Page 113 of Playing My Rivals

“Winner takes all. Are you in?” I raise a brow. “Remember, I’m the house. The odds are stacked against you.”

“I’m aware.” He downs his drink. “I’m in. Show me what you’ve got.”

“Fantastic. Since we reached this point faster than I expected, we may not need the full hour to finish the game.”

“However long it takes, we finish this tonight.” He gets comfortable in his seat. “Here’s my wager. If I win, you let whatever is meant to be play out. You won’t intervene anymore. Take it or leave it?”

“Hefty bet, but I respect you for it. And I accept. If I win, you take my offer and welcome our mutual agreement. It’s a win-win after all.”

He nods with a scowl. Now that I have him where I want him, I dive in fast and dirty. If I don’t have to spend the entire hour with him, then it’s better for me. I’ll have more time with Dorothy free and clear of him.

“I plan on marrying Dorothy.” My eyes dial in on his. “You wouldn’t happen to know anything about that, would you?”

A flicker of suspicion sparks in his eyes. “You told me as much at the board meeting. This isn’t new information.”

“It’s not. I was just wondering if you’ve ever considered tying the knot.” I raise my brows, taunting him.

His face turns red. His chest rises and falls quicker than before.

Trigger pulled. Bullet fired. Target hit.

Third shot. Locked and loaded. Ready to fire.

“You’ve been rather busy the last couple of weeks, aside from your time with Melanie. I’m curious. Do any of those ladies spark any interest?”

He clenches his teeth. “Dating isn’t a crime.”

“No, it’s not. But I wonder how a particular someone might feel if she knew. On second thought, I should rephrase that. How would two particular people feel?” I tilt my head to the side as he takes it in.

The vein in his neck pops, his blood pulsing vigorously through it.

Trigger pulled. Bullet fired. Target hit.

Fourth shot. Locked and loaded. Ready to fire.

He glares at me, but I’m only halfway done with him.

“It’s great news Aiden is getting stronger.” I reach for my glass. “Have you told him about your tryst with his baby sister?”

Jamison purses his lips and steadies his breath. “He doesn’t need to know.”

I nod and glance down at my glass. “Do you think it would bother him if he knew?”

“You’re treading on thin ice, Hunter.”

Trigger pulled. Bullet fired. Target hit.

Fifth shot. Locked and loaded. Ready to fire.

I throw back the rest of my drink. “In that case, let’s talk about your friend, Chuck. He lives pretty far out of the city. An elderly man with all those health problems living far away could prove disastrous.”

“How the fuck did you get his health records?” Jamison’s eyes flare with madness.

I shrug. “Like I said earlier, people talk a lot.”

With his face purple, he says, “I’ll kill you myself if you go near him.”

Trigger pulled. Bullet fired. Target hit.

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