Chapter 27 #2
The dealer finished handing out the cards, turned one over, and placed it in front of him for all to see.
Everyone at the table grabbed the five cards they’d been dealt.
Orelia looked at Vade’s hand, but she didn’t know if it was good or bad.
He held a few cards with differing pictures of dragons and numbers directly above them.
He studied the cards, then placed them face down on the table.
“Your bet first, my lady,” the dealer said, gesturing beside him.
Riata placed a few iron chips in front of her. “Two.”
Orelia didn’t know what it meant, but Vade was next.
He tossed the same amount of iron chips onto the table. “Three.”
The red woman’s sultry eyes slid to his. She took a slow sip of her drink, eyeing him over the rim.
Orelia let her fingers drift to the back of Vade’s neck and played with the hairs that had fallen free from his usual knot. She flashed Riata a possessive grin, then turned it on Vade.
His pupils blew wide when she smoothed her thumb across the skin just under his ear.
Rough fingers slipped under the fabric of her dress around to her ribs, making her breath hitch.
From his intent stare alone, she felt herself growing slick with arousal.
Subtly, Orelia squeezed her thighs together and watched as Vade’s throat bobbed in response.
The thump of coins hitting the table pulled their focus back to the game.
Viktor bet one, Fargus bet one, and Egan bet zero.
When all the bets were placed, Riata set a card down from her hand in the middle of the table—three of hognose.
The tan and brown dragon with its upturned snout was drawn with its wings at its sides.
Vade tossed out a ten of hognose, Viktor a two of hognose, Fargus a four of tri-tip, and Egan an eleven of tri-tip.
“Hand goes to the dark man,” the dealer said. He gathered the cards and tossed the stack so that it landed in front of Vade, who set them next to his chips.
“If you won, don’t you get everyone’s money?” she asked, speaking close to his ear so no one else could hear.
Goosebumps started on his neck, eyes darting between hers and the cards he held. “I bet three, so I have to win three hands, then I win the pot. If I win more than three hands, then technically, I lose. You can only win the number of hands you bet. No more, no less.”
She twirled a strand of Vade’s hair while committing the rules to memory. His eyes were focused straight ahead, though she couldn’t stop watching him. His decadent scent had her leaning closer, her breasts nearly in his face, though he never looked at them.
She wanted him to. What is in this wine making me like this? Orelia thought, before promptly taking another long drink.
Fargus stared at her as he drank from his cup. “Great set of tits, that one. Would love to bury my face in them. Tell me, are her nipples more pink or rosy? I bet they’re pink. Ripe and fresh like that tight ass of hers.”
Orelia gave him a fake smile she’d seen Teegan perfect, setting her cup on a side table. “Want to see for yourself?” Having forgone her breastband, she slipped the straps off her shoulders and tugged the front of her dress down, stopping just above her nipples.
Vade tensed.
She cocked her head. “On second thought, I don’t think you’ve earned it yet.”
Fargus watched her intently. “Oh, you little tease. You’re going to be fun when I have my cock inside you later.”
Vade quickly righted her dress straps. “The only one who will be fucking her is me. Stick to your own whore.”
She swore there was genuine jealousy in his tone, but Orelia told herself it was all for show.
“Everything is available at the right price. Especially people.” Fargus’s twisted grin made it difficult to keep her smile. He must have been the one Vade said was always with Egan. Another slave trader. The hand she had in her lap clenched into a fist.
Vade placed his hand on hers, covering up her show of disgust. “You couldn’t afford her,” he said with a territorial narrowing of his eyes.
Fargus laughed. “I am the richest man in this town, and in all of Goldbottom. How large is your fortune, you prick?”
“It’s bad manners to discuss money at the card table,” Riata said as one of her men brought her another glass of clear liquid.
“Suck it up, Fargus. You’ve got a pretty whore, and I’m stuck with this plain broad. Be grateful.” The woman on Viktor’s lap dropped her eyes to the floor. She was beautiful, in a more ordinary kind of way. Orelia wanted to reach across the table and slap Viktor for disrespecting her.
