Chapter Five
LIAM
It’s been almost two weeks since Maddie’s birthday, when I lost control and let my guard down, but kissing her was everything I remembered. I don’t regret letting go of my inhibitions or being close to her, but it hasn’t happened again, regardless of how tempting she is.
It was easy to pretend we were two different people who didn’t have a history.
There were no boundaries in that club. However, when we made it home, they returned.
I have to give it to her because she hasn’t said a word to anyone about what happened between us that night.
Kissing her is a secret best kept tucked away with our past. Though sometimes, I watch her when she’s not paying attention, and I’m transported back to the bar and can almost taste her lips on mine.
Just the thought of her drives me fucking crazy.
After capturing my last fugitive, I book a flight to Vegas instead of flying home.
I’ve been winning quite a lot lately and have enough comped nights to stay a week.
Everyone will think I’m working, and instead of skirting around my poker playing, it’s easier for me to take a detour before returning home. The thrill of the casinos calls me.
Once I check in to the Bellagio, I get a text message from JJ.
JJ
Saw you walking through the lobby. You playing in the tourney this week?
Liam
Sure am.
JJ
Come down to the bar. Shots are on me.
Liam
Give me ten.
Considering it’s later in the day, I’ll try to only drink for a few hours because I want to be on my A game tomorrow.
I play with real money that I earned, and I don’t take that lightly.
JJ seems like a trust fund baby who has unlimited amounts of cash at his disposal, or at least that’s how he plays poker.
Sometimes, he’s so careless and stupid with his bets that I wonder if he’s blowing the game on purpose.
After I put my cash in the safe, I head downstairs to the main bar where JJ is sitting happily, but tonight, he’s accompanied by a beautiful blonde. I sit next to him, and he tells the bartender to keep them coming, which he does.
Before I take my first shot, JJ introduces me to the person sitting next to him who’s clearly not interested in being here. I half-wonder if she was paid to be around him by the way she’s acting.
“Victoria,” he snaps, grabbing her attention. “Meet Liam. One of my poker friends.”
Leaning forward, she grins wide, showing her pearly whites and generous chest. She’s stunning, the type of woman I’ve brought home on countless occasions without apology.
“Nice to meet you,” I tell her, holding out my hand.
“You too.” She eye fucks me hard, making me wonder who she is to JJ. A moment later, he excuses himself, and she takes the opportunity to slide into the seat next to me.
“So tell me about you, Liam,” she says. Grabbing her glass of wine, she takes a sip.
I laugh because women aren’t usually so direct, but she oozes confidence. She has money, the diamonds on her fingers and dainty Rolex on her wrist say as much. Moving closer, she places her hand on my thigh, and the last thing I need is JJ waltzing up and seeing his woman nearly sitting in my lap.
“So are you and JJ…” I flick a finger around, making sure I understand their relationship before I say a damn thing.
She bursts into laughter, squeezing my leg. “God no. He’s my idiot brother.”
I slightly retreat and look into her emerald green eyes, noticing the resemblance. They both have fair skin, blond hair, and more money than they know what to do with.
“Ahh, I see it now.”
JJ eventually returns but sits on the other side of me as Victoria keeps the conversation going. She seems smart, knows exactly when to laugh, and acts interested in everything I say. The bartender works hard to keep the drinks flowing because JJ keeps buying shots for everyone, and I order a beer.
“So you like to play poker?” she asks.
I chuckle. “Yeah, a little.”
JJ interrupts. “He’s the next poker star, guaranteed. Vivi, you should see the bluffs he makes. It’s incredible to watch.”
“Mesmerizing, I’m sure,” she purrs, licking her lips. Victoria gives me all the signals, and if she doesn’t watch out, I might take her up to my room. After a while, she excuses herself, and JJ leans in close.
“Have you thought about my offer anymore?” he asks, referring to the conversation we had six weeks ago. “I put up the buy-in, you play, and we split the winnings fifty-fifty.”
I know how mentally exhausting it is to play in extremely high-stakes games and how expensive they are, but it’s possible to make millions if you’re good enough.
“And if I lose?” I ask, knowing I wouldn’t have the money to pay him back if I did.
“You won’t,” he tells me. “The games I’d get you in would be full of old guys who don’t know how to play. It’d almost be a guaranteed win.”
With his fortune, he has access to exclusive tournaments I don’t. He’s lost every time we’ve been head-to-head at a table, so I guess me losing is no different than him doing it himself. At least this way, he knows he has a chance to make something.
