Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 77292 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 386(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77292 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 386(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
I bite my lip. “I’m also doing the cleanse, I suppose. But a dirty martini without alcohol would just be olive juice in a glass.” I fake a laugh.
DeeDee narrows her eyes.
I swallow. “So I’ll just have the same as Maddox.”
DeeDee turns away from us and prepares my drink.
I lean into Maddox’s ear. “Keeping our wits about us, I imagine.”
“Exactly,” he whispers back. “But if we still have drinks in our hands, it will look like we’re drinking. Like we have nothing to stay sober for.”
I nod. “I thought so.”
DeeDee hands me my drink.
“Thank you so much, DeeDee,” Maddox says. “Those will both go on my tab.”
DeeDee rolls her eyes. Two glasses of tonic water garnished with limes probably costs five bucks at the most.
We take our drinks over to the Diamonds section.
It’s a lot less busy tonight. It’s no longer Valentine’s Day, after all. We easily find an available Blackjack table, manned by the same gentleman who was our dealer last night.
He nods to us both. “Ms. Maravilla, Mr. Hathaway. A pleasure to see you both again this evening.”
I smile at him. “Thank you. Remind me of your name.”
She reaches out a hand. “Shellby. Terrence Shellby, ma’am.”
Right. Shellby.
“Are you both playing tonight?” Shellby asks.
Maddox nods.
Shellby grins. “Excellent.”
He deals cards to me and Maddox.
Maddox has a King and a Queen. He stays.
I have a five and a ten. Harder choice. But I decide to ask for a hit.
Shellby deals me a card.
I turn it over. The six of clubs.
Yes. Blackjack!
Shellby deals himself another card, and he turns his over. He busted.
He slides us both some chips.
Off to a good start. We keep playing, and Maddox and I are both winning more than we’re losing. Pretty soon we have patrons looking over our shoulders, watching the game.
A smooth female voice sizzles into my ear from behind us. “Another winning night, Maddox?”
I turn, expecting Rouge.
But it’s not. It’s another woman.
Tall and gorgeous. Short blond hair in a bob style.
Maddox flashes her a smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “Lovely to see you again, Pia.” He gestures to me. “This is my girlfriend, Alissa Maravilla.”
Pia raises an eyebrow, her lips pouted. “A new girlfriend already?”
What the hell does that mean?
Something squeezes at my heart.
Another ex of Maddox’s? I’m not sure I can handle meeting two of them within twenty-four hours. Three, if you count his liaison with Rouge.
Maddox blinks a few times. “It’s been something of a whirlwind, but yes, she’s my girlfriend, and I love her more than anything.”
The fist around my heart loosens its grip.
Pia cocks her head. “A loss for womankind.” She sits down next to Maddox. “But a game between friends can be nearly as fun.” She scratches the table. “Hit me, Shellby.”
The game continues. Pia is not nearly as good as Maddox, or even me, and she busts quite a few times. I get the feeling she plays just for the sport of it, not really caring how much money she wins or loses.
I don’t like how her bare shoulders are brushing against Maddox more than they should be…
She’ll stay away from him if she knows what’s good for her.
The crowd around us grows, and finally, like a hot knife through butter, the haughty voice of Rouge Montrose breaks through the murmurs around us.
“I see the King and Queen of Diamonds are once again defending their titles.”
My pulse quickens, but I swallow down my nerves.
This is the plan. We’ve drawn Rouge here like a moth to a flame.
But Pia is here, too. That wasn’t part of the plan.
I paste on a smile. “Nice to see you.”
“Isn’t it?” Rouge’s lips twitch as she switches her gaze between me and Maddox. Her eyes finally land on Pia. “And it appears you’ve adopted another royal into your deck tonight. A Jack of Diamonds, perhaps? Or in this case, a Jacqueline?”
Pia wrinkles her nose. “Perhaps I’m vying for the Queen’s title myself.”
Rouge raises her dark-red eyebrows. “A challenger. How exciting.”
I glare at Pia. “I’ve won more hands than you this evening.”
“There is more than one way to become a Queen,” Pia shoots back. “Sometimes you just have to marry a King.”
My first instinct is to shut this woman down by ignoring her taunts.
Then I realize that this could create the perfect distraction for Maddox to slip away.
I twitch my eyebrows toward him, hoping he understands.
I turn to Pia. “Listen, bitch. Maddox Hathaway is mine, and if you think you’re getting within two inches of him tonight, think again.”
Pia drops her jaw. “The kitty has claws.”
“You bet your arse she does.” I pick up my glass—still half full of tonic water—and throw it in her face.
People in the crowd gasp. Several women clutch at their necklaces.
Maddox gets to his feet. “Ladies, please.”
I look up at him. His lips are twitching upward. He knows this is a ruse.