Page 7 of Smolder

I glared at him, then stalked past them both toward the parking lot before the jokes started up. I wasn’t in the mood. If they’d told me the plan first, then I wouldn’t have been attracted to her, and the disappointment that she was dirty wouldn’t be an annoying sting in my chest.

•Three •

I always started out having bad luck, and once they got drunk enough, my luck always turned.

Royal

Opening the faded burgundy canvas carrier bag that I’d bought at a consignment shop last year, I pulled out two papers on religion and its influence on Colonial America as Petra approached me. Her silky, long, dark brown hair swung back and forth from the high ponytail she had it in, and her brown eyes glinted with mischief.

I’d met Petra through her boyfriend, Spence. They were your typical Greek life students, but even if I didn’t do their papers for them, I’d like them.

“God, you are a lifesaver,” she said when she reached me. “I completely forgot we had this stupid essay.”

I handed her both papers. “Not a problem. I already had Spence’s finished when you texted. It didn’t take much time to get yours done. You are focusing heavily on the family values of the religion, and Spence pushed the political side of it in his.”

She groaned. “Ugh, I hate this class. Who gives a shit about Colonial America?”

I did. I found it interesting, but I decided to keep that to myself.

“Here,” she said, sliding the money into my hand.

“Thanks.”

She put the papers into her Louis Vuitton backpack, then glanced up at me. “Are you going to the Alpha Epsilon Tau party tomorrow night?”

Yes, but not the way she thought I was.

“Milo mentioned it,” I told her.

Milo was myinwith the Epi Taus and a couple of other fraternities on this campus and the university in town. He handled the planning of the card games, and then I showed up to play. I’d met him the summer after I graduated high school. He’d come into Railhouse, and I’d won some money off him at a game of pool. But instead of being mad about it, he was impressed.

Then, he asked me how good I was at Texas Hold’em.

When I told him I wasn’t too bad, he laughed and invited me to a game. Not a friendly one or a legal one. An underground one that they had on campus, even during the summer, in the basement of the Alpha Epsilon Tau house. That night, he watched me take everyone’s money.

Since then, he’d been setting up the games, in which he also played for twenty percent of my winnings. The more the rich frat boys drank, the sloppier they got, making it even easier. I always started out having bad luck, and once they got drunk enough, my luck always turned.

“Merce mentioned you last night,” she said, watching me warily, as if the mention of Merce Dancastle’s name was going to send me into a spiral.

“That’s a shame,” I replied, putting my bag strap back on my shoulder. “I’d have thought he had better things to talk about.”

Petra grinned. “I want to be you when I grow up.”

No, she did not. She’d never survive without her daddy’s money.

“You should strive for higher goals,” I replied, causing her to laugh.

“That right there—you’re a complete badass who happens to be gorgeous. You don’t need anyone. I think it’s why he loves you,” she said, then paused. “He does, you know … love you.”

Merce had proven he did not love me more than once. But I again said nothing.

“I gotta get to Social Theory,” I told her, glad my building was behind me and I could escape this conversation.

“See you tomorrow night then?” she asked as I started to walk away.

For a few minutes possibly, but I never actually stayed upstairs at the party. I was only ever there for the game.

“Yeah,” I called out with a wave.

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