When There Is Nothing Left But Love

Abe glanced at Ashton, then sniggered.

“What were you planning to do, Holden? Why did you bring her in?” Abe asked menacingly.

Holden, however, turned to Ashton. “Mr. Fuller, it’s getting late. Mrs. Fuller looks a little tired. Perhaps you should be heading home to rest,” he suggested matter-of-factly.

“Holden Taylor, what exactly do you take me for?” Abe roared. With one swift motion, he furiously swept the cards off the table.

Holden, however, remained looking steadily in Ashton’s direction. “You’ll have to meet Dad tomorrow. You should get some rest tonight,” the man urged, a note of warning in his voice.

Indignant at having been ignored multiple times, Abe flew into a rage. He suddenly drew out a pistol and pointed it straight at Holden. “Taylor, let me ask you again, what do you take me for?” Abe bellowed.

The solid presence of the pistol immediately draped a dense cloak of tension over the room. Ashton silently shielded me with his body as he watched the situation unfold.

Holden, however, seemed accustomed to Abe’s behavior. He glared defiantly at Abe, then said coolly, “Mr. Abe, if you fire that pistol, I’m afraid neither of us will be walking out of Gold Star Casino tonight.”

Abe’s face had turned purple. He had evidently dedicated his full strength towards restraining his anger.

“Mr. Fuller, perhaps some other day then. Don’t worry. There’ll be plenty of opportunities

remained expressionless even as he nodded politely. “I’ll be happy to meet for drinks. As for other activities, I still abide by the same principle that I won’t do anything

the private room. I was utterly bewildered by the entire event and had so many questions to ask. My curiosity died on my lips, however, as I saw the urgency

finally arrived at

people swarmed out, forming a barricade on the road before

for us. A few burly men had thrown a man out of the casino and were now determinedly laying

ears. Only when they’d observed that the man was half dead did his assailants consider their mission complete.

man convulsed a few times as he lay on the ground. He struggled to get up but crumpled

of sympathy for the man. “Ashton, can

said nothing. I didn’t press the matter either. It was a casino, after all. It was not the place for kindness or

man, however, lay squarely in our path. Unable to drive away,

exhausted all of his strength. He lay unmoving on the ground like a corpse. Ashton’s eyes narrowed. He then stepped onto the accelerator as hard as he could. The sound of the engine revving was accompanied by the sudden lurching forward of the car. I was convinced that Ashton had made

had been shot. He vehemently clawed his way up and sprawled onto the hood of our car. Blood still shone freshly on his face and from the corner of his mouth. The man then cracked a smile at Ashton and asked weakly, “Are you really

Ashton. Do they

continued looking straight