Page 32 of Broken Deal

“Will you ever give up the chase?” I ask.

I honestly couldn’t care less what Julian gets himself into, but Ivy is practically my sister and the last thing she needs is to get involved with someone like him.

He shakes his head. “Never. That woman is going to be my wife one day.” His tone is so filled with conviction, I almost believe him.

“Good luck with that.” I let out a small,amused snort. “She knows what shit you get up to around here. You do realize you have a reputation, right?”

“I’ll drop it all for a woman like her.” He beams like the idiot he is. The day Julian Molina settles down will be a cold day in hell.

I opt to not say anything, because I know Ivy can handle herself. She’s smart enough to know that mixing herself with Julian would be a recipe for disaster. Instead, I nod to the dealer to start the game. One of the perks of being the vice president of this club? If I’m sitting at the poker table, the game doesn’t start until I give the go-ahead.

“Why don’t you hand me your money now? You want to suffer through a game and claim I cheated?” I challenge, glaring at Julian.

The dealer places two cards face down to each of us and the rest of the players.

Julian peeks at his cards and smirks then looks at me. “We’ll see. Maybe today is my lucky day,” he says, betting two lavender chips, each worth a hundred thousand dollars.

I peek at my cards. An ace of spades and a king of hearts. It’s a strong starting hand, so I call the bet, matching his amount without hesitation. People can call me cocky all they want, but I’m good at this game. Maybe even a little too good. I’ve always believed the reason I do so well is because, well, it’s just money. It means nothing to me.

The dealer reveals the first three cards, and I glance toward the entrance as Damian steps inside with Aria. I lift my hand to get their attention, and my breath catches when I see none other than Sophia walk in right after them. She’s wearing this killer short, blue satin dress that clings to her curves in all the right places, shimmering under the overhead lights. The hemline dances just above her knees, revealing those beautifully toned legs of hers. My memoriesflash back to that night, my hand traveling upward, touching every inch of her soft skin as I had her pinned against the wall.

Her hips move with a grace that commands attention, and looking around, I’m not the only one noticing her.

“Who’s the babe?” Julian asks, intrigued.Thisis what I mean. This man will never stop chasing after every hot woman he comes across.I’ll drop it for a woman like her, my ass.

My eye twitches involuntarily at the sound of Julian’s voice. “None of your fucking concern,” I snap, tapping the table twice to get his attention. “Get back to the game so I can beat you.”

I have the sudden urge to finish this game as quickly as possible so I can go spar with her.

Well, that’s a first.

Julian raises an eyebrow at me, his eyes flashing with a mysterious mischief. “Let’s make this bet more interesting.”

My heart rate picks up. Whatever he’s about to propose, I’m not going to like.

“If you win, I’ll stay away from her,” he starts.

“I have no idea who you’re talking about,” I drawl, twirling a lavender chip between my fingers.

“I’m talking about the hot brunette that seems to have you squirming for whatever reason,” he replies with a shit-eating grin. “But If I win, well, let’s say she’ll be going home with me tonight.”

“Yeah? Weren’t you just saying Ivy was going to be your wife one day? Moving on so quickly, lover boy?”

“You let me worry about that.” He waves his hand dismissively. “What do you say?”

Yeah, over my dead fucking body.

Just say no to the bet.

If I say no to the bet, he’ll go after her. I look at the cards. Ten of hearts, jack of diamonds, and queen of clubs. I have a good hand. My heart races at the prospect of entering a bet I’m sure to win.

Okay, but if you don’t, he’ll go after her…

I’ve never backed down from a bet, and I’m not about to start now. A few of the other players around the table fold, while others call. Then the dealer reveals the turn: a nine of hearts.

One card away from a straight.

Why are you so nervous? You’re never nervous when it comes to gambling. You said it yourself, you don’t care.

---