Page 55 of Sinful God

I gaped at him in disbelief. This could not be happening.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” I snapped. “I don’t think so.”

I whirled around to storm away. I was jerked back when Gage grabbed my arm. With my free hand, I slapped him across the face. The crack was loud despite the constant noise. The entire table erupted in cheers and whistles.

Gage rose from his chair, motioning to the other guys to give him a moment. Then he dragged me down the hall. “What’s wrong, Cherry Pie? Don’t you trust me?”

“Trust you?” I scoffed. “Not in this lifetime. You just offered me up as a bet, Gage. A fucking bet! Do you have any idea how sick and twisted that is? You may have staked a claim on me but that doesn’t mean you can pass me around to those other sick fucks.”

Gage grinned through my tirade. “Finished yet? Nobody will be passing you around to anyone. I’m a card shark, Doll. They can’t beat me. If they do, I have more than enough cash to pay them out. Trust me. It’s all in good fun. Lighten up. Let’s have a good time.”

He didn’t give me a chance to agree or protest. Roughly taking my hand, Gage dragged me back to the table. He pulled me onto his lap, forcing me to sit there while he played poker with a bunch of assholes from campus. I hated all of them. Most of all, I hated Jet.

They played several rounds. Gage seemed to be doing pretty well. At first.

Poor Lyra grew more uneasy with each hand they played. I doubted it was because she was afraid Jet would lose her to someone else. If anything, that would be much safer. I suspected it had more to do with the way he groped her beneath the table. What a creep.

I slapped Gage’s hand when he reached for the tray of blow. “Don’t even think about it. You can snort yourself stupid when we’re done here.”

He was already messed up enough on booze and drugs. The more wasted he got, the more likely it was that he would fuck this up. His ego did that though. And how.

“Last hand, Corwin,” Jet said, winking at me. “If you lose this one, your girl is all mine tonight.”

Gage stiffened beneath me, the only sign that he wasn’t feeling so confident in his skills anymore. I would gut Jet myself before I’d let him lay a hand on me. Gage would be next.

“Yeah, yeah. Shut the fuck up and show your cards.” Gage nodded to the cards in Jet’s hand.

I tensed. My stomach cramped with unease. Jet laid down his cards first. A bunch of royalty cards, an ace, and a ten.

“Royal flush, bitch.” Jet smirked. “Doesn’t matter what you have. You lose.”

Gage tossed the cards he held into the middle of the table. He didn’t say a word. Three queens and two sixes. The silence at the table confirmed Jet’s claim. Gage fucking lost.

Jet shoved Lyra off his lap and stood up. “I guess I’ll just be taking my winnings and heading out then. Come on, Raina.”

I sat there frozen, unable to move. Was this real life? Was this really happening?

“Fuck that,” Gage finally managed to say. “You cheated.”

Jet burst out laughing. “Jesus, dude. Can’t you take the loss like a man and move on? I won. Can we all agree that I won fair and square?”

Jet glanced around the table for support. The other guys seated there were quick to nod and agree. Nobody argued on Gage’s behalf.

“How could you do this to me?” I heard myself say as I slid off Gage’s lap.

He didn’t acknowledge me. His gaze was locked on Jet. “Come on, Jet. You don’t really want Raina. I’ll pay you cash instead. Name your price.”

Jet’s vicious smirk turned downright evil. “You’re right. I don’t really want Raina. The Angels do, and let’s just say that I owe them one.”

Gage shot out of his chair. Too late. Jet grabbed me and spun me around before pulling a knife and placing the blade against my throat. He’d come here knowing exactly what he was doing, and he’d come prepared.

“You know that I’ll kill you for this,” Gage warned, his voice a dangerous tone I’d never heard.

Jet shrugged. “You can try. If I were you, I’d put your energy into the Angels. After they get through with your girl, you’ll be hurting.” To me Jet added, “Better come without any trouble, Raina. I’m not afraid to slit you from ear to ear.”

The way the blade bit into my neck above the metal collar I wore promised that he would do it without hesitation. As he led me toward the door, leaving Lyra, Gage, and several people staring after us, I had no choice but to move with him.

For a few precious seconds Gage and I locked eyes. Despite the fear that filled me with adrenaline, I hoped he saw the utter loathing that lie beneath. I would never forgive him for this. Gage Corwin was trash, and I was done dumpster diving.

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