Page 24 of Worth the Risk

‘Why?’

He sent me a cryptic glance. ‘I like to keep things...interesting.’

An alien need to throw caution to the wind seized me and this time I couldn’t even blame the champagne swiftly fading from my system. ‘What happens if you win?’

‘We discuss business...and you spend the rest of the evening with me.’

A steady pulsing between my legs joined the strumming in my chest. ‘And if you lose?’

‘You get to call the shots on how the evening goes. You can stay or you can leave.’

I hesitated, common sense warning that I was playing with fire.

His eyes gleamed, made another hot pass over my mouth. ‘Make up your mind, Leonora. The crowd is growing impatient.’

A quick glance testified to that. ‘Okay, we have a deal.’

The words were barely out of my mouth before he nodded to the croupier. As was the norm when staggering sums were at stake, the table went quiet, all eyes on the cards that were doled out and then sequentially revealed.

His arrogant smile said he’d expected to win.

He lost.

While I winced inwardly at the small fortune being scooped up by the croupier, Gideon barely glanced at it, his attention again fixed on me.

I wetted suddenly dry lips, attempted to tell myself I hadn’t won any special prize. All I wanted was to finalise our business, tell him I was taking myself off the crew and leave.

The electricity zapping through my system told me differently. For one thing, he was leaning close, way too close, his gaze on my face. ‘I’m in your hands now, Leonora. Your wish is my command.’

‘Talk,’ I blurted. ‘Let’s find somewhere to talk. Like we intended to...before.’

A smile whispered over his lips as he held out his arm. ‘Of course. I know just the place.’

The private salon he led me to was opulent, decadent and empty.

The fireworks detonating beneath my skin grew bolder. Wilder. I attempted to mitigate the sensation by taking several steps away from him. But not once did Gideon’s eyes stray from me. I was very much aware he was tracking me as I pretended to inspect every inch of the room.

‘How many private gaming rooms did you rent out for the night?’ I asked, turning away from that hypnotic gaze to drift my fingers over the velvet blackjack table.

‘Three, but Vadim and his entourage seem to prefer the roulette room.’

I stopped, surprised. ‘Your client’s already here?’

He nodded, prowling slowly towards me. ‘That’s why I cancelled our dinner. Vadim likes to play games. I suspected he’d pull something like this so I came prepared.’

So he hadn’t been delayed by the brunette. The strong relief that washed over me made me frown. ‘Do I need to be prepared to sail early, too? I might need to make a few calls to the crew members if—’

Gideon’s head shake stopped me. ‘He’s a heavy gambler. He won’t be ready to leave the casino until Sunday night at the earliest.’

My relief evaporated a moment later when Gideon arrived in front of me. ‘I don’t like to encroach on another man’s property, Leonora, so tell me there isn’t some guy climbing the walls somewhere while you’re here meeting with me.’

‘Is that your trust issue rearing its head again?’

Cold, brutal anger shifted through his eyes before it evaporated. Strangely, I wasn’t terrified because I knew it wasn’t directed at me. ‘Very much so.’

‘There’s no guy,’ I replied.

‘Good,’ he said, but just when I thought he’d move closer, he straightened and put the width of the table between us. ‘You wanted to talk business. Let’s hear it, Leonora.’

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