Page 15 of Passion and Deception

“Everything okay?” Hendrix asked, walking to the bar where she and Nick, the bartender, were working. Nick was pouring drinks and she was restocking napkins and entering the orders into the computer system.

“So far, so good,” she replied, shifting around the drinks Nick had finished to balance her tray.

“Good. We have another sheik coming in tonight. We’re not sure when he’s scheduled to arrive.”

Maggie shrugged. “We have several VIPs already here, but I know that royalty need a more effusive greeting.” He made a face that told both of them what he thought of royals. Maggie laughed at Hendrix’s expression. “I’ll make sure to bow and scrape and feign awe when he arrives.”

Hendrix chuckled and turned away. “You do that,” he said and walked through to the next room.

“Thanks Nick,” Maggie said when he placed the last drink on her tray. She hefted the full tray, pretending that it didn’t weigh a ton and pasted a smile on her face as she moved to the first poker table to deliver three drinks, then to the next, and the next. When she’d delivered all ten drinks to the appropriate guests, Maggie did a sweep of the room. No empty glasses, no one trying to get her attention.

She moved to the corner, pressing her shoulders against the wall and just…observed. Everything was going smoothly tonight. Maggie smiled, but it was a fake expression, one designed to lull the club members into thinking that she was impressed by their social status or financial prowess.

About a half hour later, she noticed an odd commotion. It wasn’t the bigwig. Not yet, anyway.

She glanced towards one of the side tables. Barney Mathis and Humphrey Todras were speaking in hushed tones. Mathis and Todras were property developers. However, from some of the conversations between the other club members that she’d overheard, she knew that the duo had been struggling recently. They’d bought a big parcel of land near the Annapolis, Maryland harbor, but they couldn’t seem to tempt new investors to finance the planned condominium project. From some of the comments she’d overheard, Maggie knew that Mathis and Todras were hemorrhaging money to the point where they were starting to miss bank payments on the land purchase.

Maggie hadn’t ever been impressed with the pair. They tended to brag about their exploits and, from what she’d learned while working with the “elite” financial titans, the louder the bragger, the less truth there was to their bragging. In other words, Todras and Mathis were idiots who’d burned through the inheritance they’d received from Mommy and Daddy. Now they were trying desperately to prop up their lifestyles. She’d seen that happen over and over again in this crowd. Men got snippy when they were about to lose their status as one of the rich and entitled of this world.

At the moment, Todras and Mathis looked…nervous? Interesting, Maggie thought as she surreptitiously moved closer. Still pretending to survey the room, she meandered closer. Mathis was pounding his finger on the green felt of the poker table to emphasize whatever he was whispering. Todras nodded silently for the most part, bobbing his head in agreement.

Todras’ beer was nearly empty. An excellent excuse to get closer. She was approaching the table when a hush fell over the room. Maggie looked up just as a tall, gorgeous man with deliciously broad shoulders and dark eyes stepped into the room.

And took Maggie’s breath away.

For a moment, she simply stared at Ramit, struck all over again by the impressive power in his demeanor. The man was just…delicious in so many ways. And in that moment, she wondered how he’d gotten through the front doors. Hendrix was adamant that only club members or prearranged guests of members were allowed through the double doors.

She wondered if he was a delivery person. If so, she should hurry over and warn him to go through the back delivery doors. Standing in the poker room where the guests could see him would get him banished from the property.

But before she could take a step forward to offer a warning, Maggie’s eyes moved over Ramit’s body. Tuxedo? Not just an ordinary tuxedo. This suit was tailored specifically for Ramit. There was no way that an off-the-rack tuxedo could fit so perfectly.

As she slowly processed these details, including the gold cuff-links and the obvious phalanx of bodyguards that stood just behind him, their grim eyes taking in every detail of the room…Maggie realized that the man she’d thought was just an average guy, someone she could maybe have a future with, the man who had laughed with her, teased her, made her feel special, made her scream with pleasure…was a fake!

Ramit was…? She didn’t know exactly who he was, but the fact that he was here in this club that everyone called “The Billionaires Club” meant that her average guy was anything but average. In fact, he was rich and powerful.

And most likely a jerk!

As soon as the thought formed, his eyes landed on her. She recognized the surprise in his gaze because she was feeling the same stunned shock. And what was that sound? Oh, probably the sound of her heart shattering.

It took a great deal of effort to break the connection. She turned away and walked over to the bar.

“What’s going on?” Nick asked in a muted hiss.

Maggie blinked rapidly, trying to stifle the tears that had suddenly formed in her eyes. “Nothing. Just another ass striving for world domination, right?”

Nick glanced over her shoulder. “He’s coming this way. And he doesn’t look happy.”

“Cover for me!” she whispered.

“Not a chance. Not with that guy,” Nick countered, then turned away, pretending to rearrange the alcohol bottles.

“Traitor!” she hissed. Then turned and…nearly ran into Ramit’s hard chest.

“What are you doing here?” His deep voice was raspy, as if he were angry about her presence.

“Good evening, sir,” Maggie greeted him. “Can I get you a drink? We have a wide variety of excellent scotch.”

“Maggie!” he growled.

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