Fargus watched Vade like he was trying to figure him out. The two stared at one another the entire time the next hand was dealt.
The waitress from earlier brought them two more glasses of wine, which Orelia happily accepted.
Riata won the second hand, and as the third was being dealt, the wine kicked in.
Orelia felt loose and relaxed, warm and comfortable perched atop Vade’s lap.
He sat so still, but his thumb had moved lower down her back.
“Get on your knees, girl.” Viktor nudged his woman off his lap, making her stumble. Hesitant doe eyes went to Orelia briefly before she slipped under the table. Viktor grinned as he untied his pants.
“At the table? Really?” Riata didn’t look as disgusted as she sounded.
“Wish it was you?” Viktor made a smooching sound at her.
She laughed. “Please. I have two men who worship me.”
The men fanning her still had distant eyes and probably hadn’t even heard what she’d said.
Viktor tossed a couple wooden chips onto the table and tilted his head back as slurping sounds came from underneath the table.
Orelia’s heartbeat quickened. She was surprised to find she was aroused at the sound, though the poor girl was probably wishing she was anywhere else. She’d heard and seen it all at Beron’s, but this was different. This was more intimate, somehow.
She fidgeted on Vade’s lap and sunk her nails into his hair as the sounds of oral sex intensified. The others at the table didn’t seem surprised by what was happening. Fargus spoke to his woman, and Riata relit her pipe. Egan focused on his cards.
Orelia’s breathing quickened in time with Viktor’s, and she felt herself winding inside. She didn’t realize her free hand had gone to Vade’s chest, clutching his leathers.
Vade set his drink down and slid his hand up her thigh, under her dress, fingertips digging into her skin. “Careful, lamb,” he purred in her ear.
Orelia panted, her chest rising and falling as she watched Viktor’s face twitch in elation.
Soft lips brushed the shell of her ear. “Control yourself.”
She couldn’t. She needed to be touched, needed more than just his fingertips on her. Orelia looked at him, studying every inch of his face.
His delicious scent made her throb with need, and this close, she could picture nothing other than losing herself in him. Orelia slid her hand up his chest and stopped at the base of his throat, bringing her lips inches from his.
His fingers slid so high on her leg that he reached her hip. Vade swept the thumb of his other hand along her underwear right over her center and Orelia gasped.
Vade stared at her, watching her react as he ran his thumb up and down the thin fabric covering her slick core. The fabric brushing against her drove Orelia wild. She couldn’t sit still, squirming in his lap, fingers tightening in his hair.
“More,” she whispered, lips almost brushing his.
His grip around her waist tightened, eyes burning into hers, thumb movements almost pushing her over the edge.
Orelia tilted her neck, offering herself to him, hoping it would show how badly she needed to be touched. She knew he wouldn’t kiss her on the mouth, but maybe he’d kiss her in other places.
Vade inhaled her scent as he dragged the tip of his nose along her neck, making her throb. When his lips brushed her throat, Orelia whimpered, becoming a puddle in his lap. She squirmed again, rubbing against his incredibly hard cock.
A dark chuckle sounded in her ear. “Such a good pleasure girl,” Vade whispered.
Hearing him call her a ‘pleasure girl’ and not a ‘whore’ sent Orelia into action. She grabbed his face and planted her lips on his.
Viktor slammed his fists on the table, knocking his chips over as he grunted through his orgasm.
Vade pulled back and looked at her with eyes so wide that she knew she’d screwed up.
He fucked. He didn’t kiss.
Both hands immediately left her body, one going to the chair arm, the other to the chair back. Anything to not have to touch her.
“I’m sorry,” Orelia whispered, sitting back to give him as much space as she could.
Vade brought a fist to his mouth, squeezing his eyes shut as he bit down on his finger. His thumb glistened, and shame at her behavior had Orelia distracting herself by chugging her wine.