Essentially, in this situation, I’m his racehorse. He sits back, puts up the cash, and I run the track. If I win, he wins. If I lose, he loses. It’s more than fair, considering he takes the financial burden, and I double our money. Seems easy enough.
After another sip of my drink, I give him my answer. “Yeah, I’ll play a few rounds.”
“Fuck yeah!” JJ exclaims, ordering double celebratory shots. “How long are you in town for?”
“A week,” I say as the bartender sets a half-full glass of J?germeister in front of me.
I hate the shit, but I swallow it down anyway.
If I make as much money as he thinks is possible, I could essentially take fewer bounty jobs and consider playing poker professionally.
The opportunity to change the path of my future is what makes me agree to it.
I don’t make bets when the odds are stacked against me, but in this case, I’m confident in my skills.
I’m not cocky, though, because I also know higher stakes mean more risk.
He brushes his hand across the stubble on his chin. “Are you up to play tomorrow? There’s a high roller game here tomorrow. Closer to the end of the week, I know a private, invite-only tourney. Winner takes a quarter of a million.”
My eyes widen in shock. “What’s the buy-in for that?”
“Hundred grand.” He throws the number out like it’s no big deal.
I nearly choke on my beer. “Winner takes all?”
He nods. “Six-person hold ’em.”
I sweat bullets thinking about it. “And what do you know about the players?”
“They’re poker sharks. They’re good, but you’re better. Without a doubt, if you play your cards right, no pun intended, you’ll win. Of course a six-person game means you have to be more strategic, but it’s not impossible if you’re up to it.”
“I need some time to think about that. The smaller tournaments, I have no issue with, but I’ve heard stories about the private games.”
JJ chuckles. “I think you need another drink, something stronger. The guys playin’ aren’t thugs and drug dealers, trust me when I say that. But you can’t tell anyone who you see there. It’s one of the reasons it’s an invite-only game.”
“And you think you can get me in?” I ask, not convinced that he can.
“All I gotta do is say you’re taking my spot. No one will bat an eye, but I won’t be able to be in the room with you. No onlookers are allowed, only the players, dealer, and a referee to oversee that all the rules of Texas hold ’em are being followed.”
A new beer is set down, and I take a swig while I wait for the shots JJ ordered. “Sounds intense as fuck.”
“It is. But when you’re paying a hundred thousand to play, I don’t expect anything less.”
I nod, agreeing.
Victoria returns and slides back into the seat next to me while JJ and I drink vodka and lime till it tastes like water. I wanted to be responsible, but that shit went out the window as soon as I sat at the bar.
“So the private game, you in?” he slurs, and I swear his eyes blink at two different times.
I suck in a deep breath, knowing I have a few days to warm up and get my mind in the right headspace. “Yeah, I’m in.”
“Good,” he says, squeezing my shoulder.
I check the time, see it’s nearly ten, and know I should go if I’m gonna play tomorrow. When I stand, I realize I drank myself stupid and tell JJ bye. Victoria does too.
“I’ll text you the details,” JJ says before going back to his booze.
I take a step back and stumble, but Victoria is there to steady me.
“You need some help?” she asks, laughing, trying to hold up my big frame.
“That would be amazing,” I admit, because although I can normally hold my liquor, I overdid it tonight and am wobbly on my feet. She helps stabilize me as I step onto the elevator and lean my body against the wall.
“What room are you in, handsome?” she asks, and I tell her. My body’s buzzing, and I can’t remember the last time I drank so much.
The elevator climbs up to my floor, and the doors slide open. Pushing myself from the wall, I take a few steps and hold on to Victoria as we go to my room. I try to unlock the door but fail miserably, and she takes the hotel key from my hand and quickly scans us in.
“A suite. Very nice,” Victoria praises, shutting the door behind me.
I walk to the bedroom and fall on the bed, looking at her through blurry vision. “You’re gorgeous.”
“I’m just gonna cut to the chase,” she says, licking her lips. “I want you, Liam.”
“I like a woman who knows what she wants.” My head spins, and I smile when she carefully removes the tight black dress that was painted onto her sexy body.
“Yeah, but you’re drunk,” she says, crawling onto the bed in her bra and panties and lying down beside me.
I chuckle, my eyes are heavy as hell. “You’re right. Can we take a rain check?”
She lifts herself on her elbow. “Absolutely.”
It’s the last thing I remember before falling asleep.