Page 30 of Queen Of WildCards

Hisface was so serious as he said it that it took my brain a second to reconnect its synapses and start back up.Thesecond it did,Isnorted in a very unladylike manner and fell sideways on the couch, laughing hysterically at his unintended jest.

Ifhe thought this was a house call, he wouldn't like me whenIstartedreallyusing my therapist skills.

"Ahouse call; you're joking, right?"Mylaughter bordered on crazed and deranged ifJoker'slook was anything to go on.

"Theydon't call meJokerfor nothing, you know."Hischeesy grin spread over two perfect, plump, kissable lips, andIstifled an inward groan at the sight of his tongue running the length of the split.

"Whydothey call youJoker,Cass?"Ifound myself asking asIwiped the tears from the corner of my eyes from laughing so hard.

Hesobered instantly, his earlier, playful mood gone. "Notimportant."

Isensed it had more to do with the fact that he didn't like the reason his moniker wasJokerthan using his real name, soIdropped it and smiled, hoping to get back on an even keel with him. "Sorry."Iturned back to the screen and put my hands in my lap, inching back into the corner of the couch, curling in on myself as much as possible.

Wesat there in silence for another hour beforeIfelt my eyelids start to sag.Ifought the sensation as long asIcould, but it was futile in the end—the events of the day not only had me drained, but the drinksI'dindulged in at the bar were finally out of my system, and the loss of liquid courage had me crashing hard, now that my brain could more adequately decipher the situation.

Iwas alone in the common area of a warehouse turned gang hangout with a man who'd jerked off during a video therapy session with me.Ahardened career criminal who'd done things so bad, who also told me about said things, that they felt the need to kidnap me and possibly kill me for whatIknew.Iwas definitely not going home anytime soon, andIhad very few people who might miss me now thatIwas gone.

JustGemma, and she'd abandoned me at the club to run wild with her less stringent, uptight friends.

Gofigure.

Myforehead rested on the armrest of the couch asIlet my eyes close, fighting back the tears at the hopelessness of my situation.Iheard him shuffling beside me, but the sheer exhaustion that overcame me made caring a chore.Resignationset in, and it was allIcould do not to sob hysterically when faced with my mortality.

Iwas so emotionally drained it took me no time at all to pass out, my brain determined to shut off untilIwas more capable of processing everything logically.

* * *

Myconsciousness stirredat the sound of an argument, albeit a quietly-whispered one.

"Youknow he's going to be pissed you let her out," one voice—the crazy one, maybe—muttered, a low grumble running beneath the surface of the words. "AndIamnotsaving your ass this time."

"Youneverdosave my ass,Spade; you dig me a bigger hole and then kick me in."Joker.Hadto be.

Ifelt likeIshould have been sitting upright, consideringI'dfallen asleep hugging the side of the couch, but there was something beneath my cheek, andIcouldn't tell what it was, but it wasn't the couch.Itmoved, and though that should disturb me, it didn't.Mybrain wasn't lucid enough to comprehend or put the pieces together.

"I'llremember that next time you need bailing out of jail."Spade'svoice moved around the room like he was pacing, and my ears perked up as it grew closer.Ifelt my feet be lifted from the couch—soIwas definitely stretched out across it, not curled up n the corner likeI'dplanned to stay all night.Theperson whose hands were on my ankles slid beneath them and replaced them on whatIassumed was their lap.Thosesolid, calloused hands remained on the skin just above my boots, sending a shiver down my spine at the contact.

"Don'twake her,Spade,"Jokermuttered, andIrealized with a start that my head was in his lap.

In.His.Lap.

Myear lay against the soft cotton of his sweatpants, and when he shifted,Idistinctly felt the outline of his semi-soft cock against my ear, sending a flash of arousal straight to my core.Isqueezed my thighs together just a smidge, attempting to alleviate the pressure building inside me at this blonde deviant's nearness to my face and the clear lewdness of my position.

Ifelt the fingers around my ankle tighten almost imperceptibly, but enough to know he'd noticed my not-so-subtle attempt.

Shit.

"Acewill be up soon.Don'tyou think she should go back in the cage before he gets out here?"Hestarted drawing circles around one ankle as he spoke, soothing the burn of the suggestion.

"Fuckthe cage,"Jokergrowled, his whole body tensed, ready for a fight. "She'snot going back in the cage.Stayedhere all night on the couch with no problem.Ieven gave her a chance to run, and she didn't."

Sohis absence had been planned.Ifiled that away for later, noting with a small smile that this goofball whose lapIlay in was really quite cunning.

"Shedidn't run?"SomethinginSpade'svoice made me stop and wonder why he wasn't surprisedIdidn't flee at the first opportunity.Ididn't have the chance to do a full analysis of it, though, before footsteps echoed down the hall behind the couch, andIheard another voice join the fray.

"Ofcourse she didn't.She'snot stupid.Sheprobably ran the chances of escape through her head and decided she'd be better off not wasting her energy."Thecouch dipped in the back, the weight of the person leaning over it shifting the cushions as his finger brushed against my jaw and moved some hair from my face.Iremained still, trying to remember to take even breaths as his touch electrified me. "Isn'tthat right,MissStanton?"

Myeyelids fluttered open as if he'd commanded them himself, andItwisted my head a fraction to the left, our eyes locking as he leaned over me with a leering grin.

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