“Can we get back to the game, please, now that Viktor’s gotten his rocks off?” Egan sent the woman on his lap off with an agitated flick of his hand and told her to fetch him a drink.
Viktor grinned, his pale skin flushed. The woman crawled out from under the table, wiped her mouth, and sat back on his lap. “Nothing like a good dick suckin’ to get ya in the mood for betting, am I right?” He winked at Vade as he retied his pants.
Vade ignored him.
Orelia had lost all track of the game play, but she thought Vade had won based on how everyone else was looking at him.
“Next round,” the dealer said.
When Vade won the fourth hand, the dealer slid a mountain of chips his way.
“Lucky bastard . . .” Fargus grumbled.
“More wine, sir?” The waitress leaned forward to give Vade a perfect view of her perky breasts.
His glass was full, but he said, “I’d love some.” When she’d finished pouring his drink, Vade added, “And I’d like something else.”
“Anything for you, sir,” she crooned.
Orelia ground her teeth.
“How about you sit here?” He shifted Orelia’s legs from across his body so she was balanced on his right thigh, then he patted his left.
The waitress quickly set her tray down and hopped onto his leg, wrapping both arms around his neck.
Vade ran his lips along her throat, smiling when he made it to her ear.
He whispered something that made the dark-haired beauty giggle.
Orelia was fuming. She’d been left perched on his leg like a bird sitting at the end of a branch.
She grabbed Vade’s wine and finished it in one large gulp. The waitress clung to the fae like some lovesick girl.
Vade looked at Orelia out of the corner of his eye as he slid his tongue along the woman’s neck. If he was trying to make her jealous, it was working. She may have gone too far by kissing him, but throwing this woman in her face was just spiteful.
Another round of bets went around the table, Vade winning the hand again. The waitress was called back, and she slipped off his lap, letting her fingers trail down his arm before picking up her tray and disappearing.
Orelia refused to look at him, and when he tried to pull her closer, she refused.
“Next bet,” the dealer said.
Fargus rubbed his chin, greedy eyes sliding to Vade’s. “What do you say we make this round more interesting?”
“Your proposal?” Vade asked.
“If I win this next round, we trade whores.”
His fingers dug into her thigh. “I don’t think so.”
“I like that bet.” Orelia sat up taller and pressed her shoulders back so her breasts would appear perkier.
Fargus grinned. “Seven hundred silver.”
Vade huffed. “No chance.”
“A thousand.”
“Seems fair to me.” Orelia smirked.
“Good, then it’s settled.”
Before the glowering fae could protest, Fargus threw an additional coin purse onto the table.
The dealer donned a sly grin as he dealt the next hand. Everyone received three cards, Vade having two hognoses and one glider. The dealer turned over a hognose and laid it on top of the rest of the cards in the deck.
“One,” Viktor said.
Fargus watched Vade closely. “Zero.”
“Two,” Egan bet.
“Zero,” Riata said.
All eyes fell on Vade. He looked at Fargus, who grinned like he’d already won. Vade was silent for so long that eventually everyone at the table was staring at him. Finally, he said, “One.”
Cards started adding to the pile, Vade winning one round, but he only needed to win once, and there were two rounds left to go. If he won again, he’d lose.
The next hand went to Viktor, who then tossed out a seven of hognose. When Fargus set out a three of vangone, Vade cursed under his breath.
The fae held a nine of hognose in his hand. Riata had to throw a hognose higher than a nine to win the hand, which is what Vade wanted. He didn’t need any more cards, or he would lose the round.
Riata’s eyes danced between the two men who waited on bated breath. She flipped her card onto the pile and covered it with her hand.
Egan groaned. “Enough with the dramatics.”
Riata shot him a glare, and he flinched. Slowly, she removed her hand, revealing an eight of hognose.
The fae tossed out his nine.
Fargus erupted into laughter.