Embodiments of a mobile device and method of communication are generally described herein. The mobile device may be configured to operate as a slave device for a Bluetooth link with a master device. The mobile device may transmit a packet in an ESCO interval. The mobile device may, in an ESCO retransmission slot of the ESCO interval: attempt to decode, from the slave device, a request for retransmission of the packet. If the request for retransmission is not successfully decoded, the mobile device may determine whether the request for retransmission was sent during the ESCO retransmission slot based at least partly on a channel energy level detected during the ESCO retransmission slot. If it is determined that the request for retransmission was not sent during the ESCO retransmission slot, the mobile device may refrain from monitoring subsequent ESCO retransmission slots of the ESCO interval. If it is determined that the request for retransmission was sent during the ESCO retransmission slot, the mobile device may monitor one or more of the subsequent ESCO retransmission slots of the ESCO interval.