Page 9 of Merciless Sinner

“No,” I answer quickly, the sharpness yet softness of my voice sounding out of place amongst this group of hardcore, high-powered men.

Virgo responds with a stiff smile, as if to say I don’t know himyet.

Getting my mind under control, I summon bravery and steel my spine. No matter how much I dispise my reasons for being here, I hate the idea of being dead or sold off to someone who might kill me more. So, I have to protect the money I stand to make from Petr.

Virgo looks away from me then at each of the men, staring at them in turn, the strength of his presence displaying his dominance. “How about we just make a start?”

“That sounds like a good idea,” Francois agrees with a confident bow of his head.

“Can I get your bets, please,” the croupier asks.

The men throw in their chips. Alotof chips. Even with my lack of knowledge of this game, I know those chips must be worth a shit ton of money. Millions maybe.

Millions to be won or lost.

Neither of which is my concern. I have bigger worries. Regardless of the timing, if Virgo’s presence means I’m in danger, I have to figure out what to do.Fast.

The game begins, and the men show their cards. Virgo wins the first hand. Then, much to everyone else’s dismay and utter annoyance, he wins the second, third, and fourth hands.

He plays with the skill of a man who could play this game in his sleep, and I’m very aware that his eyes have hardly left me throughout the entire time.

Petr wins the next two rounds and makes a show of slipping his arm around me, staking his claim. Every time he touches me, I notice a tick in Virgo’s jaw and a wildfire blazing in his bright blue eyes, as if he wants to tear the skin off Petr’s hands.

I think Petr notices, too, because he touches me even more, making me feel like I’ve been drafted into a game of mental tug-of-war.

An hour passes, but it feels like it goes by as quickly as if I’d blinked.

Suddenly, Virgo is on a winning streak with a mountain of chips in front of him and a cocky smile twisting his handsome face, but then Petr wins again and again, taking over control. His success replenishes the confidence he had when I first met him.

“Sorry, Virgo Antonov, looks like your luck is dwindling, while mine is through the roof.” Petr chuckles low and cunningly.

“I wouldn’t say that.” Virgo smiles back. “How about we take things up a notch since you feel so lucky?”

“What do you have in mind?”

“Let’s raise the stakes by ten million.”

Ten million.

The smile drops off Petr’s face at the same time my stomach squeezes as if a vice is clamped around it.

I can’t imagine playing around with that kind of money just for fun. It seems like Petr and the others can’t either.

“Make it lower.” Petr demands.

Virgo laughs. “Thought you said your luck was through the roof.”

“I did, but I’m not foolish enough to play with a Bratva boss. That kind of money is pocket change to you people.”

Bratva boss?Great.Being in the mafia was already bad, but he’s a leader. A filthy rich one from the sounds of it.

“Ten million is nothing to you, either, but if you don’t want to dig that deep into your pockets, why don’t you just give me your girl?”

A heated chill races over my body, and I glare back at Virgo. I want to snap back and tell him to go fuck himself, and that I’m not for sale.

The words are already falling off my lips, but I catch myself when good old embarrassment reminds me that I already sold my soul to the devil.

They all know that. Hence the reason Virgo made the request.

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