Chapter Six
Standingatthetop of the narrow green velvet stairs that led down to the basement level of Club Seducción, I shimmed the low sweetheart neckline up my chest, making sure for the final time my nipples were covered.
Tonight’s assignment, an exclusive poker game, was held in one of the four venues owned by Will. A high buy-in game with even higher stakes for Carlin Valley’s most rich and influential men. Money, cars, Rolexes, and sometimes property were traded on top of the custom-built, green-suited speed cloth table during the weekly game that moved between the venues in no particular pattern. Even the players themselves knew nothing about the location until an hour before the game was due to start.
My heels echoed as I walked down the small corridor, one foot in front of another in time with my heartbeat as I counted my steps. A calming ritual of sorts at the start of any job.
I rolled my eyes as I approached the tall, balding bouncer standing in front of the door, clad in tight black pants and a vest top that showcased his bulging muscles that were meant to intimidate.
Honestly, though, do all hired muscle shop at the same place? Do they get a discount if they recommend a friend?
His eyes landed on my tits as he reached up to his earpiece and muttered a few words before taking a step towards me, holding up his hand.
“The boss has requested all guests be searched,” he said, his gaze dragging over the black sheer corset dress, which was completely see-through bar the built-in underwear set. The men on the other side of that door seldom wore anything but designer suits, and I wasn’t one for being outdone.
I released an unamused breath and pursed my lips. “As always. Make it quick.” I held my arms out wide for the huge brute to commence with the search. This dress was chosen for the sole purpose of transparency, and I didn’t need to be armed when Will and Alex would be packing enough for a small army, but I guess Will thought he was being a funny fucker tonight.
The bouncer smirked, a twinkle of desire glinting in his hazel eyes as they dropped back to my cleavage and then started to paw along my arms and down the front of my chest, skimming unnecessarily under the bottom of my breasts with his thumbs. I slowly turned and clenched my teeth as his gigantic hands glided across my waist, then moved down to linger on my ass longer than was appropriate before continuing down my legs.
“All clear,” he said, his voice huskier than before, and he was now sporting a distinctive bulge in his cargo pants as he leaned to open the door, allowing me entrance to the room. I gave him a curt nod and stepped into the cigar smoke-filled room just as the bouncer’s hand found its way back on my ass. Spinning, I faced him and grabbed his fingers, pulling apart his pointer and middle finger in one sharp tug.
The sound of breaking bones was music to my ears as I took a step closer, my face hardened at the audacity of this asshole thinking he could feel me up. As if running his hands along my ass and tits in an unsanctioned pat-down wasn’t enough.
“Touch me again without permission, and I will break more than your fucking fingers,” I snarled into his ear, tugging sharply on his broken fingers again, prompting an almost inaudible whimper. But I caught it. “Understood?”
“Yes, ma’am,” he replied through gritted teeth, beads of sweat forming across his almost non-existent hairline. I held his stare for a moment longer, driving my point home by squeezing his hand and shoving it away. I smoothed down the front of my dress, took a breath, and plastered a sultry smile on my face.
“Always one for an entrance, aren’t we, Stevie?” Will whispered into my ear as he pressed a kiss to my cheek. “You’re late.”
“You know me,” I replied, dragging my long red nails up his black pinstriped suit-clad forearm, reaching for his tie to pull him in closer. “Since we are chastising each other, maybe you should stop hiring thugs who think it’s acceptable to grope women as they walk past.” I returned a kiss to his cheek, patted down his tie, and walked towards the small half-moon bar in the corner of the room, the skirt of my dress billowing around my ankles as I moved.
“He will be dealt with.” He caught up to me in a few strides of his long legs and placed a hand on the small of my back. I tensed at the contact, but the room was dark, so the touch wasn’t completely unwelcomed.
A single pendant light hung over the poker table and soft white strip lights under the three shelves on the wall behind the bar were the only light in the small room, making it oddly intimate for a poker game. The décor looked like something out of a bad gangster movie; hunter green wallpaper with a square panelling effect and a hideous green velour carpet to match. Will could do with hiring an interior designer.
“Let me introduce you to the players,” the very man I was thinking about said, and handed me a glass of champagne from a tray propped on the bar top, taking one for himself too. “Gentlemen,” he addressed the room, clearing his throat, “I would like to introduce you to Natalia, our sixth and final player for this evening.”
Will escorted me towards the table, his hand never leaving my back as he showed me to my place between an older gentleman with an obvious black toupee and a sheen of sweat lining his forehead, and a ridiculously handsome man with a devilish grin on his face, his tie hanging loosely around his neck with the top button of his white shirt open.
