Page 66 of Double or Nothing

“Can I ask you something?”

“If I said no, would it stop you?”

I shake my head.

“Continue, then.”

“Why don’t you let anyone else see this side of you?”

It’s a question I’ve pondered over the years. Callum can be such a great guy, yet what he lets the world see is nothing more than a competitive, egotistical jerk.

“Someone might get the wrong idea.”

“Wrong idea about what?”

“That I’m actually a nice guy.” He chuckles.

“You are a nice guy.”

“Shut your mouth. Rumors like that could get a guy… attached.”

“God forbid.”

“I can talk to Jack,” Callum offers. “See if he’ll tell me who it was.”

“No, I’ll talk to him since I did what they told him I did.”

“No, you ditched your ex-boyfriend, not your client. Clients don’t force you to have dinner with them.”

“True.”

“Am I interrupting?” a female voice asks from behind me.

I turn to see a stunning woman standing there, looking past me and straight to Callum.

When I turn back to him, he just shrugs. “Told ya.”

I’m not sure why he thinks this woman will change what I think of him. His desire for sexual gratification with random women doesn’t foreshadow what a great guy he can be. It only tells me he’s hiding from something, using his dick as an excuse.

“Not at all.” I exit my chair, bid them a good day, and head back to meet with Jack.

Chapter 31

Sutton

Kat storming into my room took me by surprise. When I saw her, my first thought was she was there to talk. That maybe, just maybe, after that kiss we shared, she was willing to hear me out. A small part hoped she was there for more, ready to finish what we started last night. I can’t help it. After that kiss last night, my thoughts are anything but pure. The woman is perfection, sweet and soft, hot and hard. The perfect mixture of what I used to like and what I want now. The girl versus the woman. The past and the present.

Unfortunately for me, she didn’t come for either. Well, she talked, but it wasn’t with me. It was at me, throwing around an accusation that I outed her to her boss. I mean, seriously? Does she honestly think I’m that petty?

Yeah, sure, her not showing for dinner hurt. In fact, it fucking killed me. That’s why I went after that douche, Callum. The idea of him being with her fucking infuriated me. Even knowing that, even as much as it hurt, there is no way I would ever call her boss. This—her, us—is personal, not professional.

There’s no doubt how much her career means to her. That she even took me on despite how much she hates me was proof of that. The casino, this job, keeps her grounded and happy. I’m not sure if she latched onto it so tightly because of me or her mom, but either way, it’s her lifeline. There is no way in hell I would ever do anything to take that away from her. She’s worked too hard and been through too much.

That being said, I am the one who set this whole thing in motion. I’m the one that invited her to dinner, fought her co-worker, and somehow got her in trouble for not showing up to that dinner when I never should have asked her. That’s why I’m standing in her boss’ office, his hand extended to me and a fake bullshit smile on his face.

“Sutton, so good to see you,” he tells me, his voice boastful.

I cut straight to the point. “We need to talk.”