Page 59 of Roulette: The Madam

“And, you’re no stranger. To me, yes, but to the game… no. I had to know what I was getting myself into.”

“I didn’t believe you’d get yourself involved at all. But, I guess I underestimated your love for Chino.”

“Don’t believe anything about me, Roulette. I thought we established that two seconds ago.”

“And, I thought I made it clear that I didn’t believe you’d get yourself involved before you advised me against it.”

He sighed with a shake of his head. He reached behind him and released the emergency stop button. Immediately, the cart began moving again. We’d been dangling mid air and I didn’t give a damn.

“We should be going or neither of us will ever make it to the penthouse.”

“We will–” I began, “We will make it to the penthouse, Israel, and you’re going to love every second of your time inside.Inside of me. What I have to offer, the elevator won’t provide enough space or opportunity for. Trust me when I tell you that we’re going to need the room in its entirety.”

For the first time since he’d stepped foot inside of the steel box, he began to crumble. His features rose with curiosity and his mouth slacked with surprise. His heart sped up tremendously. It pressed against my trench with each beat. His breathing was no longer steady. His long lashes that were worth envying flapped three times as a sigh pushed through his lips.

“Understood?”

Slowly, he nodded, displaying his ability to read between every line I’d shared with him.

“Good.”

The quick role reversal was magnetic, but so was his manhood. I retreated back to my feminine realm as my lips pursed.

“Your presence tonight is appreciated.”

He remained silent, burning holes through me with his gaze.

Ding.

The sound of the elevator rescued me from the fire. Israel was unmoving. He remained grounded, blocking me from exiting.

“Excuse me,” I asked, politely, nodding toward the doors to remind him they’d close if I didn’t step off soon.

He didn’t budge. His dark brown orbs held my attention, not allowing me to continue my night either.

“It’s not my love for Chino that brought me here tonight,” he confessed, “I won’t give anyone the credit you deserve for my attendance.”

When he released his truth, he released me. Israel stood to the side and watched me walk off the elevator on wobbly legs as I tried suppressing the thudding between them.

“Jesus Christ,” I breathed out.

I arrived at the penthouse door after the much needed moment of silence. Israel’s footsteps behind me were awfully intimidating, but my nose never left the air and my stride never broke. I used the key to open the door and placed it on the console upon entry.

Israel allowed the door to close behind me. I waited for him to enter but after a full thirty seconds, I realized he was basking in the silence before all hell broke loose behind the door he was standing in front of.

“Roulette–”

Chino’s voice was startling as if I wasn’t expecting him. I’d known the moment he made it to the hotel, because he’d informed me and let me know that the key to the penthouse was with the concierge that would be waiting at valet for my arrival.

“Chino.”

His arms were around me before I was able to protest. As his frame covered mine, I noticed the quivering. His nerves were shattered. He was unraveling. This was far from his comfortzone, yet he was willing to do anything to get back in my good graces.

What Chino didn’t understand was he would never be the person he was to me before. He’d crossed the line to the other side, with the rest of the world, and that’s where he’d remain. It didn’t matter how much money he stuffed in my accounts, what he purchased, or who he agreed to bring to bed. Things between us ended the day I discovered Kiara’s position in his life.

I’d given him the dream of almost the entire male population and still he found a way to mismanage my selflessness. It was the very last time he’d have the privilege because from that moment on, I’d be selfish in every aspect of our nonexistent relationship. It had always been about me, but he’d turned the burner up a notch. My selfishness was on full blast, ready to roast him like a Thanksgiving turkey.

“I’ve missed you,” he admitted as he kissed my cheeks with his wet, liquor-stained lips.

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