Total pages in book: 117
Estimated words: 115186 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 576(@200wpm)___ 461(@250wpm)___ 384(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115186 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 576(@200wpm)___ 461(@250wpm)___ 384(@300wpm)
It was highly possible that she might not.
She purposely picked a super easy shot any beginner would be a fool not to take and…
Dropped the ball into the other corner pocket.
“Too fuckin’ easy. Try somethin’ harder. Let’s see how gooduva teacher LZ is.”
She ignored him as she circled the table searching and concentrating. Zeke had taught her how to do bank shots, but the stakes were too high with this game to risk taking one. Instead, she found another sure shot and quickly took it. The number six ball fell right into the side pocket.
She heard a noise from where he stood, but didn’t spare him a glance. She continued to search for the next shot and took it, sinking that ball, too.
She wanted to gloat but tried desperately to hide her satisfaction in how far her skills had come.
She only had one solid ball left before she had to sink the eight ball. The ball needed to win both the game and the bet.
Her heart was now pounding. In her chest, in her ears and also in her throat.
Focus.
She steadied her hands and ignored everything around her, including the big burly biker standing nearby, waiting for her to screw up.
Maddie needed to stay out of her own head, concentrate and look at the next shot logically. Size, age, gender had nothing to do with how well a player did. It all relied on physics by using momentum, impulse, and kinetic energy.
She broke down the next shot in her head first, then put her plan in motion, successfully sinking the three ball.
She managed to swallow her excited squeal. This wasn’t the time to celebrate. The next ball was the most important of all.
Everything rode on the solid black eight ball.
All she had to do was get it into a pocket without scratching or knocking in one of his striped balls instead.
Not an easy feat with all seven of Romeo’s balls still on the table.
She used the tip of her cue stick to tap the side pocket. Now she only needed to make the shot.
She picked a spot on the cue ball, lined up her stick, pushed all the breath from her lungs to try to slow her racing heart…
Then went for it.
Chapter Nine
“What the actual fuck?” burst from Romeo the second the eight ball tipped over the edge and landed in the pocket. “What the actual fuck, Maddie? That ain’t no fuckin’ beginner’s luck. You fuckin’ played me.”
Not so cocky now, was he? “I did. In pool.”
A muscle jumped in his cheek. “Not what I fuckin’ meant.”
“Sounds like you thought you could take advantage of me but failed.” Maddie shrugged and, with a grin, placed her cue stick in the rack on the wall. She then headed over to him where he still stood in shock and anger. Using his shoulder for balance, she rose onto her tiptoes and leaned in close. “You think I didn’t notice you come in the door? You’re hard to miss, Rome. Especially in here.”
Not waiting for that to sink in, she quickly moved away from him and, while meeting his eyes, put the beer he bought her to her lips and took a long sip.
When she was done, she sighed loudly and shot him a smile.
As soon as she had spotted him coming into The Iron Horse, she and Zeke jokingly devised a half-assed plan while Romeo sat at the bar. She had no idea that plan would actually come into play, and he would walk right into it.
Shame on him for underestimating her.
Maddie already knew the basics of pool before moving to Shadow Valley. Zeke only helped hone her skills.
On a rare occasion, they worked together to make some spare cash by pretending she was still a beginner. She’d bet an unsuspecting Iron Horse customer and when she won, would act like it was beginner’s luck. Just like she did with Romeo. But with the others, the bet had nothing to do with sex.
Romeo’s vision of a “sure thing” was now destroyed.
His cockiness possibly taken down a peg.
He also now knew she wasn’t a pushover.
Chuckling, Zeke came back to the billiard area and slapped Romeo hard enough on the back to make him lurch forward. “Better luck next time, brother.”
Oh shit. Romeo was already annoyed, but to have Zeke rub his loss and the fact Maddie pulled one over on him in his face…
Not smart.
She opened her mouth to tell Zeke to let it go. Before the first word slipped past her lips, it turned into a squeak when Romeo grabbed her wrist and began to take long strides toward the exit with her in tow.
“Romeo…” She kept her voice calm and low to avoid Zeke freaking out and coming to her rescue.
The big man didn’t stop until they were outside and away from the door. Once they were, he backed her against the exterior wall, dropped his head and locked eyes with her. “That was fuckin’ bullshit.”