The Deadly Seven

The Turn

*The Turn is also known as "Fourth Street" in Texas Hold 'Em*

Rory entered The Cobra with his hands resting behind his back.  He observed his guests, making sure they were behaving and enjoying themselves.  Greyson was asleep on the sofa with what looked like his first beverage.  Winston was on his iPad and from the intensity in his brow, Rory could tell he was doing business. Finn and Kale were in the shadows, shoving and hissing at each other.  Kale’s fingers were curled and his shoulders arched as he argued defensively against Finn.  As long as they didn’t break anything, Rory left them to their own resolving.  He then wandered over to Jim, who was holding a plate of crackers and cheese.

“Finn’s onto you.”

“You know why I can’t stop thinking about her?”  Jim said, ignoring Rory’s warning.  His tone, rather than hopelessly romantic, was cold and frustrated.  He broke a cracker in half and then crumbled it over his last piece of cheese.  “Because once you’ve heard her breathe and have felt her warm skin against yours, it’s impossible not to want that again.  And not just like peeks behind the curtain, but all of it.”  He looked over at Rory and his voice softened.  “Have you ever had someone like that in your life?”

Sighing, Rory pursed his lips and looked away.  He knew he couldn’t avoid the subject, but he knew Jim was the only person he’d talk to about his relationships.  “Well, there was this one girl, Candace, who I really liked.  But then I got tired of pursuing her.  Felt like she always wanted more.  It got tiring so, I broke it off.”

“Well, we’ve all had those kinds of women in our lives.  I mean the one you have to have.  I deserve Lydia Greene, you know that.”

“What will you do once you have her?  Sometimes your fantasies can disappoint you.  I’m sorry, did I sound too much like your father?”

Jim scoffed.  He dropped his head, searching for a smart comeback.  But he couldn’t think of anything he could return without Rory countering it.  He looked up at Rory, his eyes darkened and the degraded smile shrunk into a thin line. 

Determined not to cower at Jim’s frightening expression, Rory glanced at his watch.  “It’s time to play.  Gather up the boys.”  He swiftly left Jim’s side and went to wake up Greyson.

Jim pushed himself from the wall he had been leaning against and walked over to Kale and Finn.  He stared at Rory once or twice, thinking of a way to disgrace him at the table.  He didn’t know how he would do so, especially since Rory never had let him into his private life.  But Jim was aware that every man had a weak point and a secret.  If he could find both of Rory’s, he controlled everything in Rory’s life. 

“Ah, Jim, tell Kale to calm down before he snaps a nerve or something,” Finn said breathlessly as he released Kale from the shoulders. 

Intervening and looking at Kale and then Finn, Jim said quietly, “I can kick you out of this game if you don’t control yourself.”  He stared at Kale and didn’t look away until he was satisfied with the boy’s response.

“Yes, sir,” Kale mumbled.

“Did you bring his straightjacket?”  Jim chirped up in a voice imitating a doctor.

Kale lunged forward and was about to grab Jim by the neck before Finn snatched the boy by the collar and jerked him back.  “You bastard,” Kale panted.

Jim chuckled and shook a parental finger at Kale.  “I’m watching you.  Be good.”  An annoying smile smeared across his face as he strode to his place at the table.  Jim slipped his hands in his pockets along the way, a sign that meant he was confident enough to conceal his hands, even though Kale could jump him at any moment.