Page 257 of A Vicious Love

I bit the inside of my cheek.

Jamison ignored everyone and guided my hand back, removing most of the chips from my fingers with controlled patience. He left only a small bet and nudged it forward.

“I have restraint.”

His gaze dropped to my mouth.

My face warmed instantly.

“Questionable,” he said.

The hand continued. I lost because another card came, and apparently my queen situation had been less powerful than I had believed. Julian won with something called a straight, which I thought was an uninspired name for five cards that did not even match.

“I don’t understand why his line beats my queens,” I said.

“Because the rules say so,” Adrian replied.

“The rules lack romance.”

“Cards lack romance,” Jamison said.

I looked at him. “Then why do they have kings and queens?”

His lips twitched.

A tiny victory.

The next hand came, and I tried very hard to be serious. I looked at my cards without smiling. I breathed evenly. I did not whisper encouragement to the three of diamonds, even though it appeared neglected beside an ace.

Jamison watched every second of my attempt.

“What do you have?” he asked quietly.

“I can’t tell you.”

“You’re about to marry into a bloodline that controls Harlan nightlife. I am not having my wife sit in one of my rooms thinking twos need charity.”

My heart stumbled.

My wife.

He said it as if it had already happened.

“I could learn from this chair,” I said, though my voice lacked conviction.

“You could. You won’t.”

“Why?”

“Because from that chair, you’ll keep hiding your cards from me and making decisions based on whether the queen looks lonely.” His eyes darkened, and he held out one hand. “Lap, Sienna.”

“I need another drink.” Adrian muttered.

Julian kicked him under the table.

I stood because my body had apparently chosen treason over dignity.

Jamison pushed back enough to give me space, then guided me down onto his thigh with a hand at my waist and another at my elbow. He handled me carefully, in that unsettling way he had begun doing since the waterfall.