Page 25 of Dark King (Advantage Play 2)

He shakes his head, and the scruff along his jaw tickles my skin. “Not until you stroke my ego.”

“I already offered to stroke your dick if you’d just bring it up here!” I screech. His hot breath fans across my sensitive flesh teasingly.

“No deal, Wild Card. Tell me what I need to hear.”

I’m so freaking close it’s not even funny before I wrap my legs around his shoulders and buck toward him, desperately guiding him to the spot where I’m needing relief.

“Uh-uh,” he tsks, pinning me in place with his calloused hands on my lower stomach.

A groan of frustration slips out of me before I drop my head back to my pillow and stare up at the ceiling.

Nostrils flaring, I grit out, “Fine. I’m falling for you, Kingston Romano. I’m falling hard. Happy now?”

Within seconds, he pushes me over the edge, making me scream and somehow tapping into my frustration and turning it into absolute bliss and euphoria. I’m panting like I’ve run a marathon as I look down to find his gaze glued to mine before he says with an arrogant smirk, “Yes. Now was that so hard?”

“Asshole,” I mutter before pulling him up and wrapping my legs around his waist. “You owe me two of those for that.”

“Deal.”

He pushes into me with ease, and we both tumble over the edge minutes later before I tell him the truth. Willingly, this time. “I really am falling for you, Kingston, and I know you’ll take care of me. And your sister. And the entire Romano family. Even if it’s the last thing you do.”

Nestling into my neck, he mutters one word.

“Truth.”

Chapter Thirteen

Ace

“Good game, guys! Thanks for helping out tonight!” I tell Lou, Diece, and Stefan as they tuck in their chairs around the dining room table. We’ve just finished a couple rounds of poker in hopes of it helping Kingston get a better feel for the importance of table position and how to implement the strategy.

He’s been kind of lackadaisical about the whole thing, and I can’t decide if it’s because he’s discouraged, or if he’s just counting on his new plan to work out and doesn’t need to put as much effort into learning the game. Regardless, I think tonight helped.

As I gather the cards, I catch D stretching his arms over his head then tapping his knuckles against the table. It’s one of his familiar quirks, and the action makes me smile.

“Thanks for having us, Ace. That was interesting as hell. We’re going to call it a night, though. You’re getting better, King. Ace is a good little teacher.” He winks at me then leaves the room. Lou and Stefan follow after, murmuring their goodbyes.

Kingston, however, is still at the table, staring at the chips as if they hold the key to solving world hunger.

“Hey.” Trying to grab his attention, I throw a card at him, and it does its job, bringing him back to me.

He blinks. “Hey, sorry.”

“How do you think it went?” I ask.

“It wasn’t bad, but they also can’t compete with Burlone so…”

“So you don’t think that you can compete with Burlone, even though you cleaned up during tonight’s game?” I finish for him.

With a shake of his head, a vulnerable Kingston admits, “I don’t know what to think anymore. And this might be a moot point, anyway. If my other plan works out then…”

“Will you tell me your other plan?”

“Babe—”

“I know, I know. You and your stupid rules.” A breath of laughter escapes me as I remember Gigi saying the same thing to me. Setting aside my frustration, I add, “Want to know something interesting, King? I had my rules, too, yet they don’t even really enter my mind anymore. Not since I found you and moved in here. I trust you, King. With everything. And I think one of these days, you’ll realize you can trust me too and that you can tell me anything. Including what your plan is and how I can help.”

He opens his mouth to say something, but I cut him off. “But…since you’re not ready, and I don’t want to push you, let’s focus on poker, shall we? You’ve already gotten the basics down, and you’ve learned some strategy techniques that can be really valuable––as you saw with tonight’s outcome. You cleaned up, and you need to give yourself a little credit. But I think it’s time we start talking about Burlone, in particular. What do you think?”

---