Playing to Win by Avery Cockburn Read Free Book Online Page A

member of one of Scotland’s oldest families behind bars for—” Andrew rubbed his lower lip with the side of his finger. “—for such a trivial act.”
    It didn’t feel trivial to me. “Why should anyone give a fuck who your family is?”
    “ We don’t matter. What matters is our financial support of law-enforcement personnel.”
    Of course. “You mean bribes?”
    “Not at all.” Andrew looked offended. “We donate to perfectly legal charitable funds. Some of them supplement police pensions, whilst others assist families of fallen heroes.”
    Colin shook his head. “I always knew there were two systems of justice, one for the poor and one for the rich.”
    “Then be grateful you’ve found yourself in the right system tonight.”
    Have I? Colin still wasn’t sure Reggie wouldn’t throw him under the proverbial bus, perhaps by telling the officer-in-charge that the hooligan Colin had led the innocent Andrew astray.
    Colin’s phone rang. He answered Katie’s call. “You okay, lass?”
    “Yes, it’s a miracle!” she said. “Did you get caught? Sorry I suck as a lookout.”
    “Not your fault. I still consider your debt repaid.” He felt bad now for taking advantage of her pledge to do anything—“anything, I swear”—to make up for injuring his knee last month.
    “Where are you guys?”
    “Possibly being arrested.”
    “What?!? Oh my God. Do you need, like, bail money or something?”
    “Hang on.” Colin watched as Andrew’s bodyguard returned Constable Lawrence’s radio to him with a winning smile. The police officer shook his head and started toward their car. “I’ll phone you back,” Colin told Katie.
    Without a word, Lawrence got in, drove them exactly one street over, then got out and opened the back door. “Go on,” the officer said. “I never want to see your faces again.”
    “Thank you!” Colin said as he slid out of the car behind Andrew. “I’m so sorry.”
    “Right.” Constable Lawrence lifted his chin. “There’s your man now.”
    Colin turned to see Reggie’s black sedan pulling up to the curb. The officer drove off with no further acknowledgment.
    Reggie got out of his car and strode over. “See? Told you I’d sort it,” he said to Andrew, then extended his hand to Colin and introduced himself.
    Colin hesitated, surprised at the friendly gesture. Then he cleared his throat and shook the man’s hand. “Thanks for helping us.”
    “It’s what I do.” Reggie’s grip was strong as a python’s. Colin tried not to grimace or shake his finger ligaments back into place after the bodyguard had released his hand. “Sir,” Reggie said to Andrew, “we’d best be getting you back to the flat now.”
    “Yes.” Andrew gave Colin a look of regret. “I know I said earlier you could come home with me, but…it’s not a good idea. I’m sorry.”
    Colin felt his own face turn to stone. “Nae bother.” He managed a shrug through superhuman effort. “Like I said, my mates and I come and go together.” He lifted his phone. “So I should, erm, find them now.”
    “Okay.” Andrew looked as though he wanted to add something, but didn’t. Colin decided to spare them both the awkwardness.
    “Later,” he said simply, and turned away.
    Colin walked up the street, his back to the black car, though he’d no idea if he was heading in the right direction to find his mates. All that mattered was that this time, he’d been the one to say goodbye.
    If only every step away from Andrew didn’t feel like a walk through quicksand. If only he could let himself turn back for one last glimpse, to see if Andrew were watching him walk away. If only it were easy.
    = = =
    The yoga was a bloody farce.
    To be sure, the scorpion pose was stretching the kinks out of Andrew’s back after last night’s rave adventures. And with its inverted nature, legs bent up and back to form the scorpion’s tail over his forearm stand, the vrschikasana was awakening him with a rush of blood to