France
Alexei settledhis hand on Sean’s thigh, where his husband sat beside him at the poker table. Every guest on the island had access to the high-roller tables, and the credit line gifted to them ensured Alexei a seat in the game. Sean wasn’t big into gambling, but players’ partners or guests were allowed to watch if the table was in agreement.
The table they sat at could have easily handled more than the four players currently present, but Alexei didn’t mind the small game. It meant less curious eyes on them, for which Alexei was grateful. As much as Alexei enjoyed the privacy their suite afforded them, he didn’t want to stay hidden inside for the entirety of their honeymoon. He wanted to enjoy what the resort had to offer, as well as show Sean off, along with the faint bruise he’d sucked into the skin on the side of Sean’s throat.
Alexei had weathered Sean’s annoyed look with a smug smile of his own. He liked it when Sean carried Alexei’s mark on him where everyone could see. Their suite came with a med-kit, and Sean could’ve used a quick-heal patch on the bruise, but he hadn’t. They were on their honeymoon and allowed to enjoy each other however they liked without needing to hide.
People knew who they were though. Even here, in a foreign country, their identities had become fodder for the media after the attack back in spring. Alexei had stopped counting the second glances tossed their way wherever they went at the resort. The majority weren’t hostile, just curious, though the few people who eyed Sean like he was a piece of meat made Alexei want to punch them.
Alexei tossed a couple more chips in the center pile and waited out the only other player left in the game. He held his cards in a loose grip and didn’t need to look at them. Alexei had the full house memorized. He squeezed Sean’s thigh before reaching for his drink to take a sip of vodka.
With a sigh, the woman across the table shook her head and laid her cards down flat on the green felt of the table. “I’m out.”
Alexei grinned and fanned out his cards on the table before him. He ignored the quiet murmurs of the other players and their partners as he tapped his wrist against the reader for the payout. His RealIdent chip beeped to confirm the transaction.
“Play again?” Alexei asked.
“So I can lose twice?” a woman said with a throaty laugh.
“Maybe you win.”
“Or maybe I’m out another hundred grand. I would love to, but I have dinner reservations. Another time, Mr. Dvorkin.”
They hadn’t given her their names, and Alexei fought back the tension that wanted to line his shoulders. Some days, the knowledge that their lives were fodder for the gossip sites made him want to burn down some proprietary server farms.
As the woman stood up and the dealer began to reset the card table, the door to the private room slid open. The man who walked inside was about Sean’s height, and lean, with dark blond hair and light brown eyes. He looked around their age and carried a glass of whiskey in one hand.
“Room for another player?” the newcomer asked. His English accent was more upper-class than lower, and his gaze skimmed over the room with frank curiosity, sizing up the competition.
“One hundred grand buy-in,” the dealer said.
“Cheers.”
The man joined the game with a fleeting smile, tapping his wrist against the reader to link his account. The dealer slid a stack of chips in front of him, careful to keep the cards in view of the security cameras at all time.
Sean set his empty glass down on the table, and a server discreetly replaced it with a new one. He was drinking a cocktail that didn’t look sweet but tasted like syrup on his lips. Alexei liked kissing the taste off him and didn’t care what anyone else thought. It was their honeymoon. He could do whatever he wanted.
They started the next game, and Alexei opted to play with some of the winnings from the last round, but not all. He’d won nearly three hundred thousand Euros, and some of it he wanted to save for another night to spoil Sean with.
The game lasted about an hour and ended with Alexei losing half of his winnings from the last round to the newcomer.
“Good game,” the other man said with a smile. “Another round?”
“I think it’s almost time for our reservations, Alexei,” Sean said, glancing down at the bioware on his forearm.
They had a table waiting for them at the resort’s highly rated steak house, and Alexei had plans to order at least two different kinds of steaks with all the sides. Maybe he’d get a third one delivered to their suite. He’d decide once they looked at the menu.
“We go,” Alexei said, getting to his feet.
He took Sean’s hand in his and they walked out of the game room together. The restaurant was on the other side of the resort, which would necessitate being driven over there. Evening meant more people were out and about to be seen rather than on the beaches and enjoying the outdoor activities the resort provided. The number of women in club dresses or cocktail gowns was fifty-fifty, while most men wore blazers or suits.
Alexei had left his tie back in their room.
They were halfway down the corridor when the winner from the last poker game caught up with them. His unexpected arrival made Alexei frown.
“Mr. Dvorkin, do you have a moment?” the man asked.
Sean’s grip tightened in his hand and didn’t let go. Alexei’s mind immediately thoughtthreat, a habit he knew he wouldn’t break anytime soon. Sean’s phase power provided them a safe escape, but Alexei hoped it wouldn’t come to that. They’d been out of the field for months already. If someone ruined their honeymoon, he’d punch them.
