“I was,” I breathe.
“Come kiss me out there if I win?”
“Are you asking me to?”
“It would look good. In front of the others.” He brusheshis lips over the corner of my mouth in an almost-kiss. I lean in.
But our kiss is interrupted by the door opening. James is standing there, looking at us like we disgust him. Behind him, the table is full of seated players again. Only two seats are empty.
“If you’re quite done,” James says.
Rafe lets me go. I jump down off the dresser, my insides too hot and churning. He’s dangerous. All this kissing… it’s dangerous.
It’s going to lead to something I can’t take back.
I follow Rafe back out into the main room. A waiter walks by with a tray of shots. Rafe reaches out and grabs one of them and knocks it back without stopping.
He heads to the table without another word.
I watch him retreat and feel the pounding of my own heart.Playing with fire,I think. He told me not to take those shots. And I’m starting to wonder if he’s just as much of a risk-taker as I am. If he’s just better at hiding it.
“What was that?” I ask the waiter.
He holds the tray toward me.
I shake my head. “No, thank you. But the dark one that my husband just took… what was in that one?”
His smile widens. “Let’s just say… you’re both going to have averyfun night.”
CHAPTER 41
PAIGE
More players drop out, one after the other. West has to fold after half an hour and comes to stand with Nora and Amber. The pile in the center grows larger.
“Houses, a boat,” he answers, when I ask him what has been wagered. “I had to put in an old heirloom necklace.”
Nerves make it hard to stand or sit still. Rafe and James are still playing. Some of the others have already left, but Alvaro is there too. They’re opposite one another.
“Finally,” Nora murmurs when Alvaro writes out something on a note and tosses it into the pile. Alex’s castle. I haven’t seen him much since he had to withdraw from the game.
And then it’s just Rafe and Alvaro left. Alvaro, who is not nervously playing with his cards or double-checking them. Alvaro, who seems perfectly calm and staring intently over the table.
Judging by what the stranger told me, that means he’s bluffing.
James goes to check on Alex. The nerves are strung high amongst the entire group. I keep thinking of what the waitersaid and the look on Rafe’s face as he plays out the remaining game. What did he drink?
He doesn’t look the least bit bothered. He’s in complete control when he decides to call Alvaro’s bluff.
The silence in the room feels oppressive, and Amber reaches out and grabs my hand tight. We’re all watching intently.
The croupier asks Alvaro to show his cards.
He flips them over with a muttered curse and reaches for his glass. And there’s nothing there. He doesn’t have a strong hand.
Rafe flips his own hand. A pair of eights, and combined with the board, he has three of a kind.
“The victor tonight is Raphaël Montclair,” the croupier calls out, and collects the variety of items that have been wagered from the middle of the table. Deeds, envelopes, checks, jewelry and poker chips.