“Natalia, this is Police Commissioner, Noah Murphy, and next to him is Clark Bolshaw, the go-to man when in need of the finest cigars, whisky, and fast cars,” Will explained as he took his seat next to the card dealer, each man nodding in turn at their introduction. “And beside you, is Wesley Reynolds, our Deputy D.A,” he continued, gesturing to Mr. Toupee. Mr. Devilishly Handsome cleared his throat, a twinkle of mischief in his eyes. Will sighed. “And this is my brother, Alex.”
“Pleasure to meet you, Natalia,” he cooed, his voice all sex as he threw an arm over the back of my seat to lean closer, ghosting a kiss to my bare shoulder. Pressing the heel of my stiletto into his shoe, I lifted my champagne glass to hide my lips as I muttered, “Behave, Alex,” before taking a sip and relaxing in my chair.
“It’s lovely to meet you all,” I said, looking at the three other gentlemen. I brushed my long honey blonde hair over the shoulder furthest away from the deputy D.A., giving him an unobstructed view of my cleavage.
Reaching up, I ran my fingers across the delicate diamond necklace which sat beautifully across my collarbone, another gift from Will which matched the new diamond cufflinks Alex was sporting, drawing an unmistakable leer from our city’s finest government official. Wesley Reynolds extended his hand out, the back of it brushing the side of my breast. Managing to refrain from an eye roll, I slid my hand into his.
“Wesley Reynolds, future District Attorney,” he announced, licking his lips before pulling my hand to them.
“Future? Rather presumptuous, Mr. Reynolds, are we not,” I replied with a coquettish grin. He chuckled, letting go of my hand, which was immediately hidden from view under the table as I rubbed the residual wetness on my leg. Alex shifted in his seat, muttering to himself as he knocked back his glass of bourbon.
“I would have said ‘quietly confident.’” He gave another laugh, this time clutching his belly at his joke. I politely smiled and patted his arm.
“If we are all ready?” the dealer interjected, smacking a deck of cards against the table. The man’s hands moved in a blur, shuffling the deck with the speed and skill of someone who had worked in Vegas. A few seconds later, two cards were lying face down in front of us all.
He placed three cards at the top of the table: the five of hearts, eight of hearts, and nine of hearts. And with that, the first round started with a groan from Alex.
“The aim of poker is to not give anything away, little brother,” Will said, peeling the tops of his cards back without so much as a twitch on his face as he looked at what he was dealt.
Damn, he had a good poker face.
“That might have been a good groan or a bad groan,” Alex deadpanned as he dramatically slid the cards across the cloth and held them against his chest with one hand and tossed two red chips in the centre of the table with his other.
“Ten thousand,” the dealer called, looking to the others for their bets. Alex’s face paled, remembering the games run by his older sibling added three extra zeros to the usual chip value. He turned to the bar, tapping his empty glass at the bartender, who had been wiping down the top.
Chips were thrown in different amounts onto the green cloth, collected and swept to the side of the flop. I watched the faces of the five men sitting at the table, looking for any ticks that would show who was bluffing and who held good cards. Like Will, my poker face was outstanding, but my actual skills at the game were less than subpar. But I wasn’t really here to play cards.
With everyone having placed their bets, the dealer burned the top card and added a fourth to the line: the nine of clubs. Alex, Noah, and Clark tapped the table twice, avoiding betting as Wesley threw two orange chips towards the centre.
“Twenty thousand,” the dealer called, looking to Will. Wesley sat back in his chair, staring at him with a Cheshire Cat grin on his face as Will called his bet, placing two orange chips of his own on the table. Five sets of masculine eyes drew to me.
If this was going to be a dick-measuring competition, it would bode well for them all to remember that regardless of actually owning that particular appendage, my lady dick was bigger.
I shuffled my chips in my hand, drawing my bottom lip between my teeth. The edges of Will’s lips twitched, and I instantly let it go. “I raise,” I said, straightening my back and placing five orange chips side by side, keeping eye contact with Will the whole time. Fucking asshole was testing my patience.
Alex made a choking noise, recovering quickly with a cough. The dealer added the new chips to the small pile accumulated and drew a new card for the final round.
Two of hearts.
My heart rate elevated.
Holy shit. I could win this round.
Alex, Noah, and Clark threw down their cards, consecutively folding out of the game. Wesley, Will, and I bet another thirty thousand each. The dealer gestured to Wesley, who triumphantly turned over his pair of cards.
“Straight,” he drawled, looking like the cat that got the cream. His excitement increased when Will folded his hand too. Again, five sets of eyes, six including the dealer, were on me. I drew in a breath and slowly turned over my cards.
“Full house, Natalia wins,” the dealer said, pushing over my winnings. Will smirked, Wesley scowled, and I simply smiled. The rush of excitement had me wanting to bounce in my seat and squeal like a child to Will and Alex at the fact I won a game for cash and not candy, like the games we played as kids.
My excitement was short-lived as Will’s condescending look doused the flames of delight dancing in the pit of my stomach. You’re not here to have fun, it said, you’re here because I’m paying you to be, for one reason only.