Page 18 of My Perfect Villain

Am I the bad guy in Aribella Tremaine’s story?

Yes, yes, I am.

Do I regret what I’ve done?

Not a single drop of regret is given. She’s mine and one way or another, she will realize it.

Aribella

My brother is a gambler, everyone knows this.

I didn’t realize it would affect me the way it has.

Now this monster has me and I’m not sure if he will ever let me go.

Oddly enough, I think I am falling him.

But can I truly love the beast?

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Glossary of Spanish Terms

Mi reina- my queen

Mi pequeña reina- my little queen

Mariposa- butterfly

Pequeña mariposa- little butterfly

Mi pequeña reina, te amo más que a la vida misma- my little queen, I love you more than life itself

Mi reina está actuando como una bestia - my queen is acting like a beast

Si, mi bestia- Yes, my beast

Mi rey bestial- my beastly king

Preface

Vincent

Only the true gamblers are out past midnight. I chuckle as the high rollers keep dropping out of the Texas Hold’em tournament I started.

“Carlos, it seems you and I are the last two standing.” Taunting the young man is for sport. He’s a card shark, and I’m here to bust him. I respect the fact that he’s worked his way through the ranks to sit at this table with me, but I’m busting him all the same.

“Yes. Shall we do an all-in round to close out the night?” He sits there, fidgeting with two poker chips. He’s wearing sunglasses, but the twitch of his upper lip gives him away.

The irritating thing about this is Carlos is an exceptional card player. If he hadn’t taken my cousins and four others for twenty million, I’d extend him a job. As it is, he’s on the kill list. I’ve held off until now. I try hard not to shed blood if I can help it. Therefore, I’m trying to get him into debt, so I have a hand up on him.

“Agreed. All in.” I push my chips in and watch as he does the same.

The dealer shuffles the deck and deals the cards out to us. She lays the community cards upward. I look at my two. “Turn your cards up.”

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