Page 75 of Inflame

“She was probably too embarrassed to ask Angie to pay, which is crazy. Angie has full access to our joint account and would have no issue picking up the tab.”

I nod. This chauvinistic display of power from Ethan is becoming a problem. Unfortunately, I’m not the white knight who can execute a rescue. I’m not the good guy in all of this.

With anger coursing through my veins, I muscle through the men at the table, barely making a mistake to take me off the path to victory. After the casino’s cut for their facilitation services, I win a little over $72,000—before taxes.

Graham smacks hands with me. “I let you win.”

“Right,” I snicker.

“I’m going to head up to the room,” he says. “I promised Angie I would take her up on the Eiffel Tower once it got dark enough.”

I nod and head over to the money exchange area. There are several papers I need to sign to verify that taxes will be removed from my earnings. It’s the downside of playing in a public place, like the Bellagio. When I go to turn around and make my way out of the high stakes room, Ethan is waiting for me.

“I would like the opportunity to win my money back,” he says bluntly.

“I bet you would.”

“I’m serious.”

I stop midstep. “How would you like to try?”

He thinks about it for a second, rubbing a hand over the back of his neck. “Want to come to my room and we can play a private game of Hold’em?”

“Why not just do that here?” I ask, skeptical at what he’s getting at. What is he wanting from me that he cannot get from a public table game? I don’t trust him. Not even sure if I would trust the deck in play.

“Stakes aren’t high enough here. I didn’t play my best at a table for eight. Let me have another chance to prove myself.”

“Okay…”

“We can buy a deck of cards right here in the gift shop if that makes you feel better.”

I nod. “It would.”

“Let me just make sure Claire is occupied. Might have to throw some cash at her to make her stay busy. That girl salivates over money and will probably be spending it all at the mall.”

I resist calling him a sexist. I resist punching in his face. I will call this progress. He is acting like we are part of some Boys’ Club that may have existed decades ago, during a time when women were barely scratching at the surface of equality. Times have changed. He doesn’t even have an excuse to act the way he does.

Claire is a freaking goddess, and Ethan is just a toad.

“Figure it out,” I direct, “and I’ll meet you in your room with a fresh deck.”

He nods and makes his way out of the casino. It doesn’t take but five minutes to grab some things at the gift shop. I even got a few items delivered directly to my suite. Spending more time with Ethan does not sound like a good use of my time here in Vegas, but I have to see this through so I can discover what his version of “high stakes” entails. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t intrigued. Surely I can turn the tables and make this beneficial for myself and not have it turn into a complete waste of time.

When I get up to his room, it is a downgrade from the suite I booked—despite still being nice. It is a larger room than the typical one bedroom ones and actually has a table area with chairs.

“When are you going to inform me about what you really want?” I ask directly. No point being secretive, now that we have some privacy.

Ethan huffs out an exhale and takes a seat across from me at the table. I shuffle the cards as his eyes bore into mine.

“You have a habit of getting exclusive luxury cars before they even hit the general market. How is that so?”

I shrug. He’s right. I do manage to get ahead on the waitlist before cars are even imported. It helps when I know people and have a growing list of those who owe me favors.

“Anyway,” he continues, “I have my eyes on the next model of Porsche coming out that is going to be very difficult to get based on the amount of cars being made and the demand for owning luxury. However, I would love to own your current model.”

My eyes narrow on his. “So if you win, you want me to give you my car?” Why he would want something used is mind-boggling to me. “Why not just wait until you can score a newer version for yourself?”

“Because taking something that is yours would make me feel accomplished.”

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