“I will.” Annabelle smiles sweetly, standing from her chair. “But first, I want to check out the tables in the back before I come back here and—” She shifts, feigning a stumble as her heel catches on the leg of the chair. “Oh!” she gasps, pitching forward dramatically. Foster reacts instantly, his arms darting out to catch her.
“Easy there, beautiful.” He chuckles, steadying her with a grin. His hands rest on her waist, and she lets out a breathy laugh, one hand pressing to his chest as if to stabilize herself.
It’s all the opening I need.
My fingers brush the fabric of his jacket below where her hand rests as I slip the phone into his chest pocket from behind him, my touch featherlight compared to the distraction Annabelle provides.
“Sorry about that.” Annabelle giggles, her gaze flicking to mine again, and when I give her another nod, she straightens and steps out of Foster’s arms.
“No worries at all,” he replies, clearly enamored as he adjusts his jacket.
Annabelle hooks her arm through mine, seamlessly transitioning the conversation. “Come on, babe,” she says brightly, leading me away. “We don’t want to lose all our money before we’ve seen everything this place has to offer.”
“Don’t worry, ladies.” Foster chuckles, yelling after us, “The machines will be waiting for you when you’re ready to lose it all. Come find me if you need more help.”
The tension in my chest loosens a little as we step away from him and make our way toward the back of the casino.
“God,” Annabelle murmurs under her breath, her smile still firmly in place for anyone watching. “He’s an absolute slimeball.”
I let out a shaky laugh. “You’re telling me. But damn, Belle, you were incredible back there.”
She grins, squeezing my arm. “Please. That was all you, babe. That lift? Flawless.”
One down. One to go.
We weave through the tables, her heels clicking confidently against the marble floor. I keep my steps quieter, my pulse already quickening as we approach Blackwood.
He is built like a tank, his face set in a permanent scowl, seated at one of the larger tables, chips piled neatly in front of him, his fingers toying with his phone like it’s a lucky charm.
Fuck.
Annabelle doesn’t hesitate, sliding gracefully into the empty chair beside him. Her charm switches on again like a spotlight.
“Mind if I watch?” she asks sweetly. “I’ve always wanted to learn from the pros.”
I’m proud of her for going straight at him. Even I would be intimidated to chat him up.
Blackwood glances up, his dark eyes taking her in. For a moment, his stoic expression holds, but then it softens into something more of amusement. “Sure, sweetheart. But don’t expect me to give away all my secrets.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t dream of it,” she coos, leaning in slightly as she crosses her legs. “Just watching is already a privilege.”
While Annabelle works her magic, I sit down on his other side, careful to stay unobtrusive. My eyes lock on the phone in his hand. His grip is loose, but his fingers dance over the screen every few seconds, never leaving it idle for long. His hand with the phone is right next to his stack of coins, and I can already tell this is going to be impossible.
I glance over at Ace, standing a few tables away, his posture casual but his attention razor-sharp. When his eyes meet mine, I try to convey the problem without words. He furrows his brows, his expression questioning, and I let out a slow breath. I do a subtle forward-circling motion with my forefinger.
We have to move fast.
His brows briefly knit before he nods once, understanding. Annabelle keeps Blackwood’s attention as she asks him about his strategies, leaning into his ego. Blackwood chuckles, his hand finally moving away from the phone.
Now.
My fingers have barely brushed its edge when Blackwood’s hand shoots out, grabbing my wrist.
“What do you think you’re doing?” His dark eyes narrow at me, and I swear the entire room tilts for a moment.
“I wasn’t…” I start but trail off.
Fuck, he’s massive.
