Page 103 of High Roller

“Does he? That’s nice to hear. But he doesn’t like me as much as he likes you, so you would still win, and I would still be at the bottom of a lake. Though at the rate I’m going, that might be preferable over getting shipped back to Finn while I’m still alive.”

My finger stings and blood spills onto the cutting board. But I barely feel it. All I feel is anger at hearing Lili talk about herself being better off dead.

“Don’t say that,” I whisper.

Lili’s face goes pale, and she rushes over and pulls the knife from my hand and runs my finger under cold water.

“I’m sorry, sweet girl. I wasn’t trying to scare you. Sometimes, I have a morbid sense of humor. I have no desire to die. You look like you’ve seen a ghost. Have I stepped in something messy?”

I swallow and shake my head as I stare at the blood rushing out of my finger. It’s going to need stitches, dammit.

“We should call Victor,” I say as Lili grabs paper towels to press against the wound.

“Yes, good idea. Where is your phone?”

I tell her where to find it in Victor’s room, and she tells me to hold the towels tight against my finger.

She comes back down with Victor already on the phone.

“Grace, sweetheart, what did you do?” he asks when Lili tells him I can hear now.

“I got distracted while I was cutting an apple and hit my finger with the knife. The cut is pretty deep, and it won’t stop bleeding.”

“The guards will take you to the hospital. Lili needs to stay where she is, though.”

“No! I don’t want to leave her alone.”

Victor is stunned by my outburst and the line is quiet for a moment.

“Mariposa, I’m sorry it has to be this way. Lili tells me she scared you and didn’t mean to. She’ll be fine. Please let the guard take you to the hospital. I’ll meet you there.”

The prospect of seeing Victor sooner than planned gives me the motivation to agree. Lili kisses my cheek, and I close my eyes to keep from initiating a repeat of our first kiss. It’s not right when I’m starting something new with Victord.

Victor hangs up as one of the guards in question steps into the room. “Come with me, Ms. Marsh.”

I follow him to a vehicle, and he opens the back seat for me. Lili shoved my phone in my hand right before I walked out the door, so I use it to send a one-handed text to Victor to let him know I’m on my way.

Victor:Good girl. I hope it wasn’t your right hand. It would be a shame not to be able to play with your pussy for me later.

His text sends my libido into high gear again. I’d managed to put my neediness out of my mind until now. Damn him. But also bless him for once again finding the right distraction for the situation.

At the hospital, the amount of blood pouring from my finger means I get seen right away. It doesn’t take long for them to stitch me up, but it takes an hour for a doctor to see me so I can go home. While I’m waiting, Victor strides into the room, looking harried and stressed. I’ve interrupted his day with my clumsiness, and I’m overcome with guilt.

“I’m so sorry, Victor. You didn’t have to come all the way out here. I know you were in town.”

He cups my jaw and kisses me. “Stop apologizing. Did you cut yourself on purpose to get my attention?”

I shake my head. “Of course not!”

“Then stop apologizing,” he repeats. “In fact, the next time you apologize for something you shouldn’t, I’m going to punish you.”

“You sure are finding lots of reasons to punish me,” I grumble.

He laughs. “This room has a door with a lock, Mariposa. I can show you how much I want to punish you if you like. Perhaps that will take your mind off the pain in your finger.”

I shake my head. “No, Sir. That won’t be necessary.”

He taps the end of my nose. “Just as I thought.”

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