mimi could detect the sound of men shouting at them. Shifting her head slightly, she saw around three men chasing after her and Tobias.
She wheezes as her burning lungs gasp for air. Her clothes and hair, slick with perspiration, clung to her skin. Sweat rolled down her skin in thick, salty beads. She could feel her heart throbbing in her chest.
Mimi glanced up at Tobias. Each one of his mighty strides was worth at least two of hers. Without the slightest of effort, he ran in long strides, barely breaking a sweat and not panting in the least.
For fuck's sake! Her short body was not made for running!
With gritted teeth, she fought to catch up with him.
Tobias took note of the girl's state and paused. Without hesitation, he turned back to her and swung her up in his strong arms as if she was nothing more than a rag doll and began to run.
Mimi was speechless. She shifted her head to look at Tobias, only to see he was completely unfazed by her weight. The man continued running with full speed, his face full of complete calm. Mimi reverted her gaze and looked back at the men chasing behind them. She gradually saw their figures shrink in the distance.
"You're doing great Toby, keep running! We're losing them!" Mimi encouraged and pat the man's back.
Tobias sounded out a grunt while he ran even faster. Until they could no longer see the men, did he finally stop to regain his breath. While she was resting on his back, Mimi too felt the after-effects of running. Her legs felt numb and unsteady, painfully sore. Her throat was dry, so uncomfortably dry.
Never in her life had she experienced such intense exercise!
"Are you all right?" Mimi heeded the man's hoarse voice ask after running for so long.
Mimi nodded. "Yes, but what did they mean when they said you cheated?"
Didn't Tobias win the game? Did they perhaps try to set him up? Then again, why did they run away?
Mimi looked at Tobias with narrowed eyes. Under her stare, he had no choice but to cough awkwardly.
"I may have cheated a little."
An eyebrow raised on Mimi's face. "A little?"
Tobias cleared his throat again and reached a hand in his pant pocket. To Mimi's surprise, she saw Tobias pull out what was visibly a card from the deck.
"During the third round, I dropped a card onto my lap and hid it in my pocket." He explained.
Upon hearing those words spoken by Tobias, Mimi went silent with shock. Unable to meet her gaze, Tobias lowered his head a bit with slightly flushed ears. He was beyond ashamed.
It was at that moment that Mimi suddenly burst into a bout of open laughter.
"I never would expect the great Tobias Itou to cheat." She giggled. "To be honest, it's refreshing to see this side of you."
Tobias was slightly stunned, but following that, his eyes curved into a smile. His emotions surged as if they were going to burn his body away, and it was as if those feelings could only be temporarily suppressed by looking at the girl.
Only this person, she was the thing he could never let go.
Every moment they spent together, he kept falling in love with her. Each time harder than the last. Every time the feeling became deeper, more complete, more bewitching.
Her laugh, her voice, her excessive appetite. All of his he could never let go.
After laughing excessively, Mimi raised her eyes to meet Tobias's soft and slightly pained eyes. Before she had the chance to ask what was wrong, the man's raw, hoarse voice spoke.
"I love you."
_______
[1] A straight flush beats a four-of-a-kind; a Royal Flush beats a straight flush.
...
_______
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Share it with others if you can to further spread the support. Let us seek justice for George Floyd, Brennon Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Tamir Rice, Trayvon Marton, and the many black lives who have suffered enough injustice.