Page 88 of Seduction in Spades

Nolan’s elbows rest on the railing, the bottle dangling from two fingers as he stares out over the city.

“You’re early,” I say to his back.

He doesn’t turn to me and lifts the bottle of beer to his lips. Dressed in black jeans, dark boots, and a black long-sleeve T-shirt, I’m guessing he isn’t getting back from a day on the floor of the poker room.

“Rough day on the job?” I cringe at my momentary lapse of judgment. Shit. If he wasn’t working at the casino, then he was out trying to find whoever is behind the threats.

I move next to him and copy his stance, resting my elbows on the railing.

“So, is this it? The friendship or whatever we want to call it between us, is that gone?”

He glances at me, then brings the bottle to his lips and finishes his beer.

“Nice.” I push off the railing. “Good to know I’ve been demoted to whore status. You can keep your dick to yourself from now on.”

“Fuck.” He tosses the bottle to one of the chairs and spins me around so I’m facing him. “What is it you want, Avery? Huh? Do you even have a fucking clue?”

My arms burn where he’s gripping me tight. “I don’t wantthis.” I stare down at his hands.

He releases me and pushes me away. “You’re the one who called the shots. My way wasn’t working, so I switched it up and tried yours. I reread that book of yours, and chapter one clearly says no-strings sex. Rough sex, just the way you like it. No emotions. No feelings. No entanglement.”

He’s clenching his jaw and I swear I see steam coming out of his ears. I’ve never seen Nolan filled with such anger and this close to losing control.

“If you changed your mind on that, you could have fucking let me know. And if you don’t want me to fuck you, then tell me that as well. All I’m doing is following your fucking rulebook.”

He pushes past me into the living room, and I storm after him.

“You’re so full of shit,” I yell, anger and tears welling in my eyes. “This isn’t about what I want. We—”

“You fucking asshole.” Trey comes barreling into the apartment and stops in front of Nolan.

Whatever rage and anger I’m feeling toward him is nothing compared to Trey’s.

“You. All along, it’s you.” Trey brings his right arm back and pummels his fist into Nolan’s face.

“Trey!” I jump forward, but Nolan reaches behind him and pushes me away.

“How fucking long, man?” He slaps a folder against Nolan’s chest.

I watch in horror and confusion as Nolan keeps his focus directed on Trey. He didn’t even flinch when Trey punched him. Slowly, he takes the folder and opens it, his eyes still locked on Trey’s.

“I trusted you, fucker,” Trey spits. “I asked you to watch over her, and you took advantage of my sister, putting her in danger. Instead of taking care of her, you fucked her.”

Oh shit.I can only imagine what the pictures are of.

Nolan glances at the photo in his hands and closes the folder, returning his gaze to Trey. “I didn’t sleep with her that night.”

“Bull fucking shit. There are more pictures.”

“I waited until the morning when she was sober.”

I close my eyes and jump when I hear another punch. “Trey. Please.”

“Don’t, Avery,” Trey says without looking at me. “He took advantage of you.”

“No, he didn’t. That wasn’t the first night we hooked up.”

Crap. Not the right thing for me to say.

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