We’d collapsed together in a frat house. When one of the guys had come in with a sneaky smile and bad intentions, I’d given him a swift kick in the balls and locked him out of his own room. That earned me some points.
Patricia is also used to my games. She acts like she doesn’t like them, she acts like we’re barely friends around others, but it’s just so my dad doesn’t swoop in and try to buy her away. He’s against me getting close to anyone.
Refuses to believe that anyone could like me for me, I suppose. He’s certain they just want the money, that they see me as a potential hostage and want to use me to score an easy payday.
“None for you,” I assure him.
But when the next guy puts down, I barely glance. He touches his earpiece. I narrow my eyes. “You’re not welcome here.”
He starts to argue, but I look to Patricia. “You want some entertainment, have it. Hell, have them both, but this one.” I point at the big man. “You’re staying right here.”
“Juliana.” He says.
The way he caresses my name with his voice .. it has to be intentional. I continue to stare at his mouth, his gorgeous lips, the cut of his jaw. God, he really is a demigod. I set the cards down and then gather them all up as Patricia tries to take care of security.
I shuffle the cards. “How are you at poker, stranger?”
“I’ve been told I have an average poker face.”
I giggle. “Nothing about you is average.”
I glance around. I spot no less than seven security guards and sigh as I shuffle. One day, eventually, my dad won’t have a say over me. He’s stolen so much from me. So many chances to do what I want to do, so many chances to be immature, to have fun, make mistakes, and pick myself up.
When someone else carries the consequences for every action and isn’t afraid to punish for the smallest infraction or partial infraction. No. Those aren’t thoughts for now. I’m a badass bitch. A boss-ass bitch. The bitch that gets what she wants, even with Daddy’s guards everywhere, ready to tell on me.
“You know, there’s only one way to play poker with someone who has a face like yours,” I say.
He blinks at me. I lean toward him, giving him the chance to look down my dress. He doesn’t take it, but it doesn’t mean he doesn’t want to. I flash a naughty smile. “Playing strip poker.”
“I’m not sure I want to see everyone here naked.”
“Only some people?” I ask as I arch my eyebrow. “Maybe one that’s right in front of you?”
“You move quick. You don’t even know my name.”
I lean back and look at the cards. “Do you ever want to relive a moment you never got to have, stranger?”
“Such as?”
“Anything. Your version of something you saw on T.V. an ‘almost moment’ that you wish you could follow through on?”
I feel a rush through me that I don’t understand. I blame this stranger and how he doesn’t seem to fall for my shit, how he just exists and is there. I grab his arm, ignoring what I know I should and shouldn’t do.
“Come on. I can’t be the only one who rethinks the past and – and wishes things would have been done differently.”
He seems to consider that. “No. You’re not the only one.”
“I feel like ... if I don’t run with something right now, that if I don’t .. be reckless or wild, then I’ll wake up and go about my life, and keep living the exact same way I have every single day in the past.”
The man watches me for a long time. I stand up, look at my dogs and the leash and remember. It’s that easy to rip me out of my go-lucky mood. I hold the leashes to Nolan and Charlie. They watch me at the ready.
Truly, the only two creatures in the world that look up to me for my choices, my decisions, and all of it. And just like them, I’m chained and obedient. I wonder if they’re half as sassy as I am, but save it for when I’m not around.
“Juliana.” The big guy says, standing up and showing exactly how big he really is.
He has to be nearly seven feet tall. Seven feet of gorgeous, muscle and .... I shiver and nearly drop my dogs’ leashes. I could climb him and I have a feeling that I’d find heaven with my legs wrapped around his shoulders.
I blink away the fantasy. He’s just like every other man, I’m sure of it. He’d want to tame me. He’d be eager to put me in my place or, at the very least, he’d try to get in Dad’s good graces.